Cooperative Fitness Challenge Task Description: Partner Plank Taps
Challenge Task: Partner Plank Taps
Fitness component: Muscular strength
Full description of challenge task:
This is a partner challenge. Two people in plank (e.g., beginning push up position with hands on ground) face each other at least 15 feet apart. Using a ball (e.g., gator skin, foam, whiffle, etc.) the partners must tap (not catch and roll) the ball back and forth without missing 30 times in a row (15 for each student). If either partner does not tap the ball back successfully or if a partner touches the ground with their knees or comes out of the plank position in any way they must start over. Children must keep their bottom and back flat, and they can’t spread their legs out. In other words, the children must stay in a high quality plank position from the beginning to the end of this challenge. There is no time limit for this one. Works best on a smooth surface.
Pictures of the Partner Plank Taps Challenge
Videos and Pictures:
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Quick description:
Partner Challenge: From a distance of 15 feet 2 children tap a ball back and forth 30 times (15 for each child). Children can move.
Diagram:
Bullet point description:
- Partner challenge
- 30 (15 for each child) successful taps while in good push up position.
- Children can move side to side to tap errant taps.
- Mark area you wish to contain kids in if you wish with cones
Equipment Needed:
- 6-8 inch gator skin ball (or any other type of ball that rolls evenly)
- Floor tape
What constitutes starting the challenge over:
- Children must keep their bottom and back flat, and they can’t spread their legs out
- Children not completing all 30 taps (ball gets passed the receiver).
- Children touching ground with any part of legs with legs or stomach.
Variations:
Making the challenge more difficult:
- Increase the distance between partners.
- Increase number of taps
- Don’t allow kids to move side to side forcing them to make perfect taps
- Have a target they must hit with each tap of the ball (e.g. poly spot). Target must be something the ball can easily roll over
- Have child do a full push up after each tap
- Have child stand up and get back down to plank position after each tap
Making the challenge easier:
- Decrease the number of taps
- Decrease the length between children
Tips/Notes:
- As they get tired the kids will want to put their legs in a V position. This is not allowed. As soon as you see this they need to start over.
- Make sure to have the kids keep their back and bottom flat. As they get tired it will start to rise.
- Tell kids to not tap to hard and follow through with their hand to their partner.
Teaching Cues
- Eyes up looking at partner
- Soft taps if on a flat surface
- Follow through to partner with fingers when tapping
Adapting for children with disabilities:
We encourage you to adapt any of the tasks to meet the needs of any of the children participating in the Cooperative Fitness Challenge, including any children with disabilities. Feel free to use the child's IEP or use any of the variations we list here to assist you.
