“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

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

Have you ever wondered where gymnastics skills get there names from? I'm sure you know that a few skills are named after particular gymnasts... but do you know when the skill was first competed? Or why it was so special?

The world of gymnastics is ever changing, developing and growing. It is one of the few sports in the world that is guaranteed to evolve over time. In 30 years time, the competing world of gymnastics will not be what it is today. You will likely see current day skills removed, and new skills included.

If youtube and video sharing is still relevant in 30 years, there is bound to be a new collection of "BANNED" gymnastics moves from the 2010's.

To have the honor of having a skill named after you, it needs to be competed at a high level eg. World Championships & Olympics. Each skill is rated from category A (easiest) to category I (hardest). 

Victoria Moors: Floor Skill
The Moors is a backwards double-twisting double layout. The hardest category rating of "I" was created by FIG (Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique) especially for this skill. This skill is so challenging because the gymnast is landing completely blind.
​

Olga Korbut: Balance Beam
In the 1972 Olympics Soviet Gymnast Olga Korbut first performed her signature beam skill. It involved a backward somersault that ends with her straddling the beam. It was the first time this skill was performed and it changed the way competing gymnasts flowed on the beam.

The skill can be seen at 0:40 seconds.​

Eberhard Gienger: Bars 
A Gienger is a backflip into a half turn - where a gymnast begins their swing facing outwards and ends with them facing inwards. This skill was first performed by German gymnast Eberhard Gienger. This skill can be competed in a piked position or in a layout position. 

It was a challange to find a video of him competing this skill from the 1970's. Here is a video of gymnast demonstrating the skill and a video of Gienger competing in the 1972 Olympics.

Elena Shushunova: Floor
Soviet gymnast Elena Shushunova first competed this skill in the 1986 World Cup. It is now a skill that is competed by numerous gymnasts due to its versatility to connect it to other skills. Lisa Skinner is an Australian gymnast who competed the shushunova skill 3 times in her routine in the 2000 Olympics routine.

Skill can be seen at 1:30 min of the video.

What did you think about all these elite gymnast and their trademark skills?

It would be great to do some more blog posts like this in the future. So we can learn a little bit of history behind some gymnastic skills.

Signing off for now,
Coach Maygan

I would like to touch on a topic that should be held highly in the hearts of all parents/carers/teachers etc. It's the importance of idols and leaders that our youths look up to. Those who inspire, teach and help our children grow into focused and driven adults.

Our children are going to admire several people of importance through out their childhood. Each member of their inspirational chart will be selected for a specific reason, that is instrumental to a chapter of their growth.

I would like to mention an article from August 19th of 2016, from ABC News.

The article is about a 6 year old gymnast named Nyla Miller, who had only been partaking in Gymnastics classes for a year at this point; who dreamed of being just like Simone Biles & Gabby Douglas. Young Nyla first witnessed the strength and grace of both Olympic Athletes during a live broadcast of the Rio Olympics in 2016. 

Nyla saw herself in these elite gymnasts and aspired to be just like them. They represented something for Nyla, which is irreplaceable in a child's life. Nyla's dad Miller was quoted reporting on the importance of these idols for his daughter.

"She's been able to look at them and see that anything is possible. I am possible." 

A photo of Nyla sporting a Blue, Red & White leotard similar to Simone Bile's leotard was posted on her dad's social media. When unsuspectingly Simone Biles saw the photo she had been "tagged" in and shared it to her own personal social media for all her fans to see. Nyla's family was so surprised to see their daughters idol had shared her appreciation for Nyla on her social media to her 3.3million followers.

This story is just one story out of millions. Each person, each child will have somebody they once or still do look up to. As adult's it can sometimes be difficult for us to relate to those our children look up to. We may not see what they see. However there is something in them, that they can connect with.

It seems quite common for young children to idolize their Primary School teachers for example. This maybe for a variety reasons. It may be the case that they are consistently exposed to a familiar leader in their day to day life. It may be that they see their teacher as confident & kind and they wish to be like this also. It might even be that they see their teacher as an intellectual representation of themselves.

It is fair to say that young people will after a period of time come to realize that their idols are just "ordinary people" just like they are. Flaws & faults included!

Listen as best you can to the children in your life. Help them find people to support them, to inspire them, to build them up.

