"Bridges" is concerned with balance and an understanding of shape and relationships of the body to floor and apparatus.
"Balance" involves being able to create different shapes by supporting the body weight on different body parts. The size of the balance "base" will affect the stability of the balance e.g. the larger the base - the more stable the balance, and the smaller or narrower the base - the less stable.
"Body tension" is the most important ingredient of balance - strong, tight muscles and full extension of limbs or body parts not being supported on the floor or apparatus. Body tension will produce quality in the balances and the position should be maintained for three seconds before moving on.
To make balanced positions harder to maintain, the size of the base could be reduced, the center of gravity raised, the same position held against or on varied apparatus, the body inverted (put feet higher than the head) or the balance could be held with a partner. A balance can be changed by retaining the base base (e.g. 2 feet and 1 hand) but altering the SHAPE of the balance or it may be changed by altering the RELATIONSHIP of the body to the floor or apparatus (e.g. front towards, back towards, side towards or upside-down.)
Students need to know how to move into and from a bridge balance safely and with control, maintaining body tension. They could come back down to the floor the way they went up or they could put another part of their bodies down for support before moving onto another body part (e.g. into a turning movement or roll).
Making bridge shaped balances with a partner will require co-operation and creativity and enable students to understand the concept of "matching" i.e. same arm and leg doing the same action at the same time as a partner.
