 Hi everyone, It's Coach Beth here today!
I'm taking over this weeks blog post to talk about something super fun and seriously educational. Let’s talk about our Holiday Program! Finding Confidence & Growing Character follows through to all of our programs, INCLUDING the Holiday Program. The program is based around our four corner stones :
Holiday Program provides opportunities for children to make friends, explore, play, create, develop social skills and team work skills as well as an opportunity to build on life long fundamental skills. Such as coordination, fine motor skills and problem solving skills just to name a few! How do we do all this at holiday program you might ask? FCGC does this in a number of ways! Let's see how you can help develop all these skills, no matter if you are with us for a half day or full day program. Structure: 8:00am – 9:00am: Drop off time! During this hour, as children arrive, our coaches have some quiet activities (coloring, drawing, board games to name a few) that allow children to quietly settle in and get to know the coaches for the AM session. This time also allows children to meet new friends and become familiar with the environment, especially if they haven’t been to our club before! 9:00am – 10:00am: Ice Breakers and Game time! Before we get started with the activities for the day, all children go through some ice breaker games and some general fun games! During these ice breaker games, children get to communicate and meet new people in a relaxed and friendly manner. Once children have made some new friends and become relaxed and settled in, the coaches then play some team work games (partner hide and seek for example) as well as some competition type games such as Fruit Salad. 10:00am – 12:00pm: Rotations time! During this 2 hour block all children are split into groups but DON’T WORRY! They are allowed to be with their friends and for some sessions, the coaches will assist in the group making process, allowing the children to form the groups (problem solving skills!). All groups will go through 4 different rotations, an activity, snack time and 2x free time in the gym rotations. What fun! 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Skills Session or Lunch! Those who are joining holiday program for the PM session as well as the AM session will more than likely have lunch in this time slot. Those in the AM only session, will go through some sort of skill session, this may include a Gymnastics session, sometimes an X-Gym session or it could be something else entirely! At the end of this hour, AM only children go home BUT DON’T FORGET if you made a take-home activity in the morning session, you can take it with you as you leave. The Afternoon sessions run in a similar way. 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Skills Session & Lunch! Those who had lunch in the group before, will now do the skills session that took place earlier. Those who are staying all day who haven’t had lunch will have lunch during this time! 2:00pm – 3:30/4pm: Rotation time! Similar to earlier in the day, the PM children will split into groups but again DON’T WORRY! They are allowed to be with their friends and some sessions, the coaches will assist in the group making process, allowing the children to form the groups (problem solving skills!). All groups will go through 4 different rotations, an activity (different to AM), snack time and 2x free time in the gym rotations. 3:30/4pm – 6pm: Quiet Time and pick up time! After the rotations we all head upstairs to watch a G rated movie, read books or during this time is when, if children bring electronics, they can use those! Activities: All Activities have a focus. These focuses could be any of the following:
And so much more! We have developed activities to assist in focusing on these skills via cooking, craft, science and even building using gym equipment (in the gym area downstairs) Don’t Forget!!! Birthday Parties and Open Gym still run in the school holidays! Jump onto the Customer Portal to have a look at Availability and times! FCGC Gymnastics hopes to see you at a Holiday Program Session soon! - COACH BETH
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 As responsible adults we have taken it upon ourselves to help raise the next generation of people. We do our best to raise compassionate and resilient humans. We send our children to school, encourage them to study and join extracurricular activities. Hoping that a good education will lead to a happy successful adult life.
