Friday, August 31, 2012

What to look for in a gymnastics center

Registering your children at a gymnastics center is a great way to help them develop strength, coordination, flexibility and self-confidence, while building their social skills. Whether your children are interested in gymnastics as a sport or just for fun, it’s a practice that requires focus and impeccable training. Therefore, it’s important to find a gymnastics school that offers excellent instruction in the safest manner possible. You probably want to bring your children with you to get a sense of how they feel when they enter the school. Plus, they will get excited about the prospect of learning this new movement!

Here are a few things to look for when you check out a potential gymnastics center:

A clean, well-lit facility with safe equipment. There should be a wide range of equipment available so that children can practice at their appropriate level. Check with the instructors to make sure the balance beams are sturdy, that all equipment is in good condition and that there is adequate padding throughout. If you are looking for toddlers classes in gymnastics, ask if they have equipment that is the right sizes for little ones. Also keep an eye out for a good gymnast-instructor ratio as students should be monitored at all times in a class—instructors should also be spotting the children.

Happy children. Watch how the instructors at the gymnastics school interact with their students, as well as how the children react to them. There should be lots of movement taking place in class, so everyone should be very busy. There should always be a sense of discipline and order, even when you’re looking for toddlers classes in gymnastics. At the same time, all students should be enjoying themselves in the class.

Parent observation area. Every good gymnastics school will have an area where parents and visitors can watch the class. This shows that the gymnastics center you are considering is comfortable observing the interaction between instructors and students.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Join the performance team at our gymnastics center!

Taking gymnastics classes is an amazing way to help your children gain substantial strength, coordination and flexibility, while developing discipline through determination and perseverance. The benefits of a gymnastics practice are varied and include many that are non-physical.

Participating in a performance team at a gymnastics center takes all these benefits to another level. Learning to perform builds self-esteem, as well as the confidence to do your best when people are watching. This leads to fearlessness when public speaking or performing in ways other than gymnastics.

In addition to the extensive physical benefits that children gain by taking gymnastics classes, joining a performance team helps develop a wide-range of character traits and good habits that transcend every area of life. Participants learn about time management, dedication, cooperation and sportsmanship, and develop a sense of teamwork and respect for others. They learn to listen well and follow directions, as well as communicate with their peers, which promotes social interaction. As a result, children experience increased self-confidence, discipline and a great work ethic.

The Performance Gymnastics Team at Studio West Gymnastics center is a fun, fast and fierce program that teaches participants the fundamentals of movement while helping them to develop power, balance and the principles of showmanship. Research shows that children who participate in gymnastic competitions and on performance teams develop skills that significantly enhance their skills and abilities in other sports and physical activities.

Whether your child wants to participate in gymnastics competitions or practice the sport just for fun, participating in Studio West’s fun, fast and fierce program will put your child in the spotlight and make their hearts soar. Everyone participates and is part of the team at our gymnastics center. Sign-ups start September 1, 2012 and run through the performance date, December 1, 2012.

www.pvgymnastics.com

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The health benefits of gymnastic classes

Children benefit from participating in any sport—and gymnastics classes are no different. They are a fun way to help your child develop a passion for living a healthy lifestyle at an early age. In addition, enrollment at a gymnastic school helps children to develop socially as well.

Gymnastics classes provide one of the most comprehensive exercise programs available to children. They include strength and flexibility training, while helping children to develop their coordination, motor skills, power and speed. Gymnastics also helps children develop good static and dynamic balance, which helps with learning to fall without injury. Enrolling your child in a center for gymnastics also helps instill discipline in a way that is fun and challenging.

The strength that gymnasts develop, whether the sport is done recreationally or competitively, is amazing. Gymnasts are typically the strongest of all Olympic athletes, boasting an unrivalled strength-to-weight ratio. Those who attend a gymnastics school also tend to be the most flexible of all athletes and develop excellent overall body awareness, which is beneficial to all other sports, workouts, and daily physical activities.

Athletes like gymnasts build the foundation for the healthiest life possible. Participating in regular workouts at an early age significantly reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease during adulthood, and helps to build muscle strength and memory that can last a lifetime.

In addition, those who regularly attend a gymnastics center get progressively stronger as they continue their practice, which leads to the development of lean muscle mass, strong balance and improved posture. Gymnasts also learn to listen well and follow rules at a young age, while developing skills that will transcend and enhance any other sports they participate in. Even more importantly, they learn how to set goals and gain self-esteem and confidence from their participation and accomplishments in the sport.