|
Congratulations FCGC members, we have successfully completed the first two weeks of the 2021 school year!
Nutrition Australia is promoting Healthy Lunchbox week to share fun and nutritious ideas for meals and snacks on the go, getting the school year off to a healthy start. Like a school lunchbox, gymnasts need a healthy snack to fuel-up ready for after school activity. As always, remember to bring your water bottle with you for easy hydration. Check out Nutrition Australia's fresh ideas on Facebook or Instagram and tag #HealthyLunchboxWeek and #FCGCskillsforlife to you share your favorite lunchbox or after school snack combinations!
0 Comments
As we look forward to getting back into the gym, it's time to start easing ourselves back into our training routine.
You may have been dreaming about jumping on the big trampoline or bear walking along the p-bars and now it's not too long before we will be back in the gym! The sorts of activity we have kept up during isolation is enough to ensure that most beginner participants can safely perform all of their favourite Gymnastics skills as soon as they are allowed back in the gym. However, for some levels gymnasts who train more than one hour a week it may take a little while to get back to doing all of your complex skills and full routines. It takes approximately 6 weeks to build up muscle strength throughout the body and strength grows through regularly repeated activity. So, for most gymnasts it's a good idea to come back to training expecting that it might feel a bit like at the beginning of the year when you had just started learning new skills after the summer break. The great news is that our FCGC gymnastics venues are full of great equipment and coaches ready to help you safely achieve your skill goals again. The other good news is that you have plenty of time to get yourself ready to return to the gym while you are at home! Choose just a few activities that you know will strengthen your handstand muscles up or stretch your splits out and practice them everyday or even just once every week before classes start and you will find the transition back even easier. Handstands
Splits
Those are only a few examples of the many things skills you might like to get ready to do at gymnastics by practicing at home. Get your whole family involved in getting active, have a push up competition with your older sibling or teach your younger sibling how to do a rocket jump with a motorbike landing. Head to a playground and practice swinging by going across the monkey bars or do some chin-ups with your grown-up giving you a boost. As always, when we get back into the gym ask your coach about the goals you have and what things you can do in the gym and at home to achieve them. At home keep talking to your grown-up's about how you're feeling and be kind most of all, as we head back into the gym, to others and especially to yourself. Bookings for classes open 10am Monday 2nd November and the indoor classes commence on November 9th. We are looking forward to seeing everyone back in the gym soon! #fcgcskillsforlife At FCGC we are passionate about people and are seeking to work together as a team so that our club thrives into the future.
Currently we need timely advocacy as a not-for-profit business, to access government assistance to lessen the impact of the current Covid-19 crisis. If your family or school has benefited from their experience at FCGC Gymnastics, please consider contacting Federal and State MP’s or Local Councillors, to call on all levels of government to ensure that our club has access to all of the resources necessary to continue to offer community sporting opportunities through the foundation of gymnastics. A direct letter or email is one of the most simple and effective ways to engage your Member of Parliament, or Local Councillor about an issue you care about. An MP’s role is to listen to the views of the public and to accurately represent members of their constituency in Parliament. The more people who contact their local MP on a given topic (e.g. Crisis Cash Flow Grants), the more likely this matter will be raised. As a constituent, your opinion holds significance, as your vote influences future elections. We know that many of our staff, families and community members are also currently unable to access government support measures; please also share your story of how the Covid-19 crisis has affected you and what measures your household might need now and into the future to ensure well-being. A template to get your letter started: To {name/title} {Add in personal concerns.} FCGC is a not-for-profit community run, multi venue Gymnastics Club. We have insurmountable cash flow obstacles to pay our current and future expenses, while our income has been decimated by the forced closure of our venues. With the closure of indoor sporting facilities, we have lost at least 90% of our income. We still have a high level of ongoing expenses (internet, phone, water and etc.) and some deferred (rent), expected to be met while all of the staff are stood down without pay, impacting our capacity to earn regular income. We are having difficulties accessing Job Keeper for our eligible staff, despite recent legislation changes reducing slightly our upfront payroll, by excluding high school students. We have been in constant contact with our bank and the most recent communication (24.04.2020) states that a loan approval is still 3-4 weeks away. At the same time, an approved loan will be an extreme liability, exposing the business to high interest repayment expenses, with only uncertainty regarding our primary income, indoor sports, ahead. We have a significant number of staff who rely on their wage, ineligible for Job Keeper payments due to the strict casual workforce and visa restrictions. In terms of other support available, we cannot apply for a Victorian State Government Business Grant because our total annual wages are too high, with no consideration given to the amount of workers we are able to employ, our income downturn or the nature of our not-for-profit business. At the same time, we will receive a minimal amount of the Federal Government Cash Flow Assistance grants because we pay a low level of PAYG Tax, due to the high number of part time workers we employ, who work under the Tax-Free threshold. We need assistance to ensure that our venues can remain open into the future and we can support our staff through this crisis. As a not-for-profit organisation, we need to be able to access:
