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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Related Exercises
Pass Catch
Pass Catch is a circle warm-up in which players pass unique poses and sounds around the group. Each player receives an offer by mirroring the previous player's pose and sound exactly, then immediately invents a completely new pose and sound to send to the next person. The exercise builds comfort with silliness, sharpens the habit of fully accepting offers before generating new ones, and warms up physical expressiveness.
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.
Hand Slap
Hand Slap is a quick-reflex warm-up in which two players face each other with palms resting together, one player on top and one on the bottom. The player on top attempts to slap the back of the other's hands before they can pull away; the player on the bottom attempts to withdraw their hands quickly enough to avoid the slap. The exercise builds reflexive responsiveness, physical presence, and the ability to read and react to another person's intention before they act.
Slomo Tag
Slomo Tag is a warm-up exercise in which players play tag entirely in slow motion, pursuing and evading at a fraction of normal speed. The deliberate pace transforms a simple childhood game into an exercise in physical control, spatial awareness, and sustained commitment.
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, requiring the group to track multiple objects simultaneously. The exercise builds focus, nonverbal communication, and the habit of making clear, directed offers to specific partners rather than throwing ideas into the void.
Name Game
Name Game is a warm-up exercise in which players learn and reinforce each other's names through a structured pattern of call-and-response, rhythmic chanting, or physical gestures. Each player's name is paired with a movement, an alliterative adjective, or a rhythmic pattern that makes the name memorable and the learning process active. The exercise is a staple opening activity for new groups and builds the ensemble familiarity that supports strong scene work. Knowing every player's name and having a physical memory associated with it creates the foundation for personal connection within the group.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Catch'em. Retrieved September 28, 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 September 28, 2026.
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