Catch'em
Catch'em is a quick-reflex warm-up in which players attempt to catch an object or tag a partner before they can escape. The exercise sharpens reaction time and physical readiness. It works well as an early warm-up to raise the group's alertness and energy.
Structure
Setup
- Players stand in a circle or spread through the playing space.
- An object is used: a ball, a rolled piece of paper, a coin, or the exercise can be run without props using tags.
- The facilitator establishes the catching challenge: players must catch an object thrown at them without warning, or tag a partner before they escape.
How the Exercise Works
- The object is thrown or the tag is attempted without announcement.
- The receiver must react and catch or dodge before the object or hand arrives.
- Variations include: multiple objects in play simultaneously, specific catching rules (only catch with non-dominant hand, catch only when your name is called), or a tagging format in which any player can tag any other.
What It Trains
- Physical readiness: the exercise forces players out of the mental state of waiting for a cue. The cue arrives physically, without announcement.
- Peripheral awareness: players must track the full space, not just the person in front of them.
- Reaction speed: the exercise is calibrated to arrive faster than deliberate thought.
Warm-Up Function
- As an early warm-up, the exercise raises alertness quickly. Players who begin the exercise still in a pre-rehearsal mindset are usually caught unprepared. By the end of the exercise, the group is physically and mentally present.
Variations
- The exercise is run in slow motion to isolate the mechanics of awareness.
- Players call each other's names before throwing, training attention to the verbal cue.
How to Teach It
How to Explain It
"Stay alert. That's the whole exercise. If something comes at you, catch it. If someone reaches for you, get away. You don't get a warning. The point is that you don't get a warning. Stay awake."
Common Notes
- The facilitator should vary the timing and direction of throws and tags to prevent players from anticipating patterns.
- The goal is not to trick players but to maintain genuine unpredictability. Random rhythms serve the exercise better than deliberate surprise attempts.
- The group's alertness level is easy to read. When the exercise is working, no object hits the ground and no tag lands unchallenged.
Common Pitfalls
- Players wait for patterns and anticipate throws rather than responding to actual movement. Randomize the direction and timing.
- The exercise becomes competitive in a way that fragments the group's attention toward individual performance rather than shared readiness.
- Players tense up in anticipation of the catch, which reduces rather than improves their reflexes. Coach relaxed readiness, not braced anxiety.
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Pass Ball
Pass Ball is a circle warm-up exercise in which players toss a real or imaginary ball around the group while maintaining eye contact with the intended recipient. Additional balls may be introduced to increase complexity. The exercise builds focus, nonverbal communication, and the habit of making clear offers to specific partners.
Peruvian Ball Game
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Sock 'Em
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Shuffle
Shuffle is a physical warm-up exercise in which players mill through the space and must quickly form groups of a called-out number when the facilitator gives the signal. Players who cannot find a complete group in time are eliminated or take a forfeit. The exercise builds physical energy, spatial awareness, and the habit of actively and immediately seeking connection with other players.
Impro Catch
Impro Catch is a warm-up exercise that combines physical catching with improvisational response. Players toss an object between them, and the catcher must respond to a creative prompt the moment the object lands in their hands -- naming a character, starting a scene, completing a sentence, or answering a question. The simultaneous physical and creative demands prevent analytical thinking, producing more spontaneous, less controlled responses. The dual-task structure trains the reflex of immediate creative commitment.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Catch'em. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/catchem
The Improv Archive. "Catch'em." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/catchem.
The Improv Archive. "Catch'em." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/catchem. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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