Lesson 3 - Counter-Balance Sequences
Partner Forces and Body Tension in Gymnastics
•Year 7
•Gymnastics
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
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How can we use push and pull forces to create perfectly balanced sequences that flow smoothly between different levels?
Learning Objectives
- Understand and apply push and pull forces to perform various counter-balances with a partner
- Link counter-balances with travelling movements to create smooth sequences at different levels
- Challenge oneself to improve technique and performance through practice and feedback
Key Outcomes
- Students will perform a range of counter-balances demonstrating understanding of push and pull forces
- Students will create sequences combining balances and travelling movements with smooth transitions
- Students will use apparatus creatively to enhance their counter-balance sequences
- Students will provide and respond to constructive peer feedback to improve performance
Equipment & Resources Required
Distributed around hall perimeter for warm-up, then arranged by apparatus stations for main activity
Alternative: Crash mats for higher-risk balances, folded blankets for basic floor work
Ready at hall entrance for quick distribution during warm-up
Alternative: Coloured bands, sashes, or designated t-shirt colours
Keep with teacher for apparatus setup timing and sequence timing
Alternative: Mobile phone timer, wall clock with second hand
Positioned on tripod or stable surface to record final performances for assessment and review
Alternative: Tablet, smartphone, school video camera
Carried by teacher for clear stop/start signals during activities
Alternative: Voice commands with raised hand signal
Key Vocabulary
A balance where two people work together using push forces against each other to maintain stability
The physical forces applied between partners where push means pressing away and pull means drawing towards
A planned series of movements that flow smoothly from one to another with clear beginning, middle and end
The smooth, controlled movements that connect one skill or balance to the next without stopping
When both partners mirror each other exactly creating a balanced, matching shape
The height at which movements or balances are performed: high (standing), medium (kneeling), low (lying/sitting)
A rolling movement performed with knees bent and tucked towards chest in a curved position
A rolling movement performed with body straight and arms extended, rolling sideways like a log
Gymnastics equipment such as benches, boxes, mats and bars used to enhance and challenge movements
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic individual balancing at different levels
- Simple rolling techniques (log roll, teddy bear roll)
- Understanding of body tension and control
- Safe apparatus handling and use
- Working cooperatively with partners
Current Skills
- Applying push and pull forces in counter-balances
- Creating sequences linking balances with travelling movements
- Performing symmetrical counter-balances with control
- Using apparatus creatively to enhance sequences
- Self and peer assessment of gymnastics performance
Next Steps
- Counter-tension balances with partners
- More complex apparatus-based sequences
- Group balances and pyramids
- Advanced rolling and flight elements
- Choreographed group gymnastics performances
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Counter-balance requires equal push forces from both partners - one pushing more than the other causes collapse
- Symmetry in partner balances demonstrates control and teamwork - bodies should mirror each other exactly
- 4-second holds show genuine balance control - shorter holds indicate instability or lack of body tension
- Transitions between elements should be smooth and controlled, not jerky or rushed - this shows sequence planning and skill refinement
- Different levels (high, medium, low) add variety and challenge - sequences should showcase range not repetition
- Apparatus should be integral to sequences not just decorative - use it creatively ON, UNDER, NEXT TO, THROUGH
- Safety in apparatus work depends on proper setup, safe use within ability, and controlled pack-away - enforce rules consistently
Common Misconceptions
- MISCONCEPTION: Counter-balance is just holding hands and leaning. CORRECTION: True counter-balance involves equal and opposite forces creating mutual stability - demonstrate how if one person lets go or stops pushing, both fall.
- MISCONCEPTION: Holding a balance means staying sort-of-still. CORRECTION: Genuine balance hold requires complete stillness with body tension maintained - demonstrate difference between wobbling hold and controlled static hold.
- MISCONCEPTION: Transitions are just getting from one balance to another. CORRECTION: Transitions are deliberate, controlled movements that are part of the sequence quality - show jerky versus smooth transitions.
