Chapter 3

Basic Skills in Educational Gymnastics

Key words

 Balancing
 Gymnastics
 Gymnast
 Rolling
 Skipping
 Straddle

Learning outcomes
Ensure that by the end of this chapter, you are able to:

 Engage in understanding various gymnastic activities such as rolling and balance, demonstrating an
awareness of safety precautions and activities that are safe for practice.
 Develop a simple gymnastic routine for personal fitness training.
 Exhibit good interpersonal skills while working with others, valuing own and other people’s body in social
and physical interactions.
 Recognize the various gymnastic activities that can be done to improve one’s fitness.
 Appreciate the contribution of gymnastics to an individual’s well-being

Chapter Overview
This chapter involves performing various gymnastic skills individually or with partners. It builds on movement
concepts learnt in senior one. This will boost fitness and improve one’s performance in sports.
New word
Gymnastics. These are exercises aimed at developing or displaying physical agility and coordination. They can be
done with or without equipment.
Requirements for Gymnastic Activities

 Gymnastic Mats
 Support surfaces
 Step boards
 Activity area
 Sports attire
 Warmup
Gymnastic Activities
Performing 180 sit is one of the activities done in gymnastics. Every day we make movements like balances, rolls,
and such others. We call these Gymnastics. Gymnastics refer to exercises that develop or display physical agility
and coordination. It is an extensive field and a sport but our interest is on educational gymnastics.
They can be done on the floor, bars, and beams. They can be done with or without equipment.

Balances
Crouch balance, Head stand, Hand stand, Shoulder balance, V-balance, Swan balance,
Crab balance, Angle balance, Candle sticks, Centipede and Chains, Shoulder stand, Thigh
hold balance, Elbow balance, Fore arm stand.

Skipping

 Individual
 Pairs
 Single leg
 Double leg
 Alternate leg

Rolling

 Forward roll
 Backward roll
 Side roll
 Tank roll
 Judo roll

Balances
When you descend from the bars, spread your feet when you land, rather than keeping them together. Likewise keep
your hands shoulder width apart when you perform a Hand stand. It is common to spread your arms along the sides
when crossing a narrow obstacle on stream. This is done to provide balance
Balance is a foundational skill that you must learn. Your body begins in balance, why in some different positions
you remain unbalanced? There are drills to practice that will help you improve your balance skills.
Key point
Maintaining a stable Centre of gravity is a key to remaining balanced. To keep your Centre of gravity stable, make
sure it remains above your base of support. For example, you can probably balance quite easily on the flat surface
with your right foot in the air, by shifting some weight to your left. But if you stand straight and lift your right foot
without transferring any weight, you will fall to your right.
Generally, a wider base of support is more stable than a narrow base. For you to remain balanced, you should spread
your base as wide as the exercise permits.
Explore the following balance activities and then try to perform them.

Crouch balance

When you lean forwards with your head and shoulders bent, especially in order to get closer to something, we say
you are in a crouch position.
Performing a crouch balance
Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastics mat
How to perform a crouch

 Assume a crouch position with hands on ground in front and knees around arms
 Lean body forward so that weight is transferred to hands
 Lean body further forward so that knees clamp to the outside of elbows and feet off the ground
 Hold balance in this position for a while.
Follow the steps above to perform a crouch balance

Head stand

A head stand is the act of supporting the body in a stable position on our heads usually with support from hands
Performing a headstand
Resources

 Working space
 Vertical support surface
 Gymnastics mat
 Spotter
 Carpets
How to perform a headstand

 Interlace fingers and place hands on the ground to form a triangle

 Put your head in the already formed triangle
 Raise the hips up with head in between the hands on the ground with toes touching the ground
 Bring your feet closer to the hands until hips are above the triangle base
 Hold firmly on the ground with your hands lift feet and extend your arms up and straight with toes facing
upwards
Follow the steps above to perform a head stand

Shoulder balance

Shoulder balance is an inversion that starts by lying backside down, on the floor. The legs and torso are then raised
vertically over the head and supported on the shoulders and arms
Performing a shoulder balance
Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastic mats
 Carpet
 Blanket
How to perform a shoulder balance

 Lie flat on your back and bend your legs so that heels are close to the buttocks
 Bring the bent knees towards the head and then lift the hips and buttocks up
 Lift the legs overhead moving the hips and legs over the floor.
 Lift the feet upward perpendicular to the floor
Use the tips given to perform a shoulder balance & Spot each other to ensure safe performance
V-balance

