Locomotor- Move body from one place to another or project body upward

Nonlocomotor- Performed without appreciable movement from place to place

Manipulative- Handling and manipulation of objects

Locomotor skills – walking

• Each foot moves alternately
• One foot always contacting the floor
• Instructional cues
  • Head up, eyes forward
  • Point toes straight ahead
  • Nice, easy, relaxed arm swing
  • Walk quietly
  • Hold tummy in, chest up
  • Push off from floor with toes

Locomotor skills- running

• Moving rapidly
• Flight phase (both feet off ground)
• Instructional cues
  • Run on the balls of the feet
  • Head up, eyes forward
  • Bend your knees
  • Relax your upper body
  • Breath naturally
  • Swing arms forward and backward, not sideways

Locomotor skills – hopping

• Propel body up and down
• Take off and land on same foot
• In place or locomotor movement
• Instructional cues
  • Hop with good forward motion
  • Stay on your toes
  • Use your arms for balance
  • Reach for the sky when you hop
  • Land lightly

Locomotor skills – jumping

• Taking off with both feet and landing on both feet
• Instructional cues
  • Swing your arms forward as fast as possible
  • Bend your knees
  • On your toes
  • Land lightly with bent knees
  • Jump up and try to touch the ceiling

Locomotor skills – sliding

• Leading foot stepping to the side and the other foot following quickly
• Sideways gallop
• Instructional cues
  • Move sideways
  • Do not bounce
  • Slide your feet

Locomotor skills – galloping

• Similar to sliding but progress is made in forward direction
• More upward motion than sliding
• Instructional cues
  • Keep one foot in front of the other
  • Now lead with the other foot
  • Make high gallops

Locomotor skills – leaping

• Elongated step designed to cover distance
• Usually combined with running
• Take off on one foot and land on the other
• Instructional cues
  • Push off and reach
  • Up and over, land lightly
  • Use your arms to help you gain height

Locomotor skills – skipping

• Series of step-hops with alternate feet
• Instructional cues
  • "Step-hop"
  • Swing your arms
  • Skip smoothly
  • On your toes

Nonlocomotor skills – bending

• Movement at a joint
• Instructional cues
  • Bend as far as possible
  • Bend one part while holding others steady

Nonlocomotor skills – rocking and swaying

• Center of gravity is fluidly transferred
• Base of support is unchanged in swaying
• Instructional cues
  • Rock smoothly
  • Rock in different directions
  • Rock at varying speeds
  • Rock higher (farther)
  • Sway until you almost lose your balance

Nonlocomotor skills- swinging

• Involves movement of body parts that resembles a swinging rope or pendulum
• Most swinging is confined to arms and legs
• Instructional cues
  • Loosen up
  • Swing easy
  • Swing fully
  • Swing in rhythm

Nonlocomotor skills – turning

• Rotation around the long axis of the body
• Movement of the body as a whole
• Initiated by a twist
• Instructional cues
  • Keep your balance
  • In jump turns, land in relaxed way with the knees relaxed
  • Be precise in your movements, whether it is a quarter, half, or full turn

Nonlocomotor skills – twisting

• Rotation of selected body part around its own long axis
• Joints of different body parts are used for twisting
• Movement around body part itself
• Instructional cues
  • Twist far (fully)
  • Twist the other way
  • Hold the supporting parts firm

Nonlocomotor skills – stretching

• Movement that moves body parts away from the body center
• Involves moving a joint through range of movement
• Necessary for maintaining and increasing flexibility
• Instructional cues
  • Stretch as far as possible
  • Find other ways to stretch the body part
  • Keep it smooth, do not jerk

Nonlocomotor skills – pushing

• Controlled and forceful action
• Move the body away from object
• Move the object in a desired direction
• Instructional cues
  • Broaden your foot base
  • Use all your body forces
  • Push steadily
  • Push evenly
  • Lower yourself for a better push

Nonlocomotor skills – pulling

• Controlled and forceful action
• Moves an object closer to the body
• Moves the body closer to an object
• Instructional cues
  • Get your body in line with the pull
  • Lower yourself
  • Widen your base of support
  • Pull steadily

