Pencil Voyages

Education Beyond Just Experiences

Sports , Art & Skill Activity Classes

Benefits of gymnastics for children | Is it good for toddlers?

By

Gymnastics is all about focusing on and coordination. Mere than a sport, it is an amalgamation of body and mind to let your body develop better consciousness and coordination. Today, this sport exercise has gained a lot of fame because of the endless benefits it comes with.

Not all parents are keen on letting their child pick up Gymnastics thinking how doing a backflip or forward roll is going to help them in life? Well, the answer to their question is No. It is not going to help them score number one in school or at work but, it will help them to do multiple skills at a time. They can lead to a better lifestyle which is way important than earning a six-figure salary.

so , what are the benefits of gymnastics for child!

Is Gymnastics right for your children?

It is a sport that needs immense dedication and coordination. Whether it is a sport or a school/career, children today are competing at a very young age. Their life has better exposure than going to school and doing homework. They are seen participating in various competitions, enrolling in various activities clubs, adventuring by joining different camps, and so on. Regular physical activities do help your child from health problems but gymnastics will help them in the long run by keeping obesity at bay, no diabetes, and heart-related problems.

What are the benefits of gymnastics for children?

No wonder, every mommy wants their child to enroll in a gymnastic class. That’s great. But before you go ahead, let you read in detail all about gymnastics and whether it is good for toddlers?

Gymnastics is great for health and overall well-being

Regularly participating in a gymnastic class, your child can have a range of health benefits such as improved cognitive skills, better coordination, fitness, and prevent heart-related issues in the long run.

Determination and discipline

To achieve something in life, it is important to have determination and discipline and that’s what gymnastics teaches your child.

Kids learning gymnastics are found to be driven by determination. The sport is helping children learn about what is hard working, positive attributes and how to bring determination and discipline is their lives;

Confidence and self-esteem

Gymnastics is one of the sports that helps in boosting self-confidence in kids. There is a sense of confidence when your child masters the skill – the self-confidence skills. As they start towards advanced classes, your children learn to handle intense challenges and tackle them methodically. This boost in their self-confidence aids them in their daily lives where they learn to face their fears and build skill on how to handle them.

Learns to overcome their fears

Performing gymnastics is not easy. It involves a lot of muscle movements that are tough and challenging. It is obvious for a child to develop a fear. The coach at the gymnastic center encourages kids to talk about their fear so that they can help you get through. Their primary agenda is to work on their fears and help them build confidence that they can do it. The coach approach matters a lot when it comes to coping with fears and helping children on how to overcome such situations. This in the long term encourages your children to try new things with the confidence that they can handle any situation that life throws. 

Help them set goals

The capacity to have an athletic, flexible kind of body can’t be built overnight. It requires an immense level of dedication, determination, and discipline. The sport teaches your kids to set goals and hard work to put in to achieve those goals. During the process, your child learns to manage the challenges, and most importantly how to stay calm under the stress.

Long term health benefits

Gymnastics offer long term health benefits when your child is enrolled for continuous classes. The health issues remain at bay and the sport helps fine-tune the body and mind. It improves focus, along with letting your child have a fit body even when he is growing up.

It helps develop sportsman spirit

Gymnastics is a solo sport however it does involve group learning activities. Thus, helping your child learn to develop sportsman spirit and how to remain positive even when he/ she is losing. Furthermore, it also teaches to cheer their peers along with understanding what healthy competition is all about. Additionally, honing their social skills through interactions that happen in the class. This way they learn to compete and cheer up when they lose.

It is a fun activity

Kids are naturally drawn towards activities that are fun doing like flipping, jumping, free fall, tumbling, swinging, and so on. Gymnastics is all about that. Channelize their hyper by enrolling them into regular gymnastic classes. It is a great fun activity, where your child will learn many good things than just knowing the sport.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Gymnastics

  • There is no proven evidence but it has been believed that girls’ puberty is delayed. Because of the excessive dieting and a lot of strain to get it right, girls experience stunted growth.
  • Because gymnastics is all about getting a perfect flexible body which is only possible through a vigorous diet. There is no room for curviness hence it has been seen that children tend to develop eating disorders.
  • It is a high-impact sport, which means children are prone to get injuries often while learning. Muscle pains, broken bones are normal.
  • At times children are seen developing psychological effects of gymnastics.  The sport requires having a vigorous regime of getting everything perfect from posture to the movements that can hurt their self-esteem. Coaches’ aggressive training methods impacting psychologically on your child’s mind. 

What Are The Safety Measures That Parents Require Ensuring Their Child Safety?

Below-mentioned is the tips to remember:

  •  Know that your child is interested in gymnastics. If he/she is not keen to join, let them understand the benefits of gymnastics and why it is important.
  • Not all body types are made for this vigorous exercise. If your child is prone to injuries it is a hint that it may not suit them. Discuss this with the coach and they will guide you on how you can start with the sport.
  • Your child must learn under a certified coach. Find a reputed gymnastic center for your child. Check the reviews and feedback before enrolling. The reputed gymnastic center will have certified and knowledgeable coaches who know a fine way of tuning with kids.
  • Make sure that your child learns the basics thoroughly before advancing to the next level. This can prevent severe injuries. Also, the coaches teach on how to deal with those injuries and recover to get back into the game.

Myths Busted About Kids Joining Gymnastics

  • Parents think that gymnastics is for strong and flexible bodies. Well, this is completely baseless. The earlier your child joins the gymnastics class the better his/her body leaves the stiffness.
  • Most of the parents think that is not a sport to pursue as it does not have much of a career graph. Well, it all depends on how one takes it. By participating your child in various competitions he/she can make a career out of it.
  • Parents think that twisting, swinging, jumping, balancing, and such bodily movements can injure their child severely thus thinking that it is a dangerous sport.
  • It is a girl sport, a prevailing myth-making round about gymnastics which is completely untrue.  Nowadays, boys too are showing keen interest in joining this amazing coordination building sport. This further helps them in pursuing other sports like baseball, football, etc.

FAQs

When should my child start gymnastics?

Like most other sports, there is not any specific age to start gymnastics. You can join a gym at any age to practice for becoming a gymnast. There are classes based on various age groups. From as early as 18 months of age. 