At FCGC we offer opportunities for children, young people and adults to find confidence and grow character while developing skills for life through the sport of gymnastics. We provide programs that promote fun, fitness, friendship and movement fundamentals in a safe, inclusive and positive environment. We encourage community health, well-being and physical education in our local and wider community. We need help to keep flipping into the future. FCGC Gymnastics Email: [email protected] Website: www.fcgc.com.au Venue addresses: 10 Mitford Parade, West Footscray, 3012. 2/57-59 Forsyth Road, Williams Landing, 3027. Sincerely, {Name} {Home address - including postcode} {Contact number - optional} Contact details for MP’s Search by postcode or electorate and find the contact details of the MP for your local Federal area here and your local State area here. MP’s who hold current portfolios of Treasurer: Josh Frydenberg - Federal MP, Treasurer Online contact form for Treasury matters: https://treasury.gov.au/the-department/contact-us/ministerial-correspondence Telephone: 9882 3677 Postal address: 695 Burke Road, Camberwell, VIC, 3124 Michael Sukkar - Federal MP, Assistant Treasurer Online contact form for Treasury matters: https://treasury.gov.au/the-department/contact-us/ministerial-correspondence Phone: 9874 1711 Postal Address: PO Box 232 Mitcham, VIC 3132 MP’s who hold current portfolios for Sport: Richard Colbeck - Federal MP for Youth and Sport Email: [email protected] Phone: 6424 5960 Ms Ros Spence - Victorian MP, Community Sport Email: [email protected] Phone: (03) 8377 4477 Postal address: PO Box 132, Craigieburn, VIC, 3064 Other practical ways you can help:
Keep kids moving by creating obstacle courses around your home and yard. What you need -
The rest is up to you! Be as creative as you can to challenge the motor patterns and thought processes of your little ones. Here are some at home obstacle ideas - https://www.facebook.com/kylie.garvey.3/videos/3930064572933/UzpfSTQ4MzAzODI2MTc5NDIwOToyNjc5NDkzNzM1NDgxOTcz/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCYBkNht_j8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCHEspQTSJ0  “You’ll never be the best at anything. The world is a big place with millions of people; it’s impossible to be the best. Just do your best, and you’ll be fine.”
We often get encouraged not to compare ourselves to others, or to compare someone to somebody else. We understand that individuals are exactly that... individual. Yet something in our make-up as humans always brings as back to this critical thinking. As Gymnastic Coaches we all too often see children in our classes compare themselves to other gymnasts in their group. Before even trying an activity, they have already made a judgement of their own ability and their skill expectations... set entirely around another class mate's skill attempt. As Coaches it is our job to set an environment that encourages safe risk taking and nurtures ALL attempts. Regardless of the outcome, technique, form or ability level. Every achievement... is a GREAT achievement no matter how small! The trouble is getting our young gymnast to understand this. From the perspective of a child it can be extremely frustrating when you are not as "capable" as another student. As adults we can understand there are other determining factors that may determine why an individual might be progressing at a faster rate. They could be involved in a multitude of sports and after school activities. They might train more than once in a week. They may of been training for years before you even started! As a child none of this information is relevant or even thought about. All they can understand is what they are witnessing right in front of them. Someone is "better" than them, and it's not fair. As adults its our role to help model a healthy way to deal with self criticism, comparison and critique. If around the home you are comparing things or people, they will take on this behavior as well. If you vocalize how one footy player for example is better than another due to X,Y,Z. Then there is a good chance that your little "information sponge", by that I mean your child, will notice that the better performing sportsman gets the higher praise while the other gets critiqued. I know there are going to be times when comparison is going to be helpful and help keep a gymnast motivated and goal orientated! The issue there, is finding the line between inspired & obsessive. I have witnessed gymnasts who are brand new to the sport and have this ultimate will power to keep pushing themselves until they are impressive little tumbling machines. I have also seen older gymnast who see a brand new gymnast with all this motivation, and get disheartened because this new athlete is somehow gaining up to their ability level uncomfortably quick. My point being comparison is not inherently evil or bad. It is the behaviors following the comparison that will determine if this mind set is healthy or not. As adults we need to be aware of what these behaviors look like and how we can prevent them from becoming destructive. Signing off for now, Coach Maygan Humans are social creatures and require face-to-face interactions to develop, thrive and be happy. The relationships you form through out your life will directly nourish your developmental progress. These relationships are critical to the development of life skills such as empathy, communication, self behavioral management, emotional control, impulse control, body language, perception of non-verbal communication.
