Energizer: Follow my lead

Energizer steps

Step 1

Warm up: Ask adolescents to stand in a circle.

Step 2

Explain: Stretching different parts of your body can be a good way to release the stress you feel while also helping to reenergize you in a healthy way. For example, if you
stretch your arms above your head you can feel a healthy stretch in your arms as well as through your back and your sides.

Step 3

Demonstrate stretching your hands above your head, and ask adolescents to stretch with you.

Step 4

Facilitator says: “Try to think about a part of your body that feels tense or closed, either because you feel stress, or just because you have not used it or exercised in a while. We are going to go around in a circle with each of you leading us in a different stretch for a different part of your body. You can stretch your whole body if you want to, or just a small part, like your finger or your toe. Don’t push yourself to stretch too hard or in position that’s uncomfortable!”

Step 5

Ask each participant to lead one stretch exercise and have everyone  else copy what they do, going around in a circle. Encourage adolescents to think of new kinds of stretches to try, but let them repeat stretches other participants have already used if they want to do so.

Step 6

Repeat all of the stretches once or twice, in the same order that adolescents introduced them.

Step 7

Close the activity by applauding, or by having one final stretch together.