Is gymnastics bad for the body?

No. It is a myth that people carry around the sport. Regular participation provides innumerable health benefits to all age-group children. In the long run, it prevents chronic illness like blood pressure, diabetes, and heart-related problems

Can gymnastics cause scoliosis?

Gymnastics does not cause scoliosis, however, an intense range of muscular motion can be the reason. The coach is the best person to guide your child, ensuring such things don’t happen.

 Can gymnastics cause arthritis?

People who have done gymnastics from a young age and have been careful with their body movements have minimum or zero complaints of developing arthritis. Mostly the arthritis impact is seen in their back muscles, wrists, ankles, and knees. But, with proper diet and good care, this can be prevented.

Closing Thoughts

Gymnastics is suitable for children of all age-groups. However, it is recommended that you start with the younger which can be 5 years. Let your child explore the possibilities and have fun especially if you have a hyper kid. It is one of the best ways to channelize their enthusiasm where along with they learn to get disciplined, determined, and focused which are important elements of a successful life.

Level 2 gymnastics requirements | Age, Skills & Routines

By

Level 2 in gymnastics comes after the completion of Level 1. It is the second level included in the gymnastics level structure of the USAG Junior Olympic program. There are certain skills that are compulsory in the routine of level 2 gymnastics requirements. All gyms do not compete at this level. Also, this is not considered a required level. 

The basic levels including level 2 prepare a gymnast to get more accustomed to his or her body and take control of the body weight. Immense dedication is required to learn these skills. The regular practice gradually makes the activities perfect and the gymnast can progress to the next level.

Though gymnastics is rewarding to the body of children, yet they must be trained under professional supervision. Parents must take care of while their kids are practicing the drills at home or the park. It is better if the right kind of mats, grips, and chalk are used so that the Level 2 gymnasts can train properly and safely. 

If your child is not able to do a certain skill of Level 2, it means he or she needs more muscle development and strength to accomplish it. Ask the trainer for body specific workouts and make the kid do them regularly. Make your child follow an expert-recommended diet.

Never make your child do any activity that the coach has not suggested. 

Ideal age of Level 2 gymnasts:

Generally, kids of 5-6 years reach Level 2. 

Level 2 allows the kids to join a team and compete for the first time. They usually need 4-5 hours of practice per week.

Level 2 gymnastics requirements:

Vault:

  • Jump to handstand on the mat stack and straight body fall to flat back
  • Tuck over
  • Straddle over
  • Handstand and fall over a barrel
  • Handstand arch to stand
  • Dive roll-on mat stack
  • Jump off the block – stick

Note:

There are several changes in Level 2 from Level 1. The first stage involves a stretch jump. Level 2 requires an inverted jump. 

Remember:

The gymnast must stretch properly for making the muscles warm. It reduces the risk of injury.

Uneven Bar:

  • Cast
  • Pullover
  • Leg cut
  • Mill circle (forward stride circle)
  • Back hip circle
  • Under swing dismount (squat to pike sole circle dismount)
  • Single leg basket swing
  • Three leg lifts
  • 1 chin up
  • Piked glider swing
  • Straight body lift – support

Note:

Bar event of women is prominently acknowledged and appreciated as competitive. Young gymnasts can learn various skills at a good rate to become competitive. The number of skills increases at this level.

High Bar:

  • Pullover
  • Swing ½ turn
  • Tap swing
  • Leg lift
  • Chin-up
  • Cast
  • Back hip circle
  • Under swing dismount

Note:

High bar 2nd tier skill set requires more refinement and definition of muscles. Daily exercise and various learning skills help in achieving them.  Parents and guardians must take care of the young kids practicing at home.

Parallel bar:

  • Support walk
  • Swing
  • Turn 90 degree
  • Support and swing
  • Longhand swing
  • Front support
  • Straddle travel
  • Rear dismount

Note:

As per the experts, the gymnast at level 2 can train on a short p-bar before performing the skills on the actual equipment. It will reduce the risk of injury of the kids learning Level 2 skills. Children can get scared or lose confidence as they are not familiar with actual bars. With practice and moving on to the actual apparatus, they can gradually become confident and achieve perfection. 

Beam:

  • Jump to front support mount
  • Arabesque (30 degrees)
  • ½ pivot turn
  • Lever
  • Tuck jump
  • Stretch jump
  • Coupe walks
  • Cartwheel to handstand dismount (side)
  • Skipping
  • Cartwheel handstand straddle down
  • Side relieve turn
  • Lunge to lunge

Note:

The beam event is recognized globally. The all-women event involves balance and precision for executing great skills. 

Floor:

Round-off

Bridge back kick over

Handstand for 1 second minimum

Backward roll

Tuck jump

Splits

Heel snap turn (90 degree)

Split leap with leg separation (60 degree)

Split jump with leg separation (60 degree)

Note: 

 With a level, the floor skills become tougher and more challenging. The level tests the determination and capabilities of the gymnasts who reached Level 2. The kids can practice the majority of the skills at home under the surveillance of elders. Using a tumbling mat helps lessen injury. Both boys and girls can perform activities. 

Rings:

  • L-hold
  • Inverted hang
  • Tuck sit
  • Support
  • Leg swing
  • Pull up (skin the cat)
  • Swing dismount

Note: 

The majority of the skills involved in-ring training are taught taking the help of certain apparatus like a high bar. Here, the development of the upper body is extremely important. With regular practice under expert guidance, kids can effectively learn ring skills. 

Pommel Horse:

  • Leg swings
  • Tuck hold

Note:

This event is considered less demanding. Level 2 usually doesn’t support the momentum required for Pommel Horse skills. But, it is observed and proved that leg swings help in acquiring the capability of doing the skills. The more intense practice is required and with levels and body development, coaches teach the required skills to the gymnasts. Regular practice and utmost dedication can make the kids perfect.

Important factors to consider:

The gymnasts’ level of skill:

You have to remember that Level 2 is a junior level, and the gymnasts who are mostly kids may not have the confidence or capability to achieve perfection in all the skills. They may master a specific skill and can be prepared for progressing to the next level. But, they still may lack precision in other skills.

