45-Second Floor Routine: Solo Design with a Tech Sheet

Each student designs a floor routine of about 45 seconds with tumbling, balance and linking skills matched to their level. They plan it on paper, rehearse it and show it to a small group.

How to play

1. Explain the tech sheet: one skill from each family (roll, inversion, balance, jump), two changes of direction, a clear start and finish (5 min).
2. Paper design: everyone picks skills they own and sketches their path on a drawing of the mat (8 min).
3. Rehearsal by sections: work the hardest connections separately (12 min).
4. Full run-through with background music and timing adjustments; a partner keeps time (10 min).
5. Showings in groups of five: each routine is seen once and the others share one strength and one suggestion (10 min).

Rules

• Only skills you can already do safely go in the routine.
• Showings happen in small groups, never in front of the whole class unless the student wants to.
• One person per mat while rehearsing.
• Feedback is about the routine, not the person.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: design a floor or chair routine with turns, trunk balances and arm pathways.
• Performance anxiety: show it on video to the teacher only.
• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: mark the start and finish with a visual cue and don't require timing to the music.

Learning goals

• Design an individual gymnastics composition.
• Plan on paper before rehearsing.
• Give and receive constructive feedback.

Equipment for a class of 25

• mats: 12
• speaker: 1
• tech sheets: 30
• tablet: 1

Teacher tip

If mats are short, alternate paper design with rehearsal in shifts. The usual mistake is picking skills above their level: check the tech sheet before the first run.

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