Return to Gymnastics at FCGC

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 

• Walking on your hands: bunny hops, bear walk, crab walk and scorpion.
• Gymnastics shapes: angry cat, front support, back support, dish and arch hold.
• Tuck handstands with your feet raised on the couch.
• Handstands tummy against a wall.

Splits

• Step kicks, needle kicks and split jumps.
• Lunging static stretches, straddle and pike stretches.
• Holding splits, stay up higher than normal but focus on having straight legs and square hips. 

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