We won't all have our idols reply to us on twitter or Instagram, as lovely as that would be. However helping to expose our children to positive representations will only help to encourage our kids to reach their full potential.

Do your children have somebody they idolize? Are you unsure? Now is the perfect time to ask them!

Signing off for now,
​Coach Maygan

The press to handstand is one of the most difficult skills to achieve as well as
one of the most important in the higher levels of gymnastics. The ‘press’, as
it is affectionately known, has a number of different components which can
take years to perfect and ultimately result in it’s mastery. The process of
learning a press to handstand also develops and teaches valuable skills for
life surrounding perseverance, determination and how to trust the process.

So, without further ado, lets look at some tips to help you achieve your press
to handstand!

Like it’s name sake suggests the handstand is all about balancing...upside
down! It takes a lot of practice to balance using our hands as though they
are our feet. In order to best prepare our bodies to balance upside down we
must undertake a lot of wrist conditioning. In our classes at FCGC we utilize
the array of equipment on offer to help our gymnast’s develop strength in
their wrists. Most of the time these activities are lots of fun for the gymnasts,
but really there is purpose to our play. Compressing foam blocks from the
foam pit or scrunching scarves with our hands all help to develop our wrist
and hand strength. The second vital shape for the handstand which we
practice from Geckos and Grown Ups through to Level 10 is our rocket or tall
shape. This shape is the most important for a lot of skills, but none more so
than the handstand. The gymnast practices standing in a straight line;
extending upwards through their shoulders, pressing their ribs ‘inwards’ and
pulling their hips ‘under’ to create a perfectly aligned and straight body.
When inverted, this shape becomes a perfectly straight handstand which is
easy to control and balance in.

The next component for a perfect press is core strength. In order to perform
a press to handstand it is essential for a gymnast to develop their core
stability through a range of exercises. As well as the general gymnastics core
conditioning activities including the likes of ‘dish hold’ and leg lifts, there are
many exercises which develop core strength in parallel with the press to
handstand action.

Stalder leg lifts are one such strengthening activity; the
gymnast starts hanging on the bar and lifts their legs into an inverted
straddle position. When rotated upside down the gymnast looks as though
they are starting in a handstand and lowering down to a straddle support
position; one of the many ways to start a press to handstand!

​Another similar drill is a lying press to handstand on a trapezoid shape.
​This drill not only works the gymnast’s core strength, but also their muscle memory for the skill. In this drill the gymnast begins lying on their back in a stretched position, their hands touching the wall as though in a handstand. Lifting through their hips, the gymnast rolls backwards into a straddle position with their hands still touching the wall. The gymnast then slowly lowers back to
their lying stretched handstand position – talk about that for an abdominal
work out!

As a coach the part I most often see gymnasts struggling with is the all
important ‘planche action’ with their shoulders. In order to perform a
consistent and technically correct press to handstand a gymnast must lean
forwards over their hands through a planche position. The easiest way to
think about a planche is like a seesaw; we are trying to counterbalance our
bodies through our shoulders. This leaning action is common place
throughout gymnastics skills including a ‘cast’ on the Uneven and High Bars,
swing to handstand on Parallel Bars and front support on floor.

At FCGC we encourage this important progression as early as possible with our gymnasts in order to make these harder skills much easier long-term for our athletes.

One shape which can be practiced at home as well as in class is a front
support position. In a front support the gymnast should have an ‘angry cat’
rounded chest and lean forward over their hands with their shoulders – this
will translate to a comfort of leaning forwards, assist the gymnast with the
skills mentioned previously, and their press to handstand!

Other exercises which work both the planche action required for the press and core strengthening include;

Pike Drag Ups:
The gymnast begins in a support shape on a bar or edge of a box and,
lifting through their hips whilst leaning forwards, drag their toes up the
bar/box to a standing position

Elephant Stand:
The gymnast begins in a frog position on the floor (squatting with
hands in between feet) and rests the inside of their leg on their straight
arms. The gymnast then leans forward with a rounded chest and
balances for as long as possible

Straddle Press Walks:
The gymnast begins sitting in a straddle position and lifts their hips up
whilst leaning forward over their hands. From the inverted position the
gymnast lowers back down through an L-sit and into a straddle and
places their hands in front of them ready to go again!
​
Now that we have looked at the different components of the press, its time to
put it all together! The gymnast should start in a straddle stand with their
back facing a wall, wedge or beat board (leaning against something of
course!) placing hands just in front of the vertical surface. From the straddle
stand the shoulders should lean forward through the planche phase whilst
lifting the toes into the air. Just before vertical the gymnast should
dynamically ‘open’ their shoulders to finish in a perfect handstand!

