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6. The Companion Balance Progression

The following group is a set of popular double balance stunts that are good for exhibition work. The balance of the body is probably controlled more by the position of the head than by any other factor. As the top man works higher in the air, he will have a tendency to look down and overbalance for­ward. Instead of looking down, the head should be kept up with the eyes straight ahead. The eyes help to maintain balance by communicating to the brain the relation of the body to the various horizontal and vertical lines of the environment.

Anyone can walk a two-foot walk in the garden. But if this same walk were suspended high in the air, few people could main­tain their balance and stay on it. This is because they would have no horizontal and vertical lines with which to check their balance.

One of the greatest benefits from this group of stunts is learn­ing how to lift correctly and how to apply the simple laws of leverage. Most performers will have to learn how to get under a weight with the back straight and the head up, and how to lift with the more powerful leg muscles instead of with the muscles of the back.

Rhythmical training is another result of companion tumbling. The top and bottom men must learn to work together with care­fully balanced rhythm and timing, for the slightest mistake on the part of either will result in a poorly executed stunt.

FOOT-TO-HAND BALANCE

Fig. 74

BOTTOM MAN

PLACE HANDS ON MAT BESIDE HEAD (a);

TAKE THE PROPER GRIP ON PARTNER'S FEET, ONE AT A TIME;

COORDINATE UPWARD PUSH WITH TOP MAN'S SPRING (b);

TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING BALANCE (c);

LOWER FEET WHEN TOP MAN SECURES BALANCE (c).

TOP MAN

LET PARTNER GET THE PROPER GRIP BY PLACING ONE FOOT AT A TIME;

JUMP UP, HOLDING BOTTOM MAN'S FEET FOR BALANCE (b) ; DO NOT MAKE HIM LIFT YOU;

THEN STRAIGHTEN UP TO STANDING POSITION, LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD (c).

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: This is an easy stunt if the top man keeps his head up and watches natural horizontal lines in the en­vironment for balance instead of bending over to look down at the ground. The bot­tom man should keep both shoulders squarely on the mat so that he will not roll from side to side. If the top man loses balance, the bottom man should remain still so that the top man can see where to place his feet.

VARIATIONS

1. Bottom man brings feet up under top man, and top man sits on them.
   
   
2. Repeat, with top man dismounting by riding forward to ground on bottom man's feet.
   
   
3. Bottom man brings feet through top man's legs and places them against his lower back; top man does a back layout.
   
   
4. Top man jumps to stand without us­ ing the help of the bottom man's feet to get balance.

Fig. 75. Foot-to-Hand Grasp.

GROUP STUNT NO. 14

(= indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Top men dive and roll to cross-legged stand and turn left at center circle.
   
   
2. Bottom men do forward roll, jump into air with half-turn left, and lie down backward.
   
   
3. Bottom men take foot-to-hand grip on top men's feet.
   
4. Top men jump to stand on hands of partners.
   
   
5. Bottom men bring feet up and under top men.
   
   
6. Top men sit and ride forward to ground, roll and jump with left turn at corner.
   
   
7. Bottom men neckspring to squat.
   
   
8. Bottom men roll to cross-legged stand and turn left at corner.

THIGH STAND

Fig. 76

BOTTOM MAN

GET WELL UNDER TOP MAN, KEEPING BACK STRAIGHT AND HEAD UP;

PUSHING WITH THE HANDS ON KNEES MAKES THE LIFT EASIER (a);

HOLD TOP MAN BY ANKLES TO STEADY HIM AND PLACE HIS FEET ON YOUR KNEES WHEN YOU HAVE SQUATTED INTO POSITION (b and c);

NOW, CHANGE YOUR GRIP TO JUST BELOW HIS KNEES (d); PULL TOP MAN BACK TO VERTICAL FOR DISMOUNT.

TOP MAN

KEEP KNEES STRAIGHT AND ARCH BACK;

PUT HEAD FORWARD OR BACKWARD TO MAINTAIN BALANCE.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: The top man's feet should be placed just above the bottom man's knees so that the bony structure of the bottom man's leg, rather than his muscles, bears the burden. Remember to use your head, physically as well as mentally, to keep in balance.

VARIATIONS

1. Move heads in unison, and see how much you can rock.

2. Hand-to-hip lift for thigh stand (Fig. 77). Top man must press on bottom man's wrists for mount.

3. Thigh stand with top man facing toward his partner.

4. Leg swing-over mount for thigh stand. Top man steps on left thigh of bottom man (who is in squat posi­tion) with his left foot. He swings his right foot over the bottom man's head and down to his other knee while bottom man supports him at left knee during pivot.

