Gymnast doing planche on beam
Gymnastics Zone logo
Gymnast back handspring on beam
| Home | Team Gymnasts | Gymnasts | Men's | Gymnastic Coaches | Gymnastic Instructors|
| Preschool Instructors | Gym Parents | Non-Profit Gymnastic Organizations
| STRENGTH ZONE | Gym Owners/Gym Management | CHEER ZONE |
THE GYMNASTICS SHOPPER CATALOG
Gymnastic e-Books
Gymnastics Products
Cheer Products
Website Design/Hosting
Gym Design
Gym Consignment
Program
Consulting Services
Clinics
Overcome Fear
Team Fundraiser
Specials
SPECIALTY PAGES
Gymnastics e-Cards
AskTheCoach
Gymnastics Stories
Gymnastics Glossary
Joke of the Day
Horoscopes
Crossword Puzzles
Gymnastics 
ASCII Art
Gymnastics Artwork
Gymnast of the Month
Coloring Pages
Gymnastics Safety during Gymnastics Instruction 

Only Let Professional Coaches Spot You 
By the same token, you should only let qualified gymnastics professionals spot you on skills you cannot do and need help with.  You risk potentially serious injury by being spotted or coached by someone who is not qualified, knowledgeable, experienced or strong enough.

Learn How to Fall Safely
It is probably a good idea to learn or at least know how to fall safely from any specific skill you are going to attempt, especially new skills.  You also need to prepare yourself by learning how to fall on common types of skills.  Gymnastics instruction in learning to forward, backward and shoulder roll out of front, back and sideward over-rotated skills is necessary.  Practicing front and back drops (on a mat), including with the use of judo falls (slapping the hands to absorb the force of the fall) is another fall sequence to learn. 

Pay Attention
You need to be aware of what is going on around you in the gym if there are other gymnasts, especially bigger ones, around.  You need to be aware and pay attention to everything and everyone around you who might crash into you or land on you.  You also need to pay careful attention to your coach so you understand exactly what they expect of you  to learn efficiently and keep yourself safe.

Stop, Look And Listen.
Just like crossing a street, when you approach an equipment area, the floor exercise mat, tumbling strips or other mats and pieces of equipment, you need to stop and look both ways before you cross or enter to make sure you are not in the way or going to get landed on.

Build Your Strength to Increase Your Safety Margin
The stronger you are, the less likely you are to get hurt and the more likely you are to learn gymnastics skills quickly and safely.  Flexibility not lonely makes many skills more attractive (like back walkovers), but also can make you less prone to injury.  So prepare for your gymnastics by working to make yourself strong and flexible.

Check Equipment First
Make sure all equipment is set and sturdy before you begin to perform any skills on it.  Handles and cables need to be tight enough so the equipment is safe for you to be on.  Don’t assume the equipment is correctly set and tight.  Check it an make sure first.

Previous page of gymnastics articlePrevious Page    Continued Next Page Next page of gymnastics article
 
 
GymnasticsZone.com
321 West 13th Street Suite 4
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
(480) 264-1885
webmaster@GymnasticsZone.com
Copyright © GymnasticsZone, Inc. 2003

GYMNASTICS ARTICLES 
Gymnastics Safety
Gymnast Articles
Team Coaches
Tumbling Articles
Gymnastics Motivation
Parent Articles
Non-Profit Articles
Gym Management
History of Gymnastics
Archive Articles
SITE FEATURES
Search This Site
FREE Items
Mission  Statement
How to Contact Us
Suggestion Box
Copyright Info
Privacy Policy
Recommend This
Site To A Friend
Contribute an
Article, Picture,
Joke, Etc.
Payment Methods
Store Policies/
Guarantees
Sign Up for PayPal