Creative Fitness Challenge

Lesson Information

• Subject: Physical Education
• Year Group: Year 9
• Duration: 57 minutes
• Class Size: 30 students
• Setting: Fitness Suite
• Focus: Creative and challenging fitness circuits for girls

Curriculum Links

• National Curriculum for Physical Education (KS3 - England)
• Key Area: Health and Fitness
  • Develop competence in a broad range of physical activities
  • Engage in competitive sports and activities
  • Lead healthy, active lives
  • Understand the long-term benefits of fitness

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Engage in a variety of fitness challenges that promote cardiovascular endurance, strength, and agility.
2. Explore creative and unconventional ways to use gym equipment for full-body workouts.
3. Challenge themselves individually and within small groups to push their fitness boundaries.
4. Reflect on their fitness experience and understand the benefits for overall health.

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes) – ‘Power Pair Pulse Raiser’

Purpose: Increase heart rate, prepare muscles, and introduce teamwork.

• Partner Challenges (5 minutes)

  • High Knee Hand Slaps (one student does high knees, the other provides a target to hit with knees)
  • Wall Sit & Plank High Five (one partner holds a wall sit while the other planks and high-fives them)

• Dynamic Movements (5 minutes)

  • Skipping (with and without ropes)
  • Lateral Shuffles
  • Fast-feet reaction drill (on teacher's command)

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2. Fitness Circuits (32 minutes) – ‘Unconventional Strength & Stamina’

Students will rotate through six highly creative stations, spending 4 minutes per station, with 30-second transitions.

Station (4 min each)	Equipment	Challenge
Deck of Cards Challenge	Deck of cards, bodyweight	Draw a card, follow the exercise suit (♠ Squats, ♥ Burpees, ♦ Plank variations, ♣ Jump lunges). Number = reps.
Weighted Dice Dash	Large foam dice, kettlebells/dumbbells	Roll the dice and lift that weight for 8 reps using exercises like deadlifts or shoulder presses.
Battle Rope Waves & Bursts	Battle ropes, timer	20-sec rope waves, 10-sec squat jumps, repeat!
Treadmill Relay Sprint	Treadmill, stopwatch	Short intense sprint relay: 10 sec max effort, quick switch over!
Boxing & Core Blaster	Boxing gloves, pads, mats	Partner pad work (jab-cross combos) followed by 30-sec core exercises (Russian twists, leg raises).
Speed Ladder + Reaction Test	Speed ladder, cones	High-speed ladder drills followed by reaction drills (teacher shouts a colour, students sprint to that colour cone).

Differentiation:

• Higher ability: Increase intensity, add resistance bands, reduce rest.
• Lower ability: Modify exercises (e.g., step-ups instead of jump lunges, shadow boxing instead of pad work).

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3. Cool Down & Reflection (10 minutes) – ‘Mind & Muscle Reset’

• Stretching Circuit (5 minutes)

  • Butterfly stretch
  • Hamstring sits
  • Shoulder rolls and neck release

• Guided Reflection (5 minutes)

  • Students rate difficulty of stations from 1-5.
  • Pair discussion: "Which station pushed you the hardest and why?"
  • Brief teacher-led discussion on the benefits of diverse fitness routines.

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Assessment & Plenary

• Verbal Exit Ticket: Students share one thing they improved on today.
• Self-Assessment: Thumbs up/down for how they adapted to creative challenges.
• Teacher Observation: Note effort, engagement, and teamwork levels.

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Equipment Needed

✅ Deck of Cards
✅ Large Foam Dice
✅ Kettlebells/dumbbells
✅ Battle Ropes
✅ Treadmills
✅ Boxing Gloves & Pads
✅ Speed Ladder
✅ Cones

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Teacher’s Notes

💡 Encourage positive language & mindset: Girls can sometimes lack confidence in fitness. Keep motivation high!
💡 Music Playlist: Have an energising mix to keep the atmosphere upbeat.
💡 Involve students: Let them help set up challenges to foster leadership.

This session blends creativity with challenge, ensuring every student is engaged and motivated in their fitness journey. 🚀