Lean Walk
A simple two-person exercise that invites the development of trust
At A Glance
Two people lean on each other’s shoulders as they walk on a journey.
What You Need
- 5 mins
What To Do
Are you looking for a new way to move people from point A to point B that’s quick and easy? Give this a go…
Invite each person in your group to find a partner, for example, someone who has similar length of hair to them. Ask for a volunteer to step forward so that you can demonstrate what the activity looks like.
Ask this willing volunteer to stand to one of your sides, and then lean in on your shoulder, as you do the same to them. Looking from the front or back, the two of you should look a bit like an upside-down V. Then, your objective is to walk together towards some point (to the next activity, for example) leaning all the way. A quick 3 second demonstration, and your group should be good to go.
Encourage partners to test how far they can lean (ie move their feet further away from the centre) as they walk, while still retaining a solid, comfortable stance. Naturally, warn about the dangers of pushing past reasonable boundaries, lest heads smash!
I love this exercise, if for no other reason than to “move” people from one spot to another in a unique manner. But, it also subtlely develops trust and co-operation, and a handy lesson in physics too.
Variations
- Invite partners to swap sides, so that they lean on the other shoulder.
- Invite groups of three, where one person walks upright in the centre of two others who lean towards them.
Thanks to Nate Folan, Project Adventure trainer (USA) and good friend who showed this to me recently.
If you know of a cool variation to this ice-breaker, please add a comment…
Comments
One Comment on Lean Walk
- Autumn on Thu, 8th Mar 2012 8:40 am
This is wonderful. When I facilitate training sessions, I often search for ways to transition adults from one area to another. I love this idea. Thank you for sharing. I am going to pass it on.
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Hi, I'm Mark Collard.
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