UNIT 1: GYMNASTICS
Key unit competence: Develop tactical and technical skills of apparatus gymnastics
1.1.Prerequisite (Knowledge, skills, attitudes and values)
Students of senior five will learn better apparatus gymnastics if
they can perform ground gymnastics learned in senior four.
1.2.Cross-cutting issues to be addressed
– Gender: Engage both women and men in physical activity and sports
exercises and help them to exploit their full potentials. No activity is
reserved only for women or men.
– Inclusive education: Identify the students with special education
needs, ensure interactive and inclusive discussion during practice of
physical activity and sport exercises.
– Financial education: Facilitate/guide students to make non cost
materials like ropes and balls from banana leave fibers and they can
also improvise hurdles for jumping exercises
– Standardization culture: Advise learners to use standardized
materials in prevention of injuries and accidents. Students have to
know how to choose and use safe sports clothes for their health (e.g.: safe sports shoes),
safe physical exercises (avoid bad body postures and forbidden body exercises,
adapted physical activities)
– Environment and sustainability: Train students on the culture of
protecting the environment surrounding the field/playground and any other place they play on.
– Peace and values education: Encourage teamwork spirit, mutual
help, and respect of opinions of colleagues among learners.
– Comprehensive sexuality education: Provide physical activities and
set instructions that prevent sexual harassment, any kind of gender-based
violence like sexual abuse and physical contacts concerned with sexuality
intention in Physical Education and Sports activities.
– Genocide studies: Take time to explain to students how sports should be used
to fight against Genocide ideology and how to prevent it. E.g.: Organizing Genocide
memorial tournaments at school and giving the message related to the Genocide.
1.3 Guidance on introductory activity
Before introducing the lesson one of this unit, teacher must introduce the whole unit.
The teacher as a guide, facilitator and expert, asks questions or gives activity related
to gymnastics in order to help students to predict what to be learnt in the whole unit.
He/she may use a selected picture or scenario which helps to quick thinking and reaction.1.4 List of lessons/sub-heading
Lesson 1: Parallel bar techniques exercises
A. Learning objective
By the end of the lesson, senior five students will be able to apply correctly
parallel bar techniques exercises.
B. Teaching resources
Parallel bars, mat, whistle, videos related to gymnastics technical skills and stopwatch
C. Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better parallel bar techniques if they can perform
advanced physical exercises on the ground learned previously in senior four.
Activity 1.1
D. Learning activities
Opening discussions
- Students on U shape formation; the teacher helps them to brainstorm the
importance of applying apparatus gymnastics exercises.
- He/she checks up sports uniform and requests to remove out forbidden objects.
- He/she asks them to brainstorm different exercises learnt in previous lesson
and introduces parallel bar techniques by asking them questions related to the
lesson to be taught to awaken their motivation and interest.
- He/she invites them doing warm up and stretching before the workout.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
- Let students perform general warm up exercises and stretch their muscles properly.
- One student can lead others
- Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises
- Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
D. Lesson body
Basic parallel technique moves:
– Static hold dips
– L-sits on parallel bar
– Low swings dips
– Swings with assistance
– Handstands
Static hold dips
The dip exercise trains the chest, shoulders, triceps, back and abdominals.
The teacher asks students to perform individually static holds following these steps:
• Stand between the dip bars and firmly grasp each side. The bars
should rest on their palm with their wrists stacked.
• Push down to lift their bodies upward, slowly removing their feet
from the floor until their elbows are locked out.
• Keep the whole body straight, eyes faced on the horizon (eyes faced on the sky).
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds and then lower back to startposition
Activity 1.2
L-sits on parallel bar
The teacher asks students to perform individually L-sits following these steps:
• Stand between the dip bars and firmly grasp each side. The bars
should rest on their palm with their wrists stacked.
• Push down to lift their body upward, slowly removing their feet
from the floor until their arms is locked out.
• Raise their legs to form the letter L or 90 degrees’ angle
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds and then lower themselves
back to the starting position.
• Repeat the exercise with adding length to their holds as you build
strength and stability.
• You need to be able to hold their own weight comfortably beforethey can add movement.
Activity 1.3
Low swings dips
• Stand between the dip bars and firmly grasp each side. The bars
should rest on your palm with their wrists stacked.
• Push down to lift their body upward, slowly removing their feet
from the floor until their arms is locked out.
• Swing the whole body front and back
• Begin with low swings under the bars and gradually increase the
height of the swing.
