Fundamental Movement Skills

What Are Locomotor Skills?#

Every time you run to the playground, jump over a puddle, or skip down the hallway, you are using locomotor skills. Locomotor skills are movements that take you from one place to another. "Loco" comes from the Latin word for "place" — so locomotor means moving from place to place!

Learning and improving locomotor skills is one of the most important things you do in physical education. These skills are the foundation for all sports and physical activities you will ever do.

The Basic Locomotor Skills#

Here are the main locomotor skills:

Walking: Transferring weight from one foot to the other in a controlled way. At least one foot is always on the ground.

Running: Similar to walking but faster, and there is a moment in each step where BOTH feet are off the ground (called the flight phase!).

Jumping: Pushing off the ground with one or both feet and landing with both feet.

Hopping: Pushing off on ONE foot and landing on that SAME foot. Much harder than jumping!

Skipping: Alternating step-hop, step-hop on each foot. A combination of walking and hopping.

Sliding: Moving sideways by stepping with one foot and closing with the other. Your feet do not cross.

Galloping: Like a rocking horse — one foot leads and the other follows quickly. You always lead with the same foot.

Why Practice Locomotor Skills?#

You might think: "I already know how to run! Why do I need to practice it?" The answer is that QUALITY matters! There is a difference between casually jogging and running with good form — correct arm swing, good posture, and efficient footwork. Good form helps you run faster, reduce injury risk, and use less energy.

Every sport uses locomotor skills. Basketball players sprint and jump. Soccer players run and gallop sideways. Gymnasts skip and hop. Improving your basic locomotor skills improves your performance in everything!