- MISCONCEPTION: Symmetrical means doing the same thing. CORRECTION: Symmetrical means creating mirror images - if I raise my right arm, you raise your left arm to mirror me.
- MISCONCEPTION: The apparatus makes the sequence better automatically. CORRECTION: Apparatus enhances sequences only when used creatively and integrally - simply performing near apparatus doesn't add value.
- MISCONCEPTION: Faster sequences are better sequences. CORRECTION: Quality sequences show control, deliberate holds, and smooth transitions - speed often reduces quality and shows lack of control.
- MISCONCEPTION: Counter-balance is about strength. CORRECTION: Counter-balance is about equal forces and technique - demonstrate how smaller person can balance with larger person through proper positioning and mutual push forces.
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Keep activities relatively short with frequent changes; provide clear, concise instructions one step at a time; use active roles rather than waiting/watching where possible; give specific jobs during apparatus setup to maintain engagement; allow movement breaks through high-energy warm-up and transitions; provide frequent positive feedback; set achievable short-term targets; position near teacher for redirection; use timer to show time remaining
dyspraxia
- Use larger, clearer spaces for balance practice reducing spatial demands; allow extra practice time for movement patterns; break sequences into smaller chunks to master individually; use visual/verbal cues for body positioning; provide hand-over-hand guidance for rolling technique; simplify sequences reducing number of elements; allow use of wall or apparatus for support during balances; focus on quality over quantity; celebrate progressive improvement; assign supportive, patient partner
autism spectrum
- Provide visual schedule showing lesson structure and timing; give advance notice of transitions between activities; allow sensory breaks if needed in quieter area; use consistent, clear routines for apparatus setup/pack-away; provide written/visual instruction cards as reference; minimise unpredictable elements; give specific, concrete feedback rather than abstract; allow same partner throughout lesson for consistency; prepare for performance element in advance
visual impairment
- Use bright coloured mats and apparatus for visibility; provide detailed verbal descriptions of all movements and positions; use tactile guidance (teacher or partner guiding hand placement); assign peer buddy for constant support; position near teacher for close guidance; use verbal counting aloud for 4-second holds; describe spatial layout verbally before activities
hearing impairment
- Ensure student positioned where they can see teacher clearly for demonstrations; use exaggerated visual demonstrations of all skills; provide written or visual instruction cards for sequences; use clear hand signals for stop/start/good/change; assign peer buddy to tap shoulder for attention signals; face student when giving instructions for lip-reading; use visual timer for activity durations
physical disability
- Adapt counter-balances to wheelchair or seated positions (hands pressing together, pushing against shoulders seated); modify travelling movements to wheeling or supported walking; use lower apparatus or floor-based alternatives; allow use of support equipment or walls for stability; extend time for all activities; focus on achievable movements celebrating ability not limitation; adapt back-to-back standing to seated pushing against backs; ensure accessible mat positioning
Cross-Curricular Links
English
Listening skills during instructions and feedback; speaking skills when giving peer feedback; technical vocabulary development and usage; descriptive language when planning sequences; verbal reasoning when explaining counter-balance concepts
Maths
Counting 4-second holds developing number sense; measuring angles of lean in counter-balances; geometric shapes created by body positions; symmetry and asymmetry concepts; spatial reasoning during pathway planning; timing and duration calculations for sequences; patterns and sequences in movement combinations
Science
Forces - push and pull forces creating stability; friction between body parts and surfaces; gravity affecting balance; levers and fulcrums in body positioning; energy transfer from potential to kinetic in rolling; centre of mass and balance points
Art & Design
Creating aesthetically pleasing sequences and shapes; composition and flow in movement; use of levels and pathways creating visual interest; symmetry and pattern in balance design; performance as creative expression
PSHE
Teamwork and partnership skills; communication and cooperation; resilience and persistence when facing challenges; self-awareness through self-assessment; respect for others during peer assessment; managing emotions when tasks are difficult; celebrating diversity of abilities and efforts
