Front Support
The front support skill should be introduced in the early years and mastered by Year 2. It builds strength and control in the upper body and core muscles. The front support skill develops core strength, balance and stability, which are important for preventing injury and progressing to more advanced gymnastics skills.
Teaching cues
- Shoulders directly above your hands.
- Arms straight and strong.
- Tighten your core “tummy muscles”.
- Lift your hips and make sure your back is flat.
- Legs straight and feet together.
- Keep your head in line with your back.
Teaching strategies
- Start with basic holding of the position for short periods (5-10 seconds).
- Allow children to start the positon on their hands and knees, then progress to hands and feet.
- Use visual cues to show body alignment (e.g., drawing a line for straightness).
- Encourage children to keep their head in line with their back.
- Introduce the concept of tightening the core and lifting the hips.
- Increase hold time to build strength and endurance.
- Encourage variations like holding for longer periods or transitioning in and out of the position.
- Introduce challenges like walking from front support into other positions (e.g., plank).
- Begin integrating this position into more complex gymnastics movement sequences.
- Children should be able to hold the front support position for 30 seconds before progressing.
- Encourage moving into different positions from front support (e.g., rear support or push-ups).
- Integrate front support into dynamic movements like crawling, climbing or in gymnastics routines.
Skill criteria
- Arms straight with elbows fully extended.
- Shoulders directly over the wrists.
- Core engaged with a flat back.
- Hips lifted and aligned with the body.
- Feet together and legs straight.
Common errors
- Sagging hips – keep the body in a straight line from head to toes.
- Bending elbows – arms should remain straight.
- Head dropping – keep the head in line with the spine.
- Feet apart – keep the legs together to maintain balance and proper alignment.
