All Winners
Participants attempt a group race where success requires every person to cross the finish line at the exact same moment. The group plans, tests movement strategies, and restarts if anyone crosses early or late.
Choose this exercise
Purpose: Coordinate group pacing and physical alignment so that every participant completes a shared course in unison.
Use it when: Use during an active workshop or offsite when a group needs to shift from individual competition to mutual coordination.
Skip it when: Skip if participants have mobility limitations that make rapid walking or running uncomfortable, or when open physical space is unavailable.
Group arrangement: Single whole group lined up along a common starting mark
Timing: UWT suggested schedule based on a standard 10 to 15 minute exercise window.
Materials and tools
- 2 long ropes, marking tape, or chalk lines (one for start, one for finish)
- 1 whistle or loud audio signal (hand claps work as a substitute)
- 1 stopwatch or visible timer
Before participants arrive
- Substantial setup required: Measure a clear, flat walking or running area 25 to 50 meters long.
- Lay one rope down as the start line and the second rope parallel to it as the finish line.
- Ensure the finish line is wide enough to accommodate all participants standing abreast.
Say this to open
We are going to run a race, but with one condition: nobody wins unless everybody crosses the finish line at the exact same instant. If even one heel or toe crosses ahead of or behind the rest of the group, the attempt does not count and we restart. Your goal is to get the entire team across together.
How to run it
Explain rules and set boundaries 2 minutes
Gather participants at the starting line. Explain the goal: cross the finish line in unison. Clarify the success standard: the facilitator will stand directly on the finish line to watch for simultaneous crossing. Point out that anyone who prefers not to run or walk can act as an impartial finish-line judge or timekeeper alongside the facilitator.
Initial planning and first attempt 3 minutes
Give the group 90 seconds to agree on a strategy (such as walking in a linked line, counting cadence, or matching speed to the slowest runner). Signal the start with the whistle. Observe the finish line closely. If the crossing is not simultaneous, blow the whistle again to call a fault.
Iterate and refine attempts 7 minutes
Send the group back to the start line after any missed attempt. Invite them to adjust pacing, spacing, or signaling. Allow repeated attempts within the allotted time. Once the group achieves a simultaneous crossing, note their time and challenge them to repeat it smoothly or beat their previous clock time.
Whole-room debrief 3 minutes
Gather the group at the finish area. Facilitate a brief reflection on how individual pacing had to adjust for team success. Take 2 to 3 comments from the group.
Debrief questions
- What individual adjustments did you have to make so that the team crossed together?
- What communication method proved most reliable while moving?
- Where in our regular work does racing ahead individually cause problems for the team?
Finished output: A successful group crossing where all participants cross the finish line in unison.
Remote
This physical coordination mechanic cannot run effectively online in its original form. As a labeled virtual alternative, run 'Simultaneous Countdown': the team must count down from 20 to 1 in a live video call without overlapping voices and without an assigned speaking order, restarting if two people speak at once.
Hybrid
Not recommended for hybrid delivery. If attempted, all moving participants must be in-person while remote attendees serve as visual finish-line judges using shared high-frame-rate video feeds.
Access and participation choices
- Participants choose their pace; the team must adapt to the most comfortable pace of all members rather than forcing running.
- Participants may opt out of physical locomotion at any time to serve as official line judges or timers without penalty or disclosure.
If the session gets stuck
- Participants run at different speeds and argue about who was early or late.
- Stand directly on the finish line axis and make final calls decisively. Remind the group that the objective requires adapting to the group pace, not sprinting.
- The group tries to link arms tightly, creating a trip or fall hazard.
- Intervene immediately. Remind participants that physical linkage is optional and that maintaining safe personal balance and foot clearance comes first.
Terms used here
- Simultaneous crossing: All participants having part of their body break the vertical plane of the finish line at the identical fraction of a second.
Run this exercise live
The facilitator console stays in this browser. Its QR handoff is a short-lived participant snapshot containing only public exercise instructions, phase, prompt, and timer state.
