Miscellaneous Feats

Source: Games For The Playground, Home, School And Gymnasium
Category: FEATS AND FORFEITS



ANKLE THROW
This feat consists in tossing some object over the head
from behind with the feet. A bean bag, book, or basket ball, is held
firmly between the ankles. With a sudden jump, the feet are kicked
backward so as to jerk the object into an upward throw, which should
end in its curving forward over the head. It should be caught as it
comes down.

ARM'S LENGTH TAG
Two players stand each with an arm extended at full
length at shoulder level, and try to touch each other without being
touched in return. This will require some rapid twisting, dodging, and
bending. A touch on the extended hand does not count.

BACKSLIDING
The hands are placed palm to palm behind the back with
the fingers pointing downward and thumbs next to the back. Keeping the
tips of the fingers close to the back and the palms still together,
the hands are turned inward and upward until the tips of the fingers
are between the shoulders, pointing upward toward the head, and the
thumbs outside.

CATCH PENNY
One elbow is raised level with the shoulder, the arm
being bent to bring the hand toward the chest. Three or four pennies
are placed in a pile on the bent elbow. Suddenly the elbow is dropped
and the same hand moved downward quickly in an effort to catch the
pennies before they fall to the ground.

CHINESE GET-UP
Two persons sit on the floor back to back with arms
locked, and retaining such relative positions they try to stand
upright.

COIN AND CARD SNAP
Balance a visiting card on the tip of the middle
or forefinger. On top of the card place a dime or nickle; this should
be exactly over the tip of the finger and in the middle of the card.
Snap the edge of the card with a finger of the other hand, so that the
card will be shot from under the coin and leave the coin balanced on
the finger.

DOG COLLAR
Two players on hands and knees on a mat, rug, or cushion,
face each other with about three feet distance between them. A knotted
towel or a strap, or anything that will not chafe or cut the flesh, is
thrown over both heads like a collar, being long enough to encircle
the two. The head should be held well upward to prevent this from
slipping off. At a signal, the players pull against each other, each
trying to pull the opponent from the mat or to pull the collar from
around his neck.

DOG JUMP
The performer holds a stick horizontally between the
forefingers of his hands, pressing with the fingers to keep it from
falling. Keeping the stick in this position, he should jump over it
forward and then backward. The same feat may be performed by pressing
together the middle fingers of the two hands without a stick and
jumping over them forward and backward, as a dog jumps through curved
arms.

DOT AND CARRY TWO
This is a spectacular feat of strength for three
performers, A, B, and C. They stand in line, side by side, A standing
in the center with B on his right and C on his left. He stoops down
and passes his right hand behind the left thigh of B, and clasps B's
right hand. He then passes his left hand behind C's right thigh, and
takes hold of C's left hand. B and C pass each one arm around A's
neck, and A, by raising himself gradually to a standing position, will
find that he is able to lift the other two from the ground.

HAND STAND SALUTE
A player is required to stand on his hands with
legs stretched at full length in the air, and then wriggle the feet at
the ankles.

HEEL AND TOE SPRING
A line is drawn on the floor. The performer
places his heels against this line, bends down, grasps the toes with
the fingers underneath the feet and pointing backward toward the
heels. He then leans forward slightly to get an impetus, and jumps
backward over the line.

This same feat may be reversed. Standing in the same position, the
performer toes a line and jumps over it forward.

JUG HANDLE
The performer places his hands across the chest, with the
tips of the middle fingers touching and the elbows extending on each
side like a jug handle. Another player tries to pull the arms apart,
either by working at them separately or together. Jerking is not
permissible; the pull must be steady.

Until one has tried this, it is surprising to find that even a strong
person cannot overcome a weaker one in this position.

LAST AND FIRST
Place one foot immediately behind the other. On the
rear foot place a small object, such as a light book, a slipper, or a
small stick. With a sudden movement lift the forward foot, at the same
instant hopping on the rear foot with a kicking movement forward, so
as to throw the object forward beyond a given mark.

LATH AND PLASTER
Rub the top of the head with one hand, and
simultaneously pat the chest with the other hand. Reverse the
movement, patting the head and rubbing the chest. Do each of these
things with the hands changed, the hand that was on the chest being
placed on the head, and _vice versa_.

PICK ME UP
The performer is required to stand against the wall, drop
a handkerchief at his feet, and without bending the knees stoop and
pick up the handkerchief.

PICK UP AND PUSH UP
A line is drawn about two feet from a wall,
which is toed by the performer, facing the wall. Between the line and
the wall is placed a stool directly in front of the performer. The
player leans forward, puts the top of his head against the wall, picks
up the stool with his hands, and pushes himself backward to an upright
position, getting an impetus from the head only, and lifting the stool
as he does so.

PINCUSHION
On a chair having a cane or rush or wooden bottom a pin
is stuck on the edge of the seat, or just under the edge, well around
on one side toward the back. The performer starts sitting in the
chair, and without leaving it, or touching his hands or feet to the
floor, must reach around so as to remove the pin with his teeth.