What if I told you that a UK based study in 2015, by Harvard School of Education, found that in more than 4,000 young adults that the most important characteristic to predict a child's success is GRIT. The study found that certain life skills such as teamwork, patience, psychological toughness, social skills and determination could all be found being taught in gymnastics classes. The findings supported the idea that life skills and a 'growth mindset' had more significance on a child's future success than a traditional educational intelligence test or exam result. In recent years more schools around the globe have been adapting and changing the way they "test" their students. We have seen a shift away from pen and paper examination. Instead we are seeing 'real world' skills being put to the test. To further support this claim, "in the US an NCAA study found more than 90% of college students who were involved in NCAA gymnastics graduated at a significantly higher rate than those who didn't participate in gymnastics". Have that being said, let's name just a few of the leadership and life skills these students would have learnt through their time in gymnastics. Work Ethic & Time Management As adults we often find ourselves juggling our jobs, chores, schooling, social activities, raising our children, cooking, exercise, family time and so much more! Do you ever wish you had more time in a day or better organisational skills so you had enough time for each daily task? Luckily for those young children involved in gymnastics they are starting early. They are already learning how to prioritize tasks and learning to understand the benefits of planning and working smart. Discipline & Determination Being a gymnast can be demanding. You are spending long hours in the gym, with your body & mind being pushed to perform at their highest level every day. On top of that your muscles will be aching, your hands will be sore, you might be tired from a bad nights rest... but you have a competition coming up and you can't afford to not use your time wisely. Gymnasts around the world have incredible mental resilience to get themselves through what many of us, would likely walk away from. Understanding Failure We all have the memory of someone we always thought was good at ANYTHING they ever did, be it sports, art, maths or making friends. But im here to tell you something... they would of failed at things as well. Shocking, i know! We all will fail at things in our life time. Some of us will be more comfortable with this than others. The difference is, those who understand that failure leads to success are the individuals who will succeed the most. Having the ability to understand and acknowledge that failure is part of the process, is what will help mold a strong and capable adult. There are limitless ways that being a gymnast can aid a child's growth into a resourceful and kind adult. The only thing left to do is allow them to be a part of the process. If you are interested in reading more about this you can find more information here: Signing off for now, Coach Maygan #SKILLSFORLIFE  "The fear of facing fears is harder to overcome than the fear itself." - Anonymous
Previously we have discussed the power of "Yet" and how language can effect our actions. This time, I would like to discuss how our thoughts can effect our actions in the Gym. Recently I found myself being encouraged to discuss this topic to a wider audience, and I couldn't agree more with how beneficial it could be. Yet it is such a vast topic, where would I possibly start? In that question I had found my answer. Uncertainty. The words "I can't" are heard all too often in the gym, but they do not mean what you think. The words "I can't" are being spoken from a place of uncertainty, fear and anxiety. The words represent the self doubt we face when we are confronted with something new. To dive into the unknown when there is a risk is a daunting task, no matter the age of the individual. The added threat of injury at any given attempt only makes it all the more challenging. So how can we approach something that we cannot touch or see? I believe understanding and acceptance are where a gymnast will make their largest strides to success. Fear is natural, and has been evident in nature for hundreds of thousands of years. There is no getting rid of fear. It is here to stay! However, Fear is not bad. In fact it is incredibly useful. It will keep a gymnast concentrating on their technique. It will aid a coach in making sure a gymnast is ready for a skill before they attempt it. It will encourage precaution and sensibility in the most outgoing of gymnasts. Forcing a gymnast through a skill might seem like the appropriate thing to do, either as a parent or as a coach. We might see it as a simple task, and we can see they are capable. Which in turn might get some of us a little frustrated, which means we can rush things. This can lead to "mental blocks" or "skill blocks". There is a big difference between encouragement and pressuring. If you force a gymnast to attempt a skill there is a very strong chance they are going to bail. They are not going to commit to the skill, they are going to get half way through and then they are going to panic, and do anything they can to get out of the skill. The problem is, we aren't quite as effective as cats... so when a gymnast is high in the air and decides they don't like it, they aren't able to twist their bodies and land back casually on their feet. They are almost certainly going to land on the heaviest and most vital part of their bodies. Yep, you guessed it. Their heads. This will only prove to the gymnast that their fears where in fact correct, the worst could possibly happen and they will get hurt. It is important to remember that a child or teenager is not as skilled at identifying emotional challenges like adults are. They need guidance until they can find themselves at a resolution. Here are some ways we can handle fear: 1. Identifying the source of the fear. For this you will need to communicate, unless you are in fact a mind-reader and in which case may i strongly suggest a career change! Is your gymnast afraid of the fall? The height? Have they previously attempted this skill and it didn't go to plan? Are they not strong enough yet? Are they worried about looking silly? 2. Game, set and match! You need to approach it in small portions. If they are afraid of being on a high bar, change the bar or raise the crash mats so it doesn't seem as high. If they are afraid of looking silly in front of their class mates, offer private lessons until they feel more confident. 3.Mental Strength & Focus. They are always numerous aspects to a skill, and you are expected to execute all of them... at the same time.. but don't over think it... and don't forget to set up the skill properly... oh and definitely don't forget to present at the end. That's a lot to take in right? Helping your gymnast focus on one thing at a time will allow them to truly be present, and focused. This also goes for life outside of the gym. They might have maths' homework, an art project due, a family dinner and an exam coming up they need to study for! Help them to breathe, pick one to focus on for now, and feel confident in their capabilities. 4. Remind them how brave they are for even trying! Even basic gymnastics skills are not simple, and attempting them in the first place requires bravery & gumption. There is a lot that go wrong due to fear, but also a lot that can go right! Do not give up! It may take you longer than you expected but you can and you will get there if you keep fighting for it. Who do you think should read this blog post? Tag them and let's start the conversation about "I can't". Signing off for now, Coach Maygan.  This is one part of training that is too often neglected, forgotten or avoided. It takes time and is often uncomfortable... yett should never be painful. Of course I am talking about stretching!
