Balancing

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Balancing

• By Jenny Chestney

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What is Balance?

• According to Merriam Websters Dictionary
• Balance is the stability produced by even
  distribution of weight on each side of the
  vertical axis.

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Key Teaching Concepts

• Wide base of support
• Center of gravity should be over the base of
  support
• Extensions to one side of the body require
  extensions in the opposite direction for
  counterbalance

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Why is Balance Important?

• Balance is needed for children to do a variety of
  activities
• Ride a bike
• Walk a beam
• Do a headstand
• Roller-skate
• Balance is also needed in everyday activities
• Standing
• Walking
• Running
• Jumping

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Types of Balance

• Static Balance maintaining a desired shape in a
  stationary position
• Examples headstands and handstands
• Dynamic Balance maintaining an on-balance
  position while moving, starting, or stopping
• Examples forms of travel, jumping, throwing,
  catching

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Levels of Skill Proficiency

• Pre-control Level
• Learned more accidentally than intentionally
• Activities exploration, weight bearing and
  stillness
• Appropriate Tasks
• Different body parts as support bases
• Wide bases
• Stopping in a balanced position
• Control Level
• Ready to hold positions for several seconds
• Use smaller bases
• Appropriate Tasks
• Combination of body parts
• Weight on hands only
• Narrow bases and inverted positions
• Balancing on a large apparatus

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Levels of Skill Proficiency

• Utilization Level
• Balance on equipment in stillness and in active
  situations
• Locomotion and weight transfer
• Appropriate Tasks
• Combining stationary balance with movements on
  benches, tables, or beams
• On-balance to off-balance
• Moving in an out of balance using actions
• Proficiency Level
• Maintain balance on narrow bases and inverted
  bases
• Move in and out of balance with changes in time
• Narrow equipment
• Combine or contrast balance and time factors
• Children encouraged to perfect flow of movements
• Appropriate Tasks
• Narrow base with extensions away from body
• Partner and group balances
• Fast turns and twists
• Dismounting

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Examples of Balance
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Examples of Balance
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Examples of Everyday Balance
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Videos

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vLukpxzCw0w4
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vAwGAP4-A6KMfeature
  related

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Sources

• Graham, G., Holt/Hale, S., Parker, M. (2007).
  Children Moving. New York McGraw-Hill.