This tennis ball game is in an ice-breaker designed to promote team work and camaraderie which is a great start to any Bootcamp group! This will not only help to reduce nerves of any newcomers but can also boost retention rates.
Encouraging friendliness, fun and laughter is a perfect recipe for any Bootcamp and will help to “set the tone” for future sessions. Building a strong community will be a great foundation for your Bootcamp success.
Set Up:
We will use the example of 10 participants for ease of explaining the game, but you can have anywhere from 4 to 15 participants. You need to have at least 1 tennis ball per participant.
- Place 10 cones in a wide circle at least 2m apart.
- Participants are to stand in a circle next to a cone, facing the trainer who is standing in the middle.
- Each cone should be about 10m from the middle. The 10 tennis balls are in the middle which has a different exercise written on each.
Demonstration:
The trainer stands in the middle with all the tennis balls and demonstrates all exercises to the group. It’s important to demonstrate so everyone is confident with each exercise and explain that you will be going around to correct any technique throughout the game.
When this is complete, explain that you will throw a tennis ball to one person at a time, they need to say their name and then the exercise aloud.
For example “My name is Fiona, 10 x burpees”. Each participant must then complete 10 burpees simultaneously. Ensure to give any modifications to beginners as necessary. Once complete, they leave the tennis ball next to their cone (so you can keep track of who hasn’t had a turn).
When you have gone through all the balls, you can leave it there or do it again (starting the balls in the middle and randomly throwing one ball at a time). If you were to repeat it again, the participants don’t need to say their name again unless you think it’s necessary.
Example Exercises:
- 1 x lap around the park
- 10 x push ups
- 10 x burpees
- 20 x lunges
- 20 x fast feet
- 20 x high knees
- 30 sec plank
- 50 x Russian twists
- 30 sec squat hold
- 1min of shadow boxing
Have fun with this game and we hope it adds value to your group sessions!