Facial expressions, gestures and body language make up a huge portion of communication that is non-verbal. If you remove these aspects from a conversation, it is very easy to be misdirected or have a miscommunication. It takes years of interaction experiences for a child to grasp this concept. They need opportunities and exposure for them to master this skill! Your child will rely heavily on you, siblings and friends as a means of practice. Have you been out and about and noticed an adult who may be sitting using their phone while a child in their care is off exploring, playing or trying to get their attention? From the outside looking in it is a lot easier to notice these things. Self reflection is a good first step to identifying what can be improved. Being able to identify how much time is being given to a child is a great asset to posses. There is nothing wrong with using technology in our day to day lives - in moderation of course! Alternatively it might not be technology at all that is distracting. It could be your energy levels, your mood or having a long list of tasks that need to be completed in a short period of time. Self awareness in this regard will not only benefit yourself, it will also benefit those around you - including that little human desperately begging you to watch them. During a child's gymnastics class it is incredibly tempting to utilize that time to get work done or have personal time. Especially if they are in an 60+ minute long class. What a beautifully productive time slot that can be! However it can also be a very disengaging time, if you aren't making the effort to be apart of the spectating experience. I'm not saying you should sit with your nose pressed up against the window for a full 2 hours. If you usually drop your child off, and return at the end of class and rarely step foot inside of the building... maybe walking in with them for time to time will strengthen that relationship. If you pick them up from gymnastics, but usually sit in the car... maybe consider watching the last 15 - 5 minutes of their class. Making that little bit of extra effort to watch sections of the class from time to time will make for the perfect post class discussion with your child - they will be more likely to be engaged with the conversation as well as it is personal to them. The more interaction you have with a little one, the more they will benefit! The more they will learn and have the chance to grow into a self reliant human being. So get out there, be present and enjoy the day with a little human! Signing off for now, Coach Maygan Have you been remembering to floss? No I don't mean your teeth or the dance that I am sure is not "cool" anymore. I'm talking about your nerves! The human body is a largely complex piece of machinery with lots of little things that help keep the engine running - so to speak. In this regard I think a bicycle analogy will be the easiest to understand. Your body is the bicycle and your nerves are the chains. If your nerves are "stuck" or "not maintained" you may still be able to use the bike, though likely at a large convenience to yourself. To help maintain the functionality of your bicycle - you need to keep up maintenance. Nerve Flossing is exactly that. Maintenance on your nerves to help keep up their flexibility & functionality. In the world of gymnastics and dance, flexibility plays a large roll. A lot of the time when stretching, you may feel a discomfort or pain that stops you from being able to stretch any further. This is a good indicator that your body is telling you that it has reached its limit. However we can sometimes misunderstand this message. For example: When you are stretching your Pike you may feel a "pull" or tension in the back of your thighs/bottom. The first thing that usually pops into peoples minds is - "My Hamstrings are too tight!" However this may not be the case at all. It might be your sciatic nerve instead!  Your Sciatic Nerve is a large nerve that starts in your lower back and runs directly down to your feet. The Sciatic Nerve is incredibly important for the body! Thankfully there are ways to tell the difference between a muscle hindering your flexibility progression or a nerve getting in the way. How to Test it: When stretching out in a Pike, if you are able to stretch significantly further with your toes pointed as apposed to flexed - there is a good chance your sciatic nerve might be what is stopping you! So how can we help our nerves? And what does it have to do with flossing? Simply put, you use gliding movements of a limb to stretch one end the nerve while relaxing the opposite end. In a series of repetitive gliding movements, the nerves will respond a lot better than that of a "tradition" static stretch. How to Floss safely: While Flossing can be incredibly beneficial... you must like any other stretch be careful. 1. Tissue Warm Up - Step one is crucial if you wish to get the most out of a nerve floss. The easiest/best ways to do this is via gentle to moderate manipulation of the surrounding muscle fibers. This can be achieved through a number of exercises with a foam roller, peanut, lacrosse ball or tennis ball. The pressure of your body weight and the shape of the object combined, is what will give you a deeper and more focused release. 2. Nerve Flossing - Now comes the time for flossing/gliding! The important part to remember that with flossing, you are not supposed to feel a deep stretch. Instead you should be focusing on holding resistance at the full extension of a stretch. It is the repetition of the same movement that will gently release the "stuck" nerve. There are NUMEROUS ways to floss and it is well worth your time to do some research of your own to find the best exercises for you. 3. Active Flexibility - Now comes the time to test those nerves! You have just successfully prepared your nerves at their full range of motion. Now it's time to see if they can use this freshly gained functionality. Now is not the time to hold any static shapes. It's best to use your new range of reach/flexibility through dynamic movements. 4. Passive Stretches - If passive or static stretches are apart of your routine, now is the time to use them. After following all the other steps you should notice a little extra flexibility in your stretches. Remember to take it easy! Your muscles will be more relaxed than usual, so they are prone to being over stretched if you aren't careful.