Hence, it is better to give them ample time and days to keep on practicing with care. If they are not prepared, keep them at the same level till they master all the skills. 

The level of commitment of the little gymnasts:

The gymnasts have to learn more difficult skills in Level 2 and beyond. The mental strength of the kids must get the needed support and enhancement to cope with the rise in difficulty. 

Parents, guardians, and coaches should remember that the kids are struggling hard to achieve a certain level of focus, mental skills, and confidence. They need more time to train their mind and body. The number of practice hours should be increased. 

Parents must support their children in practicing their skills, and encourage them. They must make the child understand that failure is okay and normal. The child should learn from the elders that failure teaches them the right way to succeed. It is devotion, consistency, patience, and hard work that can give them the desired result. Parents should celebrate their child’s success and reward them every time they achieve a skill according to the commitment.

Gymnast’s maturity level:

Level 2 gymnasts are usually children who are emotionally immature. So, they may face difficulty in going ahead to the next level. They may feel scared as they have to perform difficult skills. Seniors, coaches, and elders must cheer up the kids and motivate them to practice more. Support them in boosting their confidence and teach them how to handle and master harder skills.

A suggestion to the parents of the gymnasts:

Whenever a coach thinks that your kid is ready to move up to the next level that is Level 3, then only your child can progress to the further stages. If the coach thinks that your little gymnast needs more practice and time to master certain skills, then don’t panic or scold your child. Kids are developing physically, mentally, and emotionally. They are seeing new things, learning new things, and experiencing new things. Their body may not have the required strength needed to perform certain skills. Their muscles and bones are getting stronger gradually. It will take time. 

Confidence is another thing that a child may lack. Again, some kids may remain always cheerful and confident. You must not compare your child with others. Every kid is unique and has a distinct learning capacity. Give them the required time and let them learn at their own pace. 

Moreover, if a gymnast repeats a level, that doesn’t mean that he or she won’t be able to pass it in the future. It signifies that the kid needs more practice, coaching, and time to get hold of certain skills. They have to work harder on mental and physical skills. 

Conclusion:

 Check if your kid is feeling overwhelmed. Otherwise, his or her level of motivation may drop. Start small and let them build over time. Start with a few classes per week instead of pressurizing your child to perform the tough skills every day and evening. Your Level 2 gymnasts are kids and you have to keep their interest on top so that they do their practice on their own. 

Always keep it fun and do not think that gymnastics classes are everything in your child’s life. Let your baby enjoy what he or she is doing. Help the little gymnast make friends with other fellow gymnasts. Kids love doing things with friends and together they can achieve their level of mastery over the skills required in Level 2. Don’t forget that safety comes first.

Is karate effective in a real fight | Is it good for self-defense?

By

Nothing is more harmful to the world than a martial art that is not effective in actual self-defense.

– Choki Motobu (Founder of Motobu-Ryu Kempo and notorious or celebrated Okinawan Karate street-fighter)

Karate, a word that came from the combination of two Kanji or Chinese characters, signifies ‘Kara’ expressing ‘empty’, and ‘te’ expressing ‘hand’. Jointly, Karate means ‘empty hand’. It is usually added to a suffix ‘do’ which is pronounced as ‘daw’. ‘Do’ means ‘the way/path’. Hence, the ‘karate-do’ elucidates karate as a complete way of life or discipline that goes beyond self-defense techniques and applications.

Is karate effective in a real fight?

First thing first, you must know that nowadays, people are more concerned about learning karate than earlier in the ’70s and ’80s. Karate can give you endless benefits mentally, physically, and spiritually. The techniques you can learn from Karate will enable you to develop maximum fitness. It is useful for all ages and anyone can learn karate irrespective of age, gender, and physical capability. 

Type of KarateOriginCreation of Each StylePurpose
OkinawanRyukyu Kingdom (Okinawa)14 centurySelf-defense
JapaneseMainland Japan20th centuryPhysical education and social education
SportsJapan, America, and Europe20th centurySports competition

Source: Inspired from https://www.thekaratelifestyle.com/

Can you use karate in real life situation and save yourself?

Of course, you can. Karate is very effective in a real fight. We are not talking about the sports karate where tons of rules have been erected and full contact fighting is not allowed. Rather, it is the orthodox karate or full contact karate that prepares a learner for sustaining and saving himself or herself in a real-life situation where real fighting takes place. It doesn’t mean that you have to kill the attackers. Instead, you can strike or block or perform the right self-defense moves and get out of that dangerous situation without hurting yourself. 

Pressure points:

is karate effective in a real fight
Source: http://howtostreetfight-a.blogspot.com/

Origin of Karate:

Karate arrives from China. Mainly, it was emerged in three Okinawan villages namely Naha, Shuri and Tomari. In each village, a distinct style of Karate is developed. For example- From Naha village, Naha-te has come up; from Shuri village, Shurite is developed; and from Tomari village, Tomari-te is evolved. The early form of karate is highly influenced by Kung Fu, ancient Chinese martial arts.

Latest dominant styles of karate:

Currently, four styles of Karate are pre dominant and those are:

  • Goju-Ryu
  • Shito-Ryu
  • Shotokan
  • Wado-Ryu

Apart from these four main styles, there are multiple styles of Karate, each deals with distinct positions, weapons, groundwork, locks, techniques, throws, and internal energy.

If you train regularly, you will learn all the exclusive techniques that can efficiently save your life in adverse situations where real goons are present. Karate makes you prepared for defending yourself and your loved ones from aggressors by bestowing you the right senses to reach promptly and effectively in life-threatening situations. 

The lessons in class can be easily applied in real life. Along with learning the ways to defend against a sudden attack anywhere, you will learn specific strategies and attitudes to avoid worst scenarios. 

Karate provides you with the practical knowledge of punching, kicking, blocking, throwing, and evading techniques that are enough to transform your body into a deadly weapon. 

Can Karate be considered a civilian martial art?

Yes, Karate is considered a civilian art directed towards self-defense. An Okinawan Karate master named Anko Itosu explained the goal of traditional Karate. He said, “Karate is not intended to be used against a trained opponent but as a way to protecting yourself by using the hands and feet if assaulted by a villain or ruffian.”