Remember that a press to handstand can take many years to achieve, so
don’t be pressed with time and start practicing today!

See you in the gym – Coach Toby

Class management is a topic that is very broad as there are many aspects that we can look at in regards to class management but for now, we are going to focus on only a few; a few that I personally find very important.

Getting to know your Gymnasts/students/families and members:
Let’s start with a scenario situation. Let’s go back to our school or university days. You are there many hours, you see the same teachers every week, it’s a month into starting the year and you know your teachers name and you probably have at least one thing you remember about them but… they do not remember your name or, they call you by a different name or better yet, they ask you where you’ve been because they’ve marked you as not present. However, you have been attending the classes? How would this make you feel? I know I’d defiantly feel let down and almost uncared for.

It is so important that as coaches, at the very least you know who’s in your class, by name. Here is where we shift a little bit to transparency.

Transparency:
“I coach so many kids a week, how am I supposed to remember all their names?!” I hear you ask, it’s as simple as being open, honest and transparent. I often find that people avoid using gymnasts’ names because they don’t remember… but that method is NOT going to allow you to remember names, you will continue to use words like “mate, sweetie, buddy etc” which is not personal and for some, it can feel uncomfortable. Here is my handy hint:

• When you first get put onto a class, say to them “My name is Sally, I’m going to be your coach this year. I am going to learn all your names, however, it may take me a couple of weeks to remember so I’m going to be asking what your name is every time I see you and I’m going to be using your names a lot. I will get it wrong in these first couple of weeks, but that’s just because I have a lot of names to remember. Is that okay with everyone?"

I find the above example to work really well, and often, when talking to each Gymnast in that class, I will always find out something that is their favorite thing (color, animal, holiday, subject at school, day of the week etc) to associate with that Gymnast.

Respect:
Learning your Gymnasts name is a form of respect, without mutual respect, you can easily run into issues with your class behavior.
Put yourself in their shoes. Would you feel respected if your coach/teacher/employer didn’t know your name and never bothered to learn it? You wouldn’t feel respected and you probably wouldn’t have a lot of respect for them.

Boundaries (rules) Positive reinforcement and consistency:
Boundaries, along with positive reinforcement (we will get to that next) is probably one of the KEY topics when it comes to class management. Kids and Young People thrive off having clear boundaries.

At the very start of every lesson, let the Gymnasts/students know EXACTLY what you expect from them but do NOT overload them with rules. Something I start off, nearly every class with is:

• When I am talking, I need you to have your listening ears on and your watching eyes on me so I know that you know how to do our activities safely.

Whatever you expect from your class, you need to reinforce and follow through with your expectations. I find the most positive way for reinforce the above boundary is to patiently wait until I have all eyes on me. Often, the others who are waiting will get the other Gymnasts to bring their attention back to me and as soon as I have everyone’s attention again, I reinforce WHY it is important that I have everyone’s attention.

NEVER GIVE UP! If you stay consistent and follow through with what you say, they will learn, it is all about LEARNING! Learning names & learning boundaries. You’re learning and they’re learning too and a part of learning is pushing boundaries to see whether you, as the coach or teacher, will follow through with what you say so do not give up, do not feel mean. If you say to a Gymnast or student that if they don’t listen to you, or if they run away from the class or if they push inline you’re going to sit them out, you MUST follow through with that consequence. I personally do not like sitting people out UNLESS they are being unsafe and could injury themselves or somebody else. So I came up with a system to avoid that.

So often as humans, we find ourselves focusing on the negative, how easy is it to say;

• “Bill, if you run away one more time, I’m going to sit you out:

Rather than focusing on when Bill has done something good (these often get looked over”

• “Bill! Thank you so much for sitting and listening, you did such a great job!”

It is something that you have to CONSCIOUSLY do as it probably won’t come naturally and that is okay!

