Tut Notes
Tut Notes
- Gymnastics
LECTURE 1
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. It’s 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?
A – What are the ‘appropriate key teaching points’ (KTPs) to teach this skill?
E – How can the teacher ‘evaluate’ when the student is ready to progress
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 1
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.
• Involve everyone
• Be quick and easy to organise
• Use variety to maintain enthusiasm
• Make it fun by using games and challenges
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 1
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
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 body’s ability to
cope with these demands.
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.
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.
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.
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 1
• 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
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 1
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
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
TORSO
LOWER BODY
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 1
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
EXERCISE EASIER HARDER PARTNER
Upper body - Light ball – netball Medicine ball Throw the ball to each
Throwing the ball other
against a wall Stand closer to the Stand further away
(basketball) wall from the ball
Torso – sit ups Put feet under weight Hold a weight Link legs and high five
in the middle
Lower body –Wall sits Less time Hold for longer period Completion for longer
of time. period of time
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.
• 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.
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 2
1. Skipping
- Stay on toes
- Jump over rope every second jump
2. Star jumps
- Move arms and legs at the same time
- Keep eyes forward
3. Burpees
- Make 90 degrees with elbows when doing a push up
- Jump up on toes of feet
4. High knees
- High on toes
- Knees up to chest
5. Bum kicks
- Feet to bum
- Light on toes
6. Jogging between cones
- Push off back foot
- Head up
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.
STATICS
SPRINGS
LANDINGS
LOCOMOTION
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.
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.
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 2
2. Front support
- Shoulders over wrist
- Squeeze bum
- Straight back
- Chest in
- Bottom down
3. Back support
- Hips up
- Straight legs
- Straight arms
4. Stork stand
- Foot to knee
- Shoulders back
- Bottom leg straight up
5. Tuck sit
- Back straight
- Knees to chest
- One hand on each leg
6. V – sit
- Hands behind you
- Legs in front straight
- Legs at 45*
7. Shoulder stand
- Hands on hips
- Feet, knees and hips in straight line
- Legs in air
8. Front scale
- Arms out to the side
- Stand on one leg
- Back leg straight out
- Chest up
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 2
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.
Lift the plank – good body tension, left feet up, on back and pushes hips up.
Shake the tin soldier – front support or back support, good tension and push them
over gently.
Crack the egg – hold a tuck sit, try pull partner apart/lift them up.
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.
HLTH2203 - Gymnastics
LECTURE 2
Physical Preparation
KTPs
- Hands shoulder width apart
- Arms Straight
- Feet together
- Good body tension
1. Tuck sit
2. Front support
3. Bunny hop (combined 1&2) – straight arms, 2 feet take off and 2 feet landing
6. Half hand stand – 1 leg straight, inline with hips and hands
Extension
- Backflips
- Handsprings
- Cartwheel
HOMEWORK for next week
Design a handstand circuit with 6 relevant drills and include 2x KTPs at each station
1. Triceps dips
- 90 degree with elbows
- Legs out straight
2. Push ups
- 90 degrees with elbows
- Straight back
3. Sit ups
- Arms cross chest
- Bring body up to knees
4. Reverse crunches
- Hips off the ground when pushing up
- Legs straight up
5. Bicep curls
- Arms in front of body
- Bring hands to shoulders
6. Medicine ball throw with partner
- Squat when catching ball
- Follow through