See the common injuries that can happen in martial art. Proper strikes can cause injuries to the attackers.     

most common types of martial arts injuries
Source: https://www.bookmartialarts.com/

Karate is basically not meant to be used in a ring. It is about protecting yourself through the proper use of your hands and feet when attacked by a rogue. The primary objective of Karate is to survive a fight or a face-off. Your main aim is to remove yourself from the oppressive encounter. There is no need to eliminate the attacker or aggressor. But, in a few cases, attackers got severely injured and even killed by trained karatekas in typical situations. Karate is extremely effective for self-defense. 

Hence, the prompt answer of the question, “Is karate good for self defense?” is “Yes.”

You can punch or kick the opponent and run away from the spot to save yourself. 

Top 5 martial arts in the world at present:

Most popular martial arts in the world graph

Karate improves confidence to a great extent:

If you know the right techniques of kicking, punching, throwing, locking, etc., it will give you immense confidence to you because you know that you possess the abilities to defend yourself and your family or friends. Confidence makes you a stronger and better person. Moreover, the discipline you learn from karate, the attitude, the mental stability, calmness, patience, taking decisions at the exact time, staying away from anxiety, focusing, etc. can be used in daily life at the home, office, school, college, and every activity. 

You must remember that Karate is neither a combat sport nor a gymnastic. Karate is purely a martial art that focuses on personal protection.  The crux of Okinawan Karate is effective in real-life. In fact, this martial art is very near to modern military close combat fights which are simple, practical, and deadly.

Karate promotes a lifestyle:

is karate effective in a real fight
Source: http://shotokankarateschool.in/

Apart from being a self-defense based martial art, Karate nurtures holistic and spiritual aspects of both Japanese and Chinese martial arts. Traditional karate has a purpose and that is to develop a well-balanced body and mind. Students who join Karate dojo (martial art training place) practice Hojo undo (breathing and conditioning exercises), kata (a form that refers to detailed choreographed movements that can be practiced alone or in a group), Kiko (energy circulation exercises), mokuso (meditation), along with fighting movements like a punch, block, kick, grab, throw, etc. 

List of self-defense techniques that you can use anywhere if needed:

Ready Stance
Defensive walking
Defensive stance
Defensive turn
Stalking stance
Carotid sleeper hold
Passing
Blocks:
Left
Right
Up
Down
Forward
Weapon retrieval
Upper Extremity Strikes:
Elbow strike to face
Thumb strike to eyes
Fingers to eyes
Palm or heel strike to face, groin and xiphoid process
Lower extremity strikes:
Knee to groin
Knee to thigh
Instep kick

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221871167_Martial_Arts_Time_Needed_for_Training

To understand: ‘Is karate good for fighting?,’ you have to know the actuality of self-defense.

First, you must know that combat and self-defense are different. The effectiveness of karate is directly related to the way of training. For example, if you keep on punching and kicking with screaming, it is surely not going to teach you the needed applicability. Again, the wrong posture can cause harm to your body. 

You have to learn so many things together from your Sensei (Karate master). Like, you need to practice the proper way of striking, exercise your attacks, and counters’ timing. If you practice with a partner, you can learn the timing, and the way to make a distance from the opponent, and get close to the opponent. For applying karate in real life, you have to spar during practice.

Any style of martial art can be effective on street and on the ring provided that you practice the style religiously giving importance to the ring or street scenarios. 

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer sports karate or recreational karate. You have to learn the real-life application of the moves and stances you learn. You have to ask questions to your sensei about the choreography of the katas, the proper way of striking your opponent, timing, speed, which move to apply and when, etc. 

You must learn to defend yourself against weapons:

Today’s villains may not come empty-handed to attack you. Most of them remain armed with a knife, rope, gun, etc. Many people have to get admitted to hospitals with deep knife injury or gun attack or rope choke, etc. In your dojo, a knowledgeable sensei will teach you how to use nunchuck, knife, stick, sword, etc. along with the defense methods against those weapons. You must be ready to face a life-threatening attack with a knife, or a bat, or anything lethal in real life. You must know how to tackle those situations and save yourself from the deadly weapons. 

Which weapons are commonly used for attacking:

  • Knives
  • Broken bottles
  • Pens (Yes, a pen can be used as a deadly weapon)
  • Bat
  • Scissors
  • Hammers
  • Wrenches
  • Crowbars
  • Sticks
  • Guns (in some cases)

Using Kata in self-defense:

Instead of considering ‘kata’ as a whole, you must look upon it as a series of self-defense. One single Kata is comprised of many techniques that are extremely effective in real fighting if applied in the right manner. 

Also, you must learn bunkai (applications of kata). Follow this process:

  • Study a movement
  • Do analysis
  • Disassemble it
  • Learn

Once a kata has been learned, it must be practiced repeatedly until it can be applied in an emergency, for knowledge of just the sequence of a form in Karate is useless.

Gichin Funakoshi

By exploring the various facets of kata, you will learn that Karate is a complete, practical, and the most effective self-defense system.

Conclusion:

Karate is concentrated mainly on solid stances, strength, and power. Karate provides equal time to both hand and foot techniques. The philosophy of karate is “My hands are closer to all targets and are faster.” You can learn systematic redirecting as well as dodging punches and kicks. The focus is on street self-defense and things that work best in close fighting. Hence, in simple terms, if you are seeking practical fights that you may need in real life on the streets or anywhere else, choose Karate as your martial art. 

Level 1 gymnastics requirements | Age, Skills & Routines

By

If you are in favor of an all-encompassing exercise program, then Gymnastics is the ideal one. It embraces speed, strength, coordination, power, balance, and flexibility. You can develop great skills and optimum perseverance through gymnastics. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn is known as the ‘father of gymnastics’. Gymnastics starts from Level 1 and goes up to several Levels. Gymnastics lays immense importance on the life of children.

You must be wishing to know Level 1 gymnastics requirements. But before, going in-depth, you should know what the right age is to start gymnastics.

