Gym Bench Skills Circuit
Four gym benches are used in different ways: pulling yourself along lying on them, passing underneath, jumping over them with hands on the bench and jumping off onto a mat. It works on crawling, arm support, landings and body control at a low height.
How to play
- Set up 4 parallel benches with mats at the end and along the sides; make 4 groups of 6, one per bench, and rotate every 4 minutes.
- Bench 1, caterpillar: lie face down on the bench, pull yourself along with your arms to the end and get down onto the mat hands first.
- Bench 2, tunnel: with the bench raised on two stacked mats at each end, army-crawl underneath and then crawl across the top on hands and knees.
- Bench 3, side jumps: with hands on the bench, jump feet together from one side to the other 6 times while moving forward.
- Bench 4, springboard: walk along the bench and jump off the end into a hoop on the mat, landing on your feet with bent knees.
- At the end (4 min), each group picks its favorite bench and teaches it to another group.
Rules
- Only one person on each bench; the next one waits at the line.
- Always jump off the bench forward, facing the mat.
- Mats stay in place; if they slide apart, tell the teacher and reset them.
- Only the teacher sets up the tunnel bench.
Variations
Easier
Students may crawl on the caterpillar bench and step down instead of jumping at the springboard.
Standard
Four benches with caterpillar, tunnel, side jumps and a jump into the hoop.
Harder
Caterpillar with arms only, and a half-turn jump off the bench.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: pull along on mats on the floor and pass through the tunnel in a wheelchair if the gap allows, with help.
- Visual impairment: a partner walks beside the bench with a hand on the shoulder and counts steps to the end.
- Fitness level: tired students do the side jumps by swinging one leg over at a time.
Learning goals
- Travel over and under a bench using different supports.
- Take weight on the arms to jump an obstacle.
- Land softly from a low height.
Equipment for a class of 25
- gym benches: 4
- mats: 10
- hoops: 2
Teacher tip
Check that the tunnel bench is stable before starting. Stand at the springboard bench, where most falls happen.
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