In day to day life you engage in natural exercises such as walking, running, jumping and throwing. These activities have been adapted into forms of events for entertainment. By engaging in athletic events you can have a healthy and active life.

In grade 6 you had a few activities on walking, running, jumping and throwing. You have also learnt the correct way of walking, running, jumping and throwing, and how to improve skills in sport through formal training.

Running takes place in our day to day life and in different sports at different levels of speed. In athletics, running events can be classified according to distance as long, middle and short distance. According to each event, the degree of bending, stretching and raising of the legs change. In short distance running, the movement of the legs will be fast while in long distance running is slower.

While walking when one foot touches the ground the other foot is above the ground. When running, at one point both feet are above the level of the ground.

Correct leg movements in running

• Bend the leg backward. ( figure 8.2 a )

• Raise the thigh of the foot parallel to the ground.( figure 8.2 b )

• Stretch the lower part of the leg forward. ( figure 8.2 c )

• Land the same leg on the ground.( figure 8.2 d )

Correct hand movements in running

• The right hand must move with the left leg in the same direction while the left hand must move with the right leg in the same direction.

• Bend the arms by 90° at the elbow and swing forward and backwards.

Exercises to improve running

• Walking exercises

• Skipping exercises

• Jogging exercises

• Running drills

During our day to day life we engage in different types of jumping in various activities. Jumping is also involved in sports such as football, volleyball, netball, cricket and athletics. According to the methods used, jumping can be divided into two main parts.

Main stages of jumping

There are three main stages of jumping

1. Take off

2. Flight

3. Landing

In athletics, taking off with one leg is a rule. Jump events have an approach run to jump longer or higher. Jumping and landing can be done with both legs or one leg. But landing on both legs is safer. Landing in the correct posture helps to minimize injuries and accidents. When landing;

you must land on the ball of the feet and maintain your balance. Bend your knees and lower your body. Don't straighten your legs when landing.

Exercises to improve jumping techniques

Isn't throwing an act you perform in your day to day life? We throw an object from one place to another or to another person.

In team sports as well as athletics, throwing and putting are done as events. In athletics throwing the put, discus, javelin and hammer are found. Throwing the ball takes place even in games such as netball, cricket and Elle.

In these sports objects of different sizes and weight are thrown in different directions.

eg. the cricket ball and the net ball differ in both size and weight.

In different types of sports different equipment are thrown in different directions, different distances and at different targets. Different postures are required for different throwing events.

eg: The javelin is thrown after a run-up When throwing a put or a discus the athlete moves within a circle

Exercises to improve throwing techniques

Practice can improve your throwing skills in different events. Rubber balls, net balls, volleyballs, rings of different sizes and pieces of wood of different lengths can be used for this purpose.

Tyres and cardboard boxes can be used as targets of the throws.

From natural activities such as walking, running, jumping and throwing various athletic events have evolved. These activities are used in other organized games as well.

According to distance, running events are grouped into long distance, middle distance and short distance.

According to the direction to which the jump is made, they are categorized into two groups namely horizontal and vertical jumps.

Discus, put shot and javelin come under throwing events.

Apart form these athletic events, running, jumping and throwing are involved in other sports such as netball, volleyball and cricket.

You will have to engage in various exercises to improve your running, jumping and throwing skills.