To assist this process, I implement a “chances” system into my classes, everyone starts off with 3 chances. They can build upon these chances or they can loose these ‘chances’. (I find the word "warning" to have negative connotations to it so I avoid using it). If I notice a Gymnast doing a skill really well, or listening really well, I will give them a chance, but ANY Gymnast, not just the “difficult” Gymnasts can loose chances. The positive of this, is if they are on 1 chance, they can easily build it back up again. They aren’t ‘Doomed’ to be on the verge of sitting out. If they loose all their chances, the gymnasts know they require a minute of two to recompose themselves before joining back in. Once a minute or two is up, we have a quick chat about why their behavior wasn’t acceptable and then they join back in. Once they rejoin the group, they have 3 chances again that they can build upon.

If you are consistent with what you say, the Gymnasts will know that you won’t accept anything less, therefore, learn that what you say goes, leading to a positive class.

Things to remember:
By the time we see our Gymnasts, they have been at school for the bulk of the day. They’re tired or they could be hungry. They’ve done a lot of learning already. As coaches, yelling or disapproving of our gymnasts are not going to help them. If you see one of your Gymnasts not themselves, simply have a chat with them, ask them how their day was, ask them how they’re feeling, ask them if they had a good weekend. Children and Young People go through things too. Their friendship circles change, they may have family stuff going on, they may be finding school difficult, they may have recently moved schools, etc.

They are people too and we cannot expect them to be perfect and their behavior to be perfect. If they aren’t feeling great, that is fine, it is okay to say to them:

• “How would you like to take it easy today? Maybe we can throw a few games into class today, how would you like that? I just need to you remember to make sure you have your listening ears and watching eyes on today.”

Another thing to remember is you can be tired, sick or have stuff going on too, that is okay, you can be honest and open with your gymnasts and say:

• “Hey guys, I’m feeling a little tired/sick today, so can we please make sure we have our listening ears on and our watching eyes on and let’s build up our chances today!”

We aren’t perfect, they know this. Children and Young People truly do respond well to transparency.

It is so important to figure out what works well with your class in terms of:

• Remembering names
• Respect
• Boundaries
• Consistency
• Positive Reinforcement

Every class, every Gymnast is different…. The most important thing is to seek help from whoever you report to. Some kids are a challenge, and that’s okay, find someone who can support you through class and back you up.

By definition conditioning is "the process of training or accustoming a person/animal to behave in a certain way or accept certain circumstances."

In this instance we won't be talking about animal training, shame I know. Instead we will be talking about training muscles to get stronger and the mind to get accustomed to the feeling of training ones muscles.

There are a lot of reasons why conditioning is crucial for gymnastics. I think the most important reason of all, would be for safety. ​Any gymnast is at risk of injury and often times if a gymnast has stronger ligaments and connective tissue, an injury may be prevented or the severity of an injury can be minimized. Other reasons why conditioning is important include stability, strength, mental toughness, team work, responsibility for personal progression and resilience.

Now we know WHY we do conditioning, let's talk about HOW.

Depending on the level a gymnast is, it will reflect the type and duration of the conditioning they will part take in. However, the younger gymnasts will still be introduced to some of the movements and the idea of strength based challenges through games, group activities, and fun circuit stations. For the older gymnasts in Gymstar and ALP they will be working on a larger array of conditioning tasks. 

As our gymnasts enter the gym for their class, they will make their way over to a designated area with their coach where they will part take in a group warm-up followed by stretching and fundamental shapes in gymnastics eg. dish, arch, front support etc. From here the coach may take them through some conditioning to help prepare the muscles for high action and full range of motion.

At FCGC we are very lucky in the regards of coaching resources. We have access to class planners on tablets that can aid or provide inspiration for all of our coaches through lesson plans and apparatus stations. Through out an apparatus training session, the coaches will assign conditioning stations among the skill development stations. We do this for several reasons. It helps to give the gymnasts a rest, and it breaks up the back to back skill development that can quickly wear out even the strongest of gymnasts. 