The right age to start gymnastics:

The best part of gymnastics is there are no rigid rules related to the starting age for gymnastics. Some institutions offer sessions for infants who are young as 18 months, whereas, some organizations take admission of kids who are 8 years and beyond. Again, many kids begin when they reach teenage and continue through college and beyond.

Though you can find gymnastics classes in reputed institutions for children who are only 2 years of age, professional coaches suggest the parents wait until the babies reach 5 or 6 years of age. For kids who are younger in age, the introductory gymnastics classes must focus on awareness of body development and love for a particular sport. 

As a parent, you must accompany your kids to the classes and encourage them to climb, jump, crawl, etc. as interacted by the trainers. Remember, children must be supervised in a very gentle way as they are extremely tender. If they are as young as 2 or 3 years old, be careful as their bones are not strong and injuries can be fatal. Younger kids must develop self-confidence and physical coordination but with care. 

Tumbling classes: Level 1 gymnastics requirements

Tumbling classes are appropriate for children of 3 to 5 years of age. These sessions are physically more demanding. The introduction of basic skills like cartwheels, somersaults, backward rolls, etc., takes place. Moreover, balancing activities on low beams are taught. When the kids master these activities, they are introduced to the introductory classes. Usually, the kids reach approximately 6 years of age during this time.  

What are the other sports that can prepare kids for beginning gymnastics classes?

  • Ballet
  • Soccer
  • Dance
  • Baseball

These sports and activities really help children to develop the same balance, hand-eye coordination, and other agility skills as gymnastics.

Children who are older can start gymnastics. But, you have to be aware that the longer a child will wait, the tougher it will be for him or her to compete with other kids who have started training since they were toddlers. But, nothing firm can be said as the famous Brazilian world champion named Daiane dos Santos was 12 years old when she started practicing gymnastics. Perfection depends on regular practice, devotion, patience, intention to learn new things, ability and will power to bear the pain, never give up mentality, and most importantly, believing in self.

What are the potential risks that are associated with gymnastics?

Sports that involve physical activities associate potential risks. Many incidents are imminent where gymnasts got heavily injured. Proper precaution and care are needed to practice safely. Be it a matter of children or adults, every gymnast must be very careful while practicing or competing. 

A veteran coach named Rick McCharles who was associated with Altadore Gymnastics Club in Calgary, Canada quoted, “The risk of starting advanced gymnastics at a young age is potential burnout as a pre-teen.”

Serious training of gymnastics can have certain health consequences for the gymnasts. In the case of girl gymnasts, problems with the menstrual cycle are common if they train very hard. There can be a life-long injury. But, if your kids have passion, then they can certainly overcome the fear of injury and continue with gymnastics.

What are the required skills in Level 1 gymnastics?

level 1 gymnastics requirements
Source: Inspired from https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi

Vault Requirements:

The gymnasts in Level 1 don’t use the vaulting table in actual. The kids perform a straight jump onto an 8 inches high gymnastics mat. Also, they kick to handstand and finally fall to flat back.

Following are the Level 1 gymnastics requirements 

Bar Requirements:

  • Pullover: The gymnast does a pullover in which he or she pulls his/her legs totally around a bar.
  • Cast: The gymnast starts in front support by placing his/her hips at the bar, and then pushes the hips off the specific bar by driving his/her legs behind his or her.
  • Back hip circle: Here, the gymnast initiates with a cast. Then, he/she returns to the specific bar. Next, the gymnast rolls his or her body backward around that bar. 
  • Underwing dismount or Sole-Circle dismount: After the previous steps, the gymnast pushes off a cast to dismount. The pushing serves as a way to dismount.

Beam requirements:

  • Jumping to front support mount
  • Arabesque (30 degrees)
  • Lever
  • Stretch jumping
  • Cartwheel (3/4 handstand dismount)

Here, a gymnast learns how to mount a beam. Here, he or she jumps to front support with the specific beam at his or her hips. Also, a gymnast learns to dismount with a stretch jump. He or she stretches his/her body up while jumping. The gymnast’s arms are raised above the head. 

At this level, a gymnast learns how to tuck sit with knees at the chest. The individuals also perform coupe walks and candlestick on the beams. Added, they do relieve walk. To do this, they have to walk on toes keeping the arms outstretched above the head. 

At the final stage, the gymnast has to hold an arabesque or scale by standing on a single foot at the time of leaning forward, and the individual has to extend the other leg behind him or her and simultaneously outstretch the hands at the sides.

Floor requirements:

  • 3/4 handstand
  • Backward and forward rolls
  • Cartwheel
  • Split jump (leg separation of 30 degrees)

Here, the gymnast has to do a candlestick. This activity needs resting on the back of shoulders, and keeping the legs together with feet pointed towards the ceiling. The kids also do leg swings and tuck jumps. They bring their knees to their chest. Coupe walks are also added. Here, the gymnasts walk on their toes by bringing the toes of one foot to the opposite foot’s ankle. 

Let’s check the considerations:

The skill requirements are adjusted at regular intervals. But, the skills of Level 1 usually remain the same. The young kids are introduced to Level 1 skills in classes where they learn basic body positions and forms, and after the fundamentals, they can move on to the core Level 1 at age 4. The boys are taught rolling, cartwheels, handstands, bridges, and headstands on the floor. They also get introduced to skills of equal status on rings, parallel bars, horizontal bars, horse, and vault. 

What will your kids get from gymnastics?

Is gymnastics just a sport? Does gymnastics contribute to the overall growth and development of the children?

We can go on and on describing the benefits of gymnastics in the life of a child. But, we have presented the most important ones in this piece of article.

I would hope I would inspire kids everywhere to know that you can do anything you put your mind to.

Simone Biles

Gymnastics is extremely good for physical health:

Regular practice of various activities involved in gymnastics provides benefits to children of any age. For example, they develop optimum physical coordination. Again, they can maintain excellent health that prevents heart disease in the long run. Age-related issues like bone loss usually don’t happen to a gymnast.

Gymnastics helps in building confidence:

Gymnastics involves extreme levels of physical activities that ordinary people can’t. The sense of accomplishment that the gymnasts achieve from mastering the specific activities builds super confidence and self-esteem. They learn to handle various challenges in proper methods and reach their goals. Again, the activities involve fear and kids learn how to overcome fear with a smile.