This is also known as v-sit. It is a gymnastics position that requires strength as well as balance. In this exercise, you
balance on your buttocks while keeping the feet and upper trunk in air.
Performing V-Balance
Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastic mat
 Carpet
 Blanket
How to perform a V-balance

 Lie flat on your back and extend your arms behind your head
 Sit facing forwards as you lift your legs.
 Lift and stretch your legs over the head
 Stretch out your arms to make a “V” and balance on your buttocks
Use tips given to perform a V balance
In pairs spot each other to ensure safe performance

Hand stand balance

The act of supporting the body in a stable inverted vertical position by balancing on the arms
Performing a handstand
Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastics mat
 Carpets
 Blankets or cloth material
How to perform a handstand

 Stand apart and raise your hands above the head

 Raise the dominant foot above in a swinging action as you reach your arms on the ground
 Raise the second foot off the ground and straighten your legs and torso towards the sky.
Follow the steps above to perform a hand stand

New Words
Locomotion. This refers to movement or the ability to move from one place to another.it involves exercises that
make a person get displaced from one place to another.
Jogging. This refers to running at slow or leisurely pace to increase physical fitness with less stress on the body than
from faster running.

Swan balance

This type of balance requires the performer to extend one leg straight behind the body in an arabesque position
(standing on one leg with the other leg raised about 45 degrees)
Performing a swan balance

 Stand upright with head in natural alignment with spine

 Extend the arms and extend them forwards
 Stand on one leg and extend the other one behind
 Bend forward onto one foot. Raise the other leg upwards and behind keeping your back straight. Lift your
arms to the sides and parallel to the ground

Crab balance

The crab balance is important in improving the spinal mobility. This is a physical exercise in which you hold your
body off the ground with the chest facing upwards and knees bent and move around by shifting the hands and feet.
Performing a crab balance

 Sit with your legs flexed at the knees and your head in upright posture
 Put your hands on the ground behind the back and buttocks
 Gradually lift your body off the floor
 Maintain the position to make a crab balance

Candle stick

A candle stick is a shoulder stand position where you basically rest on the back of your shoulders with your feet
pointed upwards
Performing a candlestick

 Lie flat on your back with your head in natural position with the spine
 Progressively, raise your legs and torso into the air perpendicular to the floor
 Maintain the position to form a “candle stick”

Centipede and chains

These are team building exercises that involve sequence or links

Performing centipedes and chains

 Squat down behind each other and reach for the ankles of the person in front of you
 Slowly start moving forward like a centipede
 Ensure hands are not loosened
Performing chains

 Stand with legs wide apart in a row behind each other and reach between your legs for one hand (the one
hand to the front and the left between your own legs reaches back
 Slowly start moving around the activity area with same rhythm

Elbow balance

A hand balancing skill involving the sustaining of the body vertically, with the body resting on elbow of the
supporting arm for balance.
Performing Elbow balance

 Stand upright with the head and body in natural position

 Bend forward with forearms flat on the ground
 Kick one leg up behind you followed by the other
 Hold the position by maintaining your balance

PERFORMING ROLLS AND SKIPS

New words
Skipping. This is a whole-body workout where you use your abdominals to stabilize the body, legs for jumping,
shoulders and arms for turning the rope.
Hopping. This means moving by jumping on one foot. It involves displacement of the body using only one leg.
A roll. It is a complete rotation of the body usually made on the ground. Rolls help to recover from a fall safely for
example a goalkeeper in football may dive to catch a ball and ends up in a roll to land safely.

Skipping improves coordination, stamina and focus and is good for all aspects of life.
There are three styles of skipping namely:

 Single leg skipping

 Double legged
 Alternate leg skipping
Performing a forward roll

Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastic mat
How to perform a forward roll

 Squat and tuck the chin to your chest

 Place the back of your head onto the floor
 Rotate over your head onto your back
 Press your feet onto the floor and whip the arms forward to stand up
Use the tips given to perform a forward roll
In pairs spot each other to ensure safe performance

Performing a backward roll

Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastic mat
How to perform a backward roll

 Stand with your head in natural position with your spine

 Bend to squat or sitting position with your arms behind
 Lower and lean back slightly until your bottom reaches the floor
 Continue this momentum and roll over your back onto shoulders
 Land on your feet in either a squat or standing position
Use the tips given to perform a backward roll & spot each other to ensure safe performance
Performing a side roll

Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastic mats or soft ground or carpet or woolen cloth
How to perform a side roll

 Lie on your side with arms and elbows tucked in

 Perform the roll side ways with arms down and tight on the sides
 Continue the movement to perform as many rolls as possible
Use the tips given to perform a side roll

Performing a tank roll

Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastics mat
How to perform a tank roll
Progression:

