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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)

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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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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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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Wing Pyramid

The 4th National Group Gymnastics Workshop: Wing Pyramid

Wing Pyramid

The wing pyramid is a big move where two people at the base step out from a pyramid formation.

It’s perfect for the climax or finale of a group gymnastics routine! For greater safety, have the bottom row on all fours and the middle row place their hands on the lower row’s hips.

In this position, even if the two people on the bottom step out, the pyramid can be maintained without collapsing.

If you’re doing a pyramid in group gymnastics, combining it with this move will broaden the range of your performance.

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Transforming Tower

A modified tower that combines several moves to build a formation.

By adding variations to the usual way of assembling, it becomes a more stable group-gymnastics technique.

The base members form a pyramid shape, and on top of that, partners mount back-to-back.

Then, once the person at the top stands up with arms and legs fully extended, the move is complete.

Because the roles differ for the top, middle, and bottom tiers, coordinated teamwork is key.

Discuss together where to place hands and feet and how to maintain balance as you practice.

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In conclusion

We introduced group gymnastics techniques that can be performed with a large number of people.

Some impress with height, others with movement—there were many different patterns.

In group gymnastics, even a moment’s lapse in focus can lead to injury.

Stay fully concentrated, communicate with your teammates, and put on a fantastic performance!