• The front-swing should be slightly arched until the bottom of the
swing, where you should begin to hollow.
• The backswing should be performed with a straight body until they
begin to return back to the bottom of the swing. At this point they
should begin kicking with their heels, letting their body becomeslightly arched.
Activity 1.4
Swings with assistance
The teacher assists students in swings on parallel bar (students can assist each
other after being given example)
– In the front-swing a teacher should hold the student with one hand
on their shoulder / neck area.
– With the other hand, he/she should spot the student by gently
pushing on his/her back in an upwards motion.
– This will encourage the students to push their hips up in the frontswing.
– In the backswing, the teacher should spot the student and helpensure a safe and correct backswing up to handstand.
Activity 1.5
Handstand on parallel bar
Teacher as a facilitator and guide helps students to perform handstands on
parallel bar perfectly. He/she asks students to perform individually hand stand by
respecting the following steps:
• Support the body in a stable and inverted vertical position.
• Balance on the hands.
• The body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended.
• The hands are spaced approximately, the shoulder-width apart.Fig.1.6: Handstand position on parallel bar
Cool down exercises
• Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by insisting on most used parts.
• Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
• Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during handstand on
parallel bar technique exercises?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– What are conditions do you need to use handstand roll exercises?
Apply
– Where could you use handstand exercises in your daily life?
Lesson 2: Parallel bar tactics exercises
A. Learning objective
By the end of the lesson, senior five students will be able to practice confidently
parallel bar tactics exercises.
B. Teaching resources
Parallel bars, whistle, videos related to gymnastics tactical skills and stopwatch.
C. Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better parallel bar tactics if they can perform well
parallel bar techniques learned in the previous lesson.
D. Learning activities
Opening discussions
- Students on semi-circle; the teacher helps them to brainstorm the importance
of applying parallel bar exercises.
- He/she checks up sports uniform and requests to remove out forbidden objects.
- He/she asks them to brainstorm different techniques learnt in previous lesson and
introduces parallel bar tactics by asking them questions related to the lesson to be
taught to awaken their motivation and interest.
- He/she invites them doing warm up and stretching before the workout.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
- Let students perform general warm up exercises and stretch their muscles properly.
- One student can lead others.
- Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises focusing on the
parts that are most being used.
- Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
E. Lesson body
Activity 1.6
Showing different tactics on parallel bar
The teacher shows videos of different tactics on parallel bar and through
brainstorming asks students to apply selected ones in the following:
Bicycle walks, traveling dips, push-ups, plyometric push-ups, push-ups with
knee drive, push-ups with spider man knee drive, shoulder tap push-ups,
single leg push-ups, L-sit pendulum, Bar to bar rotation, decline crunch,
vertical upside pull-ups, monkey bars, lateral monkey bars, L-sit typewriter
pull-ups, hanging L-sit pendulum, hanging windshield wipers.
Application activity 1.1
The teacher organizes students and instructs them how to perform the
traveling dip following steps
– Grab the bars;
– Get in the start position;
– Lower your body;
– Keep your forearms vertical and your body in slight forward lean;
– Move forward alternating arms;– Push yourself back up to the start position;
Variation
Teacher varies exercises by selecting other tactic and help students to perform it.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during traveling on
parallel bars tactics?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– Relate these parallel bar tactics to the techniques learnt in the previous lessons
Apply
– Where do you think to use these tactics in your daily life?
Lesson 3: Horizontal bar techniques exercises
A. Learning objective
Apply correctly horizontal bar techniques exercises.
B. Teaching resources
Horizontal bar, whistle, videos related to gymnastics tactical skills and stopwatch.
C. Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better horizontal bar techniques if they can
perform parallel bar techniques and tactics learned in the previous lessons.
D. Learning activities
Opening discussions
Students on semi-circle; the teacher helps them to brainstorm the importance of
applying horizontal bar exercises.
– He/she checks up sports uniform and requests to remove out forbidden objects.
– He/she asks them to brainstorm different exercises learnt in previous lesson and
introduces horizontal bar techniques by asking them questions related to the
lesson to be taught to awaken their motivation and interest.
– He/she invites them doing warm up and stretching before the workout.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and stretch their
muscles properly.
– One student can lead others.
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises
focusing on the parts that are most being used.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
E. Lesson body
Activity 1.7
High bar chin raise
The teacher guides students to perform a high bar chin raise following the steps:
– Locate the chin raise bar;
– Find the perfect grip;
– Put their hands on the bar with their palms facing their body;
– Raise their body until their chin is above the bar;
– Lower themselves back down under control until their arms are
straight;
– Squeeze the bar tightly and flex their abs to keep control;– Do 5 repetition at least and few seconds between them.
