Be-thaw you go

Talk about why you should warm up

1. The person leading the activity should help everyone think about why we should warm up before exercise.

You could talk about how warming up elevates the heart rate and increases blood flow to the muscles. This helps prevent strain or injury.

2. The person leading the activity should explain that athletes in the Winter Olympics use warm-ups like the ones everyone will try today. These warm up the middle, upper, and lower body – but they’re not just for snow sports. You could use them for other physical activities too.

Leg swings

These warm up the legs and hips.

1. Put one hand against a wall or chair for balance.
2. Stand up straight and swing the outer leg (farthest from the wall or chair) gently back and forth five times, lifting a bit higher each time.
3. Turn around so you switch legs and repeat step two.
4. Repeat once for each leg.

Arm circles

These stretch the arms, upper back and shoulders.

1. Stretch your arms up and move them both slowly in forward-motion circles ten times. You should have control – not be flinging them around.
2. Circle them backwards ten times.

Back stretch

Your back takes a lot of strain during exercise, and it’s vital for balance in skiing, snowboarding and other sports.

1. Stand up straight, bend your knees slightly, then slowly bend forwards until you can touch your toes (or be as near as possible without strain).
2. Gently straighten your legs, stretching your back and hamstrings (backs of the thighs).
3. Hold this for 10 seconds. You’ll feel a bit of a burn in your back and legs – that means it’s working!

Toe hop

On the slopes this is done on a snowboard, but you can do a version without snow or equipment. The top hop helps with balance and warms up the legs.

1. Stand on the balls of your feet, lean forward slightly, bending a bit at the knees, and hold your balance.
2. Start with some small hops and gradually jump higher landing back on the balls of your feet each time.
3. Repeat ten times.