GYMNASTICS IN SCHOOLS FOR TEACHERS

Gymnastics taught correctly is an excellent tool for developing body

management skills and preparing participants for many physical pursuits. Once
students can manage their own bodies with a degree of skill they can
subsequently better control manoeuvre themselves with an implement (racket,
bat) or themselves plus a projectile (ball, javelin). Furthermore they can better
control themselves in different mediums (snow, water) or better handle
themselves plus an opponent.

Olympic gymnastics as seen on television is a highly skilled and competitive

sport. This form of gymnastics should be left to be taught in gymnastics clubs
with accredited coaches. The function of a school gymnastic programme should
be to provide rewarding and safe environment in which students can learn to
control their bodies in a variety of situations. The aim is to encourage
participation regardless of weight, size, gender or ability of students.

The current Gymnastics in Schools programme is based on the Dominant

Movement Pattern (DMP) approach. These are:

Statics
Locomotion
Springs
Landings
Rotation
Swing

By teaching the six dominant movement patterns (the lowest common

denominator of all gymnastics skills), the students are learning the building
blocks for more complex skills and they can develop the body control necessary
for efficient movement in all areas of life. For example, take a mark in football
(spring and landing), hold a defence position in netball (static), perform a
somersault dive off a springboard (spring and rotation).

The S.P.A.C.E approach is used for the introduction of skills and their practice to
gymnastics. Its a logical progression of teaching from the simple to more
difficult aspects of the skill.

S What skill progressions can be used to teach the whole skill? How will you
break the skill down into smaller parts?

P What physical preparation is necessary to acquire the skill?

A What are the appropriate key teaching points (KTPs) to teach this skill?

C What are the common errors when learning the skills?

E How can the teacher evaluate when the student is ready to progress

WARM UP

The purpose of a warm up is to prepare both the body and the mind for the
activities that will follow in the training session and so minimize the risk of
injury.

The warm up should involve continuous aerobic type activity the increase the
blood flow and the body temperature. Follow this with stretching activities for all
the major joints and muscle groups to loosen up the body this should not be
confused with increasing flexibility, where the stretches are held for a longer
period of time.

The length of the warm up and its intensity will vary according to the age and
ability of the student and the overall length of the lesson.

Principles of a good warm up

Involve everyone
Be quick and easy to organise
Use variety to maintain enthusiasm
Make it fun by using games and challenges

Safety and injury prevention

Allow adequate spacing

Ensure the environment is safe e.g. mats slipping
Static stretches only (no bouncing or forcing the stretch)
Do not overstretch. Hold the stretch to the point of tension and this
tension should subside over time.
Do not hold your breath in stretches
Take care with lower back and knees
 PHYSICAL PREPARATION

A well rounded Gymnastics Programme will enhance:

Physical abilities such as flexibility, strength, muscular endurance and

power
Motor abilities such as balance, spatial orientation, coordination and
agility

This allows students to become more confident and efficient movers and these
skills can be transferred to all areas of life.

Gymnastics places physiological demands on the body e.g. a handstand requires

strength and flexibility, and part of the programme should be dedicated to
developing the bodys ability to cope with these demands.

The importance of physical preparation

Reduces the incidence of injury

Allows faster more accurate skill acquisition
Reduces the incidence of muscle soreness
Allows a prolonged period of quality participation
Helps rapid recovery from fatigue

Implementation into the programme

When planning your gymnastics programme, you should identify which skills will
be taught as part of a DMP and then ensure that the adequate physical
preparation has been covered before attempting to teach that skill.

The components of physical preparation

FLEXIBILITY the range of motion around a joint

STRENGTH the amount of force that a muscle or group of muscles can
exert
ENDURANCE prolonged work with a localised muscle group
POWER explosive force. Strength plus speed
AEROBIC cardio vascular fitness

Some or all of these components should be developed every lesson. Strength

and flexibility are particularly pertinent to most gymnastic skills and these two
components will be a focus when working on the physical preparation needed to
perform a skill.

When do you teach physical preparation?

Physical conditioning work may be included as part of the warm up, as part of a
circuit or while they are waiting for a turn at an activity during the skill
development section of your lesson.

