Lesson 3: Upper Body: Deltoids, Pectorals & Trapezius
Thursday, October 15, 2026
1Stretching & Mobility5 min›
Arm Circles
10 forward, 10 backward- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
- Lift arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Make small circles, slowly growing them bigger.
- Reverse direction after 10.
Muscles/joints: Deltoids (shoulders), shoulder joint
Coaching cue: "Arms like airplane wings — long and strong!"
Modification: Do one arm at a time, or seated.
Shoulder Rolls
10 back, 10 forward- Arms relaxed at sides.
- Lift shoulders toward ears.
- Roll them back and down.
- Reverse.
Muscles/joints: Trapezius, deltoids
Coaching cue: "Draw circles with your shoulders."
Modification: Seated version works perfectly.
Torso Rotations
10 each side- Feet shoulder-width, knees soft.
- Hands on hips or arms bent at chest.
- Turn shoulders gently to the right, then left.
- Keep hips facing forward.
Muscles/joints: Obliques, spine
Coaching cue: "Look behind you like you're checking for a friend."
Modification: Smaller range of motion; seated rotation.
Heel Raises
12 reps- Stand tall, hands on hips.
- Rise up onto the balls of your feet.
- Hold for 1 second at the top.
- Lower slowly with control.
Muscles/joints: Calves, ankle joint
Coaching cue: "Grow tall like a giraffe, then melt down slowly."
Modification: Hold a wall or partner's shoulder for balance.
2WARM-UP RUN / JOG — 2–3 MINUTESRequired›
Mark a safe route
- Mark a loop with 4–6 cones around the field or blacktop (about 100–150 yards).
- Keep the route away from fences, poles, parked cars, and uneven ground.
- Stand where you can see the entire loop.
Starting & stopping
- Gather students at the start cone. Say: 'When I blow the whistle, jog at a talking pace.'
- One whistle = start; two whistles = slow to a walk and come back to the start cone.
- Use the countdown timer below so everyone finishes together.
Pacing
Students should jog at a 'talking pace' — they could still chat with a friend. This is not a race and never a punishment.
Safety
- Pass on the outside, call 'On your left.'
- Shoes tied before starting.
- Walk if you feel dizzy, have chest pain, or can't catch your breath — tell the teacher.
Alternatives
Students may brisk-walk, power-march, or do seated arm-pumping. Wheelchair users can roll the loop or do arm circuits.
Hydration
Water break immediately after the run. Remind students to drink before and after PE.
3Review & Mini-Lesson10 min›
Review questions
- What are the three parts of the core?
- What is a muscle imbalance?
Vocabulary
- Deltoids
- Shoulder muscles that lift the arm forward, sideways and back.
- Pectorals
- Chest muscles that bring the arms across the body (pushing).
- Trapezius
- Upper-back muscle that shrugs and pulls shoulder blades together.
- Abduction / Adduction
- Abduction moves a limb away from the body's midline; adduction moves it toward.
What the Teacher Should Say
Put your hand on the round part of your shoulder and lift your arm to the side — that's your DELTOID doing abduction. Now press your palms together hard in front of your chest — feel the PECTORALS squeeze. Finally, shrug your shoulders to your ears — that's your TRAPEZIUS, a kite-shaped muscle on your upper back. In volleyball, deltoids lift your arms to set; in basketball, pectorals and triceps power a chest pass; in swimming, every stroke uses all three.
Step-by-step demonstration
- Lateral raise to show deltoid abduction.
- Palm press and push-up for pectorals.
- Shrugs and shoulder-blade squeeze for trapezius.
Real-world examples
- Chest pass in basketball — pectorals + triceps.
- Overhead volleyball serve — deltoids + trapezius.
Questions to ask students
- Which muscle abducts the arm?
- What muscle helps you push a sled?
- Where is the trapezius?
Visual resource
Extension
Students name an upper-body muscle used in their favorite sport and demonstrate the action.
4Group Activity: Pass & Push Challenge15–20 min›
Purpose: Connect upper-body muscles to sport passing skills.
Equipment
- Basketballs or playground balls (1 per pair)
- Cones
Players
Pairs, then groups of 4
Space & setup
Pairs stand 4 yards apart on two lines of cones.
Rules
- Chest pass: step, push with both hands, thumbs down follow-through.
- Overhead pass: ball above head, elbows bent, snap forward.
- Each successful catch = 1 point; step back after 5 in a row.
Step-by-step
- Teach chest pass and name the muscles (pectorals, triceps).
- Partners complete 10 chest passes.
- Teach overhead pass (deltoids, triceps, trapezius).
- Partners complete 10 overhead passes.
- Groups of 4 do a 'square pass' with a call-out of the muscle each pass.
Teacher demonstration
Demonstrate both passes, freezing at follow-through to point to muscles.
Safety
- Call partner's name before passing.
- Eyes on the ball.
Modifications
Larger/softer balls, shorter distances, bounce passes.
Advanced challenge
One-handed push pass from the shoulder (grades 6–8).
Assessment
Checklist: step into pass, thumbs-down follow-through, names a muscle.
5Supervised Free Play & Cooldown20–30 min›
Activity choices
Expectations
- Stay inside the coned boundary.
- Take turns and share equipment.
- Include anyone who wants to join.
- Teacher circulates and keeps eyes on all groups.
- Water available throughout.
Cooldown
- Standing quad stretch — 20 sec each leg
- Seated hamstring stretch — 20 sec each leg
- Cross-body shoulder stretch — 15 sec each arm
- Box breathing: in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 (x3)