Guest post: The REAL skills learned in gymnastics

In life, just like gymnastics, it takes discipline and dedication to make a difference. Success doesn’t come
over night or without challenge. An important part of success, regardless of the degree, is failure. In
gymnastics, you rarely land a new skill on the first try. You must do drills repeatedly to build the
foundation for the skill. Even then, you will fail. You will need to shake it off, reset, and get up to try
again.

Read More

Keeping Kids Healthy and Bright

Gymfinity Roll on Beam

Gymnastics is the learning of new skills as the athlete develops into a gymnast. A somersault or roll on the floor develops into a handspring, develops into a front flip, develops into a twisting front flip etc. New pathways are created with every new layer of skill acquisition. This is markedly different than a sport like baseball, for example, where the basic skills are refined as the athlete progresses but no new skills are learned. Throwing catching, swinging and running are the same skills for a 5 year old in T ball as they are for an MLB player, albeit at a different level of performance. So again, gymnastics is at the top of the list for helping children develop. This time it’s their brains.

Read More

The Gifts Gymnastics Brings

Gymnasts on the beam at Gymfinity

I love gymnastics and feel that it is the best developmental tool a child can experience. Gymnasts are not only stronger, but smarter, and justifiably feel better about themselves. These are all skills that they can carry with them through life ensuring success and happiness along the way. 41 years ago, when I started teaching gymnastics, I did it because it was fun. As time went on I was shown time and again the benefits that I wrote about above. I saw the kids I coach become doctors, lawyers, mothers, politicians, engineers, counselors, teachers and more. Every one happy, Every one a success. And every day since my decision to teach gymnastics back in 1980, my mission has been validated.

Read More

Coaching Kids in Difficult Times

Coaching at Gymfinity

Not only do you instruct, but you are also there to support and develop the gymnast as a person. Understand that instead of just coaching, you will need to make positive comments about things outside of gymnastics. Remember the sandwich method: Positive comment -correction- positive summary can apply to more than just skill development.

Read More

Even Prouder to be an American

Olympic Gymnastics Team 2021

Yet the critics still cast shade. The same critics that demanded change are the ones who now criticize such vital in-meet decisions as cowardly or not worthy of American pride. Let me point out that our team left Japan with All Around and Floor Exercise Gold, a Vault Silver, Bars and Beam Bronzes and a Team Silver medal. They also left happy and uninjured. Isn’t that a victory in itself? This is exactly what we should be cheering for, and to miss that opportunity to elevate the game in that regard is a shame.

Read More

Gymnastics & Trampoline makes kids smarter. Fact.

Gymfinity Smarts

Einstein is (mistakenly?) credited with saying “if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” I think that he is really on to something. Not everyone is the same and so it makes no sense to use a standardized measure for intelligence.

Read More

What Really Matters

Gymfinity Dairy Aire Coaching

Having just survived the holidays, some are making NY resolutions. I ask that maybe this year we could let go of the minutia, cast away the petty disagreements and squabbles; and resolve to matter. What if for one year we tried to honor yesterday and shape tomorrow?

Read More

After The Cartwheel: Part 2 of 2

Gymfinity Dairy Aire Coaching

In gymnastics we develop skills over long periods of time. We sometimes lay the groundwork for skills by doing drills years before they may utilize what they learned for a particular skill. Complicate that with normal ups and downs of training, goals being realigned, and even sickness/injury/vacation costing training time and it can seem like learning a skill takes forever.

Read More

After The Cartwheel: Part 1 of 2

Gymfinity Steph

With gymnastics we have the benefit of motivating through fun for learning such lessons. “Getting it right” is fun and kids are taught to try again and again and progress higher and better. Gymnastics has no top-end. There is always more to learn and better to be done and just like life in general, learning and growing is fun. Why would anyone not want to have that?

Read More

My nose starts right here

We struggle every day. We stay open because, in our minds and the minds of our families, we feel that we are an essential business. Providing kids a physical outlet helps them stay healthy both physically and emotionally. It allows them a small bit of social interaction in a controlled environment, and that is essential. We are as clean as any doctor’s office, safer than any “essential” store, and even more than that; we care about our kids. Your kids.

Read More