Build unity in the dojo or the gym with an activity that not only teaches the importance of stretching and flexibility but also offers class members an opportunity to get to know one another. After warming up and engaging in a Medicine Ball Name Game, the main part of the instructional activity covers balance and the introduction of the crane stance, the cat stance, and the snap kick.

Concepts

breaking the ice, stretching, flexibility, exercise, martial arts

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Additional Tags

warm up, ice breaker, stretch, karate, physical education

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Instructional Ideas

• Enlarge, laminate, and post the class etiquette and classroom rules chart
• Provide  class members with a copy of the skills assessment chart and have them keep track of their improvement in flexibility, strength, and balance

Classroom Considerations

• The first in a 20-lesson unit
• Requires medicine balls and kicking shields
• Stretches target biceps, triceps, quadriceps, and hamstrings
• Appropriate for all physical education classes

Pros

• The medicine ball name game is designed to help class members get to know one another and can be used at the beginning of the course as a ice breaker
• Includes stretching and warm-up exercises, a team-building activity, a martial arts lesson, cool-down exercises, and a class review

Cons

• None