Group Jump via The Turnstile

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To this day I remember my first Project Adventure workshop - 1990. Turnstile was one of the first activities our group attempted. I remember this activity because I wasn't very good at it. Now, I knew how to jump a rope by myself, but I never picked up the skill of jumping "into" a rope being turned by others - I truly remember being uncomfortable. What I liked about the process was that the facilitator had two ropes going. One for the challenge and one off to the side for practicing - those of use not ready for the challenge could practice as much as we wanted and then join the challenge when we were ready - or never join in at all. We could just keep practicing. (I'm sure this had something to do with Challenge by Choice!) 

I couldn't find the earliest entry for The Turnstile, but here are the directions from the 1994 Second Edition of The Empty Bag Again by Karl Rohnke:

• Ask the group to see if they can all get through the spinning rope from one side to the other. 
• Go through the spinning rope one person at a time. 
• Make one jump as the rope turns and move out. 
• Don't miss a beat of the rope between people. 
• If anyone hesitates and the rope makes a turn without anyone in there to jump, the entire group must begin again. 

The added challenge to my first experience with The Turnstile was to see how many consecutive jumps we could perform, as a group, without missing "a beat". That meant once you got through to the other side after jumping you ran back to the starting side, got into line again so that you could keep the jumps going. So, as the challenge jumpers were working on the consecutive jumps, a number of use continued to practice until we felt ready to join into the count. Everyone was engaged and everyone was participating in a way that was comfortable to them at the time. And yes, I did eventually join into the jump count and logged in some points for the group - it was a heartfelt accomplishment I still remember! (Certainly I'm still part of the World Record team!) 

GROUP JUMP
Recently I was reintroduced to turnstile done in a new way (by my friends at Group Dynamix). The facilitator has a wide variety of challenges he/she can present to a group based on their readiness. In other words the range of challenges spans from easy to more difficult. Before I share my every-growing list of challenges with you there are several things you need to know: .

• The entire group starts on one side of the rope and is challenged to get to the other side (like the original version of The Turnstile). 
• When the rope is turned it is moving away from the group as it moves across the floor/ground. 
• I (the facilitator) am one of the turners, a group member is the other. 
• I will control the speed of the turn and will "help" when I can to "manage" the rope when it might cause a problem (e.g., if someone gets caught in the rope I will let go). 
• If someone touches the rope or there is a "miss" related to the challenge, I (the facilitator) stop the rope from turning. A "start over" is required. 
• "Everyone" includes the rope turner from the group - so this is a "problem" the group must (first figure out and then) solve. .
• ​Participants are allowed to return to the starting side of the rope to go through the rope again in order to help others complete the challenge. 
• If anyone touches the rope while going through the rope stops turning - everyone starts the challenge over. 
• ​When the parameters of a challenge have been satisfied the rope stops, we all cheer, and return to the starting side of the rope for the next challenge (if there is time). 
• Working through the challenges for more than 20 minutes is very tiring for the facilitator - start your training early and eat a good breakfast! Encourage the group to change turners often. 
• I've done this activity with 4th graders (the first handful on the list) and older. 

The Group Jump Challenge List

• Everyone moves to the others side one person at a time. (No jumps, not consecutive.) 
• Everyone moves to the other side with a partner. (No jumps, not consecutive.)
• Everyone moves to the other side in a group of three. (No jumps, not consecutive.)
• The group (everyone) has 10 turns of the rope to get to the other side - the first turn that is counted is the first turn passed through by one or more participants. (No jumps.)
• Everyone moves to the other side one at a time - someone must go through the rope during each turn. (No jumps.)
• ​Everyone moves to the other side with a partner - a pair must go through the rope during each turn. (No jumps.)
• Everyone moves to the other side in a group of three - a group must go through the rope during each turn. (No jumps.)
• ​Everyone in the group moves through the rope consecutively in this order of participants - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. (No Jumps.)
• ​Everyone in the group alternates between going through the turn and jumping the turn - one goes through, the next must jump the rope once, the next goes through, the next jumps once and so on. (Not consecutive.) 
• Everyone in the group alternates going through the rope (not jumping) in pairs followed by a single jumper then two through, then a single jumper and so on. (Not consecutive.) 
• Participants alternate consecutively between going through the turn and jumping the turn - one goes through, the next must jump the rope once, the next goes through, the next person jumps once and so on. There must be someone going through or jumping during each turn of the rope. 

I like the "through the rope" options in each of the later challenges above. They provide an active role for the participants who have not mastered the jump-and-out move. 

As noted above. You can start anywhere in the progression of challenges based on where you believe your group will initially find success. Then move them through as many as they can tackle within the time you have. Now, you can end with a success or not. What will your group need the most? (Failure is a powerful motivator and makes us think!!)

HERE'S WHERE YOU FIT IN
Okay, over the next week or so let's add to this list of challenges. Include your challenge in the Comments below or direct email me and I'll put them into this "ever-growing" list. 

Have fun out there!

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.