Now you can teach or coach gymnastics—even if you don’t have a gymnastics background—and ensure that every child learns and succeeds.

Teaching FUNdamental Gymnastics Skills is a hands-on guide that provides you with a strong foundation in exploratory gymnastic skills as well as formal gymnastic skills and helps you bridge the gap between the two approaches.

A unique feature of Teaching FUNdamental Gymnastics Skills is the use of specific verbal cues for different learning styles. You’ll get “kinder” cues appropriate for young learners, plus cues that address these learning styles:

• logical/mathematical
• visual/spatial
• bodily/kinesthetic
• musical/rhythmical
• verbal/linguistic

The book covers these essential teaching topics:

• Foundational positions and movements that form the building blocks for all gymnastics skills
• How fundamental skills fit together to make complex movements and sequences
• Common errors in gymnastics skills and how to correct them
• Hard-to-find safety information, including injury prevention and tips for spotting

This well-organized book also covers skill progressions and lead-ups for floor, beam, springboard/vault, and bars. Each skill includes practical information you can use for individual or small-group work at stations: a complete description, common errors, spotting information and checklists.

Additional special features include the following:

• A movement chart, in each chapter, outlines the skill progressions
• Sequential illustrations clarify skill sequences and progressions
• A skillfinder chart makes it easy to find skill descriptions based on level of difficulty

Learn how to deliver effective and safe gymnastics instruction in an educational setting, no matter what your experience or comfort level. Teaching FUNdamental Gymnastics Skills is a great way to get started in teaching gymnastics, build students’ confidence, and introduce fun programs.

 

Contents

Chapter 1 Gymnastics Basics: Teaching Safely, Teaching Well

Safety First

Teaching Effectively

Chapter 2 Exploratory Gymnastics

Exploring Body Awareness

Exploring Body Positions

Exploring Balance and Flexibility

Exploring Support Skills

Exploring Locomotor Skills

Exploring Turns

Exploring Twisting Rotations

Exploring Sideward Tumbling

Exploration and Lead-Ups for Apparatus

Exploring the Vault Approach

Exploring Bars

Combinations and Routines

Chapter 3 Foundational Positions and Movements

Body Awareness Terminology

Basic Body Positions

Foundational Body Positions

Foundational Positions for Legs and Arms

Foundational Balances

Foundational Support

Locomotor Skills: Alternating Foot Patterns

Locomotor Skills

Locomotor Skills: Landing on One Foot

Rotational Movements: Turns

Chapter 4 Floor Exercise

Balance Skills

Support Skills

Inverted Supports

Locomotor Skills: Alternating Foot Patterns

Locomotor Skills: Jumps

Locomotor Skills: Landing on One Foot

Rotational Movements

Horizontal Circular Rotations: Rolls

Forward and Backward Rolls

Sideward Rotational Movements

Medial Circular Rotations: Round-Off

Horizontal Circular Movements: Back Walkover

Horizontal Circular Movements: Front Walkover

Horizontal Circular Movements: Handspring

Combinations and Routines

Chapter 5 Balance Beam

Hand Placements for Balance Beam

Approaches to Balance Beam

Basic Body Positions and Balances

Support Positions

Inverted Supports: Handstands

Mounts

Locomotor Skills: Alternating Foot Patterns

Locomotor Skills: Two-Foot Jumps

Locomotor Skills: One-Foot Jumps

Dismounts

Longitudinal Rotations: Turns

Sideward Rotations: Cartwheel

Horizontal Circular Movements

Chapter 6 Springboard and Vault

Vault Approach and Springboard Skills

Vault Skills on Floor and Folded Mats

Front Handspring Vault

Vault Technique

Vaults

Chapter 7 Bars

Grip Positions

Hangs From Bars

Inverted Hangs

Supports

Mounts

Suspended and Swinging Skills

Dismounts

Rotational Movements

 

Audiences

Current and future grade 6-12 physical education teachers; recreational gymnastics instructors; gymnastics club owners, instructors, and coaches; college and university gymnastics activity instructors; serious gymnasts and their parents.