Suggestions for introducing physical preparation

Make it fun ask a class to do 10 push up and they groan. Disguise the
push ups in a game or challenge and they will do 30 without noticing
Activities should be easy and quick to organise
Use music
Use small apparatus e.g. balls, hoops, beanbags, witches hats
Use the playground
Use a mixture of single, partner and group activities

Strategies for dealing with individual differences in the class

Vary the physical demand of the activity by changing:

The number of repetitions or time on the task

The length of the rest period
The texture of the surface
The heights
The body position
Divide the body into three sections upper, torso, lower

Then collate and number a variety of individual, partner and group activities and
games that can be used to develop these areas.

For e.g.

UPPER BODY

Strength Flexibility Endurance

1. Push UPs 1. Tricep Stretches 1. Boxing

2. Chin ups 2. Bicep Stretches 2. Rowing

3. Bicep Curls 3. Deltoid Stretches 3. Swimming

TORSO

Strength Flexibility Endurance

1. Sit- ups 1. Salute to the sun 1. Skipping

2. Plank 2. Side stretches 2. Running

3. Hollow hold 3. Scorpion 3. Rowing

LOWER BODY

Strength Flexibility Endurance

1. Squats 1. Hamstring stretch 1. Skipping

2. Dead lifts 2. Calf stretch 2. Cycling

3. Leg presses 3. Groin Stretch 3. Running

Choose 3 activities above and modify them as below:

EXERCISE EASIER HARDER PARTNER

Upper body Resistance band Holds Chin up then lift

Chin Up legs to join with
partner
Torso Plank on knees One leg One Arm high
Plank fiving

Lower body Wider base Add a weight Squat + Throw

Squats bar medicine ball to
partner
 CIRCUITS

A well planned circuit is an excellent way to get maximum participation from

your students especially when there is limited equipment.

A circuit is a closed loop of several situations with activities set out at each
station. It may be used to develop progressions towards a skill, to practice a
new skill, to allow exploration of movement, or to revise skills from past lessons.

It is beneficial in that activity levels are high, it allows students to be

autonomous in their learning and it can leave the teacher free to roam and
focus in on problem areas.

The organisation of the circuit can vary depending on the desired outcome.
Students may perform the station activity once and move on to the next station
or they may remain at one station for a designated time then move on as
directed.

Suggestions for planning circuits

Stations need to be well spaced and designed to flow around the circuit
Ensure landing areas are clear from other students and any hand
apparatus
Select stations so that only one (if any) activity will require constant
supervision
Include in the plan how you will group the students and how they will
move around the circuit

HOMEWORK

Design a simple circuit for endurance with 6 x relevant exercises for 45 secs
at each station.

1. Skipping
2. Running
3. Burpees
4. Bench climbs
5. Tuck Jumps
6. Squat Jumps
DOMINANT MOVEMENT PATTERNS

Dominant Movement Patterns (DMPs) are the patterns that re-occur in

gymnastics. They are the building blocks for more complex skills. Once these
building blocks are mastered the students can progress laterally with variety or
vertically, with difficulty.

The grouping of activities into the six DMPs

STATICS LANDINGS LOCOMOTION SPRING ROTATION SWING

enables the teacher to better understand the biomechanical principles that

relate to efficient movement and to formulate Key Teaching Points (KTPs) that
will carry over from one skill to the next.

The DMP approach provides a framework that develops from simple to complex
for the teaching of movement. It assists the teacher to decide what to teach
and in what order.
 STATICS

This includes all the held and still positions in gymnastics and should be the
starting point for your teaching.

Statics can be divided into three categories:

SUPPORTS shoulders above the apparatus

HANGS shoulders below the apparatus

BALANCES using a small base of support

Once the supports and balances are competent on the floor students can then
progress to partner and group balances and supports and balances on
apparatus.

