Incline Bench to Wall Bars Climb

Gym benches are hooked onto the wall bars to make ramps that students climb on hands and knees or by pulling on their stomachs, then transfer to the wall bars and climb down rung by rung. They work on climbing, arm and leg coordination, and confidence at height.

How to play

1. Hook 4 gym benches onto the third or fourth rung of the wall bars, with mats underneath and on the sides, and make 4 groups of 6 or 7 students, one per ramp (2 min).
2. Bear climb: go up the ramp on hands and knees, touch the wall bar rung, and climb down the wall bars facing them (4 min).
3. Seal pull: lying on the stomach, pull with the arms on the edges of the bench to reach the top and transfer to the wall bars (3 min).
4. Walk up and traverse down: walk up holding the bench edges, step onto the wall bars, travel sideways two sections, and climb down rung by rung (3 min).
5. Your choice: each student decides how to go up and how to come down and says it before starting; the group counts how many different ways they see (3 min).

Rules

• Only one student per ramp; the next waits until the one before is climbing down the wall bars.
• Always come down the wall bars, never by sliding or jumping off the bench.
• Keep three points of contact on the wall bars at all times.
• Nobody hangs from the underside of the bench.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student climbs the ramp seated, pulling with the arms with an adult alongside, or works only on the low section.
• Visual impairment: a partner describes each step, and a strip of textured tape marks the top end of the bench.
• Fitness level: fearful students crawl only halfway up and back, gradually going farther.

Learning goals

• Climb a ramp using arms and legs together.
• Move safely from one piece of equipment to another.
• Build confidence working at height.

Equipment for a class of 25

• gym benches: 4
• wall bars: 8
• mats: 12

Teacher tip

Check that the bench hooks are firmly seated on the rung before starting and recheck them midway through class. Stand next to the steepest ramp to help with the transfer to the wall bars.

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