Kids Gymnastics – Fun Workouts to Keep Your Little Ones Healthy

Kids as young as age five actually have a better chance to excel in gymnastics because of their young and relatively flexible bones and muscles. Kindergym and children’s gymnastics are solid training grounds for more advanced stages of the sport, including recreational and competitive gymnastics.

Kids Gymnastics – Training at Home

Children who like jumping or tumbling around have potential to enjoy and succeed in gymnastics. Early preparation for kids gymnastics can begin at home, in a room big enough for long cartwheels and high jumps. To convert a space in the house for gymnastics, the floor should be covered with carpeting or gym mat for soft landing. Two twelve-inch-wide lines can be drawn ten feet across the floor to create a place for the young beginner to practice straight tumbles or cartwheels. The width can be narrowed inch by inch gradually until the child masters cartwheeling. Another way to teach kids gymnastics at home is to place two heavy chairs at shoulder width apart to allow the aspiring gymnast to raise himself up and develop arm strength.

Fitness for Kids – Various Benefits

Gymnastics is a very effective way to maintain children’s physical fitness because of the strength, flexibility and balance that is required in performing its stunts. They can learn to control their big muscles in the legs, arms and body. Their joints can be strengthened through hip and shoulder abduction exercises. Active stretching with a partner can boost limb and muscle fitness for kids. The backbone becomes more flexible with stunts such as back flips, back somersaults and back bends. The combination of these movements and postures can form a complete gymnastics dance, which is a good routine to promote fitness for kids.

Exercise for Kids – The Moves

Beginners can practice acrobatics by exercising their tumbling skills on the floor or on a balance beam. They can practice aerials, which involve a cartwheel or walkover that doesn’t make use of both hands. Another gymnastics exercise for kids is the arch, in which the back is bent backwards while the chest is open. Child gymnasts can learn the assemble, or a graceful leap with one leg up and another sprung off before both legs and feet are brought back together upon landing on the floor. The body wave contraction makes use of the hips, arms, heads and shoulders swaying in the same motion.