BASIC STATIC POSITIONS KTPs

1. Stand with good posture

- Chin up
- Bum squeeze

2. Front support
- Straight Body
- Chest in
- Squeeze your bum
- Feet and legs together

3. Back support
- Straight arms
- Hips up and high
- Feet together

4. Stork stand
- Toe to knee
- Arms hips

5. Tuck sit
- Straight back
- Knees together at chest
- Hands on each leg not together
- Sitting on floor

BASIC STATIC POSITIONS KTPs

6. V sit
- Straight arms
- Straight legs 45 degrees in front
- Pointed toes

7. Shoulder stand
- Feet, knees, hips, shoulders in one line in the air
- Hands are on hips
- Toes pointed

8. Front scale
- Straight legs
- One leg behind you
- Hands straight out to the side / can go on hips
- Chest up

TIGHT BODY PREPARATION

The ability to maintain a fixed shape and be able to eliminate unnecessary body
movements is a prerequisite for efficient movement and is an important factor
in the prevention of injury. Correct posture is also aesthetically pleasing.

ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPING TIGHT BODY

Lift the plank

Shake the tin soldier

Crack the egg

HANDSTAND

Physical Preparation
- Flexibility
o Upper body shoulder
o Hip flexors
- Strength
 o Core stability
o Upper body strength
- Power
- Endurance

Skill Progressions / Lead up Drills KTPs

1. Tuck sit
- Knees tucked up to chest
- Arms huggin knees
- Feet on floor

2. Front support
- Shoulder over hand
- Chest in
- Squeeze bum

3. Bunny hop
- Straight arm
- 2 feet take off
- 2 feet landing
- Knees and feet together

4. Tuck hand stand

- Hips, shoulders, hands in straight line
- Arms straight

5. Scorpion
- One foot take off
- Chest up on landing

6. Half hand stand

- Shoulders, hips, legs all vertical
- Both legs are straight
- 1 leg is vertical

7. Full hand stand

- 2 legs are vertical

Extension

- Hand stand walking

- Back flip
- Kart wheels
- Round offs
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF STATIC POSITIONS

Once the basic static positions have been taught these can be practiced and
improved by providing a variety of tasks, which use the static positions

Revise during warm up using games such as musical statues holding a

static position when the music stops, or play tag and hold a static position
till someone releases you.

Make a station in a circuit the static that relates to the skill being taught or
as a revision have a whole circuit set up with statics stations.

Make up a sequence using static position using different body parts and
different levels.

Work with a partner and make up a sequence using four different statics.
Perfect with precise timing and exact images.

Try the same task in fours.

Work with a partner, explore ways you can both perform the same static
but part of one person must be resting on the other.

Try the same in fours.

Hand stand circuit

1. Bunny hop - through hoops

2. Wheel borrow races
3. Bunny hop over bench
4. Front support up and down wall
5. Hand stand walk
6. Full hand comp
 PARTNER BALANCES

COUNTER AND COOPERATIVE BALANCES

What is their value?

Enhances spatial and body awareness

Students (especially teenagers) really enjoy exploring the challenge
They encourage communication and cooperation
Develops trust and timing in balance
They are useful contributors to strength development
Encourages good body tension as this must be maintained to balance
body positions
Reinforces the principles of stability e.g. wide base of support, and vertical
alignment of arms and legs so that the line of gravity runs through the
base of support
Develops skills that can be used in display work

SAFETY

Match pairs for height and weight

Not suitable for younger children because of weight bearing
Exit procedure must be planned
Mats must be used
Use hand to hand or hand to wrist grip, monkey grip is not safe
Avoid inverted balances until the basics are mastered
Do not allow pyramids higher than two persons in the school environment
 SPRING

This DMP includes the activities which involve projecting oneself into the air and
requires the physical ability of power i.e. explosive take off. The spring activities
that will be covered are:

1. Feet to feet jumps

2. Feet to one foot leaps
3. Feet to hands bunny hops, leap frogs and basic vaults

SAFETY

Ensure correct landing technique before taking any springing activities up

onto a height
Mats must be placed so there are no joins along the line of landing
Confident body management is a prerequisite for activities involving
height and flight
Firm matting is required for activities which involve springing from hands

SPRINGING FROM FEET

KTPs

Explosive take off is required

The balls of the feet strike first with the heels making only momentary
contact
This is followed by rapid extension of ankle and knee joints and a strong
swing of the arms in an upward and forward direction
Trunk is stable and upright and at no stage should there be any arch in the
students lower back