I feel like there are 3 types of people when it comes to stretching and flexibility training: Person 1. Loves it! Person 2. It's Ok I guess Person 3. Really REALLY doesn't like it. We all have different natural ranges of movement, which is going to heavily impact on this outcome. The problem is that no matter what your opinion on stretching is, your attitude could be effecting your likely hood of injury. If you are naturally very flexible and find stretching easy, there is a chance you could over stretch and injure yourself because you don't feel the stretching sensation like somebody else might. Alternatively if you truly dislike stretching you could be susceptible to injury through lack of stretching, lazy stretching or through a forced/strained range of movement. The most common injury points I have witnessed occur through the hips or hip flexor region, back of the legs through the hamstring or sciatic nerve or also commonly through the shoulder in one of the many rotator cuff muscles. A strain will occur if a muscle, tendon or ligament is torn. This could occur from holding a stretch position for too long, progressing too quickly, inadequate positioning while in the stretch or bouncing in a stretch. There are 2 main types of stretching. Passive Stretching which involves holding a position over a long period of time with zero or limited movement. Active or Dynamic Stretching which involves a large range of movement through out a stretch (think lunge walks or needle kicks). Both have their benefits, but doing one completely on it's own in a training schedule will only get you so far! I'm going to outline a very basic stretching routine structure for you all:
- Having a light stretch after getting out of a hot shower as the water will of raised your muscles temperature which will make it more receptive to stretching. - Practicing a few stretches daily each time you wake up from bed. Don't expect to be doing walk overs first thing in the morning, but practicing simple stretches and joint articulation will really benefit you and the rest of your day. Stretching is super important to maintain your over all health whether you partake in gymnastics or not. However if you partake in gymnastics it should be a priority of yours to not only maintain but progress your skills! Do you have any stretching goals for 2019? Share them with us, we would love to know! Signing off for now, Coach Maygan.  Our feet do a lot for us everyday, but how often do we spend trying to keep them fit and healthy? The human foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments. That is one complex structure! Every person who has feet, will have different feet than you. They are very unique to your stride, balance and locomotion. Each person will have a slightly different arch position, width, length, ankle stability, toe spread etc. All of these attributes have been developed over the years of living and even before you were born. Today I am going to share some great injury prevention exercises with you all to keep you on your feet for as long as possible! TOE EXERCISES: Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart from each other. Try to lift just your big toe's off the floor, leaving all other toes firmly on the ground. Next, try to lift all your little toes and keep your big toes firmly on the ground. Swap between these as many times as you can. This might take some practice as this is a bit of an unusual movement pattern. People who pronate, or roll to the inner arch, have a hard time lifting the big toes and most people who supinate, or roll on to the outer edges of the foot, have a hard time lifting the other toes. HEEL RAISES: This is an exercise most of us are familiar with and have likely attempted before. However you most likely only thought about it strengthening your calves. When this exercise is slowed right down and a lot of the intention is focused onto the feet, you get a lot of benefits through the gradual articulation of the ligaments. Stand with your feet close together. You can use an object to help stabilize yourself, but not to hold your body weight. Gradually rise through the ball of your foot and lift your heels off the ground, as slow as possible until you reach releve or full height. Reverse this process until your heel is placed back onto the ground. Be aware of your feet through out the entire exercise and make sure you are not rolling in or outwards over your ankle, and that your weight is distributed evenly over all of your toes. SOFT SURFACE BALANCES: We are constantly walking on hard ground all day and our ankles rarely get the opportunity to stabilize you on uneven and soft surfaces. A bosu ball is a piece of equipment often used for this exercise however if you don't have one you can substitute this exercise by standing on pool noodles, a pillow, blanket, sand, crash mat or a sturdy rounded object. Simply balance on one foot at a time on the soft surface and really consider all the engagement required by those muscles to keep your ankle in alignment. If you find this too simple, you can change it up by trying to do heel raises or balancing on one leg and trying to touch the floor with your hands while balancing or one legged squats. TheraBand Exercises: They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a video to explain this one instead. There are numerous ways you can prevent injury or recover from an injury through consistent and comprehensive exercises. These are just a few that I like and find to be exceptionally helpful.