 Keep hold of partner’s ankles at all times

 Keep body curled as tightly as possible during the rolling action
 The person on the ground bends the knees to bring the feet as close as possible to the hips, so that the
partner can tuck to roll properly
Use the tips given to perform a tank roll & spot each other to ensure safe performance
Performing a judo roll

Resources

 Working space
 Gymnastic mat
 Helmet
How to perform a judo roll
Progression:

 If you start with the left leg in front of the right leg, you put down your left hand first
 Shortly after your left hand touches the ground, you can use your right hand to support the weight a little bit
 Do the judo roll and roll over your left arm (hands to shoulder) to your right hip
 Smack down the right hand and fore arm before you stand up and push down hard
 Stand up to do another judo roll
Note: if you start your judo roll with the right leg in front, you have to do the whole thing the other way round

Performing single leg skipping

Resources

 Working space
 Ropes
How to perform single leg skipping
Progression:

 Hold the handles of the rope with both hands & place both feet in the center of the rope, continuing to hold
the handles with each hand.
 With both feet planted on the ground, hold the handle up towards your shoulders. Handles should sit just
below your shoulders.
 Jump repeatedly on either the left or on the right leg
Tips:
  Use tips given to perform single leg skipping
 Jump repeatedly on either the right or the left leg as follows: jump for 2 minutes, alternating 20 jumps
each leg. Rest for 30 seconds. Do five rounds.
 Jump repeatedly as in (2) but in pairs and then small groups.

Performing double leg skipping

Resources:

 Working space
 Ropes
How to perform double leg skipping

 Recall the progression for single leg skipping above but this time as the rope comes to front, jump
repeatedly using both feet.
 Jump for 1-2 minutes and find out how many times you jump per minute. Rest for 30 seconds. Do at least
five rounds.
 Hold one rope end in your right hand and allow your partner to take the other end in his or her right hand as
well. Do the same for the second rope held in your respective left hands
 Think of and do other variations to the skipping in pairs

Performing alternate leg skipping

 Hold the handles of the rope in each hand. The head and neck remain neutral as the spine and torso are tall
with the shoulders back. Move wrists in a circular action to turn the rope. Make sure to use a light knee and
ankle motion while jumping on the balls of the feet.
 While jumping, alternate the feet every time the rope passes through
 Jump for 1-2 minutes and find out how many times you jump per minute. Rest for 30 seconds. Do at least
four rounds
These skills can only be improved through practice

Safety Precautions, Importance of Gymnastics and Gymnastic Routine for Fitness

New word
Routine. This refers to a usual pattern of activity or the usual sequence for set of activities
Safety Precautions

 Appropriate wear
 Adequate body preparation
 Cool down
 Following guidelines
 Proper supervision
 First aid materials
 Activity area clear of obstacles
 Appropriate activities and equipment for different age groups.

Importance of Gymnastics to an Individual and Society

Activity:
Discus the contributions of gymnastic activities to an individual and society at large.
Individual benefits

 Strength
 Flexibility
 Determination
 Personal discipline
 Self-esteem and confidence
 Cognitive abilities
Society benefits

 Team work
 Work ethic
 Coordination
 Social interaction
 Fun
 Disease prevention

Gymnastics Routine for fitness

Our fitness (coordination, agility, flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, etc.) can be greatly improved by engaging
in different gymnastic activities. This requires careful planning for well selected progressive gymnastic activities.
Activity:

 Reflect on the lessons you have attended in gymnastics ranging from balances, rolls up to skipping.
 Compose and share a personal fitness schedule (plan) based on what you have learnt in your gymnastic
lessons.
Activity of Integration
FUNDAMENTALS OF EDUCATIONAL GYMNASTICS
Scenario
Gymnastics is not popular in schools and the wider community as a strategy to enhance fitness and bring about
pleasure. In execution of its mandate, the ministry of education and sports is organizing a sports gala for its staff and
affiliated institutions. Your school has been invited to perform in the area of gymnastics with a view of sensitizing
the public on the fundamentals of educational gymnastics.
Task
As a physical education student, design a brochure of gymnastics activities which you will use to guide your
practical performance.

Revision Questions
1. Classify the different gymnastic activities giving examples of such activities that appear under the three
major divisions.
2. Discus the importance of educational gymnastics to a secondary school learner
3. Paying attention to safety is important in maximizing performance of gymnastic activities. Discus the
safety precautions one needs to put into consideration when planning for a gymnastics session for
secondary school learners.
4. Who is a spotter as used in gymnastics?
5. Discus how to perform a crouch balance
6. Discus how you can perform a backward roll.