Republic of the Philippines

NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Bayombong Campus

DEGREE PROGRAM All Programs COURSE NO. PATHF 1

SPECIALIZATION Mandated Subject COURSE TITLE Physical Activities Towards Health
and Fitness 1
YEAR LEVEL 1 TIME FRAME 3 Hrs. WK NO. 7-8 IM NO. 4

I. UNIT TITLE
Unit III: MOVEMENT SKILLS

II. LESSON TITLE

Lesson 2: Locomotor Movements and Skills

III. LESSON OVERVIEW

This lesson is a review of the locomotor movements as applied in linear and lateral directions.
It emphasizes the value of the core and the elimination of acquired bad habits in the performance of
simple to complex activities.

IV. DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. discuss the different locomotor skills; and
2. perform the different locomotor skills properly.

V. LESSON CONTENT

LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENTS and SKILLS

Locomotor movement is the act or power of moving from place to place. Locomotor movement
usually involves moving around a wider, available area, with the body not anchored and with
complete transfer of weight. In other words, moving from point A to point B. Basic locomotor
movements include walking, jumping, running, hopping, leaping, sliding, galloping and skipping. Of
course, you can create all kinds of new locomotor movements if you choose by combining one
locomotor movement with other locomotor movements or even with non-locomotor movements. The
movements just need to travel from one place to another.

Even Rhythm
1. Walk It is a transfer of weight from one foot to the other. Usually, the heel touches the
ground first.
2. Run It is a transfer of weight from one foot to the other however, the body is propelled
into the air and suspended between run steps.
3. Jump It requires the body to push off from one or both feet. Most common is a two foot
take off and two-foot landing. A jump can take off on one foot and land on two or
take off from two feet and land on one foot.
4. Hop It requires a push-off from one foot and landing on the same foot.
5. Leap It is performed by pushing off from one foot and landing on the other foot. The body
is suspended in the and between the push off and the landing. Can be combined
with a run or walk.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

Uneven Rhythm
6. Skip It is a combination of a step and a hop on the same foot followed by a step and hop
on the other foot. The rhythm is uneven long–short. Long (the step) and short (the
hop).
7. Gallop It is a forward movement where one foot leads the gallop while the other foot
follows. The lead-foot steps with a bent knee and pushes off into the air and landing
on the trailing foot. The rhythm is uneven, long–short. Long (the step) and short
(the landing).
8. Slide It is similar to a gallop performed with the right or left foot leading. The rhythm is
uneven, long–short. Long (the step) and short (the landing).

A. Linear and Lateral Movements

Linear Movements
Locomotor Reflexes are the primitive mechanisms that combine to move us forward (or
backward). In some manner, we share these systems with all animals. These are dominantly
Proprioceptive Motor Reflexes and sometimes labeled Tendon Guard Reflexes for
their reliance on sensing tendon tension. Vision (not dominantly visual cortex) is most tightly
linked to these primitives.
The evolutionary leap to movement stemmed from centrally organizing the processing of
sensory inputs and directing responses, in other words, a central nervous system. Vision plays a
dominant role in identifying what to move towards or away from. Animals organized bilaterally
along a single axis (the spine) most successfully embody this evolutionary layer. For most of the
history of animal movement, these movements were purely linear, oriented towards or away from
a stimulus, or linear motion in the front / black plane. In animals, and in the neurology we have
inherited, these actions are symmetrical, employing both sides of the body repeatedly performing
same task, as in crawling, walking and swimming.
Movement requires complex interactions between opposing muscles and between muscles
that act synergistically to generate the motion. These patterns of changing activation and
inhibition through time are written in the deepest layers of our central nervous system and
combine genetically encoded and trained skills. These are the locomotor reflexes. Training these
reflexes requires repetitive movement. The quality of movement is quite different from that which
we associate with exercises. Nerves establish new connections slowly, usually somewhere
between 15 seconds and several minutes. Consequently, when training these systems, we need
both slow movement or stationary holding against resistance, and many repetitions. It is not the
strength of the muscle we are concerned with, but rather functional control of the action that the
muscle performs. However, as functional control improves, muscle strength also improves as the
muscle(s) and its antagonist(s) are working with stronger (cleaner / clearer) signals.

Lateral Movements
When designing a program for athletics, often times lateral exercises/movements get the
short end of the stick. Most people think in a linear mind set when it comes to exercises,
movements, and overall how they look in a mirror.
In certain sports, and most team sports in general, it could be argued that lateral quickness,
lateral movements, and change of direction (which is heavily based on lateral movement) is the
most important quality in an athlete’s success. Sports like football, basketball, soccer, volleyball,
baseball are full of athletes having to perform lateral movements in order to be successful. In
basketball, if you cannot move laterally, if you cannot turn from a squared up position to an
acceleration, if you cannot stop and change directions - you cannot play. So while we usually
train in a linear or vertical manner, the reality is there is a great need to do things to help train
and improve lateral movement qualities.
If you listen to just about every strength coach out there who is after athletic results, not just
weight room heroes, they will tell you to train movements, not muscle groups. Everything we do
on field occurs through a conjunction of many muscles working in unison, timing, and rhythm.
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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

B. Creep or Crawl

Before you ran, you walked and before you learned to walk, you learned to crawl. Crawling is
an integral piece of our kinesiological development and it is usually the precursor activity to walking.