Gymnastics helps in building accurate coordination of body and mind:

The kids gain strong spatial awareness. Gymnasts don’t get startled by any sudden imbalance. They acquire the right reflexes and can use them in difficult situations in normal everyday life.

Gymnastics builds a solid foundation for athletics:

Gymnastics concentrates on various aspects of sports including psychological, physical, etc. Along with building strength and flexibility, it bestows mental toughness that is extremely necessary for life.

Gymnastics makes a child disciplined:

Discipline is required in every sport, and gymnastics stand on discipline. Kids have to practice daily, maintain proper timing, speed, and focus. Otherwise, accidents can happen. Through gymnastics, a child learns how to do hard work, respect time, be dedicated to working, and focus on each step.

Gymnastics develops sportsmanship in children:

Gymnastics involves group learning along with individual lessons. It helps in developing positive relationships and sportsmanship in children and makes them learn to support each other and cheer. The kids also get to learn about healthy competition. It leverages their social skills as they interact with other kids and adults with certain expertise.

Gymnastics assists in setting goals:

Any athletic ability takes time to develop. The kids learn to set little goals and reach each of them to progress to the next level which involves tougher activities. They get to know how to work continuously to achieve targets and manage stress in the process. They can stay calm during extreme pressure which is very helpful in real life.

Conclusion:

Gymnastics involves various fun activities that entertain the kids when they learn together with their peers. Regular classes boost endorphins release which keeps their spirits high and they remain in a good mood. Doctors often suggest gymnastics for autistic children as it is a great medium to socialize and play. Let your kids do the jumping, flipping, swinging, tumbling, and others. Raise a confident, determined, and talented child who has excellent communication skills developed from gymnastics.

How many players are there on a volleyball team?

By

If you are someone vaguely interested in playing volleyball, you might want to know about how many players are there on a volleyball team? and the rules on indoor volleyball teams. Before jumping into the number of players and playing positions, knowing a little information about this sport could be interesting for you! 

During World War I, volleyball quickly gained popularity and spread across the world by American troops. People started enjoying the game, as it boosted their body and team spirit. 

Volleyball is a versatile sport played vigorously, competitive, and hard-hitting by two teams in a rectangular court, divided by a net. The main objective of the sport is to make the ball touch the ground in the opponent’s courtside, in a back-and-forth of the ball over the net.

Volleyball has progressed a lot over these years and modified to be played both outdoors and indoors. The Game environment is constructed in such a way that the players are at ease whilst playing the game. 

How many players are there on a volleyball team?

Each volleyball team has six players on the court and six more substitute players seated outside the free zone.

Players are positioned in three players at the front row and three players in the back row. One of the players will be captain of the team and one of them is Libero. The Libero is a defending specialist and cannot move the frontcourt or serve the ball, wear a different color jersey from the rest of the team players.

The team is organized with a setter, two receiver hitter, two center blockers, and a universal spiker.

The first serve and the choosing the side of the court is determined by the winner of a coin toss. The play is started with service, the ball is hit by a server aver net to the opponents and the team has three hits in addition to the block contact for returning the ball.

The rally continues until the ball hits the ground, the opponent team gets a score point. The team which gains the score has the right to serve for the next play of the ball, and its players rotate one position clockwise.

The usual pattern of passing a ball is a 

  • Dig – passing the ball with an underarm made with forearms
  • Set- overhead pass made with hands
  • Spike- attacking overhead shot.

Who can block the ball?

Only three players at the net positions in the rotation can jump and block or spike the ball. The backcourt players can hit the ball over the net from behind the three-meter line or attack line, which divides the front and back zone.

A player who starts rotation in the backcourt is not allowed to block the ball, or even not to touch the ball. If it happens so, it is considered a violation of the game rules. 

How does the ball move between the serving and receiving team players in a rally?

The Ball moves in between the teams, with the planned positions and calculative throws of the volleyball players of the team. 

In world champions and Olympics games, players of both teams can participate in a six to ten minutes warm-up session, to be adopted in the playing environment.

An extreme right position player in the backcourt of the team must serve (service) or put the ball in play as per toss. If service is at fault, the opponent or receiving team gets a chance to serve.

After the service, the ball should reach the opponent team without touching any player of the serving team. A receiving team can hit the ball three times successively, the fourth hit must be an attack hit and send the ball back to the serving team zone. The ball moves forth-and-back in the air until it touches the floor or any player commits a fault.

If the service ball is on the opposite side, the team gets points and the server gets a chance to serve again. If a team commits a fault, the opposite side gets a point and gets a chance to serve. 

If the serving team loses the ball on the ground, the opponent gets a point and a chance to serve after the clockwise rotation in the specified order.

If a team scores 25 points, it’s a win and must lead at least 2 points from the opponent team. If the lead is less than 2 points, the game will be continued until it reaches the wide lead. 

Right environment to play volleyball: 

The Sport Volleyball is played in a rectangular court that is divided into two halves with a net between two poles. The two poles are fixed on either side of the court outside. 

Court design – The optimum size of the rectangular court is 18 × 9 meters. The court surface can be a wooden or synthetic floor neither slippery nor rough to avoid injuries. The court is divided into 9 × 9 meters two similar squares by a centerline.

Free zone – The playing court is surrounded by a 3m free zone on all sides.

Front zone – The front zone is drawn 3 meters away from the centerline on both sides.

Service zone – The service zone is 9 meters wide behind the end line, players will have to serve the ball from this zone to the opponent’s court.

Substitution zone – This zone lies between the attack line and the scorer’s table.

Libero replacement Zone – The zone lies between the extended attack line and the end line, and is a part of the free zone.

Volleyball equipment used in practice: 

Net 

  • The Net must be 1 meter long and 9.5 to 10 meter wide. It is tied at the centerline of the court with two poles/ poles fixed outside the court.
  • The center should be above 2.43 meters above the ground for men. For women, it must lie above 2.24 meters.
  • The court width is marked on the net, it helps the referee to know whether the ball hits inside the court or outside.

