Scale, Pivot and Tiptoe Balance on a Swedish Bench

Gymnastics balance elements such as the scale, tiptoe walk and pivot are learned on the floor first and then taken onto the low, stable surface of a Swedish bench. Each student finishes by putting together a short four-element sequence.

How to play

1. On the floor, along a line: front scale with trunk and leg parallel to the floor, tiptoe walk and a 180-degree pivot on both toes (5 min).
2. Benches wide side up with mats on both sides: walk forward, backward and on tiptoe with a spotter walking alongside (5 min).
3. Balances on the bench: 3-second scale, 3-second side airplane and a 180-degree pivot on both feet (7 min).
4. Each student builds a four-element sequence on the bench and shows it, finishing with a straight jump onto the mat (6 min).
5. Peer review with a checklist: stability, body alignment and focus of the eyes (2 min).

Rules

• Benches always wide side up, on a dry floor with mats on the sides.
• Only one person per bench; the next one gets on when the previous one is off.
• The spotter walks alongside offering a hand, without pulling or pushing.
• If you lose balance, step down onto the mat instead of trying to save it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Visual impairment: works on a raised line on the floor and holds the spotter's hand on the bench.
• Higher body weight: holds balances for 2 seconds and puts the free leg down on the bench when needed.
• Autism: gets a ready-made four-element sequence as a model if composing is hard.

Learning goals

• Hold gymnastics balance positions on a narrow base.
• Compose a short sequence of balance elements.
• Apply safety criteria when working at a low height.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Swedish benches: 5
• mats: 10
• worksheets: 25

Teacher tip

Five benches with five or six students each avoid long waits if getting on, performing and getting off flow one after another. Use the checklist to watch the eyes in particular, which tend to drop to the feet.

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