HOLD ON AT SPINOUS PROCESS OF PELVIC BONE

CHANGE HANDS TO KNEES ONE AT A TIME

TOP MAN GRASPS BOTTOM MAN'S WRISTS

Fig. 77. Hand-to-Hip Lift to Thigh Stand.

GROUP STUNT NO. 15

( = indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Bottom men dive and roll to jump with half-turn left at center circle.
   
   
2. Top men half-turn left, backward roll to hand balance, snap down, and walk backward to partners.
   
   
3. Top men mount to sit on bottom men's shoulders.
   
   
4. Thigh stand, facing corner.
   
   
5. Top men dismount, roll to stand, and half-turn in corner.

KNEE STAND

Fig. 78

BOTTOM MAN

KEEP HEELS AS CLOSE TO BUTTOCKS AS POSSIBLE WHEN LYING DOWN (a);

HAVE ELBOWS STRAIGHT TO SUPPORT TOP MAN AS HE JUMPS THROUGH (a);

BALANCE BY PUTTING HEAD FORWARD OR BACKWARD.

TOP MAN

USE HAND-LOCK GRASP.

JUMP THROUGH, LANDING ON BOTTOM MAN'S KNEES WITH FEET (a);

KEEP BACK STRAIGHT AND PARALLEL TO ARMS AS YOU LEAN FORWARD (b);

DROP KNEES AND ARCH BACK AS BOTTOM MAN COMES OFF GROUND (c and d);
­
BALANCE BY PUTTING HEAD FORWARD OR BACKWARD.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: The most difficult phase of this stunt is getting the bottom man off the ground. This is impossible if his heels are not close to his buttocks. If the top man will jump to his partner's knees and go right on over off balance, it will also help to remedy any trouble here.

Note how the top man's weight is brought forward when he drops his knees and arches his back, instead of leaning for­ward after the "b" position in Figure 78. Advanced tumblers do this stunt with the hand-lock grip so that they can do hand-to-hand balances from it.

VARIATIONS

1. Jump through bottom man's knees, instead of onto them, and pull him up to a stand after you.
   
   
2. Change from knee stand to thigh stand by pulling in close and chang­ing one arm at a time.

Fig. 79. Hand-Lock Grip.

GROUP STUNT NO. 16

( = indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Top men headspring to squat and roll to cross-legged stand and half-turn at center circle.
   
   
2. Bottom men do forward cross-legged roll to stand and half-turn left.
   
   
3. Bottom men do dead-man fall backward, being caught by top men.
   
   
4. Top men grasp hands and jump through to knee stand.
   
   
5. Top men dismount with jump to ground.
   
   
6. Top men roll forward to lying position on back, knees up.
   
   
7. Grasp hands.
   
   
8. Bottom men jump through between knees of partners, pull them to stand, and turn at corner.

WALK-UP SHOULDER MOUNT

BOTTOM MAN

SQUAT LOW, GETTING THIGH AS NEARLY HORIZONTAL AS POSSIBLE FOR STEP UP (b);

SUPPORT TOP MAN WITH ARMS UNTIL HE IS BALANCED (c) ; THEN CHANGE HANDS TO HIS LEGS NEAR KNEE (d); TAKE HANDS OFF TOP MAN'S LEGS FOR DISMOUNT.

TOP MAN

FACE BOTTOM MAN AND SHAKE HANDS AS ILLUSTRATED (a);

WALK AROUND TO BACK OF BOTTOM MAN (b); STEP ON HIS THIGH AS NEAR BODY AS POSSIBLE (b); STEP UP TO SHOULDER WITH OTHER FOOT (c);

PRESS LEGS AGAINST BOTTOM MAN'S HEAD TO MAINTAIN BALANCE (d);

JUMP DOWN FORWARD, HEELS TOGETHER, FOR DISMOUNT.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: The most common fault in double work of this type is that the top man tends to get too far away from the bottom man when he mounts. The bottom man should help by squatting as low as possible so that the top man can step over him and up, being in balance all the time. The bottom man should have his feet spread forward and backward as well as sideward so that he may walk un­der the top man to catch the balance if the top man leans too far. Also, the bot­tom man should always keep his shoulders well back to give his partner a solid base on which to stand and from which to jump.

