Flex 1.0 Class 3 pilot
CLASS 3 | GET THE BEAT
Build attention and cognitive speed with a group rhythm and movement workout.
TRAINER OVERVIEW
- Class 3 TBH Take This Home cards, enough for each student.
WELCOME TO CLASS
- Welcome everyone.
- Introduce the class topic.
Welcome to today’s class! Our topic is “Get the Beat.” We will have fun together creating different rhythm and motion patterns that will get us thinking quickly together.
Our TBH Blueprint focus is the “Move It!” action point.
Staying physically active is an important way we can keep our brains healthy. Did you know we can use physical activity to target specific thinking skills such as attention and nimbleness as well? We’ll be trying that together today.
We will be working on the following thinking skills today:
- Perception
- Coordination
- Attention
- Processing Speed
- Nimbleness
- Visual Skills
- Memory
- Executive Control
Hand out the TBH Welcome Packet to all new students for a more complete introduction.
TBH LET'S GET IT STARTED
- Get everyone ready to learn with this seated toes-to-top
warmup. - Use the TBH music to set your pace, or choose your own.
We are going to start with a great warm-up for our bodies and brains called TBH Let’s Get It Started.
It is a wonderful way to get us ready to focus and learn together. We’ll do this right at our seats at the beginning of every class. Just watch what I do and follow along!
(At end of warmup) Great job, everyone! We are started up and ready to go!
FEET GET STARTED!
- Tap toes on both feet, up and down. 10 repetitions. Count together 1 to 10.
- Alternate toe taps. 10 repetitions. Count together using the alphabet A to J.
LEGS GET STARTED!
- Stamp feet on the ground, alternating feet. Make “noise” with group.
- Gently kick legs out from the knee, alternating legs. 10 repetitions. Count together from A to J.
- March in place, alternating legs. 10 repetitions. If your class is physically able to march in place safely while standing, you may choose that option. Count together from 1 to 10.
ARMS GET STARTED!
- Gently shake arms, open and close hands.
- Circle wrists a few times in clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Hold arms straight out in front, shoulder level, palms facing down. Slowly lower both hands to thighs and then raise them back to shoulder level. 5 repetitions. Count from 1 to 5.
- Shrug shoulders up and down, with hands on knees. 5 repetitions. Count from A to E.
VOICES GET STARTED!
- Say “OHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “EHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “AHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “OH – EH – AH.” Hold each sound for a few seconds. 3 repetitions.
BREATH GETS STARTED!
- Slow focus to bring awareness to sitting still in chair.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose.
- Exhale out through the mouth.
- Give selves big hug, wrapping arms across waist and squeezing gently, as able.
- Thank selves and send some “TBH love” to our brains!
Click to open the TBH Let’s Get It Started! playlist.
Click for the TBH Let’s Get It Started! complete guide.
LEARN THE TBH SCIENCE
Present the science behind the class.- Allow for brief discussion of the science with your students.
Now let’s get started with today’s workout, “Get the Beat.” What are the different ways you like to exercise?
Regular physical activity is a terrific way we can care for our bodies and our brains. Research shows that when we are physically healthy, our brains benefit. This is true even when we are dealing with memory challenges. Exercise may help slow cognitive decline. It may also help us day to day feel more focused and improve our mood.
Does anyone like dancing? Dancing is actually a great way we can keep our brains healthy. Dancing as a form of exercise has some special benefits to our thinking. Here’s one – we have to pay attention to the rhythm or beat of the music. That boosts our auditory attention, which can help us in listening. And responding to the time of the musical beat works out other important skills, such as coordination and speedy and nimble thinking.
NOW DO IT!
Use the prompts to create different beat rhythms and have students follow along.- Adapt as needed to include everyone as they are able.
For this workout we will practice paying attention to rhythms and moving with the beat. I’m going to create a beat with my hands. Watch for a second and then join in. When we’ve all gotten the beat, we’ll change it and try a new one together. And we may even take turns creating the beat for everyone to follow!
Ready? Let’s go!
(At the end of the workout) Great job getting with the beat, everyone! What did you think of that workout?
- Lead your class in this workout to personalize their learning of the science.
- Create different “beat” sequences for your class to follow. Repeat the same “beat” pattern for several minutes until your students join in the “beat” pattern with you. Continue the “beat” pattern together for several minutes. Try as many “beat” patterns as time allows.
- Offer several different “beat” patterns, telling your class when you are changing to a new pattern. Combine the suggested movements below for different “beat” combinations. Try more complex “beats” as your students are able to follow along.
