# Trust Wave Participants form two facing lines with outstretched arms while a runner moves down the center corridor. The line members lift their arms overhead just before the runner reaches them, clearing a path on time. **Time:** 15 minutes. Suggested UWT duration based on the 5 to 15 minute band in Playmeo records. **People:** 10 to 24. Two parallel facing lines forming a central corridor, with one person acting as runner or spotter at a time. ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Test coordinated reaction time and explore individual responses to moving under mutual reliance. **Use it when:** Use in an open physical training space or gymnasium when a group wants an energetic physical coordination drill. **Skip it when:** Skip if the group includes people with unmanaged balance or joint concerns, if the floor is slick, or if participants prefer not to engage in physical games. ## Materials and tools - Painter tape or cones to mark start line and corridor edges ## Before participants arrive 1. Clear a flat, non-slip space at least 15 meters long and 4 meters wide, free of obstacles or low-hanging fixtures. 2. Mark a runner start line 10 meters back from the entrance of the corridor. 3. Mark two parallel lines 1.5 meters apart and at least 4 meters long for the corridor. ## Say this to open We are going to run an exercise called Trust Wave. Two lines will face each other with arms extended across the gap. A volunteer will jog down the corridor. As the runner approaches, the people in line will raise their arms out of the way just before the runner arrives, then lower them once they pass. Running and standing in line are entirely optional; you can also choose to act as an end safety spotter or observer. ## How to run it ### 1. Set corridor and practice slow wave (4 minutes) Direct participants to divide into two equal lines facing each other, standing 1.5 meters apart behind the tape marks. If there is an odd number, place the extra person as an end-zone spotter. Have members extend their arms straight forward parallel to the floor, interweaving slightly without touching. Walk slowly through the corridor yourself so everyone practices lifting their arms smoothly overhead well before you reach them. ### 2. Establish call and response commands (2 minutes) Demonstrate the required call sequence. The runner calls out: 'Ready corridor?' The lines respond together: 'Ready runner!' The runner then calls: 'Running!' and begins their approach. Remind runners to keep their eyes forward and jog at a controlled, even pace rather than a full sprint. ### 3. Run volunteer passes (6 minutes) Invite a volunteer runner to stand at the 10-meter mark. Have them execute the calls, then jog steadily down the corridor. The lines flick their arms up out of the path just ahead of the runner. Allow 2 to 4 volunteers to run if time permits. Anyone may swap out of the line to run, or step back to observe. ### 4. Debrief group coordination (3 minutes) Gather the whole group in a semi-circle. Ask up to 3 people to share observations using the debrief questions, keeping reflections focused on coordination and timing. ## Debrief questions - What did you notice about your timing as a line member when the runner drew close? - Runners, what cues helped you maintain a steady pace as you approached the corridor? - How did the verbal check-in change the group readiness before each run? **Finished output:** Completion of timed running passes and collective review of the coordination required. ## Remote This physical exercise cannot run online without changing into a completely different activity. For an online group focusing on timing and group synchrony, run a verbal pattern exercise like Count to Twenty instead, where participants count sequentially without talking over one another. ## Hybrid Hybrid delivery is not recommended. If attempted, remote participants can call the timing cues or act as start/stop timers via video link while in-person participants form the lines. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may choose to run, stand in the line, serve as an end spotter, or observe from the side without giving a reason. - Runners choose their own pace and can walk through the corridor instead of jogging. ## If the session gets stuck **Line members drop their arms or step back instead of lifting upward, disrupting the corridor.** Pause the activity and do two stationary slow-motion rehearsals, practicing lifting arms straight overhead while keeping feet planted. **A runner sprints uncontrollably toward the corridor.** Remind the group that the target is a controlled three-quarter jog or brisk walk, and widen the corridor to 2 meters if needed for comfort. ## Terms used here - Corridor: The path formed between the two parallel lines of facing participants. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Playmeo records, where the activity is attributed to Mark Collard. Retained the core Playmeo mechanic: two facing lines with outstretched alternating arms and a runner approaching after an agreed call-and-response. UWT added exact space dimensions, explicit safety spotter roles, tape markers, verbal scripts, and clear non-physical opt-out choices. [Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/trust-building-games/trust-wave) [Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/trust-building-games/trust-wave/) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/advanced-trust-building-exercise-for-cohesive-teams-trust-wave/