It's never too late to start taking care of your body! Which exercise was your favorite in today's blog? Which do you think you will try first? Leave a comment below to discuss any ideas! Signing off for now, Coach Maygan.  We all know that gymnastics is great, and we love it! We also know that it teaches lots of physical skills to all those involved. A gymnast who has discovered new movement patterns, pathways and more can leave the gym feeling like they have learnt something. But what about the more important stuff? The skills that will stay with you for the rest of your life? By that I don't mean can you still put your foot on your head in 30 years time. All though that would be incredibly impressive.
I'm talking about those fantastic SKILLS FOR LIFE, that we pride ourselves on teaching. The emotional and mental developmental skills our gymnasts might not even realize they are learning. Those skills! I have asked a few of our amazing coaches to share what they have learnt through Gymnastics. So I thought I would share them with you also! "Coaches, what is one thing you have learnt from being a part of gymnastics?" Coach Saskia - Resilience. I have learnt how to take my time. People might get a skill before me, and that's ok. You need to wait and keep trying. "You're on a different time schedule to everybody else (when it comes to skills)". Coach Judy - "That I can do things if i set my mind to it!" Coach Toby - "How to adapt to different situations." Flexibility in all aspects of life. Emotional flexibility, physical and mental. Especially being flexible when it comes to time management. Being able to change things in the moment to be extra beneficial. Coach Thomas - "How to fall with style!" Being able to get up from a fall both physically and metaphorically. Coach Kelesa - Discipline. Growing up in gymnastics taught me I had to be there for my teammates. I had to get up early on the weekends, and train really hard. I had people counting on me. "Coming from an Acro background I couldn't miss any training session because all my teammates would be there and it would be bad for them." We all have things that we will take away from our gymnastics experience. They will become individual to us and only we will be able to have that particular experience. This is why sharing our knowledge and applying it to our coaching is vital for us. We really want to help our gymnasts along in their own personal journeys. Who know's what they might learn!? Did you want to see more blog posts like this? Do YOU have any questions you would like to ask the coaches? Let me know in the comments and I will be sure to make a blog post about it in the future! Signing off for now, Coach Maygan.  -Yes, you did read that correctly. It’s also entirely accurate. However, we don’t sit your little gymnasts down in the gym with a large text book on The Laws of Physics and ask them to “turn to page 203”. Instead we are using Physical Sciences and Bio-mechanics to help teach your gymnast every time they do a roll, tumble, cartwheel, somersault or bar skill. Or maybe I should say, they are teaching themselves to be Physicists. This is likely something that has never crossed your mind before, so let’s break it all down so we can understand together how and why Gymnastics is teaching your gymnasts Physics. Let’s introduce you to some very close friends of a Gymnast: Velocity, Rotation, Momentum and Mass. These aspects of Physics are the driving forces behind everything you see in Gymnastics. Expecting a gymnast to remember all the technical terms or being able to explain them isn’t crucial. However, without their knowing, they are learning to understand how they are applied to their actions and motion any time they do literally anything. Every time they walk, they are learning how to adjust their Center of Mass. Whenever they run and must suddenly stop, they are making tiny corrections from their heads down to their toes that will affect their Center of Mass and Velocity. In Gymnastics it is the same techniques but applied on a much bigger scale. As we all are aware, there are many apparatus’s and skills involved in Gymnastics and they all require a particular formula to be applied to get the desired result. For example, when a Gymnast leaves the mat they have applied an angular momentum from their push-off. Once they have left the mat, the momentum cannot be changed. However, the Gymnast may be required to change the speed of their rotation while moving through the air. Ok sounds simple enough, right? But how can they alter the speed of their rotation without pushing off an object? Simple. They can achieve this by changing their Centre of Mass from the axis of rotation. The Angular Momentum can be increased or decreased by compressing or expanding the distance between the Mass and the Axis of Rotation. What I am REALLY saying is, the tighter the gymnast tucks… the faster they will rotate. It might all seem a bit much and daunting, but that's ok! Our bodies are wonderful machines that can learn, adapt and apply these physics almost instantaneously. Here is an informative video by Stephanie McGregor who is a Bio-engineering Major as well as a College Gymnast. It is a fun video to watch, that will help to explain things a little further while demonstrating some very impressive Gymnastics Skills: What did you think of today’s blog? Did you learn anything new?
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PHONE
(03) 9315 4010 |
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EMAIL
info@fcgc.com.au |
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