IMPORTANT: If the top man falls off balance, the bottom man should be sure to let go so that he does not trip him. It is good practice to have a third man stand to the back and side for safety purposes in all the shoulder stands.

VARIATIONS

1. Start from the front and swing free leg around and up in order to step onto the bottom man's shoulders.
   
   
2. Mount to sit on shoulders.
   
   
3. Shoulder mount; top man jumps down; and bottom man leapfrogs over him.
   
   
4. Top man jumps down; both roll for­ ward.

GROUP STUNT NO. 17

( = indicates bottom men; O indicates top men.)

1. Top men do forward roll to cross-legged stand and turn; backward roll to hand balance; and snap down at center circle.
   
   
2. Bottom men dive and roll to stand in front of top men.
   
   
3. Grasp hands and walk around into position for walk-up shoulder mount.
   
   
4. Mount to shoulder stand.
   
   
5. All top men hold hands.
   
   
6. Bottom men take one step in, hands on hips.
   
   
7. Top men jump down backward and backward roll to corners.
   
   
8. Bottom men back roll to hand balance and snap down at corners.

HAND-TO HEEL SHOULDER MOUNT

BOTTOM MAN

SQUAT LOW WITH FEET WIDE, LEFT FOOT AHEAD; STEADY TOP MAN WITH UPPER HAND;

DO NOT STAND UNTIL TOP MAN IS IN BALANCE ON YOUR SHOULDERS.

TOP MAN

SHAKE HANDS AND HOLD THEM HIGH;

PUT OTHER HAND ON BOTTOM MAN'S HEAD (a);

GIVE BOTTOM MAN YOUR HEEL AS ILLUSTRATED (b);

SPRING AND SWING FREE LEG AROUND TO BOTTOM MAN'S FAR SHOULDER (c);

TRANSFER WEIGHT TO THIS LEG BEFORE BRINGING OTHER LEG UP;

PRESS SHINS AGAINST BOTTOM MAN'S HEAD FOR SUPPORT (d).

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: The balance is much steadier if the bottom man will wait until the top man is up and in balance before he rises from the squat position to the stand.

VARIATIONS

1. Hand-to-heel shoulder mount to sit.
   
   
2. Shoulder mount; top man jumps down in front, and executes dead- man fall backward (he is caught by bottom man and lowered); both grasp each other's ankles, and do double roll forward.
   
   
3. Shoulder mount; top man jumps down in front, executes dead-man fall backward, and is caught and thrown forward to front-leaning rest; wheel­barrow off.
   
   
4. Bottom man clasps his hands behind his back; top man steps into them and onto his shoulders.
   
   
5. Mount to shoulder sit with hand-to- heel shoulder mount; bottom man bends forward and lowers partner to ground; top man leans back, and both do reverse of the hand-balance pull over (refer to Fig. 35).

GROUP STUNT NO. 18

( = indicates bottom men; 0 indicates top men.)

1. Hand-to-heel shoulder mount.
   
   
2. Walk almost to center circle.
   
   
3. Top men hold hands with other top men on each side.
   
   
4. Top men, still holding hands, jump into center.
   
   
5. Top men do dead-man fall backward into bottom men's hands and are lowered to floor.
   
   
6. Double backward roll to corner.

Fig. 82

ASSISTED JUMP SHOULDER MOUNT

BOTTOM MAN

SHAKE HANDS; ROTATE LEFT HAND A HALF-TURN AND GRASP TOP MAN'S LEFT OVER THE RIGHT SO THAT ARMS ARE CROSSED;

PULL TOP MAN TO HIS FEET SO THAT HE CAN SPRING UP; LIFT AND SUPPORT TOP MAN WITH RIGHT ARM (b and c); GUIDE TOP MAN INTO PLACE WITH LEFT (b and c); TURN SHOULDERS TO MEET TOP MAN (c);

BEND KNEE AND DROP UNDER TOP MAN AS HE REACHES HEIGHT OF HIS JUMP.

TOP MAN

AS PARTNER PULLS, JUMP STRAIGHT UP—-LET HIM TURN YOU (b);

LAND ON HIS SHOULDERS WITH BOTH FEET AT SAME TIME (c);

KEEP HEAD UP THROUGHOUT.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: A good way to learn the jump and lift for this stunt is to prac­tice jumping straight up and over the bot­tom man. To do this use a different grip and do not cross the arms. Place the hands palm to palm, pointing up, and lock the fingers to take the proper grip.