Activity 1.8
High bar swings
The teacher organizes students and demonstrates how exercises should be performed
by following these steps:
– Hang with both hands on the bar and extend their shoulders, so
that their ears touch the shoulders.
– Their hands should be about one shoulder width apart and their
arms parallel.
– Elbows, knees and ankles should be fully extended.
– Look straight forward and keep their entire body in a perfect
straight line.
– Swing your fully extended legs forward up and contract their
abdominals a little, so that they can see their feet for a moment.
But don’t bend forward too much. Don’t lift themselves with your
arms.
– Then extend your entire body and lock your arms with their upper
body and their legs.
– Swing back without hollowing their back and keep their abdominals tight.
– Then swing forward again and repeat.– Go from horizontal level to horizontal level.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during the performance of
horizontal bar techniques?
– How did you proceed to perform horizontal bar techniques?
Connect
– How do you relate the techniques of high bar swings to the ones of the previous lessons?
Apply
– Where could you use horizontal bar techniques in your daily life?
Lesson 4: Horizontal bar tactics exercises
a) Learning objective
Practice confidently horizontal bar tactics exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Horizontal bar, stopwatch, whistle and videos related to gymnastics tactical skills.
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better horizontal bar tactics if they can perform
parallel bar techniques and tactics learned in the previous lessons.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
– Students on U shape formation; the teacher helps them to brainstorm the importance
of applying horizontal bar exercises.
– He/she checks up sports uniform and requests to remove out forbidden objects.
– He/she asks them to brainstorm different exercises learnt in previous lesson and
introduces horizontal bar tactics by asking them questions related to the lesson to be
taught to awaken their motivation and interest.
– He/she invites them doing warm up and stretching before the workout.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and stretch their
muscles properly.
– One student can lead others
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises
focusing on the parts that are most being used
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
e) Lesson body
Activity 1.9
Tactics on horizontal bar shows
The teacher shows videos of different tactics on horizontal bar and through
brainstorming asks students to apply selected one in the following
– High bar tuck swings tactics
– High bar hangs to pike tactics
Application activity 1.2
High bar hangs to pike tactics
The teacher organizes students and instructs them how to perform
individually hanging pike following steps
– Jump up to a pull-up bar with an overhand grip at a comfortable
distance.
– Bring their knees to hip height.
– As you extend their knees, bring them up to the bar as they attempt to touch
the bar with their ankles.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during horizontal bar
tactics?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– Relate these horizontal bar tactics to the techniques learnt in the
previous lessons
Apply
– Where do you think to use these tactics in your daily life?
1.5 Additional information to the teacher
Parallel bars are commonly used by gymnasts to build overall strength to help
improve performance in their respective events. Any person can use them to
increase their overall strength and build a moral impressive, capable physique.
Apart from bar moves like dips, L-sits and inverted Rows; there are many other
tactics to train to the students:
• Bicycle walks
• Traveling dips
• Push-Ups
• Plyometric Push-Ups
• Push-Ups with knee drive
• Push-Ups with Spiderman knee drive
• Shoulder tap push-ups
• Single leg push-ups
• L-sit pendulum
• Bar to bar rotation
• Decline crunch
• Vertical upside pull-ups
• Monkey bars
• Lateral monkey bars
• L-sit typewriter pull-ups
• Hanging L-sit pendulum
• Hanging windshield wipers
The horizontal bar, also known as the high bar, is a horizontally-aligned bar
used in gymnastics, upon which acts of swinging are performed.
Hanging Pike is a bodyweight exercise that works the abdominals, quadriceps,
hip flexors, lower abs and upper abdominals. When done correctly; it can effectively
target the core, hips, legs, lower body, thighs, upper legs and waist.
End unit assessment 1.6
Set exercises for students to observe how they develop tactical and technical skills
of apparatus gymnastics through parallel and horizontal bar practices.
1.7 Additional activities
1.7.1 Remedial activities
Regular performance of light parallel and horizontal bar gymnastics exercises
with agility, strength and flexibility to improve confidence of working on
gymnastics apparatuses.
1.7.2 Consolidation activities
Execute and harmonize parallel and horizontal bar gymnastics exercises with
agility, strength and flexibility.
1.7.3 Extended activities
Request students to participate in gymnastic competitions organized by the school
and evaluate their performance level.