What's a typical class like?

The classes are structured in 15-minute rotations, to keep the kids moving and engaged.  Each class begins with running, hops, jumps, skips, crab-walks, and bear-walks to get the blood flowing and blow off some excitement.  This high-energy run helps focus the children during the stretching period that directly follows the running warm-up.  To allow children (and parents) a little extra time for their children to get into the class, we choose to take attendance after warm-up and stretching.
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Following attendance is a short water break and then right to the first event.  Here the instructor will focus on one or two basic gymnastics skills in a circuit.  Within the circuits are stations with exercises to build strength in the core or in other muscle groups that require strengthening to perform gymnastics related skills.  This is also done to better prepare the body and reduce the risk of injury.  We use circuits to keep the children moving, but often stop the children, or group them together when there is a need to emphasize an exercise.



Typically, the class is concluded with a "fun" station like a trampoline or tumble track.  Here, children learn how to do jumps and leaps with proper body form and technique.  The goal of these events is to strengthen the core muscle groups and improve proprioception (awareness of one's body in space).  Class participants also learn basic flipping progressions like back handsprings and back tucks (gymnastics terminology for a backflip).  The instructor may also choose to conclude the class with a couple of short strengthening exercises, such as chin-ups, push-ups, or leg lifts.