Armor & Recovery

Warm the armor, cool it down, and practice what to do when someone gets hurt.

Real first aid stays with the coach. This station rehearses the habit.

• 1Warm-Up Warrior DanceFollow the coach for 3–4 minutes: arm circles to polish the shield, high knees marching in, torso twists scanning for dragons. Heart rate climbs slowly.

  Set up

  Upbeat music.

  Do this

  Follow the coach for 3–4 minutes: arm circles to polish the shield, high knees marching in, torso twists scanning for dragons. Heart rate climbs slowly.

  Done when · Three or four minutes of easy movement: arms, knees, and a twist, with breathing still talk-friendly. Done when cheeks are warm and nobody is gasping.

  Play this drill
• 2Cool-Down CommanderThe coach leads slow static stretches for whatever you just did — legs after kicks, arms after sword work.
• 3The Safety ScanWalk the mat edge together. Look for stray gear, untied shoes, and gaps between mats. Fix them before the first rep.
• 4Scrape & Bump SimulationStory: someone scraped a knee on an escape. The clan answers the three steps out loud. 1. Stop playing. 2. Tell a coach. 3. Go get a battle patch.
• 5Call for a CoachThe strongest voice a warrior has is the help voice. Practice yelling “Coach!” together, loud and clear, one time.
• 6The R.I.C.E. ChantChant and act it. R is REST — lie down. I is ICE — pretend the pack. C is COMPRESSION — hug the leg. E is ELEVATION — feet on the pillow.
• 7Protective Gear Match-UpMatch the armor to the athlete and say which body part it guards.
• 8Body SignalsAsk: what does tired feel like? What is the difference between tired and hurt? What does thirsty feel like?
• 9Partner Safety CheckFace your partner. Thumbs up. Ask “Ready?” They thumbs-up and say “Ready!” back. No check, no drill.
• 10Tap Out is StrengthTapping a partner or the mat is not losing. It is respecting the body. Practice the tap from a neutral position until the hands know it before the feelings do.