ALL children benefit from classes and participation in gymnastics. The areas listed below are a small sampling of the actual benefits from gymnastics activities.
Self Confidence
Through the challenge of learning gymnastics skills, the students gain
confidence with each step that they take. Doing skills on the beams
and bars helps them gain confidence in their own abilities. This improved
self confidence will transfer to other areas of their lives including
school.
Coordination
Gymnastics instruction helps develop better coordination and body
movement. For the young child, a great deal of their self confidence
comes from how coordinated they are because their “world” is so
physical rather than mental. Gymnastics improves coordination.
Non “Star” Athletes
Some children do not have the skills to be a “star” athlete in any sport.
But in gymnastics we can control their progress and challenges. Children
who are a little weaker, a little overweight and/or a little less flexible can all find success with our terrific, caring gymnastics teachers.
EVERY child can benefit from gymnastics.
Hard Work Ethic
Gymnastics is a tough sport. The best thing about it is that the kids
have to earn the skills, we just can’t give them to them. This hard
work shows them that the more they work the more they learn. What a
great lesson. You want your children to have a “hard work ethic,”
don’t you?
Flexibility
Participation in gymnastics helps the athletes become more flexible.
Baseball players, basketball players, football players and all other
sports need more flexible athletes. Gymnastics builds flexibility better
than any other sport. Flexibility also helps limit injuries.
Social Skills
Especially for the younger ones, gymnastics gives the little ones a
weekly chance to learn about social skills like listening and following
directions, taking turns, being quiet, respecting others and a lot more.
The gymnastics teachers work hard to build social skills with their
students because they are so important in other aspects of the lives of
the little ones.
Discipline
So, so important today. We do have rules in gymnastics classes and the teachers treat these rules as being very important. The more discipline the children get today the better off they will be. Gymnastics classes are a very controlled environment. Very helpful for the child.
Politeness
Yes, we stress politeness in classes as the way to treat others. The
teacher is polite to the students and the students are expected to do the
same to the teachers and to their class mates. The more the kids are
exposed to “politeness” the better.
Fitness
In this world of a lot of obese children, fitness is CRITICAL to the
current and future health of our children. Gymnastics classes are full
of activities that will make your child more fit and help keep them
healthy. You have them in the right place if fitness is important to you
and your family.
Overcoming Fears
Some parts of gymnastics are very challenging. We think that this is
good training for all kids. They need to be challenged. The key is that
we challenge them with “attainable challenges” so that they are successful
the majority of the time. To face a challenge, maybe with a little fear, and then to accomplish the challenge is a wonderful part of
gymnastics classes and it happens all of the time. We want confident,
aggressive children.
Learning To Perform In Front Of People
What a terrific, sometimes overlooked, benefit of gymnastics. Gymnastics
classes have the students perform their skills in front of other
students which helps teach “performance” and makes performing in
front of others easier. Gymnastics students tend to be the 1st ones at
school to volunteer to do things in front of the class as they have
learned to “perform” which is going to help them throughout their
lives.
Determination
Gymnastics builds determination. Some gymnastics skills are hard to
master so the children learn determination in continuing to work hard
even when things are tough. Such an important lesson.
Strength Development
Moving and lifting their bodies during gymnastics activities helps
build upper body strength as well as leg strength. This helps the gymnast
as well as the students who are also in other sports. Do you want
a strong child? You have them in the right place.
Caring Teachers
Our gymnastics teachers care about EVERY student regardless of
their potential. We KNOW that every child can learn a great deal by
being involved in this incredible sport. Every child is important in our
gymnastics classes.
Great Parenting!
You have done a great job of parenting by having your children in gymnastics. Keep them with us as long as possible as gymnastics benefits all athletes and every child regardless of talent and ability. Your child will be a much more mature, well prepared young adult because of their involvement in gymnastics instruction. Gymnastics teaches so much more than forward rolls!
Prepared by Tom Burgdorf, National Gymnastics Clinician, National Committee Member AmeriKids Gymnastics Association.