Crawling is an important functional milestone as it strengthens the muscles and connective

tissues in and around the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, spine and hips. Furthermore, this
weight-bearing quadruped motion also helps to stretch the hand ligaments, facilitating the
development of the arches. Crawling also opens up the saddle joint at the base of the thumb –
essential for being able to perform fine motor skills like holding cutlery, pens and pencils.

In adulthood, the increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles results in many of the deep
stabilizing muscles becoming weak and ineffective at performing their functional role. Muscles and
connective tissues weaken, posture changes and instability, dysfunction, tightness and pain usually
follow, particularly during physical exertion.

This is why crawling exercises are as effective in adults as they are in infants and can help
restore the optimal musculoskeletal health that has occurred as a result of a sustained period of
inactivity.

More specifically, the benefits of crawling include:

 Improved bilateral coordination, required for many sporting activities, like throwing and
kicking a ball or swinging a tennis racket;
 Improved scapular stabilization, as each hand placement requires a stable shoulder in order
to effectively transfer bodyweight;
 The development of optimum shoulder function; as the scapular stabilizers fix the scapula,
the shoulder joint remains mobile which is how this region performs best;
 Develops strength at resisting contralateral rotation of the trunk – an essential component of
core and spinal stability;
 Improves the proportional strength of the muscles, connective tissues and bones in the arms,
shoulders, spine and hips. Many resistance-based exercises develop strength
disproportionately to antagonist and synergistic muscles. Crawling is a truly is a total body
workout; and
 An excellent calorie burner and a great cardio.

Once competence is developed with bodyweight, resistance can be added horizontally from a
sledge or rope, or vertically from a rucksack/backpack to make the crawling motion even more
challenging. This exercise is really only limited by the imagination and creativity of the exerciser.

Finally, crawling can be integrated into almost any workout to provide a different dimension to
the session. It can be used as a specific exercise in a circuit, as transition movement between
exercises or during rest periods, and as a competitive activity in a group exercise session/class.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

Simple Crawl Activities:

1. Baby Crawl

The baby crawl is a great place for beginners to start. By doing this crawl on your knees, you
will teach your body the contralateral movement (opposite arm and opposite leg working together)
while making it easier on your muscles to stabilize and move.

1. Be on all fours, seeing to it that the hips are

directly above the knees and the shoulders
directly above the hands.

2. Step your right hand forward and left foot

forward going towards the left hand.

3. Step your left hand forward and right foot

forward going towards the right hand.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

2. Traditional Bear Crawl

The Traditional Bear Crawl is similar to the crawl that many babies do with their limbs straighter
and their butt up in the air. Because your butt is up in the air, the move is a little less challenging for
the core than the Table Top Crawl.

1. Put feet and hands on the floor. Keep the butt

up in the air with the hands and feet
essentially stretched. Look forward. Keep the
back straight and tighten your core.

2. Step right hand and left foot forward with the

left knee moving towards the left elbow.

3. Step left hand and right foot forward with the

right knee moving towards the right elbow.

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Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

3. Table Top Crawl

Be sure you are ready for the Table Top Crawl, as it requires more core strength and stability,
better hip mobility and a decent amount of shoulder strength, especially to crawl backward.
Additionally, because your knees are bent, your quads will be working hard as you crawl.

1. Start by setting up on your hands and knees

with your knees under your hips and your
hands under your shoulders. Flex your feet
and lift up onto your toes, keeping your knees
close to the ground and your back flat. Brace
your core so that your hips do not wiggle a lot
side to side as you crawl forward. Look
forward.

2. Step right hand and left foot forward keeping

the knees away but near the ground.

3. Step left hand and right foot forward keeping

the knees away but near the ground. Make
small steps only.

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Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

4. Crab Crawl

The Crab Crawl is a fun and different way to crawl, but it can be harder on the shoulders and
rotator cuff muscles so take care with this variation.

1. Be in crab position. Keep the knees and feet

near each other while the hands are placed
far from each other. Keep your butt off the
ground.

2. Step right foot sideward as you step your left

hand inward towards the right hand.

3. Step left foot towards the right foot and the

right hand away from the left hand.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

5. Beginner Alligator

The Alligator Crawl is a great exercise to engage your obliques. Advanced Alligator Crawl
requires a lot of upper body strength, so beginners will want to start with this straight-arm variation.

1. Be in a high plank or push-up position with

your hands under the shoulders and your body
in a straight line from the head to the heels.
Look forward.

2. Step right hand and left foot forward with the

left knee almost touching the left elbow. Keep
the body straight.

