warm up and cool down
4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.
Lesson Overview
Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Learning Objectives
- Explain the key ideas of warm up and cool down
- Apply warm up and cool down to exam-style questions
- Develop independent study skills
- Build cross-topic connections
Prerequisites
- Read the revision notes for warm up and cool down first (GCSE Revise summary)
- Key vocab to pre-teach: Exam Tip, PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down
- Basic skills: reading the summary notes and answering the practice questions there
Materials & Equipment
- Exercise book, coloured pens
- Ruler
- Printed revision notes (link below)
- Internet for videos (see Resources)
Lesson 1: Introduction: warm up and cool down
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Write down everything you already know about warm up and cool down. Then check against the key terms: Exam Tip, PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Exam Tip, PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Exam Tip, PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: warm up and cool down. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Physical Education because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: warm up and cool down. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Physical Education because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look
Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: Name the four phases of a warm up in the correct order.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Check Out
Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about warm up and cool down.
Lesson 2: Core Concepts: warm up and cool down
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Review Previous Lesson
Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on warm up and cool down. Check them against the notes below.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Definition: A warm up is a period of light exercise that prepares the body for more strenuous activity. It gradually increases heart rate, body temperature and blood flow to working muscles.
Exam Tip: Dynamic stretching is recommended for warm ups. Static stretching is more appropriate for cool downs. Make sure you know the difference.
Definition: A cool down is a period of light exercise after strenuous activity that allows the body to gradually return to its resting state. It helps remove waste products and speeds up recovery.
EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption): The elevated oxygen intake after exercise that helps repay the oxygen debt and supports the breakdown of lactic acid. An active cool down supports EPOC more effectively than complete rest.
PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down: 1. For Warm Up and Cool Down questions, use subject-specific terminology precisely 2. Support every point with specific evidence or examples 3. Show balanced analysis — consider different perspectives before reaching a conclusion 4. Link your understanding of Warm Up and Cool Down to real-world contexts where possible 5. For longer answers, plan your response to address all parts of the question
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Increased heart rate | Delivers oxygen and nutrients to working muscles more quickly |
| Increased body temperature | Makes muscles more pliable and reduces risk of injury |
| Increased blood flow | More oxygen delivered to muscles, improving aerobic respiration |
| Faster nerve impulse conduction | Improves reaction time and coordination |
| Increased joint range of motion | Synovial fluid released, lubricating joints for freer movement |
| Faster muscle contraction | Warm muscles contract more quickly and powerfully |
| Reduced risk of injury | Muscles, tendons and ligaments are better prepared for stress |
| Mental preparation | Performer focuses on the task, improving concentration and motivation |
Practice (10 minutes)
Q: Name the four phases of a warm up in the correct order.
Answer: Pulse raiser, stretching, skill practice, mental preparation.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Explain Back
Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.
Lesson 3: Application: warm up and cool down
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Recall the key terms: Exam Tip, PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down. Define each in one sentence.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.
Q1: Name the four phases of a warm up in the correct order.
Answer: Pulse raiser, stretching, skill practice, mental preparation.
Q2: Explain how a pulse raiser reduces the risk of injury during exercise.
Answer: The pulse raiser gradually increases heart rate and body temperature. Warmer muscles are more pliable and elastic, reducing the risk of tears and strains. Increased blood flow delivers more oxygen to muscles and synovial fluid is released to lubricate joints.
Q3: Why is dynamic stretching preferred over static stretching in a warm up?
Answer: Dynamic stretching involves moving muscles through their range of motion, mimicking the movements of the upcoming activity. This actively prepares the neuromuscular system. Static stretching can actually reduce muscle power output and is better suited to cool downs.
Q4: Describe the role of the cool down in removing lactic acid from the body.
Answer: The cool down maintains an elevated heart rate and continued blood flow. This circulating blood transports lactic acid from the muscles to the liver, where it is converted back to pyruvic acid and then either used for energy or converted to glycogen for storage.
Q5: Explain what is meant by blood pooling and how a cool down prevents it.
Answer: Blood pooling occurs when exercise stops suddenly and blood collects in the lower extremities due to gravity, as the muscle pump is no longer active. This reduces blood return to the heart and brain, causing dizziness or fainting. A cool down maintains gentle muscular contraction, keeping the muscle pump active and blood returning to the heart.
Q6: How does mental preparation as part of a warm up benefit a competitive performer?
Answer: Mental preparation helps the performer focus on the task, improves concentration, builds confidence through visualisation, and ensures the performer is psychologically ready to compete at their best. It can also help manage pre-competition anxiety.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Error Review
Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.
Lesson 4: Exam Practice: warm up and cool down
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Command Words
Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).
Main Content (35 minutes)
Exam-Style Question
Attempt a past-paper style question on warm up and cool down from the exam board past paper finder (see Resources), then mark it against the scheme.
Exam Tips: Always name all four phases of the warm up in order - examiners look for this specific sequence | Remember: warm up = dynamic stretching, cool down = static stretching | When explaining benefits, link the physical change to the performance outcome (e.g. "increased temperature → more pliable muscles → reduced injury risk") | Use the term "lactic acid removal" not "lactic acid removal through sweating" - it is removed via blood circulation to the liver | Know the difference between EPOC and oxygen debt - they are related but distinct concepts | When asked about cool down benefits, always mention preventing blood pooling and reducing DOMS
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often say "stretching prevents injury" without explaining how. Wrong: "Stretching stops you getting injured." Correct: "Stretching increases muscle temperature and pliability, which reduces the risk of muscle tears and strains during vigorous activity." Students often confuse dynamic and static stretching. Wrong: "Hold stretches for 30 seconds in a warm up." Correct: "Use dynamic stretching in the warm up (moving through range of motion) and static stretching in the cool down (holding stretches for 15-30 seconds)." Students often think lactic acid is removed through sweating. Wrong: "Sweating removes lactic acid from the body." Correct: "Lactic acid is transported by the
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
- Synoptic links: explain how warm up and cool down connects to another Physical Education topic you have studied
- Real-world: research one real-world use or example of warm up and cool down
- Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in warm up and cool down?"
Plenary (5 minutes)
Assessment Criteria
- Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
- Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
- Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2
Homework & Consolidation
- Consolidation: Re-answer any Lesson 3 practice questions answered incorrectly (20 mins)
- Retrieval: Write flashcards for the key terms: Exam Tip, PE Exam Tips — Warm Up and Cool Down (10 mins)
- Exam practice: One past-paper question on warm up and cool down from the board websites (15 mins)
- Extension: Explain warm up and cool down to someone else in your own words (10 mins)