Motorbike Landing
The motorbike landing should be introduced in the early years, as it teaches children to land safely and with control. By Year 2, children should be able to master this skill, as it forms the foundation for more complex jumping and landing techniques. Proper landing technique, like the motorbike landing, is important in gymnastics to prevent injuries and improve body control. It teaches children to land softly with balance and control, which is vital for performing more advanced gymnastics skills such as jumps, turns and other dynamic movements.
Teaching cues
- Arms out in front of you like you're holding onto bike handles.
- Land softly with knees slightly bent, feet flat and your body angled forward (like riding a bike).
- Look straight ahead where you're landing.
- Stand tall and keep your back straight.
- Try to land without making a noise, like a ninja!
Teaching strategies
- Start by practicing the motorbike landing from a small, two-feet standing jump.
- Encourage children to focus on bending their knees and keeping their feet flat to ensure a controlled landing.
- Practice jumping onto soft mats or from a very small height.
- Experiment with different types of jumps and landings (e.g., jumping and landing in hula hoops or targets).
- Play a game where children focus on landing silently and balancing afterward.
- Set up a "landing zone" and challenge children to land softly into that area.
- Introduce higher jumps or jumping from a height (e.g., a bench or box), focusing on maintaining the motorbike landing technique.
- Encourage children to experiment with jumping from varying distances and adding a run-up.
- Incorporate the motorbike landings into other gymnastics skills, like jumps, dismounts or forward rolls.
Skill criteria
- Arms extended forward during the landing.
- Knees slightly bent to absorb the landing.
- Feet flat on the ground, body angled forward.
- Soft/quiet landing, maintaining balance.
Common errors
- Landing with straight legs instead of bending the knees.
- Not focusing on keeping the body angled forward.
- Landing too hard, making a lot of noise or losing balance.
- Not extending arms forward.