Manipulative skills - throwing

• Stage One
  • Ages 2 to 3
  • Arm movement only from rear to front of body
  • Feet remain stationary at shoulder width apart
  • Little or no trunk rotation
  • Flex hips, move shoulder forward and extend at the elbow
• Stage Two
  • Ages 3 to 5
  • Some rotary motion as an attempt to increase force
  • Lateral fling of the arm w/ rotation in the trunk
• Stage Three
  • Ages 5 to 6
  • Body is still facing the target, feet are parallel, body erect
  • Lateral foot step
  • Rotation and shifting of body with step
  • Many do not progress beyond this stage
• Stage Four
  • Mature form of throwing
  • Contralateral step (opposition)
  • Develops maximum body torque
  • Target addressed with non-throwing side
  • Step, turn, throw
  • Lead with elbow, forearm, extension, snap wrist
• Stress Points
  • Stand with non-throwing side of body toward target
  • Step toward the target with contralateral foot
  • Rotate hips as the throwing arm moves forward
  • Bend and lead with the elbow
  • Weight shift from rear to front foot

Manipulative skills - catching

• Stage One
  • Both arms in front of body with elbows extended and palms up
  • Elbows bent at contact to bring ball into body
  • Trapping motion
  • Head is turned away and eyes are closed
• Stage Two
  • Both arms in front of body with elbows extended and palms up
  • Elbows bent at contact to bring ball into body
  • Trapping motion
  • Head is turned away and eyes are closed
  • Anticipatory movement is made toward the ball
• Stage Three
  • Preparation = lifting the arms and bending them slightly
  • Chest is used as a backstop for the ball
  • Contact is made wit the hands first
  • Object is guided to the chest
• Stage Four
  • Final stage = age 9 years
  • Catching with the hands
  • Giving with the arms (absorbing force)
  • Legs bend
  • Feet are moved with anticipation of the catch
• Stress Points
  • Maintain visual contact with the projectile
  • Reach for the projectile
  • Place the feet in a stride position rather than a straddle position to reduce loss of balance
  • Place body in line with the object, rather than to the side

Manipulative skills - kicking

• Stage One
  • Stationary body
  • Kicking foot flexed in preparation for the kick
  • Kicking motion is carried out w/ a single straight leg with little knee bend
  • Little arm and trunk movement
  • Complete focus on ball
• Stage Two
  • Kicking foot is lifted backwards and flexed at the knee
  • When kicking leg moves forward, opposite arm moves forward
  • More follow through of the leg
• Stage Three
  • Movement toward the object is included
  • Increase in distance leg is moved
  • Movement of the upper body to counterbalance the leg movement
• Stage Four
  • Preparatory extension of the hip to increase the range of motion
  • Run to the ball and small leap to get the kicking leg into position
  • As the kick is carried forward, the trunk leans backward
  • Small step forward on the support foot to regain balance
• Stress Points
  • Encourage kickers to move their leg backward in preparation for the kick
  • Arms should move in opposition to the legs during the kick
  • Step forward with the non-kicking leg,
  • Stand slightly to the side of the ball
  • Eyes kept on the ball for the duration of the kick

Manipulative skills - striking

• Stage One
  • Feet stationary and trunk faces the object to be struck
  • Elbows are fully flexed and the force is generated by extending the flexed joints
  • Little body force is generated, no trunk rotation
  • Force comes from arms and wrists
• Stage Two
  • Upper body begins to generate force
  • Trunk is turned to the side in anticipation of the ball
  • Weight shifts from the rear to front foot
  • Trunk and hips rotate into the ball
• Stage Three
  • Standing sideways to the path of the oncoming object
  • Arms extend in a long and horizontal arc
  • Swing through the full range of motion with a sequential transfer of weight from the rear to the front plane of the body
• Stress Points
  • Track the ball as soon as possible until hit
  • Keep the elbows away from the body
  • Swing the bat in a horizontal plane (do not chop with the bat)