Safe Acrosport Dismounts: Three Ways Down
A lesson on taking a stunt apart safely: reversing the climb, a cushioned forward jump and a spotter-guided dismount. Students work on landing, group coordination and fall prevention.
How to play
- Groups of three on doubled mats. Explain in 2 minutes that many accidents happen on the way down and introduce the three dismounts.
- Reverse the climb (4 minutes): kneeling on a base on all fours, the flyer steps down one foot, then the other, in reverse order of the mount.
- Cushioned jump (4 minutes): from a kneeling-lunge base's thigh, the flyer lets go on the call "down" and jumps forward, landing with bent knees and arms out front.
- Guided dismount (4 minutes): the spotter holds the flyer's waist and arm all the way down; the base stays still until the flyer touches the mat.
- Rotate roles every minute on each dismount.
- Two-minute final test: the teacher calls a dismount and all groups perform it together; one point per clean, quiet dismount.
Rules
- No one jumps backward out of a stunt.
- The base stays still until both of the flyer's feet are down.
- Every landing is on a mat with bent knees.
- A dismount starts only on the flyer's call "down."
Variations
Easier
Practice dismounts from low stunts, with the flyer kneeling.
Standard
Practice all three dismounts from mid-height stunts on a kneeling-lunge base.
Harder
Link mount, 3-second stunt and a dismount the teacher calls with no warning.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: be the lead spotter who gives calls and keeps time.
- Visual impairment: do the guided dismount with constant hand contact.
- Weak legs: always reverse the climb, no jumping.
Learning goals
- Perform safe dismounts with good landing mechanics.
- Coordinate leaving a stunt with the base and spotter.
- Apply fall-prevention measures in acrobatic stunts.
Equipment for a class of 25
- mats: 16
Teacher tip
Insist on jumping forward while looking at the landing spot: backward jumps cause head bumps. Put two mats together in each landing zone.
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