Balance and coordination in group challenges

1Body control = balance + coordination

• Balance is keeping your body steady, whether you are still (a stork stand) or moving (walking along a narrow path).
• Coordination is making different parts of your body work together, in the right order and at the right time. Your brain uses what your eyes see and what your muscles and joints feel to guide each movement.

2Your centre of gravity

Every object has a balance point, called its centre of gravity. If you held a ruler up on one finger at exactly that point, it would balance. When you stand straight, your centre of gravity is roughly behind your belly button.

The area under and between the parts of your body touching the ground is your base of support. Here is the big rule of balance:

You stay balanced while your centre of gravity is above your base of support. If it moves outside the base, you tip over, unless you take a step.

• Low and wide is steady. Bend your knees (your centre of gravity goes lower) and put your feet apart (your base gets wider). Goalkeepers and wrestlers stand like this.
• Tall and narrow is wobbly. On one foot with a straight body, your base is tiny and your centre of gravity is high. Tiny movements of your arms and ankles keep it over your foot.
• Carrying a load moves your centre of gravity. That is why Uwase's mother stands very tall, keeping the basket right above her body.

3Coordination comes in different kinds

• Hand–eye: catching, throwing at a target, hitting a ball.
• Foot–eye: dribbling a football around cones, stepping into hopscotch squares.
• Whole body: skipping in a long rope, dancing, a cartwheel.

4Warm up: mirror and freeze

Jog around the space. On one whistle, freeze in a balance on one foot. On two whistles, find a partner and copy their balance like a mirror. Then do 10 slow heel raises and 10 slow squats.

5Group balance challenges

1. Balance line-up. Your group stands on a line drawn in the soil, or on a low, firm bench. Without stepping off, change places until you are in order of birthdays, January to December. You will need to hold each other, talk and move carefully.
2. Lean circle. 6 to 8 pupils stand in a circle holding wrists, numbered 1, 2, 1, 2 around the circle. On "Lean!", all the 1s lean slowly in and all the 2s lean slowly out, with straight bodies and feet still. Your pulls balance each other, so the circle holds everyone up. Then swap.
3. Bean bag guards. Everyone balances a bean bag (or a folded cloth) on their head and walks around. If it falls, you must freeze. A friend can free you by picking up your bean bag and putting it back on your head, without dropping their own.

6Group coordination challenges

1. Long-rope run-through. Two pupils turn a long rope. Run in, jump 5 times, run out. Then try it in pairs, holding hands. Can your whole group get in and jump together?
2. Clap and pass. Stand in a circle. Clap a steady beat together: clap, clap, pass. On every "pass", hand a ball to the person on your right. On the whistle, change direction without losing the beat.
3. Dust ladder. Draw a ladder of 8 squares on the ground with chalk or a stick. Step through with patterns: two feet in each square; in-in-out-out; hop on one foot. Start slowly and get faster only when you make no mistakes.

7How to get better

Practise slowly first, then faster. Keep your eyes looking ahead, not at your feet. Count out loud together, so everyone moves at the same time.

8Cool down

Walk slowly around the space. Stand on one foot with your eyes closed for 5 seconds, then swap. Stretch your calves and thighs, and shake out your arms and legs.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.