Ball 

  • Volleyball is a 65-67 cm circumference spherical ball. 
  • The Ball weight is 260-280 grams, generally made of synthetic material or leather with different colors.

Players are dressed uniformly in jerseys, shorts, sports shoes, and socks.

Types Of Volleyball Games Played: 

 Beach Volleyball, Snow Volleyball, Sitting Volleyball, Shooting volleyball, Aquatic Volleyball, and other volleyball variants to improve fitness and more fun.

Different variants of Volleyball are being played in different environments. Based on the environment, and game type – the number of volleyball players in the team differ.  Beach, Snow and shooting Volleyball are classic outdoor games while many other variants are played indoor. 

All the indoor played volleyball games require 6 volleyball players on both the sides. Outdoor played volleyball games are familiarly played by the doubles. 

Volleyball Rules

  • The ball should not cross the end lines and sidelines in play, and the ball should stay between the antennae at the net.
  • If the receiving team two players hit the ball at the same time, it considers two hits.
  • In world champions, matches are played of three sets. The first and second matches will be played to 21 (up to 25 point cap) rally points. The third game will have to be played to 15 rally scoring (up to 17 point cap).
  • When the ball is in play, players should not cross the centerline, sometimes their hands can touch on the opponent’s side while blocking but their feet should be in their court area.
  • Volleyball Players in the team should never touch get in the way of blocking or disturbing opponents’ play. But the ball can be touched or struck in the net, it can be brought back for play.
  • Within 8 seconds after the referee whistles, the serve player shield serves the ball.
  • To deliver an attack hit, the front-court player should be in their playing space, but the back-court player should deliver an attack hit away from the front positions and after the hit, they may reach front space.
  • If the ball is still higher than the net, a receiving team never attempts to deliver a hit from the frontcourt zone.
  • The backcourt players have the rights to block the ball, and the Libero cannot block or serve the block.
  • Just after service, the ball cannot be blocked. But the served ball can touch the net. The opponent team will get a chance to serve, in case of service fault.
  • Players can only hit the ball, and cannot catch and throw it.
  • If the ball lands on the line, it will be considered as in and points will be awarded.
  • A block is not counted as one of the three hits per rally.
  • If the ball touches the poles, it is considered as out.
  • The server should stay in the service zone or behind the service area until the ball is served. A jump serve must jump behind the service line and can land front after striking the ball to the opponent.
  • If players don’t like the toss, the server cannot throw up and catch the ball. They can throw up and make the ball touch the ground if they don’t like a toss. The server will get one to retry per point.
  • The last deciding set first serves team will be determined by a toss.

A Volleyball game can be either exciting or boring depending on the efficiency of the Volleyball Team Players. The Count is important, but what is more important – is the strength of the Volleyball team.

Can you play basketball on grass | Pro’s & Con’s with Alternatives

By

Basketball is a game loved by most of the kids who want to jump, run, dribble, be with friends, aim towards a goal, and be happy. The majority of school and college campuses have basketball or multi-sports ground/court. But the problem is during the present pandemic time, the school, college, and other outdoor sports institutions have kept their grounds closed or partially open and parents are also not letting their kids go outside and play. But, that can’t stop an individual from playing basketball, especially, if there is an existence of a patch of land, lawn, backyard, or garden attached to the home. Many prefer playing basketball on grass.

Can you play basketball on grass?

Often, people think that placing simple tiles over the natural grass existing on the lawn will suffice. Again, many of you tend to skip the foundation completely and draw lines over the grass with paint while placing poles for basketball hoops in the grass. 

But, experts say that though you can play basketball on a field full of natural grass yet it is not a very practicable and workable idea. It is because grass or dirt may not be sufficiently dense for basketball dribbling. Dribbling is very essential for this game. The player won’t get the perfect bounce that concrete or wooden court can give. Hence, playing on raw grass or making a basketball court on grass may not be a great idea. 

Effectiveness of playing basketball on grass: 

If you are a basketball player and need to practice it daily, you can use your home’s backyard for the purpose. It will help you to become an expert. We will tell you how.

  • Grass can absorb energy. Hence, the player, that is, you have to pound the ball really well so that it can bounce high for effective dribbling. You can develop your dribbling technique and create a tough situation for your opponents.  
  • The strength and endurance of your muscles will be improved.
  • A surface with grass is not even. So, the basketball will bounce in unpredictable directions. It will let you acquire skills and knowledge of getting adapted to unpredictable bounces. Hence, you can produce better control while dribbling. 
  • A nice sunny morning or a mild afternoon on natural grass gives you mental calmness, peace and you will get a good reason to be outside amidst nature for a certain time.

Benefits you can get by playing basketball on grass?

There are many that you will love to know. It will inspire you to make your basketball court on grass for daily practicing and enjoying with family and friends. 

Natural Grass court is easy to maintain:

Natural grounds full of grass are self-repairing. You don’t need to call experts to fix the damaged area. Natural grass will grow on their own without much care and is cost-effective. You just have to do mowing, use fertilizer, and use grass seeds for keeping your lawn or garden naturally beautiful.

Cleaning natural grass lawn is very simple:

A grass lawn automatically recycles various things such as leaves, scattered food, and drinks, saliva, paper, etc. Maintaining a lawn full of grass is less taxing in comparison to artificial surfaces. 

Natural environment is best for health:

Grass gives you a cooler surface to play basketball compared to concrete, artificial turf, or asphalt. Grass absorbs carbon dioxide, produces oxygen, and improves air quality. Most importantly, grass has the natural ability to absorb rainfall and filter it. It helps in improving groundwater and lowers soil erosion.

You can have an excellent mood:

Nothing can compare with the smell of freshly cut grass. You will be in a good mood if your lawn looks pleasant with green grass. Walking and playing on natural soft grass makes you feel well. 

Best experience as a basketball player:

You will get excellent traction while playing on natural grass. You will less likely to suffer from injuries as the soft cushiony grass and soil will give the needed protection if you fall suddenly. The impact laid on your knee during basketball playing will be lessened due to the layers of resilient grass.

Related Read: How do basketball players grow so tall | Can basketball make you taller?

With every pros, there always come certain cons. 

