Slanted Bar High Jump: Pick Your Height

Scissor-kick high jump over an elastic cord tied on a slant, low at one end and high at the other, so each student picks where to take off based on their level and works their way up. Students practice the curved approach, one-foot takeoff, and setting realistic challenges.

How to play

1. Tie the elastic cord between two high jump standards: one end about 2 ft high and the other about 3 ft 7 in, with a crash mat underneath; mark three takeoff zones with cones (low, middle, high).
2. Groups of 6 per setup; a 5-step curved approach from the side of the free leg (2 min to explain).
3. Round 1 (5 min): everyone scissor-jumps over the low zone to set the approach and take off from the leg farther from the cord.
4. Round 2 (8 min): students choose a zone for every jump; clearing it without touching lets them move up, and touching twice in a row moves them down one zone.
5. Round 3 (5 min): each student records the highest zone cleared and takes one last attempt at the next one.
6. Cleanup and discussion (2 min): what helped most to go higher, the approach, the takeoff, or driving the knee up.

Rules

• Only one student on the mat at a time: the next jumper goes when the mat is clear.
• Land on the feet or seated on the mat, never head or back first in this activity.
• Nobody holds the cord by hand: if it slips, stop and retie it.
• Always take off from one foot.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student lifts a leg over the cord while seated on the mat or serves as zone judge.
• Shyness: students choose zones without announcing them, and heights are never discussed out loud.
• Advanced students: they may try a back-first style only with teacher permission and with the cord at the middle zone.

Learning goals

• Perform a one-foot takeoff after a curved approach.
• Choose an appropriate challenge and progress from it.
• Follow safety rules for landing on the mat.

Equipment for a class of 25

• elastic cords: 3
• high jump standards: 6
• crash mats: 3
• cones: 9

Teacher tip

The slanted cord keeps students from getting stuck at one height and removes the wait for raising the bar. Check that the crash mat doesn't slide and that the standards are stable.

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