Digits
Digits is a quick-reflex number game in which players hold up a number of fingers and must instantly shout the total shown by all players. The exercise demands rapid mental arithmetic and group attention. It works as a fast warm-up that sharpens focus and peripheral awareness.
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Related Exercises
Rapid Numbers
Rapid Numbers is a focus exercise in which players must count in sequence as quickly as possible while following specific rules about who speaks when. The speed creates pressure that exposes lapses in concentration. The exercise sharpens group listening and teaches performers to stay engaged even when the pace exceeds comfortable processing speed.
Sevens
Sevens is a counting exercise in which players count around a circle but must replace any number containing or divisible by seven with a clap, a gesture, or a designated word. The exercise grows more demanding as numbers increase and the replacement rule triggers more frequently. It builds focus, mathematical awareness, and the ability to operate under cognitive load.
Eight Things
Eight Things is a variant of the listing game in which a player must rapidly name eight items in a given category. The group counts along to maintain energy and pressure. The exercise trains spontaneous retrieval and the ability to generate ideas without filtering. It functions as both a warm-up and a performance game.
Twenty Objects
Twenty Objects is an exercise in which a player must mime twenty different objects in rapid succession, making each one physically distinct and recognizable. The speed prevents overthinking and forces players to commit to their first physical impulse. The exercise builds object work fluency and creative stamina.
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.
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.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Digits. Retrieved September 29, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/digits
The Improv Archive. "Digits." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/digits.
The Improv Archive. "Digits." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/digits. Accessed September 29, 2026.
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