What participants need now
Materials:
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Help me prepare and run the exercise below. First ask for my participant count, time, setting, access needs and intended result. Check these against the stated limits. Use the supplied rules and materials. Explain any proposed changes before using them, and label them as adaptations. Do not invent source claims or require personal disclosure. Give me one step at a time when I say start. I manage the people, physical activity and clock; do not claim to observe the room. Ask me what happened before choosing a next step. Reference revision: 09f6db44c4ea657996bfc1ee4355be2473a63c866c4e8c70098be12dbba85abb # All Winners Participants attempt a group race where success requires every person to cross the finish line at the exact same moment. The group plans, tests movement strategies, and restarts if anyone crosses early or late. **Time:** 15 minutes. UWT suggested schedule based on a standard 10 to 15 minute exercise window. **People:** 4 to 24. Single whole group lined up along a common starting mark ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Coordinate group pacing and physical alignment so that every participant completes a shared course in unison. **Use it when:** Use during an active workshop or offsite when a group needs to shift from individual competition to mutual coordination. **Skip it when:** Skip if participants have mobility limitations that make rapid walking or running uncomfortable, or when open physical space is unavailable. ## Materials and tools - 2 long ropes, marking tape, or chalk lines (one for start, one for finish) - 1 whistle or loud audio signal (hand claps work as a substitute) - 1 stopwatch or visible timer ## Before participants arrive 1. Substantial setup required: Measure a clear, flat walking or running area 25 to 50 meters long. 2. Lay one rope down as the start line and the second rope parallel to it as the finish line. 3. Ensure the finish line is wide enough to accommodate all participants standing abreast. ## Say this to open We are going to run a race, but with one condition: nobody wins unless everybody crosses the finish line at the exact same instant. If even one heel or toe crosses ahead of or behind the rest of the group, the attempt does not count and we restart. Your goal is to get the entire team across together. ## How to run it ### 1. Explain rules and set boundaries (2 minutes) Gather participants at the starting line. Explain the goal: cross the finish line in unison. Clarify the success standard: the facilitator will stand directly on the finish line to watch for simultaneous crossing. Point out that anyone who prefers not to run or walk can act as an impartial finish-line judge or timekeeper alongside the facilitator. ### 2. Initial planning and first attempt (3 minutes) Give the group 90 seconds to agree on a strategy (such as walking in a linked line, counting cadence, or matching speed to the slowest runner). Signal the start with the whistle. Observe the finish line closely. If the crossing is not simultaneous, blow the whistle again to call a fault. ### 3. Iterate and refine attempts (7 minutes) Send the group back to the start line after any missed attempt. Invite them to adjust pacing, spacing, or signaling. Allow repeated attempts within the allotted time. Once the group achieves a simultaneous crossing, note their time and challenge them to repeat it smoothly or beat their previous clock time. ### 4. Whole-room debrief (3 minutes) Gather the group at the finish area. Facilitate a brief reflection on how individual pacing had to adjust for team success. Take 2 to 3 comments from the group. ## Debrief questions - What individual adjustments did you have to make so that the team crossed together? - What communication method proved most reliable while moving? - Where in our regular work does racing ahead individually cause problems for the team? **Finished output:** A successful group crossing where all participants cross the finish line in unison. ## Remote This physical coordination mechanic cannot run effectively online in its original form. As a labeled virtual alternative, run 'Simultaneous Countdown': the team must count down from 20 to 1 in a live video call without overlapping voices and without an assigned speaking order, restarting if two people speak at once. ## Hybrid Not recommended for hybrid delivery. If attempted, all moving participants must be in-person while remote attendees serve as visual finish-line judges using shared high-frame-rate video feeds. ## Access and participation choices - Participants choose their pace; the team must adapt to the most comfortable pace of all members rather than forcing running. - Participants may opt out of physical locomotion at any time to serve as official line judges or timers without penalty or disclosure. ## If the session gets stuck **Participants run at different speeds and argue about who was early or late.** Stand directly on the finish line axis and make final calls decisively. Remind the group that the objective requires adapting to the group pace, not sprinting. **The group tries to link arms tightly, creating a trip or fall hazard.** Intervene immediately. Remind participants that physical linkage is optional and that maintaining safe personal balance and foot clearance comes first. ## Terms used here - Simultaneous crossing: All participants having part of their body break the vertical plane of the finish line at the identical fraction of a second. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in TrainerBubble training materials under the title 'All Winners'. Original author and date not stated. Retained the core mechanic from TrainerBubble evidence: a team race where everyone must cross the line in unison or restart. UWT added explicit safety rules around physical contact, specified time bounds per round, provided a non-runner role (finish judge), and created structured debrief prompts. [TrainerBubble](https://www.trainerbubble.com/downloads/all-winners/?currency=USD) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/all-winners/
Sources and adaptation
Observed in TrainerBubble training materials under the title 'All Winners'. Original author and date not stated.
Retained the core mechanic from TrainerBubble evidence: a team race where everyone must cross the line in unison or restart. UWT added explicit safety rules around physical contact, specified time bounds per round, provided a non-runner role (finish judge), and created structured debrief prompts.
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