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Stand at corner or side of hall during activities for visibility of all students; move actively during practice phases providing individual coaching; position centrally for whole-class demonstrations and instructions; stand at apparatus during setup/pack-away for close supervision
Observation Focus
Watch for equal weight distribution in counter-balances indicating proper push forces; check 4-second holds are genuinely achieved; monitor transitions for smoothness and control; observe symmetry in partner balances; ensure safe apparatus use throughout; note differentiated achievement levels for assessment
Intervention Points
Step in immediately when: unsafe apparatus use observed, one partner taking all weight in balance, rolling technique incorrect risking injury, apparatus being carried unsafely, students showing frustration or giving up, peer feedback becoming negative rather than constructive, fatigue levels becoming excessive
Demonstration Notes
Always demonstrate with student volunteer not alone to model partnership; exaggerate key technique points for visibility (knee bend, arm extension, body tension); show both correct technique and common mistakes for clarity; use performing students as models whenever possible to validate their work; demonstrate pathways by walking them clearly; show different levels by performing at each height explicitly
Verbal Cues
- •'Push equally - both partners!'
- •'Hold it... 1, 2, 3, 4!'
- •'Check your symmetry - are you mirror images?'
- •'Smooth transitions - flow from one move to the next!'
- •'Use the apparatus - ON it, UNDER it, NEXT TO it!'
- •'Count together for your holds!'
- •'Chin tucked for your teddy bear roll!'
- •'Feel the counter-balance - you need each other!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Full school hall or gymnasium minimum 15m x 20m; clear height for standing balances and apparatus setup; adequate space for 6-8 apparatus stations with safe spacing between
Surface Check
Clean, dry, non-slip floor surface free from splinters or damage; mats checked for tears, proper thickness and secure positioning; apparatus checked for stability before use
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •All mats inspected for damage or wear before lesson
- •Gymnastics apparatus checked for stability and secure assembly
- •Benches, boxes and bars verified as appropriately secured
- •No apparatus with sharp edges or protruding parts
- •Sufficient mats positioned under and around apparatus for safe landing
- •Camera/recording device positioned safely out of movement areas
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Falls from apparatus during counter-balance attempts
- •Collisions between pairs during travelling movements
- •One partner taking excessive weight in unequal counter-balances leading to falls
- •Injuries during apparatus setup/pack-away from improper lifting or dropping
- •Unsafe rolling technique leading to neck/back strain
- •Slips on floor during dynamic warm-up game
- •Muscle strains from attempting balances beyond ability level
Risk Mitigation
- •Adequate spacing between pairs during all floor work activities
- •Progressive skill building from floor work to apparatus application
- •Constant reinforcement of equal pushing forces in counter-balances
- •Strict apparatus safety rules enforced with penalty point system
- •Direct teaching and demonstration of correct rolling technique before practice
- •Warm-up activity to prepare muscles before advanced work
- •Clear differentiation provided so all students work at appropriate level
- •Teacher positioned for maximum visibility throughout lesson
- •Immediate intervention when unsafe practices observed
- •Mats positioned strategically under all apparatus work
- •Partner work ensures peer observation and safety awareness
- •Cool-down activity returns students to calm state before dismissal
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Teacher positioned centrally during floor work for 360-degree visibility
- •Active circulation during practice phases to monitor all pairs closely
- •Stationed near highest-risk apparatus during apparatus work
- •Focused supervision during apparatus setup and pack-away phases
- •Constant scanning for fatigue, frustration or unsafe attempts
- •Immediate proximity when demonstrating to ensure safe modelling
Emergency Procedures
Stop signal (whistle + raised hand) practiced at lesson start; all students know to freeze immediately on signal; teacher approaches any injury calmly; appropriate first aid administered or summoned; rest of class managed safely while dealing with incident; incident logged according to school policy