Here are a couple of examples for conditioning at an apparatus:
- Chin ups (rings, p-bars, bars)
- Dish/Arch Holds
- Squats or Lunges
- Resistance band exercises
- Exercise ball activities (eg. sit ups, tuck snaps, stability.)
-  Bar Toe Touches
- Dorsal Rocks/Inverts
- Leg lifts (Beam, Floor, Pommel)

Among a training session, the gymnasts will be given multiple opportunities to be working on their conditioning. Either worked into a circuit as previously discussed or in its own designated time/space. Each coach will have their own modifications to a strength based task or new ideas that will keep gymnasts engaged through out the session. This gives gymnasts the perfect opportunity to try varying challenges through out the entirety of their gymnastics experience.

Here are some methods you might see used in the gym:
- Timed Intervals 
- Partner based exercises 
- Whole class strength holds
- Circuits 
- Challenges of strength based on  repetitions

There are endless possibilities for a good conditioning class structure! So much so, that I can hardly scratch the surface through this blog post alone. If you are interested in some more ideas, the internet will be your best friend! Just remember when trying a new exercise you should always take it easy to avoid injury or strain. 

Here are some examples of conditioning at varying levels of difficulty:

Finding a cohesive and functional conditioning plan is essential to the smooth running of any gymnastics class. As you can see there are many ways to go about this! Take your time when trying new activities. If you are frazzled the gymnasts will be as well.

Does your gymnast do extra conditioning at home? Has this given you a few ideas? Let me know in the comments below.

Signing off for now,
Coach Maygan

There is a saying I often see floating around on the internet as an inspirational quote for gymnasts. It goes like this:

"Gymnastics is all about Trust. You have to trust that your body will move the right way, and that your feet will catch you when you come back down."

As lovely and simple as this quote makes gymnastics sound, I wouldn't necessarily agree.  

Gymnastics is all about Trust, this part is true! However it's not about flinging your body around and hoping for the best. No, it's much more than that. It's trust in yourself, your body, your coach and your family. It's trusting the process and most importantly trusting your ability to learn.

There are many foundational skills in regards to gymnastics and trust is undeniably one of them.

There's an old saying that claims;
"Trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair."

There are a hundred different ways trust can be broken inside of the Gym. A different coach with different coaching methods, a new class, new gym equipment, or a new training space. Injury or a near miss, miscommunication, insufficient knowledge of a skill, lack of strength/flexibility or fear of judgement. The list of possible causes, goes on and on. Knowing how to avoid a break of trust is half the battle.

If we know trust can be broken in the blink of an eye its imperative we all do our part to keep it in tact. 

Sometimes a lack of trust can seem out of our control. However on further inspection it may not simply be a "lack of trust". It could stem from a confidence problem or a mental block. In which case, as coaches and family members we can in fact help! I have written a blog recently about this topic that you can read about here.

Other times the lack of trust can be from the absence of a solid relationship with a coach/gymnast. This can also be improved through effective communication. I have found a video by Raleigh Carter, who has over 17 years of coaching experience, who perfectly describes the delicate balance between communication and trustworthy relationships.

I highly recommend you give it a watch!

As Raleigh discusses in the video, there is always more that comes into play when it comes to trust and relationships. He speaks about the impact of sensory communication from a coaches perspective as well as the importance of EFFECTIVE communication.

Ultimately there are going to be numerous factors that will effect the outcome of a situation. It is impossible to be able to know what the outcome will be, but with the right tools you can heavily persuade the possible outcome for both yourself and the gymnast. 

As coaches it is our job and responsibility to set our gymnasts up for success. We have to teach our gymnasts that gymnastics is a process. You will almost never reach a final destination unless you decide that is where you want to leave it.

A gymnast needs to trust that their coach is setting them up with all of this strength to benefit them later, as it's part of the process. A gymnast needs to learn to trust that if they fall they can always get back up, as it's part of the process. A coach needs to trust that a gymnast is putting all of their effort in, as it's part of the process. A gymnast needs to trust that their family will be there for them, as it's part of the process.

I'm sure you get the idea!

Gymnastics is wholeheartedly based around trust, there is no denying. Yet it's more than trusting yourself to land a skill and it's more than hoping for the best.
It's the hours of training and time with your coach that will take you to that moment.

Did you ever consider the effects of TRUST inside of the gym? Let me know in the comments.

Signing off for now,
Coach Maygan.
​

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:

• Harvard Study
• The New Age Parents
• Excel Beyond Exam Results ​

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.