Fundamental Gymnastics

During the past two weeks we have been doing fundamental gymnastics in Physical Education.  Students have been practicing skills that work on balance, transferring weight, and strength.  During this unit we focus on control, focus, and safety.  

Students enjoy this unit because many of the skills require taking a risk and trusting their body.  The first skill we learned is the forward roll.  Students practiced this skill on an incline mat and a flat mat on the ground.  The cues used were tucking their chin and pushing off of their toes.

 Another skill we learned was the cartwheel.  We practiced our right and left side.  Foot prints and hand prints were used to help guide the students.  The cues used were "hand, hand, foot, foot" and keep your legs straight.

 One of the toughest but most popular skills is the tripod.  Students balance on 3 body parts: their head and both hands.  This skill is the beginning of a headstand which many students were able to push into after perfecting the tripod.

Other skills we learned were the handstand and tuck jump on a trampoline.