VARIATIONS

1. Two-high fall (Fig. 83).
   
   
2. Two-high fall and forward roll; bot­tom man leapfrogs over top man; both back roll to stand.
   
   
3. Assisted jump shoulder mount with bottom man making a half-turn in­ stead of turning his partner.
   
   
4. Assisted backward-jump shoulder mount (Fig. 84). The top man should keep his feet wide and legs well flexed until stand is secured. Ad­vanced performers use this stunt as a mount for hand-to-hand balances.
   
   
5. Assisted backward jump over shoul­ders of partner.

Fig. 84. Assisted Backward-Jump Shoulder Mount.

LOW ARM-TO-ARM BALANCE

BOTTOM MAN

KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS SQUARELY ON MAT;

GRASP TOP MAN'S SHOULDER JOINT AND DELTOID MUSCLE SECURELY WITH THUMB AND FINGERS;

YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BALANCE;

TURN TOP MAN SIDEWAYS IF HE STARTS TO OVERBALANCE.

TOP MAN

ARM-TO-ARM GRIP MAY BE USED EITHER ON INSIDE OR OUTSIDE;

HAVE SHOULDERS AHEAD OF HANDS FOR KICK AS IN HAND BALANCE (b);

SPRING AS WELL AS KICK UP TO INVERTED BALANCE (b); WATCH PARTNER'S FACE TO KEEP HEAD BACK (c);

TURN SIDEWAYS TO COME DOWN.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: A small man is some­times more successful if he starts from the bottom man's side rather than from be­tween his legs. In the assisted shoulder-to-hand balance below (Fig. 88) the arms of both men should be straight. When the change is to be made to the low arm-to-arm balance, the top man should push forward with his fingers until he is over the bottom man's shoulders and then change arms, one at a time as illustrated.

Fig. 86. Low Arm-to Arm Balance with Foot-to-Pelvis Assist.

VARIATIONS

Fig. 87. Snap to Low Arm-to-Arm Balance.

1. Low arm-to-arm balance with top man facing opposite direction.
   
   
2. Foot-to-pelvis assist to low arm-to-arm balance (Fig. 86).
   
   
3. Foot-to-pelvis assist dismount from low arm-to-arm balance (Fig. 86).
   
   
4. Low arm-to-arm balance; duck head and roll down on back, still holding arms (Fig. 87).
   
   
5. Repeat, and then backward roll and snap back up to the low arm-to-arm balance again.
   
   
6. Assisted shoulder-to-hand balance, change to low arm-to-arm balance (Fig. 88).

Fig. 88. The Change from Assisted Shoulder-to-Hand Balance to Low Arm-to-Arm Balance.

HIGH ARM-TO-ARM BALANCE

BOTTOM MAN

BEND KNEES AS WELL AS HIPS FOR LIFT (b) ; LIFT WITH THE LEGS;

FEET SHOULD BE SPREAD FORWARD AND SIDEWARD AS THOUGH ON THE OPPOSITE CORNERS OF AN IMAGINARY SQUARE (c);

YOU MAY THEN WALK UNDER TOP MAN IF HE GOES OFF BALANCE.

TOP MAN

JUMP TO STRADDLE AS HIGH ON BOTTOM MAN AS POSSIBLE (a);

SQUEEZE TIGHTLY WITH LEGS UNTIL THE THROW (b); KEEP FEET CLOSE TO BOTTOM MAN, GOING UP (c);

WATCH PARTNER'S HEAD TO KEEP YOUR OWN HEAD BACK

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: Keeping close to­gether for vertical balance is the secret of accomplishment in this stunt. If the top man allows his feet to fly out, the stunt cannot be performed. Because of the height and the top man's momentum as he goes up, a third man must stand ready to assist during the learning stages. His po­sition is to the back and side of the bottom man. If the top man goes over, the safety man should support him under the neck as illustrated in Figure 90. When working by themselves, advanced performers learn to make a quarter-turn together when the top man is off balance so that he may come down as for the low hand-balance quarter-turn. The bottom man always supports his partner as long as possible when he falls off balance in this stunt (Fig. 91).

Fig. 90. Position of Safety Man.

[Support performer under shoul­ders if he goes over.]

Fig. 91. Quarter-Turn Dismount.

VARIATIONS

1. High arm-to-arm handspring. Go right over instead of up to the hand balance.
   
   
2. High arm-to-arm balance; duck head and roll down bottom man's back (Fig. 92).
   
   
3. Repeat, and both forward roll.

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