If you’ve ever watched the Olympic Games on television, it’s likely that you have seen the sport of gymnastics. When watching, it could be very easy to get caught up in how amazing the most elite gymnastic athletes on the planet are. How they do such complicated vaulting and contorting while making it all look so effortless. When you think about it, you realize how exceptionally trained each one of these talented gymnasts are. You probably also realize that they have been training for years and years. What you may not pause to think about is that they started very young and they all started at the beginning with gymnastics classes in their local area.
As far as sports go, you’d be hard pressed to find one that has been around longer. For 2,000 years, human beings have contorted their bodies, balanced on beams, and vaulted into the air, landing on their feet. Children have been taking gymnastics classes for centuries in one form or another, and adult gymnastic classes have been a way of staying in shape for years.
Now more than ever, children need some kind of activity to stay active. There are many sports out there to choose from, and many that can be started at a young age. Sadly, only one in three children participates regularly in physical activity. According to doctors, one of the benefits of gymnastic classes is that they can be started early. Anywhere from two to five years of age is a perfect time to begin a gymnastic class for kids who display an interest. As long as the class is geared toward their motor skill level, children can really benefit from an organized class. Gymnastic classes focus on improving coordination and motor skills. Tumbling, running, jumping, and climbing are all things children want to do. A supervised environment where children can practice new skills is the best one in which to learn.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day for growing children. Gymnastic classes offer that and much more. The are not simply running and jumping with no discernable goal in mind. The gymnastic events that you see on television must be learned and practiced somewhere. Children learn how to balance, vault and stretch their bodies in a supervised and healthy atmosphere.
Typically, the instructors are former gymnasts themselves. They know what it takes to grow up in the sport and what it takes to compete on a high level. And even if a child doesn’t have any interest in competing in the Olympics, learning what their bodies can do and how much they can accomplish is not a bad way to spend their time.
Gymnastics classes aren’t for everyone, it’s true. There is a reason they’ve been around for years and years, though. Maybe your child will be the next Olympic champion or maybe they’ll just develop better balance. Either way, you’ll certainly get your money’s worth.