G4 Gymnastics: Bridges

"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.

G2 Gymnastics: Pathways

Children have previously identified simple pathways and travelled along them using feet or hands and feet in a variety of ways, so the intention of this unit is to widen their experience and make them more critical and selective in the types of movement they select for particular pathways. For example, children will need to recognise that to turn a sharp corner they must slow down before they reach it and then over-balance into the new direction and understand that the sharper the angle, the greater the need to slow down. Equally, they will find that a turning jump to land on two feet could help them turn a sharp corner and lead them into the next direction. Following a curving or curricular pathway requires children to lean their body weight into the curve and choose movements which allow them to maintain control e.g. small running steps or turning leaps are more suitable than a series of large leaps. A short, straight, direct pathway lends itself to a wide variety of travelling movements, but equally it is an ideal pathway for demonstrating an accelerating run into a jump.

The meaning of flexible (or indirect) and direct pathways should be thoroughly understood. Direct pathways are those which involve travelling in a straight line and are more functional in nature (e.g. run and jump, forward roll etc.) Flexible (or indirect) pathways are generally longer and more interesting (e.g. circles, squares, triangles arcs etc.) and can be artistic and very individual (e.g. spirals, heart shapes, clover leaf, daisy head, letters of the alphabet etc.) and some may have a common starting place and destination and others may have different starting places and destinations.

Generally children will be able to select compatible pathways and activities and create sequences which demonstrate an understanding of speeds and levels.

Gymnastics - Grades 1-5 - Travelling & Jumping Gymnastics Skills Cards

Lacking resources I made my own gymnastics skill cards to help develop peer coaching

The cards are designed to accompany my G1 gymnastics class "Parts High & Parts Low"

The cards cover: Caterpillar Walk, Bunny-Hop, Cat Spring, Kicking Horses, Front Support and Back Support, Monkey Walk, Crab Walking, and a variety of jumping shapes that students can try and make in the air. 

The cards are adapted from the work of Val Sabin

Gymnastic Skills Cards - Travelling & Jumping

Gymnastics - Grade 1-5: The Five Basic Jumps

The Five Basic Jumps - The card is designed to be printed back to back
 Printable copies are available through this link: The Five Basic Jumps

G1 Gymnastics: Parts High & Parts Low

I have designed the six lesson plans to be printed back to back with the warm-up on one side and the floorwork on the other.

Adapted from the work of Val Sabin, I have rejigged them and adapted them for working in a G1 PE class.

Please click on this link for my six gymnastic lesson plans: G1 Gymnastic Lesson Plans