1. BASIC JUMPS KTPs

Straight

- Straight body
- Legs together
- Shoulders back
- Arms up
Star

- Legs go out and back together

- Tight legs
- Straight arms
- Pointed toes

BASIC JUMPS KTPs

Tuck

- Knees to chest (Not heels bottoms)

- Arms up

Stag

- Foot to knee
- One straight leg
- Arms up

Split

- One leg out in front

- One leg behind

Jump half / full turn

- Arms bent to chest

- Straight legs and body
- Pointed toes
-

Sissone

- Two feet take off

- Split
- Land on front leg
- Pointed toes

2. LEAPS
Cat / scissor

Stride

- Right legger : take off on right leg, split and land on left foot

Change leg

- Right legger: step left, right leg kick, land left leg in front
- Left legger: Step right, kick left, land right

Side

- Start of left leg

- Land right
- Quarter turn

LANDINGS

Safe landings could be one of the most important life skills you will teach your
students. The categories of landings that will be covered in this course are:

1. Landing on feet
2. Landing on hands
3. Landing sideways
4. Landing backwards

The basic principle of safe landing is to soften the impact on the body joints
especially the lower back. This is achieved by absorbing the landing forces over
as much time and as large a body surface as possible.

SAFETY

Ensure adequate matting not too hard or soft

Reduce frequency of landing on wrists
Dont land sideways from a height
Ensure competence on the floor before progressing to a height

1. LAND ON FEET (motor bike landing)

KTPs
 Feet should be shoulder width apart
Contact first with balls of feet then roll through to heels and bend and the
knees and hips to finish as if sitting on a motor bike (toe, heel, knee, hips)
Do not bend past 90
Ensure the heels stay planted on the floor

PROGRESSIONS

i. Very low jump. Absorb impact on toes to heels

ii. Add on bent knees
iii. Run and jump as high as possible and land correctly
iv. Land on benches with straight jumps
v. Add variety by changing the body shapes in the air
vi. Gradually increase the height of take off, make sure heels stay on the
ground
 LANDINGS (cont)

2. LAND ON HANDS

KTPs

Hands are placed shoulder width apart

Contact first with fingers then roll through to heel of the hand and bend
the elbows
Turn the head to one side so you dont face plant

PROGRESSIONS

i. From kneeling, slowly fall forward to absorb force through fingers, palms
and bend elbows
ii. Increase the speed of the fall
iii. When confident try from crouch stand, then from a front scale / arabesque

3. LAND WITH ROTATION SIDEWAYS

KTPs

Rolling to the right: (opposite for left)

Hand position
- Right hand facing up
- Left hand down

Arm position
- Left arm straight
- Right arm bent

Absorb force through

- Right shoulder
- Onto back
- Left shoulder
- 2 knees

PROGRESSIONS
i. Start on knees then as confidence grows, progress to stand
4. LAND WITH ROTATION BACKWARDS SHOULDER ROLL

KTPs

Hand position
- Palms facing downwards

Arm position
- Aeroplane arms
- Arms straight out to side

Absorb force through

- Lower back
- Upper back
- Knees

- Start on bottom, Progress to feet.

PROGRESSIONS

i. Start from squat and slowly fall just to shoulders

ii. Roll to shoulders and turn head to one side to watch knees touch the mat.
Repeat to the other side.
iii. Perform back safety roll from squat down incline
iv. Practice on floor from squat
v. Progress to starting from stand, then with a jump and landing off balance
to continue to safety roll
vi. As students develop competence jump backwards from a low height and
continue into back safety roll.
 SPRING (cont)

PROGRESSIONS FOR USE OF A BEATBOARD

i. Hurdle step on floor KTPs

- Run
- Arm circle backwards
- Jump 2 feet on beatboard
- Jump
- Land 2 feet

ii. Hurdle using hoops

a. Run
b. Arm circle backwards
c. Jump 2 feet on beatboard
d. Jump
e. Land 2 feet
iii. From low height to board
a. Run
b. Arm circle backwards
c. Jump 2 feet on beatboard
d. Jump
e. Land 2 feet
iv. From board up onto low height
a. Run
b. Arm circle backwards
c. Jump 2 feet on beatboard
d. Jump
e. Land 2 feet

