--- title: "Create Obstacles" description: "Pairs or small groups take turns miming an imaginary chase where the lead participant invents physical obstacles that the follower must negotiate." last_updated: "2026-09-07" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/create-obstacles/" --- # Create Obstacles Pairs or small groups take turns miming an imaginary chase where the lead participant invents physical obstacles that the follower must negotiate. **Time:** 10 minutes. UWT facilitation plan based on 5 to 15 minute improv warm-up conventions **People:** 4 to 24. Pairs moving across a shared clear space, either one pair at a time or staggered in small lanes ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Practice observational awareness, physical communication, and spontaneous problem-solving through mimed movement. **Use it when:** Use as an active energizer before brainstorming or during an improv-based workshop on communication and reaction. **Skip it when:** Skip when participants have limited mobility, when physical space is crowded or uneven, or during serious analytical working sessions. ## Materials and tools - Visual timer or stopwatch - Floor tape to mark boundaries if space is tight ## Before participants arrive 1. Clear furniture to ensure an open floor space free of tripping hazards. 2. Establish clear boundaries or walking lanes. ## Say this to open In this exercise, you will work in pairs on a slow-motion imaginary chase. The person in front invents imaginary terrain and obstacles by miming actions like stepping over a wide puddle, climbing a steep wall, or ducking under a low beam. The person following watches closely and navigates that exact same obstacle. We will keep movements slow and safe. ## How to run it ### 1. Demonstrate the mechanic (2 minutes) Explain the safety guidelines: no running, maintain at least two meters between people, and keep movements measured. Model one short sequence with a volunteer. The leader pretends to haul open a heavy gate, squeeze through, and latch it. The follower mirrors the action to pass through the same gate. ### 2. First round of movement (3 minutes) Divide the room into pairs. Assign Player A as the leader and Player B as the follower. Stagger pairs into lanes across the room. Player A moves at a controlled walking pace, creating mimed obstacles every few steps. Player B observes, navigates each obstacle as defined, and keeps pursuit. Run for two minutes, then pause. ### 3. Reverse roles (3 minutes) Have pairs switch roles so Player B leads and Player A follows. Encourage leaders to vary levels, such as crawling under an imaginary fence, balancing across a narrow beam, or hopping across stepping stones. Keep physical contact prohibited. ### 4. Reflect on physical communication (2 minutes) Gather the whole group. Take two or three quick observations about what made an obstacle clear or challenging to interpret. ## Debrief questions - What specific physical cues made an imaginary obstacle easy to recognize and copy? - How did the leader balance creativity with keeping the follower successfully in the scene? - Where did ambiguity show up, and how did the follower resolve it without speaking? **Finished output:** Completion of two active physical movement rounds with shared reflection on non-verbal cues. ## Remote Run in gallery view with all cameras turned on. Instead of moving through physical space, pairs perform at their desks. Player A mimes an object or barrier within their webcam frame (e.g., ducking below the camera lens, pushing against an invisible pane of glass, or lifting a heavy virtual rock). Player B replicates the exact physical challenge on their own screen. The facilitator spotlights one pair at a time for 45-second turns. ## Hybrid Pair in-room participants with in-room partners, and remote participants with remote partners. In-room pairs use the open floor space while remote pairs pin each other on camera. Have one remote pair and one in-person pair demonstrate to the full group. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may use upper-body or seated gestures instead of standing, walking, or floor-based movements. - Anyone may choose the role of designated spotter and coach, offering descriptive commentary or observing without miming. ## If the session gets stuck **Participants move too fast or risk collisions in a tight room.** Enforce a slow-motion or controlled-walking rule. Have only two or three pairs move simultaneously while others observe. **Followers cannot tell what obstacle the leader is miming.** Remind leaders to establish the size, weight, and boundaries of their object before moving past it. ## Terms used here - Mime: Using physical movement and body language without speech or physical props to portray objects, environments, and actions. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Improv Encyclopedia and SessionLab as a physical theater and improv warm-up exercise. Retained the core mechanic from Improv Encyclopedia and SessionLab where a pursued player invents mimed obstacles that the pursuer must overcome. UWT added structured safety constraints (walking pace, no contact), standardized pair rotations, debrief questions, and remote/hybrid variations. [SessionLab](https://www.sessionlab.com/methods/create-obstacles) [improvencyclopedia.org](https://improvencyclopedia.org/games//Create_Obstacles.html) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/create-obstacles/