Michigan Programs

GET FAMILIAR TOWARDS MASTERY

• Bridge-Down Kick Over – With coaches’ spot and mats; get familiar with skill; Start with a BRIDGE DOWN; after holding 3-5 seconds kick one foot over at a time making a “windmill” like motion; pushing the shoulders over the hands; landing one foot at a time with arms by ears and legs in a good lunge position.

MAIN FOCUS & REQUIRED SKILLS TO ADVANCE

• • Proper Stretching & Teaching of Body Positions – Pike, Tuck, Straddle, Candle Stick, Bridge Up, Etc.
  • Forward Roll – Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and feet together; standing on toes/feet, in a tucked body position looking towards the belly button; placing hands on the floor in front of the body and pushing with legs “over,” the head and neck in the tucked position; finish on the feet without using the hands to stand up; use mats if necessary.
  • Backward Roll – Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and feet together; standing on toes/feet, in a tucked body position looking towards the belly button; placing hands on the shoulders with palms up and falling onto the bottom pushing with legs “over,” the head and neck in the tucked position; pushing with both hands (flat palms on the floor) finish on the feet using the hands to help stand up; use mats if necessary.
  • Handstand (3-5 Seconds) – Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); Holding the body in a vertical position with straight arms and hands on the floor; both legs together in the air for 1 second trying to achieve a “Straight Body/Hollow Position.” Use coach’s spot, mats, or wall.
  • Handstand Forward Roll – With the coach’s spot and mats; combining the proper HANDSTAND with a proper FORWARD ROLL.
  • Good-side Cartwheel – Determine which side cartwheel is the strongest; Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); teach proper technique with fingers facing sideways; kissing thumbs in a straight line; starting with “GOOD,” leg in front and finishing with “CRAZY,” leg behind; trying to kick legs with pointed feet straight over hands during the skill like a “Rainbow,” or “Windmill,” landing on one foot at a time.
  • Crazy-side Cartwheel – With coaches spot and mats; Determine which side cartwheel is the most awkward (based on Good Side); Teach to start and finish with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); teach proper technique with fingers facing sideways; kissing thumbs in a straight line; starting with “CRAZY,” leg in front and finishing with “CRAZY,” leg behind; trying to kick legs with pointed feet straight over hands during the skill like a “Rainbow,” or “Windmill,” landing on one foot at a time.
  • Round-Off Rebound – Determine which side cartwheel is the GOOD SIDE; Teach to start with arms by ears and in the Lunge Position (Back Knee Straight & Front Knee Bent, weight equally distributed); teach proper technique with fingers facing sideways; kissing thumbs in a straight line; starting with “GOOD,” leg in front; kick legs with pointed feet straight over hands during the skill like a “Rainbow,” or “Windmill,” and snapping feet together after the top (Your legs will come together shortly after vertical) and landing on two feet at the end; followed by a rebound (vertical jump with pointed feet and arms up tall up by ears).
  • Bridge-Down – With coaches spot and mats; Start from a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart or wider; pushing hips forward in front of feet; while watching hands fall backward in a controlled manner; making sure the arms are straight protecting the head; holding for 3-5 seconds; teach hands to be in a “Diamond/Triangle,” position shoulder-width apart.

Handstand Walks
Handstand Blocks/Handstand Block Forward Roll
Controlled Handstand, Fall to Bridge; Limber up to stand
Handstand Limbers
Bridge-Down Kick-Over & Back Walk-Overs
Handstand Limbers/Front Walkovers
Tick-Tocks
Valdez
Handstand Snap Down; Rebound
Handstand, Snap Down; Punch Back to Handstand
Introduction/Set up of the Back Handspring
Jump Back Drills w/ Hip lift
Back Handsprings over Pack-mans/Boulders/Barrels
Spotted Back Handsprings on appropriate surfaces
Bridge-Down Kick-Over & Back Walk-Overs
Controlled Handstand, Fall to Bridge; Limber up to stand
Running Hurdle to Handstand Block Flat Back
Running Front Handspring Step Outs / Front Walkovers
Front Handspring Rebound
Running Set Drill for Punch Front
Punch Front onto Mats / Pit Surfaces
Dive Rolls onto a soft surface
Set drills for Back Tuck (i.e. High Straight Jumps)
Tuck Drills for Back Tuck (i.e. Laying on the ground, etc)

GET FAMILIAR TOWARDS MASTERY

Running Double Full Twisting Layout
Running Whip-Back
Running Front Tuck Step outs
Running Arabian Front Tuck Step outs
Running 1 1⁄2 Twisting Layouts Step outs
Any connection of Level 6 Tumbling Skills that fit within the USASF and the Open Rules & Guidelines

Gross Motor Development

• Crawling, cruising, climbing over soft obstacles

• Pulling to stand and supported walking

• Early balancing on low, soft surfaces

• Encouraging squatting, reaching, and weight shifts

Fine Motor & Hand-Eye Coordination

• Grasping and stacking lightweight objects

• Transferring toys between hands with intention

• Poking, pointing, and clapping for precision control

• Interactive play with sensory balls, scarves, and rings

Balance & Body Awareness

• Low-level balance beams and mats for early stepping

• Movements that challenge core engagement and body control

• Exploring how their body moves in space (rolling, pivoting, crawling through tunnels)

Rhythm & Movement

• Simple choreography through songs and rhymes

• Clapping, stomping, swaying to music cues

• Whole-body response to rhythm and routine transitions

Cognitive Engagement

• Cause-and-effect toys and obstacle challenges

• Basic sequencing (e.g., crawl, climb, slide)

• Short activity repetition to support memory and anticipation

Social & Emotional Development

• Parallel play and early group participation

• Responding to group songs and instructor cues

• Caregiver mirroring, encouragement, and gentle social engagement

Sensory Integration

• Exploring textures through mats, toys, and props

• Sound recognition and auditory play (bells, shakers, rhythm sticks)

• Visual tracking through movement and toys in motion

Early Communication Skills

• Encouraging gestures, signs, and vocal sounds

• Labeling movement, objects, and actions

• Singing familiar songs with actions to support word association

Gross Motor Skills

• Independent jumping, hopping, and galloping

• Rolling forward and backward with support

• Navigating soft obstacle courses with balance and control

• Beginning cartwheel and bear walk progressions

• Kicking, throwing, and catching with improved accuracy

Fine Motor & Hand-Eye Coordination

• Grasping, tossing, and aiming small objects

• Engaging with activity props like bean bags, hoops, and cones

• Beginning to trace shapes in the air or on soft surfaces

• Coordinated clapping, tapping, and use of rhythm tools

Cognitive Development & Listening Skills

• Following multi-step instructions (e.g., “jump, then freeze”)

• Learning and remembering simple movement sequences

• Basic color, shape, and number recognition through movement games

Rhythm & Music-Based Movement

• Performing full-body movements to rhythm (march, sway, tiptoe)

• Participating in group songs with coordinated actions

• Imitating movement patterns and learning short choreographed routines

Balance, Agility & Coordination

• Walking forward and backward on low beams

• Hopping on one foot, jumping from low platforms

• Beginning to shift weight for handstands or assisted bridges

Social-Emotional Development

• Practicing turn-taking, sharing, and cheering for peers

• Building self-confidence through accomplishment and praise

• Understanding classroom structure and group participation

Body Awareness & Self-Regulation

• Naming body parts and understanding left vs. right

• Learning spatial awareness in relation to peers and equipment

• Practicing calming transitions (e.g., stretch and breathe time)