PROGRESSIONS FOR USE OF A MINI TRAMP

 i. Bench to rebounder to mat
ii. Floor to tilted rebounder to mat
iii. Bench to mini tramp to mat
iv. Floor to mini tramp to mat

SAFETY POINTS FOR USING A MINI TRAMP

Always keep the landing area clear

Use a crash mat preferably with an over run mat at the end
Mini tramp activities must be supervised. If leaving the area turn the
apparatus upside down or place in locked storage area
Confident body management and sound landings are a prerequisite for
mini tramp activities
The metal frame must be covered by a frame pad
Always check the apparatus is safe and stable before used by students

List different jumps that can be done off a beatboard or mini tramp

JUMPS KTPs

- Straight jumps
- Tuck jumps
- Star jumps
- Half turn
- Full turn
- Front sault
- Back sault
- Stag jump
- Straddle jump

3. SPRINGS FROM FEET TO HANDS

PROGRESSIONS
i. Bunny jumps along the floor. Increase the distance of the spring
 ii. Bunny hop between two parallel benches
iii. Bunny jumps onto bench
iv. Bunny jumps over low bench

SQUAT ON / THROUGH VAULT

KTPs

- Run
- Backward arm circle
- Jump off board
- Hands wide
- Knees or feet on box (in middle)

Progressions:
1. Knees
2. Feet
3. Squat through

STRADDLE ON / OVER VAULT

KTPs

- Run
- Arm circle backwards
- Jump
- Hand close together
- Feet on outside of hands
- Hips high
- Straight legs

Progressions

1. Straddle on
2. Straddle over
IDEAS FROM WORKSHOP

Design a circuit:

a. Practice springs without apparatus

1. Bunny hops
2. Leap frog
3. Vertical jump
4. Jump for distance
5. Ladder Relay
6. Sesone relay

b. Practice springs from feet using apparatus

1. Jumping onto box
2. Jump off bench, catch ball, half turn
3. Jump off bench into hoop
4. Jump into hoop doing different jumps tuck, star
5. Jumping over bench side to side
6. Leaps into hoops

c. Practice springs from hands and feet

1. Bunny hops into hoop
2. Jumping over bench
3. Leap frog over friend
4. Cartwheels
5. Jumping onto box
6. Handstands

HOMEWORK for next week

Plan a circuit with SIX stations that allows practice of landing techniques.
Include TWO point form notes on KTPs for each station, describe briefly the
group organisation and indicate with a T where the teacher would stand.

1. Jump off block do a shape and motor bike landing

2. Jump, side roll, jump
3. Run, jump on trampoline Two foot land
4. Split leap sequence
5. Cartwheels over benches
6. Jump onto wedge, hands first forward roll down

LOCOMOTION

Locomotion is moving from one space to another. The three categories that will
be covered are:

1. Locomotions on feet: running, jumping, skipping

2. Locomotions in hang: (shoulders are below base of support) monkey walk
variations
3. Locomotions in support: (shoulders above the base of support) bear walks,
crab walks cartwheels

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF LOCOMOTIONS

Locomotion can be done with a partner

Motivate and add interest with music
Add variety by changing rhythm, levels and speed
When locomotions have been mastered on the floor, they can be taken up
onto apparatus
Revise locomotions during warm up
Use various locomotions to move around stations in a circuit
Use animal walks in relays
 ROTATION

This DMP is represented by any turn or spin around an internal axis. There are
three axis. These are longitudinal, transverse and anterior / posterior axis.

LONGITUDINAL AXIS

Run an imaginary stick in a straight line from the middle of your head to your
feet and you have a longitudinal axis. Rotations around this axis involve all turn
left or right.

Related skills

Log rolls

- Rotation on longitudinal axis

- Arms out straight
- Legs straight and pointed
- Squeeze bottom

Egg rolls

- Knees to chest
- Arms tucked into knees
- Chin to chest

Jump half / full turn

- Arms forward, backward and then tucked into chest

- Knees bent

Pivots

- Front leg out, same arm in front bent , opposite arm straight away
- Step onto front foot
- Opposite toe on knee or ankle
- Arms up next to ears
- Turn same way as bent arm

Progressions

- Change starting and finishing positions

- Change body shapes
- Try up and down slopes
- Do with a partner or small groups

TRANSVERSE AXIS
Run an imaginary stick from the left to the right hip and you have the transverse
axis. Rotations around the axis involve all turns forwards and backwards.

