What Are The Benefits Of Being A Gymnast?

Finding a sport or an activity for your child or yourself to participate in can be stressful and hard. Sometimes trying a handful of different things can be very time consuming, and expensive.

I, 100 percent support doing what you can to find that right activity for yourself or for your child, but after trial and error your child or yourself can become exhausted and discouraged.

There is something we have to remember. We are not going to be amazingly good at everything we try. We were each born with different talents and interests. Please know that it is OK to not be perfect at everything and that there is something out there that you were meant to be a part of.

Just like everything else, gymnastics is not for everyone. Just because gymnastics is not for everyone does not mean you shouldn’t give it a try. Local Recreational Centers and gyms hold classes for those who want to try gymnastics to see what it is all about. Gymnastics is a very fun sport, and I guarantee as long as you follow directions to prevent injury, you will enjoy it!

You or your child can participate in recreational classes to get a feel for gymnastics and the more you go, the more you’ll understand the sport to see if it is the right fit for you or your child.

If you or your child are thinking about joining a gymnastics team or gym, please keep reading this post to get some ideas and read some of the benefits when it comes to being a gymnast!

Flexibility and Strength

Oh yes. You or your child will become the strongest person on the block! Gymnastics is a completely full-body workout. You will develop muscles within your body that you didn’t even know that you had! Literally, your muscles will have muscles and I am not even joking!

Gymnastics teaches balance as well. You or your child will learn a lot about the body and how incredible it can be and what amazing things it can do. Stretching is what will really teach you or your child strength and flexibility.

Stretching is the most important part of a workout because it helps prevent injury and muscle aches. Stretching also will help loosen the muscles to allow you to push your body a little further.

All Eyes on You

Gymnastics is a team sport, but it is also individual. I say this because you practice as a team and attend meets as a team, but you will compete individually. Each gymnast on a team will compete with his/her team cheering and supporting right behind him/her.

You or your child would be the only one on the beam, on the floor, on the vault, and on the bars. You may think this can be intimidating, but it really is not. Each gymnast gets their own chance to shine and show what they are made of!

Sparkly and Colorful Leos

If you or your child become a gymnast, the only thing you will be wearing are leotards! There is a gymnast within my family, and every single time I see her she is either wearing a leo, or is wearing clothing that has to do with gymnastics.

Gymnastics is a sport that calls for a lot of dedication and time. Sometimes gymnasts practice anywhere from four to six times a week, sometimes even twice a day! Practices can be lengthy too depending on what it is you or your child is working towards.

Gyms also participate in camps and clinics where professionals (even Olympians) come to the gym and work with you or your child. If you or your child decide to become a part of the gymnastics community, immediately substitute all your or your child’s clothes for leos because you or he/she will be living in them!

A cool thing about leos is that there are so many different kinds that it is possible to not have two-of-a-kind. If you or your child participate in charity meets (such as Pink Invitationals) or a camp/clinic, there are special leos that are required for your gymnast to wear.

These are special because you or your child can look back on these leos and remember what you or your child was a part of.

Traveling

Be prepared to travel, that’s for sure! When meet season arrives, you or your child (or both together) will be traveling all over the state, all over the country, and even all over the world!

Of course, it depends how serious you or your child are when it comes to gymnastics and what level you or your child may be, but traveling is something you and your child will be doing.

You will be traveling for meets, camps, and clinics. Throughout the year, the gyms and coaches want to expand their gymnasts’ knowledge and have different professionals teach their gymnasts different things. There are camps around the country that you will have to be invited to, but just know it is a big deal when that happens!

Confidence

Gymnastics sure does help build confidence. Like I mentioned under the “All Eyes on You” sub, you or your child will be competing individually. Gymnastics does not only work the body, but it works the mind as well. You or your child will have to learn to block the fact that people are watching you and will have to learn how to focus on you and what you are doing.

Gymnastics is not a stiff sport. When I say this I mean it is not like cheerleading where all of your movements have to be straight and angled. Gymnastics is an artistic sport and has skills in which your body will have to be loose for. It is a performance sport, obviously, therefore you or your child will have to become comfortable with your or your child’s own body.

The more you or your child practices, the more confidence you or your child will build. Gymnastics will definitely become second nature in no time, but it is important to keep the mind healthy so you or your child will have clear thoughts while performing!

Life Long Friends

Finding friends can be a little difficult because like I mentioned earlier in this post, everyone is different. People become friends because they spend a lot of time together, share interests and are just easy to get along with.

When it comes to gymnastics, gymnasts understand gymnasts. If you or your child talk gymnastics lingo to any Joe Shmoe they may think you are crazy! People who do not follow gymnastics or understand it cannot share the passion for it with you.

Because you or your child will be spending a lot of time at the gym, you or your child will get to know the other gymnasts on a more personal level. The other gymnasts will be learning the same skills, therefore, they will be very inspirational and motivational for you or your child’s own gymnastics journey.

I have seen countless times gymnasts helping other gymnasts complete a skill. I have also seen amazing sportsmanship and support from gymnasts to other gymnasts.

These are only a few benefits out of many when it comes to the perks of being a gymnast. Please feel free to comment below and include any questions, concerns, tips, experiences, advice or anything else that relates to this topic!