Sequences and a routine
Ready when: Shapes and balances (b1) to Rolls: pencil, egg, teddy bear (b3) done.
What you are learning
Joining moves into a sequence with a start shape, three skills, a turn and a held finish, with no stops between, and changing direction, speed and level. This is how a gymnastics routine is built.
Words on this card Shapes, Balance, Handstand, Counter balance, Sequence, Unison
- Shapes
- Body shapes. Tuck: knees hugged to the chest. Pike: legs straight, folded at the hips. Straddle: legs straight and wide apart. Star: arms and legs spread wide. Straight: the body long and tight.
- Balance
- Holding the body still on a small base, such as one foot.
- Handstand
- Balancing upside down on the hands, or on the head and hands. Club only.
- Counter balance
- Two partners pushing toward each other (counter balance) or pulling away while holding hands (counter tension) to balance together.
- Sequence
- Moves joined together without stopping, with a start and a held finish.
- Unison
- Doing a sequence at the same time as others, or one after another.
Set up
A mat; a short list of shapes and balances.
Weather: any weather indoors
Show it first for the one teaching
- Write a plan of five parts: start shape, a balance, a roll, a jump with a turn, a finish shape.
- Say the plan aloud.
- Do it slowly without stopping, and hold the finish for 3 seconds.
Your part while they practise
Be the audience; ask what the plan is.
Step by step
- Create a sequence: a start shape, three skills, a turn and a held finish.
- No stops between moves.
- Add a counter balance or counter tension with a partner (Partner balances (b7)).
- Change direction, speed and level.
- Perform it in unison or in canon.
How much: 1 sequence, 3 times 10 min a session once a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Judge's card
Perform for friends or parents, who score it out of 10 like judges.
Who plays: 1 to 4 gymnasts against their own best; the audience judges.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Each gymnast performs their sequence once
- Each judge starts at 10 and takes off marks for faults
- Add up the judges' marks, or take the middle mark with 3 judges
- Film it to watch back together
- Fair play
- A grown-up performs a sequence of 7 parts.
- Points
- The score starts at 10: take off 1 for each stop, 1 for each wobble or step, and 2 if the finish is not held for 3 seconds.
- Fouls
- Take off 2 marks
- Forgetting the order and stopping to think
- A rushed finish
- Any move from the club list (handstand, headstand, flip)
- Winning
- Beat your best score for the same sequence.
- 5 points for 1 star
- 7 points for 2 stars
- 9 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Three elements.
Five elements and a theme.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child forgets the order
Say it, then do it
Say the plan before starting. - the finish is rushed
Hold the last shape
Count to 3 in your head.
Self-check
The child repeats the same sequence twice without a stop.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains composition, memory, expression.
awiseathlete.com/sports/gymnastics/gymnastics-i3