Related skills

- Forward and backward rolls

- Front and back saults
- Pull over and forward roll around the bar
- Back hip circle

FORWARD ROLL

a. Physical Preparation

What do you need to work on to make forward roll perfect (4 components of

fitness)

- Core strength
- Upper body strength
- Hamstring flexibility

b. Skill progressions / lead up drills KTPs

1. Tuck sit knees and feet together, arms around knees
2. Rock and roll Chin to chest,
3. Rock and roll to feet (standing)
4. Forward roll from a height down incline
5. Forward roll on floor
6. Forward roll up onto a height

c. Common errors
- Not tucking chin in
- Using hands to stand up
- Knees and feet not glued together

d. Extension
- Dive roll
- Front sault

e. Where did you spot for this?

- At the side, spot the hips

BACKWARD ROLL

a. Physical Preparation
 - Upper body strength

b. Skill progressions / lead up drills KTPs

1. Tuck sit
2. Rock and roll Hand placement
3. Backward roll from a height down wedge
a. Assisted
b. Unassisted
4. Backward roll on floor
a. Assisted
b. Unassisted

KTPS

1. Tuck chin under

2. Push head on the floor
3. Hips over head
4. Land on feet

5. Common errors
- Dont tuck chin under
- Arch back (hips need to go over head)
- Dont push head over floor
- Uneven push

6. Extension
- Back sault
- Backward roll to handstand

7. Where did you spot for this?

Side Lift (no pushing)

Progressions
- Change starting and finishing positions
- Change body shapes
- Try up and down slopes
- Do with a partner or small groups

ANTERIOR / POSTERIOR AXIS

Run an imaginary stick in a straight line from your belly button through to your
back and you have the anterior posterior axis. Rotations around this axis
involve all sideways rotations.
CARTWHEELS

a. Physical Preparation
- Upper body strength
- Flexibility of hamstrings and hip flexors

b. Skill progressions / lead up drills KTPs

- Cartwheel around circle
- Cartwheel around semi circle
- Cartwheel over height

KTP

Left cartwheel (Opposite for right)

1. Left foot in front

2. Left hand
3. Right hand
4. Left Foot
5. Right foot

Straight body

Legs together

Shoulders back

Arms up

KTPs

- Straight leg
- Open hips
- Pointed toes
- Hand and feet placement

c. Common errors
- Step backwards, land on bottom
- Hand and feet placement mixed up hand hand foot foot

d. Extension
- Cartwheel snap
- Round off
- One handed

e. Where did you spot for this?

- Lead leg on side (dont get kicked)
Progressions
- Change starting and finishing positions
- Change body shapes
- Try up and down slopes
- Do with a partner or small groups
Draw an example circuit for teaching a forward roll in the space below.

Choose 6 x stations each with two KTPs. Then indicate with a T where the
teacher would stand and explain your reason.

1. Forward roll from height down slope mat

- Tuck chin in
- Hips over head

2. Tuck sit Egg rolls

- Feet and knees together
- Arms around knees

3. Rock and roll Hand placement to feet

- Chin to chest

4. Rock and roll to feet (Standing)

5. Forward roll on floor

- Tuck chin in
- Hips over head

6. Forward roll catch ball

- Tuck chin in
- Hips over head

ROTATION (cont)

PULL OVER BAR

a. Physical Preparation

-Strength and flexibility Upper body strength hamstring flexibility, core

strength

b. Skill Progressions

Step, chin, kick

Step left, chin over the bar, kick right leg

Take off from a box, step onto box, chin, kick

c. Key Teaching Points
1. Step left
2. Chin to the bar
3. Kick right
4. Hips over the bar
5. Hold yourself up in front support (Point toes, tight bottom, shoulders

d. Common Errors
- Chin not to bar
- Hips not to bar

e. Where do you spot for this?

