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Group Gymnastics: Full of Impact! A Showcase of Spectacular Large-Group Stunts

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Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Group gymnastics, where teammates work together to create a single performance, always bring extra excitement to sports festivals.

Among them, techniques performed by large groups not only amaze and move the audience, but also give the performers themselves the greatest sense of accomplishment.

In this article, we introduce group gymnastics techniques that can be performed by five or more people.

We’ve gathered a selection of powerful moves, including classics like the pyramid and the fan.

Please be very careful to avoid injuries, and give them a try!

[Group Gymnastics] Full of Impact! A Roundup of Big, Large-Group Moves (21–30)

Pyramid

Girls’ five-tier pyramid — Sports Day — Kuratayama Junior High School, Ise City — 2011

Pyramid

The pyramid is one of the essential moves in group gymnastics.

It’s built by stacking participants who are on all fours.

The lower tiers require more strength as the height increases, and the burden becomes greater, so for safety, a height of about three tiers is recommended.

To maintain overall balance, it’s also important to form each tier with participants of similar body size, so choose members carefully.

Even with a low-tier pyramid, you can create a strong performance by increasing the number of pyramids and coordinating the movements for a unified look.

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fan

The fan is an indispensable move that is almost always included in group gymnastics routines—one of the true classics.

It’s often arranged around larger formations, so it can come across as more of a supporting element, but because it’s performed with the body held straight upright, it’s a simple yet powerful move.

While it can be done with three or four people, a five-person fan is recommended for better stability and greater impact.

It’s also a move that relies on trust among members: the people on both ends trust the center and pull with their hands, while the person in the middle adjusts their strength while considering the overall balance.

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airplane

Kurahashi Elementary School Sports Day – Group Gymnastics “Gratitude,” Second Half: Climax

airplane

The airplane is a classic move in group gymnastics.

Basically, two people on the bottom support the top person’s hands and feet to create the airplane pose.

When performing it on the school field at a sports day, it may be safer and look better to increase the number of participants—for example, using four people on the bottom to support one person on top.

Also, try to arrange it so that the person on top is as light as possible.

When striking the pose, fully extend both arms for a more beautiful look.

The person on top should imagine keeping their stomach from sagging downward.

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Mount Fuji

Mt. Fuji of the Ryuuji group gymnastics

Mount Fuji

The “Mount Fuji” move is a group gymnastics formation that uses your whole body to portray a powerful, imposing Mount Fuji.

Arrange students on all fours in tiers of three on the bottom, two in the middle, and one on top to form a pyramid.

Place two more students on each side of the three-person base, and have them spread their arms to express Mount Fuji’s grandeur and presence.

You can make it a two-tier pyramid to match the number of children—just be careful to prevent injuries.

The person at the top can hold pompoms or ribbons to stand out.

You can also increase the number of pyramids or add more people to each position for an eye-catching arrangement.

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bridge

This technique expresses a long, extending bridge and its piers that rise from the ground to support the main body using the whole body.

Participants line up on all fours, with each person placing both feet on the shoulders of the person behind; linking together in this way creates the shape of a bridge.

Depending on the number of people, it can be extended indefinitely, and the longer the line becomes, the more clearly it conveys the idea of a bridge.

While it’s a technique that can be made very long, it doesn’t create height, so it’s recommended to deploy it surrounding taller formations, such as towers or pyramids.

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river

Reiwa 2 School Sports Day: Group Gymnastics

river

This is an acrobatic group routine themed around a river flowing through rich natural surroundings.

By having everyone cooperate to form the kanji character for “river,” let’s take on a move that creates a strong sense of unity! Once you’re lined up in two horizontal rows, the people in the back hold hands and sit down, while the people in front place their feet onto the hands of those behind them.

After forming a push-up-like position, the people in the back stand up on the cue and lift the front person’s legs.

Keep arms and legs straight; when the legs and arms interlock, the character for “river” is complete.

This group acrobatic move assigns roles to students and conveys the importance and enjoyment of working together.

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parasol

The parasol is a group gymnastics move that showcases a united performance.

It expresses the image of an umbrella opening and closing.

For this move, participants lie straight on the ground in a line, hold each other’s feet, and raise or lower their legs on cue.

One of its appeals is that it’s relatively easy for anyone to perform, even within group gymnastics.

It’s recommended for young children in nurseries and kindergartens.

When everyone is in sync, it looks very beautiful, so try adding variations like attaching pom-poms to the feet.

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