Essential Gymnastics Skills for Beginners-Part I
In this five part series I will be outlining essential gymnastics skills for beginners.These skills,if learned and applied successfully builds the core foundation to develop professional gymnastics skills and movement.
Dominant Movement Pattern
The Dominant Movement Pattern (DMP) is a framework for classifying the myriad of gymnastics activities into a small number of reoccurring movement patterns that helps to simplify the teaching of gymnastics.
» This document of FITYOUTH ANAC INDIA embraces the DMP skill classification.
» Five key movement areas underpin all gymnastics activities and skills: Statics, Locomotion, Spring and Landing and Swing
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» The lesson plans for the gymnastics activities in this resource focus on basic skills from within this framework to provide introductory gymnastics experience.
Statics
Statics is a term used to describe any activity that uses a still or stationary body position. These still positions should be mastered at floor level before being attempted on raised equipment, inverted or with other partners.
» Weight-Bearing Activities — activities where players perform a movement that requires them to support the weight of their body. Before performing a weight-bearing activity, check participants are able to bear their own weight.
» Body Tension Basics— activities that help to develop physical abilities associated with muscle control, focusing on the lower back and abdomen.
» Core Stability — a body tension skill that refers to the ability of the participant to manage or control the abdominal and lower back area of their body. Strength in this area is key for lumbar support and injury prevention. Skills or activities that improve core stability can be incorporated in many fun games.
» Inversion Activities — activities where the body is upside down, such as handstands or cartwheels.
Balances —
Static positions that are foundation activities for more advanced skills. They may be static balances, counter balances or other body shapes.
Balances teach participants about controlling body actions, for example, learning about the base of support and the center of gravity
» Cheer-leading Actions — actions associated with Cheer-leading. Examples include cheer-leading drill (arms straight up in the air like a pencil), bridge, muscle man, ½ wings, high V and partner wings
» Front/Rear/Side Support — fundamental static positions that are a pre-requisite for any rotation and/or inversion activity, such as forward rolls and handstands. These skills provide participants with an opportunity to explore their capacity to maintain their body tension and to support their own body weight.
» Handstand — where the participants support their body weight upside down on their hands. Participants
must be able to manage their body while inverted before progressing to the full handstand, and must also be able to control their landing
The other DMP Skills of Locomotion, Spring and Landing and Swing will be covered in subsequent posts ...to be continued...