- Side and in front of the bar
- - One hand behind lower back, other hand on hamstring dont forget to
hold shoulder
BACK HIP CIRCLE ON BAR

a. Physical Preparation
- Strength and flexibility Upper body strength, flexibilitie of extensors and
flexors of wrist

b. Skill Progressions
1. Cast
2. Back hip circle assisted
3. Back hip circle not assisted

c. Key Teaching Points

- Cast
- Hips back to the bar (hip drive)
- Drop shoulders
- Feet up
- Hold front support at the end

(Shoulders over bar, straight arms, chest in)

d. Common Errors
- Dont have hip drive dont bring hips to bar * biggest common error
- Throw their head out need to keep chin in

e. Where do you spot for this?

- Side and in front of bar
1st hand on lower back
other hand on hamstring
then spot shoulder so they dont over rotate
 SWING

In the school environment most swing apparatus is usually not available but
basic swings on the bar or in the playground can be developed and are
beneficial for the development of upper body strength and spatial awareness.

Swings can be divided in to two categories:

a. Swing in hang (Holding onto bar, bar above head)

b. Swing in support

SAFETY

Good landings and grip strength are a prerequisite for swing

Participants must show competence in hang and support activities before
progressing to swing
Ensure matting extends far enough both sides of the bar to allow for the body
moving away from the bar on full extension
Ensure participants are regrasping the bar at the top of the back swing
No hock swings without hand grasp

RELATED SKILLS KTPs

Pendulum swing

- Feet together
- Swing side to side

Tuck Swing

- Jump to the bar with chest in

- Knee drive or heel drive (parpell yourself higher)
- Regrip at back of swing
- Land at the back of your swing
- Bent legs

Sqeezing bottom, shoulders

Hock swing

- Two hands on the bar

- One knee on the bar
- Other leg straight

RELATED SKILLS KTPs

Straddle swing (Wide legs)

- Jump to the bar with chest in

- Knee drive or heel drive (parpell yourself higher)
- Regrip at back of swing
- Land at the back of your swing

Wide LEGS

Basket swing

- 2 hands on the bar

- Bring feet through arms
- Noes and knees are together
- Lift hips up
If spotting hold onto wrist

Glide swing (Legs together)

- Jump to the bar with chest in

- Knee drive or heel drive (parpell yourself higher)
- Regrip at back of swing
- Land at the back of your swing

Novelty ideas for swing

- 2 hands, 2 feet on the bar

SWING IN SUPPORT (cast)

a. Physical Preparation
- Strength and flexibility upper body strength, core strength

Cast swing legs forward, hips off the bar, try get bigger and bigger

b. Skill Progressions
1. Swing legs forward
2. Hips off the bar
3. Assisted
4. Non-assisted

c. Key Teaching Points

- Shoulders forwards
- Chest in
- Straight arms

In ADDITION:

- Legs together
- Straight legs (point toes)
- Squeeze bottom

d. Common Errors
- Arms bent
- Shoulders not forward
- Back is arched

e. Where do you spot for this?

- Side and behind bar
- One hand on quads one on shoulder

f. Extension
- Cast hand stand
- Cast back hip circle
 HAND APPARATUS

The use of hand apparatus closely ties in with the fundamental movement skills
program. Hand apparatus such as hoops, balls, ropes, beanbags, balloons and
scarves are readily available in the school environment and should be utilised to
add variety and interest to the gymnastics program.

Hand apparatus have their own DMPs:

Throwing / releasing
Catching / trapping
Rotation
Circles / swings
Passing over / under / around
Bouncing
Balance

These apparatus DMPs can also be combined with body DMPs to further extend
the skills and add variety e.g. throw a ball and perform a full turn before
catching it.

BENEFITS OF USING HAND APPARATUS

Suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities

Adds variety and challenge to the program
Helps develop hand eye coordination
Partner and group work provides the opportunity for the development of
cooperation and team spirit
Provides interesting and non threatening skills which can be used in
display work

SAFETY

Ensure adequate air space for throwing activities

Provide ample space between participants
Beware of using balls where landing from a height are involved
Hoop rotations around the neck are not recommended