Take note of your before & after stretches. Have you noticed any improvements? Take some photos of your stretches so you can visualize how you are progressing. Best of luck to you all & happy flossing! Signing off for now, Coach Maygan  I'm going to ask you to reflect upon your primary school years for a moment. Do you recall your school teachers having these strange 3 sided pencils? Or what about the rubber grips that went around a pencil instead? Did you have a teacher who always seemed to correct you on how to hold your pencils? Or maybe that wasn't a focus at all when you were in school.
The Pincer Grip is a developmental milestone in all children, that is highly encouraged by educational figures in there lives. It also should be encouraged and trained at home! So why is it so important? Your child will be learning/developing these skills in primary school or kindergarten as you did, right? Incorrect! They will be learning how to refine this skill every day. Regardless of who is teaching them. I have the suspicion that a majority of people are under the impression that the Pincer Grip is a skill for writing and drawing - and as we head further into the digital age the need for the ability will decrease. I would like to take the time to really discuss the significance of finger dexterity as we age and develop! As teeny tiny babies, we don't really know we have fingers. We keep them curled up into our palms and occasionally give them a stretch. We start to discover these important digits when we start chewing on them, and sticking them into our mouths. As we grow and our brain develops, we start to process new sensory information. This means we start to understand how touch works. Babies use touch & taste all the time to get an understanding of the world. If you give them a chance, they will place just about anything into their mouths to give it a chew... including pool noodles! We have all seen that before. As they begin to grasp the idea of the world, they have a better understanding on how to get things they want. For example, that super shiny set of house keys on the floor! If they want to play with them, and you aren't going to hand it to them... they need to learn to be independent. During this developmental stage your infant will start to develop neural pathways on how to grasp, hold and move objects with their hands. For the first few months of this stage they will use their palm to drag an item to themselves. However, as they grow they will begin to use their thumb & forefinger to retrieve items. This is the first stages of Pincer Grip development! As the child grows they will use this new finger dexterity to feed themselves, learn to hold utensils or how to pick up their drinking cups. They will need this ability to pick up toys, to scratch themselves or to touch sensory objects. It will also be used in every day life such as brushing teeth, buttoning shirts, doing up zips and even developing into touch typing abilities. The Pincer Grip is a fine motor developmental skill as it requires finesse and control of a small range of motion. There are lots of activities you can use to help them master this skill! We use a lot of them ourselves in our Playskills programs - including our Wombats & Geckos! Do you know a little one in your life that could benefit from one of our classes? Don't forget to tag them! Signing off for now, Coach Maygan Larisa Latynina (Soviet Gymnast from 1956 - 1964) Larisa holds the record for most Olympic gold medals for any female in the history of the Olympic Games, only recently surpassed for all round competitor by Michael Phelps as a male competitor. Larisa has a whopping 18 Olympic medals to her name! She held this record for 48 years. After retiring from gymnastics in 1966, she went on to coach the Soviet National Gymnastics Team for 11 years. Under her coaching, the Soviet team won gold in 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics. She also played a large roll in organizing the gymnastics competition in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Sawao Kato (Japanese P- Bars Gymnast from 1976 Olympics) Sawao Kato was a valued team member of the Japanese Gymnastics team in the late 70's. Throughout these Olympics games, Kato won 12 medals, 8 of which where gold! He specialized in the Parallel Bars. He went on to win the Individual Men's Gymnastics Event. In Japan, Kato is highly respected as the top gymnast with the most wins held for Japan. Currently, Kato is a professor at the University of Tsukuba. Nadia Comăneci (Romanian Gymnast 1976-1984) Nadia is the first female gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.00. She is was one of the youngest and one of the original gymnasts in the history of modern gymnastics. Nadia is a three time gold medalist with a total of 9 medals to her name! After her very successful gymnastics career Nadia went on to coach, and commentate in gymnastics competitions. Nastia Liukin (USA Gymnast 1976-1984) Nasia is a former Russian American gymnast. She was the 2008 Olympic all-around champion, with 5 Olympic medals. Liukin was a key team member of the U.S. senior team. She represented the United stated at three World Championships & one Olympic games. Liukin comes from a family of champions, with her father being an Olympic athlete, along with her brother. She retired from gymnastics in 2012. She went on to join NBC Sports as a gymnastics analyst. Nastia also went on to launch her own app called 'Grander' that is aimed at connecting aspiring gymnasts with inspiration, and empowerment. |
|
|
|
EMAIL
[email protected] |
|