- Invite students to take turns setting the “beat” for everyone to follow along.
SUGGESTED “GET THE BEAT” MOVEMENTS
- Hand Claps. Clap your hands. Vary the number of times in a sequence.
- Thigh Slaps. Slap your hands to your thighs. Alternate hands. Vary the number of times in a sequence.
- Finger Snaps. Snap your fingers. Alternate hands. Vary the number of times in a sequence.
- Table Slaps. Slap the table surface in front of you. Alternate hands. Vary the number of times in a sequence.
- Right or Left Hand. Alternate hands in a “beat” pattern, for example slapping your right hand to your right thigh, then your left hand to your left thigh.
- Make It Harder. Speed up the tempo. Make the sequences longer. Try crossing the mid-line of the body with the hands or feet.
- Make It Easier. Go more slowly. Make the sequences shorter. Use simpler movements.
- One-to-One Delivery. Take turns setting the “beat.” Play music and clap out the beat of the music together. Make up a “Get the Beat” Challenge: Create a beat together and record yourselves performing it. Then “challenge” a family member or friend to try your beat and record their own for you to try in return.
- Virtual Delivery. Encourage distance learners to participate in the “beat.” Invite them individually to set the “beat” pattern for the group.
TBH TAKEAWAY
Share this brief wrap-up to end the workout.- Distribute the TBH Take This Home card for this class.
- Ask students to share how they feel after today’s class
That was wonderful, you all really got the beat! I hope you liked this workout. Some of those rhythms were pretty challenging. Isn’t it nice that fun exercises like this are such a great workout for our thinking skills? I hope you’ll keep trying this one on your own.
Here is a TBH Take This Home card for this class. It will remind you what we learned together today. You can keep doing making new “beats” on your own, with each other or with a family member or friend. It’s easy to do over video as well. Try challenging yourself with this workout – it’s a terrific exercise for your attention, coordination and reaction time!
What was one thing you liked about today’s workout?
TBH TAKE A BREATH
- Lead this cooldown exercise to end class.
- Use the TBH music to set your pace, or choose your own.
Let’s wrap up with “TBH Take a Breath.” Being mindful and sharing some positive thoughts gives us a chance to think about what we have learned together and how we can use it in our daily lives. Research shows that mindfulness practices like this supports brain health when living with dementia. And it is a wonderful way to end our time in class together.
- Have students get comfortable, resting both feet flat on the floor, hands resting in their laps.
- Have students close their eyes and keep them gently closed.
- Ask students to focus their attention on their breathing, noticing the rate and rhythm of their breath. Allow them to focus on their natural breathing for a few moments.
- Instruct students to begin rhythmic breathing. Ask them to inhale slowly and deeply through their nostrils, breathing gently into their chest and belly. Then ask them to exhale slowly through their lips, slowing the rate and rhythm of their breath.
- Have students continue rhythmic breathing, instructing them to continue to focus on gently and slowly inhaling and exhaling, allowing their attention to simply “ride” the wave of their breath. Allow them to focus on rhythmic breathing for several moments.
- Offer the following positive affirmation statements below in a calm, slow voice. Invite students to simply listen, repeat the phrase silently to themselves, or to think about what each statement means to them.
I feel relaxed.
I am grateful for my body.
I am grateful for my rhythm.
I am grateful for my friends.
I am grateful for myself.
- Pause for several moments.
- End the exercise by inviting students to bring their awareness back to the room, gently opening their eyes and becoming more aware of their surroundings.
- Invite them to end practice with gratitude for taking a moment for themselves, for the chance to learn together and connect with each other.
Click for the TBH Take a Breath music playlist.
Click to open the TBH Take A Breath complete guide.
COMING UP NEXT!
- Thank students for attending the class.
- Invite students to join you for the next TBH class.
You all did an amazing job today. I look forward to seeing you for our next Total Brain Health class!
CLASS RESOURCES
TBH TAKEAWAY HANDOUTS
Download and provide your students with the following handouts.
Class 3 TBH Take This Home Cards. Use the Class 3 TBH Take This Home cards for the TBH Takeaway closing activity. Print out enough copies of the cards so that each class member has one to take home. Print the cards two-sided and in color. Cut them apart. If possible, laminate the cards for easier handling and durability. If you’d like, punch a hole in the card and provide a small mountable hook so students can keep the cards in a visible spot at home.
OTHER RESOURCES
Physical Activity and Exercise. Alzheimer’s Society.