PRAY DO
A line is marked on the floor. The performer stands with his
toes on the line, and without using his hands or moving his feet,
kneels down and gets up again.

RABBIT HOP
This should be done on a soft mat or cushion. The
performer kneels; then sits back on the heels and grasps the insteps
with his hands. From this position he leans suddenly forward, and
while doing so pulls the feet up from the floor. In the instant that
his weight is released, he hitches forward on the knees, the two knees
moving forward alternately.

ROTARY
Raise both arms above the head. Move both with a rotary
motion in opposite directions, describing a circle in the air, with
the right hand moving forward and with the left moving backward
simultaneously.

Extend both arms in slanting position downward from the shoulders,
elbows straight. Describe circles in the air with both arms, the hands
at about the level of the hips, the right turning forward and the left
backward.

"RUBBER NECK.
In this feat a kneeling performer is required to pick
a card up from the floor with his teeth, both hands being behind his
back. The card is placed in front of him at the length of his forearm
and hand from one knee. This distance is measured by placing the elbow
against the knee and stretching the forearm and the hand at full
length on the floor; the point which the middle finger reaches is the
point at which the card must be placed. The card has the ends folded
down so as to rest like a small table on the floor. The nearer edge of
it must rest on the line determined as above specified.

SCALES
Hold a weight out at arm's length for a given time.

SIAMESE TWINS
Two players (two boys or two girls), of about the same
height and weight, stand back to back and lock arms. The object is to
walk in one direction, using first the legs of one player and then
those of the other. This may be done by one player moving his feet
forward slightly. This is accomplished by both bending the knees, and
the player on the side toward which progress is to be made sliding his
feet forward. Bracing his feet in the new position, he straightens his
entire body upright, drawing the rear player after him until both are
in the same relative position as at the start. This constitutes one
step, and is repeated over as long a distance as may be specified or
desired.



SKIN THE SNAKE
This is a feat for several performer
from five to
fifty or more, and is suitable for the gymnasium. The players stand in
a line, one behind another, with a short distance between. Each player
bends forward and stretches one hand backward between his legs, while
with the other hand he grasps that of the player in front, who has
assumed the same position. When all are in position, the line begins
backing, the player at the rear end of the line lying down on his
back, and the next player walking backward astride over him until he
can go no farther, when he also lies down with the first player's head
between his legs. This backing and lying-down movement continues until
all the players are lying in a straight line on the floor. Then the
last one to lie down gets up and walks astride the line toward the
front, raising the man next behind him to his feet, and so on until
all again are standing in the original position. The grasp of hands is
retained throughout.

It hardly need be said that this game is of Chinese origin. It
makes a very funny spectacle, especially if done rapidly.

STOOPING PUSH
Draw a line on the floor. Toe it with the feet spread
wide apart. Reach around outside of the legs and grasp a light
dumb-bell or other object of similar weight with both hands; throw or
slide it forward on the floor from between the feet, the hands being
kept together throughout. The object is to see how far the dumb-bell
may be thrown without the player losing his balance.

TANTALUS
The left foot and leg and left cheek are placed close
against the wall. The right foot is then slightly lifted in an effort
to touch the left knee. Having reached it, the position should be
steadily maintained for a few moments.

THUMB SPRING
This is similar to the Wall Spring, but differs both in
method of execution and in general difficulty. The performer places
the inner side of the thumbs against a wall, or the edge of a table or
window sill may be used. No other part of the hands should touch this
surface. The feet should then be moved as far backward as possible.
The body will then be leaning forward; and from this position, without
any movement of the feet, a sudden push should be made from the
thumbs, the object being to recover the upright position. It is well
to begin with a slight distance and work up to a greater one.

WALL PIVOT
One foot is placed against a wall at about the height of
the knee. The other foot is thrown over it, the body making a complete
turn in the air, so that the free foot may touch the ground in time to
sustain the weight before a tumble. Thus, if the right foot be placed
against the wall, the left leg will be thrown over it and the body
turned over toward the right, the left foot being replaced on the
floor to receive the weight. This is usually easier if done with a
short run, and is best practiced on a thick gymnasium mattress.

WALL SPRING
The performer should stand facing a wall and a short
distance from it. Keeping his feet in one spot, he should lean forward
and place the palms of his hands flat against the wall; from this
position he should then make a sudden push and spring backward to an
upright position. With some practice, this may be done with a very
considerable distance between the feet and the wall.

WOODEN SOLDIER
The arms are folded across the chest. In this
position the performer is required to lie down on the back and rise
again to an upright standing position, without assistance from either
hands or elbows.

WRIGGLE WALK
The performer stands with heels together and toes
pointed outward. Simultaneously he raises the right toes and the left
heel, and turns them toward the same direction, the right toes inward
and the left heel outward, pivoting on the opposite toe and heel. This
is then reversed, so as to continue progress in the same direction.
Resting on the toes and heel just moved, he lifts the opposite ones;
that is, the left toes moving outward, the right heel moving inward,
and so progresses for a specified distance.


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