Teaching Gymnastics by Movement Pattern

by Rick McCharles

At Ontario Congress 2016 I broke down the Movement Patterns approach in greater detail than ever before.

movement-patterns-1 All Gymnastics skills can be analyzed in terms of 6 movement patterns. LANDINGS we teach first and best.

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Here’s an example.

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The Movement Pattern approach — as opposed to the more traditional Skills approach — is used in Canada and by the International Gymnastics Federation. The inventor of this taxonomy and primary author is Keith Russell.
movement-patterns-3It’s biomechanical analysis. Each of the Movement Patterns obeys well defined laws of physics. SWINGS, for example, are skills where the body is rotating around an external axis. Good technique is keeping the Centre of Mass far from the axis on the DOWN swing, closer to the axis on the UP swing.
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Once a coach knows the mechanical principles of each of the 6 Movement Patterns, it’s easier to coach specific skills.

For example, keep your hips (Centre of Mass) as far away from the Bar (Axis) as possible on the down SWING.
movement-patterns-3cAll Gymnastics finish with a LANDING. The gymnast must bring all forces to zero by attenuating energy over time and surface area.
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Download all the notes from Ontario Congress 2016 – INCORPORATE THE FMP’S INTO YOUR PROGRAMS (Gymnastics Movement Patterns)