Why We Love Gymnastics
Chloe has recently started gymnastics in a group class once a week and has really blown us away with her effort, focus, and commitment.
The class has now grown to 10 children, and it goes for 1.5 hours... but I still see her every week walking through the front door without hesitation and lining up to follow instructions and improve her skills.
The important thing to note (just from my observation) is the club we have joined has an amazing vibe and culture with supportive and positive coaches... and a very caring and empathetic director. It is also air conditioned, doesn't smell, is kept very clean and well maintained, and has fun music playing but not too loud. All of the children wear matching soft club t-shirts, and they have firm rules and routines that are the same every single class (but the students are reminded of the rules with kindness and a cheeky smile).
Based on experience I knew to advocate for my daughter in detail before she started and touched base with her coach after most classes... so that she was supported during class and assumptions weren't made about her behaviour (she bounces up and down when waiting... and often tells long stories about random things instead of listening... but these things calmed down after a few weeks as her anxiety reduced). By advocating for Chloe, I could see the difference it made to her experience because her coach learnt a bit more from me each week, about what ADHD and Autism can look like in gymnasts... and she did a lot of nodding and asked me more and more questions about Chloe's traits as her confidence grew.
I have since realised that gymnastics is more than just a bit of exercise and fun for Chloe...
The class has now grown to 10 children, and it goes for 1.5 hours... but I still see her every week walking through the front door without hesitation and lining up to follow instructions and improve her skills.
The important thing to note (just from my observation) is the club we have joined has an amazing vibe and culture with supportive and positive coaches... and a very caring and empathetic director. It is also air conditioned, doesn't smell, is kept very clean and well maintained, and has fun music playing but not too loud. All of the children wear matching soft club t-shirts, and they have firm rules and routines that are the same every single class (but the students are reminded of the rules with kindness and a cheeky smile).
Based on experience I knew to advocate for my daughter in detail before she started and touched base with her coach after most classes... so that she was supported during class and assumptions weren't made about her behaviour (she bounces up and down when waiting... and often tells long stories about random things instead of listening... but these things calmed down after a few weeks as her anxiety reduced). By advocating for Chloe, I could see the difference it made to her experience because her coach learnt a bit more from me each week, about what ADHD and Autism can look like in gymnasts... and she did a lot of nodding and asked me more and more questions about Chloe's traits as her confidence grew.
I have since realised that gymnastics is more than just a bit of exercise and fun for Chloe...
- Strong proprioceptive input makes the brain feel safe, reminds the muscles and ligaments how to work together to move the body, and improves body 'alertness' (making the body feel more conscious and alive).
- Gymnastics improves core strength, coordination, balance, and confidence. It can also developed general and specific motor skills.
- A challenging gymnastics session can also develop a sense of self-confidence and personal control... and science now shows that intense physical skills also improve a person's cognitive function... including reasoning skills, verbal communication, spatial ability, and inductive reasoning... and also impacts a person’s attention, learning, and memory skills.
We happen to live in North Brisbane, and I personally recommend Delta Gymnastics in North Lakes... but make sure you ask around in your area for recommendations and do a trial class to make sure it will be a good fit for your child.
Jenna ❤
1 comment
We love the Delta gymnastics in Cairns for our 4 year old. Such incredible & supportive coaches.