What's the Point?
A
relatively small number of children in gymnastics actually compete, and
only a tiny percentage of those progress to the top levels of the
sport. So...what's the point of being in recreational gymnastics
classes? I think most kids would simply respond that it's FUN. I hope
even Olympians would respond that they do gymnastics because it's fun to
defy gravity and push
the limits of the human body. From a professional point of view, I feel
very strongly that not only is gymnastics fun, but it teaches kids the
joy of movement and how to use their bodies--benefits that can last a lifetime.
For
example, the gymnast learning to ski for the first time is more
comfortable than her peers because of time on the balance beam. Rock
climbing instructors have reported that they can always pick out the
gymnasts because of their great upper-body strength. Kindergym students
learning to swim can be more willing to jump into the pool because of
their experience jumping into the foam pit. Gymnasts in many cases are
able to pick up golf easier than others because they have learned body
awareness and mental focus from their gymnastics training. Another
benefit that comes from this sport is knowing how to fall safely, which
comes in handy in team sports when you’re sliding into home base or
being tackled on the football field.
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