3. Step left hand and right foot forward with the

right knee almost touching the right elbow.
Keep the body straight.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

C. Jump and Land

Ask just about any adult to jump and notice the uncoordinated initiation, weak liftoff, and clunky
landing. We do not want to move like that and neither do you, but when was the last time you took
the time to practice your jump like a skill – refining your technique for a powerful, graceful respite
from gravity?

Jumps are brilliant for power development and transitional strength. Unfortunately, most
workouts just throw them in as a high-intensity “finisher.” This lesson is going to show you how to
tighten up your jump technique and address some of the limiting factors that might be holding you
back from jumping the way you wish you could. These days, most people just use jumps as
a conditioning exercise, and there’s a lot of potential benefit that gets wasted that way.

Skill-based jump training builds power, precision, and full body coordination. Sure, this is
obvious if you play a lot of basketball or do gymnastics, but that power applies to a wide range of
other athletic and real life situations too. Running, climbing, lifting things quickly, martial arts
training, bounding up the stairs – these are all situations where having a good level of power,
precision, and coordination will come in handy.

Power, like anything else, tends to diminish as we get older unless we specifically train for it,
and loss of power means a limited ability to do the things you want to do, with ease. Plus, power
makes your body a whole lot more resilient.

Breaking Down the Proper Jump-and-Land Technique

There is a lot that goes into a proper, full-range jump. In this sequence, you can see the level of
complexity involved in a jump done with precision and power:

Starting Position. Be in a relaxed standing Loading. Arms swing back, hips hinge, legs and
position with arms raised forward. core engaged, and weight shifts a little forward
for horizontal jump or stays at the middle for
vertical jump.

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Middle. Hips and knees fully extend, shoulders Landing. Shoulders in line with the hips, hips in
fully flex, and arms reach up until you reach the line with the knees, shoulders stacked over
apogee (peak of the jump). After the peak, the knees, knees stacked over toes, and feet hip-
body prepares for the descent with a controlled width apart. Arms raised forward with bent
landing as the hips hinge, knees flex, and elbows for vertical jump or more extended
ankles plantar-flex. forward for horizontal jump.
The Arm Swing
It is no surprise that lower body power is what propels you upward or forward during this test but
the arms play a vital role in projecting you higher off the ground and further down the tape measure.
The most efficient swing technique would be to start in a standing position with your arms out in
front of you. As you drop down to “load the spring”, your arms should sweep back, followed by an
immediate, powerful swing forward as you takeoff.
Weight Distribution
You do not want the weight shifted too far back on the heels or too far forward on the toes. We
also don’t want to see someone favoring one side more than the other, poor balance, or lack of
trunk control.
Landing
When landing a jump, it is important to land in a position that allows the force to dissipate. This
is achieved by bending the knees and sinking back the hips. You should never land in a stiff-legged
position. When landing, it is also important that the knees land in a position stacked in-line with the
ankles and do not collapse or cave medially. Both of these habits place a high amount of stress on
the joints and can lead to serious injury.

Wrong. Correct. Wrong. Correct.

Knees roll inside of Knees and hips are in Knees go way beyond Knees are within
feet. line with toes. the toe line. normal range of toes.

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NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM NO.: IM-PATHF 1-1S-2023-2024

Skills, by definition, have some level of complexity to them, and jumps, when approached in this
way, can be particularly complex, as you can see from the many details that go into a full range
jump.

VI. REFERENCES
Anderson, Tim (nd). Regain and rebuild your original strength through crawling. Breaking muscle. Retrieved
Oct 29, 2020 from https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/regain-and-build-your-original-strength-through-
crawling

Bawden, Mary (nd). Locomotor and non-locomotor movement. Soul to Sole Choreography. Retrieved Nov 2,
2020 from https://www.soultosolechoreography.org/locomotor-and-non-locomotor-movement/
Bell, Melissa (Dec 1, 2016). Fun crawling exercises – how and why you should crawl. The health science
journal. Retrieved Oct 29, 2020 from https://www.thehealthsciencejournal.com/21-fun-crawling-
exercises-crawl/
Dahl, Michael (2018). Locomotion! Cantata Learning: USA
Hurst, Ryan (May 7, 2017). How to jump train for power, precision and control. GMB Fitness. Retrieved Oct
30, 2020 from https://gmb.io/jump-tutorial/
Levi, Anthea (Dec 2, 2016). Why crawling is theultimate total-body exercise. Health. Retrieved Oct 29, 2020
from https://www.health.com/fitness/crawling-core-exercise
Quinn, Elizabeth (Oct 26, 2020). How to safely land a jump during sports. VeryWell Fit. Retrieved Oct 30,
2020 from https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-safely-land-a-jump-3119996
Sedman, Joel (Oct 28, 2020). Master your landing and jumping mechanics. Advanced Human Performance.
Retrieved Oct 30, 2020 from https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/jumping-landing-
eccentric-isometrics

“In accordance with Section 185, Fair Use of Copyrighted Work of Republic Act 8293, the copyrighted works included in this material may be reproduced for
educational purposes only and not for commercial distribution.”
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