This week we are going to talk about Sportsmanship and the importance of playing fairly. We discuss the importance of supporting our team mates.

’ Sportsmanship”

Observing the rules and accepting victory or defeat without behaving boastfully or angrily.

definition from 40 years in the Gym

Climbing and hanging is a fantastic way to develop upper body and lower body strength. It helps develop cross patterning skill such as right and left co-ordination. Climbing assists in developing eye-hand co-ordination and eye-foot co-ordination. Climbing and hanging is great for fitness and develops body control and self confidence.

Tarzan Swings on rope
Monkey Bar ladder challenge

Learn to roll, jump and flip in style.
Impress your freinds with your new moves!

Looks like FUN!

It all begins with body tension.

Gymnasts spend hours refining posture ( basic shapes) the reason for this is that it allows a solid platform for which more complex and demanding skills can be developed. A well known shape like the push up position is done exceedingly well by kids younger than school age. In gymnastics we know that poor foundations may get us by for so long but sooner or later those very foundations will be our limiting factor. 

Good body tension is recognised by the untrained eye. Underdeveloped body tension can be seen in the push up shape where the tummy dips the legs are everywhere and it’s a struggle to stay up.

Body tension is learned and practiced it goes hand in hand with developing body awareness.

Try this exercise;

Stiff Man

Get a friend. One person lies down on the ground face up. Arms by your side and legs together.
The other person has to attempt to pull the legs appart (with 2 fingers) , then the arms away from the side.

Swap.

When you did that you developed body tension!