Disadvantages of Natural grass lawn or backyard:

  • The natural grass lawn needs timely maintenance. You have to know about mowing, watering, fertilizing, etc. Otherwise, you have to call an expert who has knowledge of maintaining a beautiful land filled with grass. The second option is costly. Also, getting a damaged lawn back in shape needs more time than an artificial lawn.
  • You have to use pesticides to keep the grass in good condition away from flies and insects which is not eco-friendly.
  • Kids and pets can leave a muddy and discolored basketball court due to the presence of natural soil, water, and dirt. It will take much effort to get back the backyard as it was before overuse.

To avoid the disadvantages of natural grass lawn or backyard, you can use artificial grass and make your basketball court good-looking, durable, and slip-resistant. 

Playing basketball on artificial grass:

It is a trend to use artificial grass to make a sports field as it is known to be environmentally friendly due to low carbon emission. In fact, a basketball court made with artificial grass has shock absorption capability. The non-slip design with zero cracks craves attention. Moreover, the installation process is extremely easy and the maintenance requirement is typically low. To answer the question regarding how to play basketball on grass or backyard, you can truly rely on superior quality artificial grass for high field performance. 

In fact, there is no need to change or bring alteration to the rules of playing basketball. Rather, a basketball court on grass that is artificial gives you the chance to enjoy the feel of cushiony grass mingling with the similar convenience of a concrete basketball court minus the demerits of an organic lawn containing soil, dirt, and original grass. 

Strengths of artificial turf for playing basketball:

Environmentally more friendly:

Turf requires water to remain at its best condition, but the amount of water is considerably less in comparison to a natural grass lawn. As per Act Global, people can save approximately 2,200 gallons of water every year for each square meter of natural grass replaced with turf. 

Not only this, turf doesn’t need any fertilizer or pesticide for being in the best condition. After all, these harmful chemicals lead to water pollution that is an alarmingly growing concern of today. Also, artificial basketball courts have no fear of producing poisonous emissions led by industry-grade mowers and other equipment. 

You will undoubtedly get the best return on investment:

Synthetic turf is much more affordable than natural grass court and it gives a higher return on investment. Act Global says that synthetic turf involves three times less cost of maintenance as well as installation per event than a natural grass field over a period of 20 years. 

Artificial grass is versatile and long lasting:

Natural grass gets deteriorated due to its organic nature if used more than 20 to 24 hours every week. Whereas, you can use turf for approximately 3,000 hours per year that makes it more than three times versatile than natural organic grass. Also, if you live in an urban area, artificial grass is best for your basketball court. 

Additionally, turf works great in zones where drought is common. Your basketball court on grass that is not real will tolerate any extreme weather like heat or cold with ease, whereas natural grass dies in very cold or hot climates. 

Artificial grass is safe and good for performance:

There is no problem in the performance of basketball on synthetic turf if the quality of the turf is good. 

Advice: Never use low quality artificial turf for creating your own basketball court. Stay away from the risk of injuries by slipping and falling, and frequent maintenance which low-quality turf can demand. 

Can you use alternatives for creating a solid basketball court in your backyard?

The answer is ‘Yes’. 

Concrete:

When it comes to professional basketball courts, concrete is regarded as the first choice. It is extremely long-lasting and delivers the best performance. A typical concrete pad concerning your backyard basketball court usually contains a 4″ pad and steel-reinforced rebar along with saw cut expansion joints. You must be sure that the concrete used is level and contains a minimum slope.

Asphalt:

 Another alternative is asphalt. It is less expensive than concrete. Installation is very easy. It works well in those places where there is no chance of large tree roots growing under the basketball court. Again, you have to be sure that the asphalt used to build the court is level and has a minimum slope.

Compacted stone:

Apart from building your personal basketball court on grass, you can use compacted stone. It is the most affordable option of all. But, it needs periodic maintenance like backfilling and re-compacting. A compacted stone basketball court is very beneficial if your lawn or backyard has impervious cover restriction and limited access. It also creates zero problems if you need to remove the court at some point in time. Use timbers for preventing erosion. Also, place a superior quality landscape fabric or geotextile over the finished base for restricting weed growing. Furthermore, it stops dust from coming up.

There are certain risks or cons that are associated with concrete or asphalt court:

Jumper’s knee:

If you continue playing basketball on a concrete or asphalt court, the risk of injuries is there. Certain conditions like ‘jumper’s knee’, also called ‘patellar tendinitis’ can occur. Playing on hard concrete or asphalt lays repetitive stress on quadriceps or patella. So, you will suffer from excessive pain at your knee’s frontal part and inflammation or degeneration of the patella tendon.

Sprains:

If you play basketball on solid concrete or asphalt, you will experience extreme traction. It will increase the likelihood of knee sprains, turf toe, ankle sprain, etc. So, you may have to discontinue playing basketball and can suffer from walking difficulty.

Guiding you on building your personalized basketball court on grass:

At the very beginning, you have to decide if you want a full-sized court or a half-sized court. It will totally depend on the size of your backyard. In case you want a court as per NBA or NCAA regulation, then that size must be 94ft x 50ft. The court in high school measures 85 ft.  The backyard of your home should have ample space to fit either of these sizes. 

If the question concerns how to play basketball on grass or backyard, the main thing to consider is building a basketball court on the grass. So, you have to purchase certain materials like flooring things, hoops, and court stencil kits like spray paint and masking tape which are needed for creating the lines on the court.

You can purchase specialized tiles that come with painted lines and edges. It will save you from the hurdle of painting lines on the court. These tiles are considered comfortable for the knees. Also, your basketball court will appear more professional. 

Conclusion: 

Playing basketball on grass is extremely advantageous for a healthy lifestyle. Installing a basketball court on the grass in the backyard will help the entire family spend quality time together actively. If you choose an artificial grass court, opt for the best quality with a patented interlocking system. Check if the court is being constructed using ¾” shock-absorbing tiles. It will lower muscle fatigue and you can practice for a longer time. 

Customize your basketball court. Grass courts are at least 50% cooler than concrete and asphalt courts. With efficient practicing, you can improve your capability as a player. Grass courts need less maintenance and look natural complimenting your house.