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The Most Important Questions
Melanie Totten-Jonas
Jonas Gymnastics Academy

I believe the most important questions a gymnastics instructor should be able to answer at any time while teaching young gymnasts are:
1) Is the gymnastics equipment properly set up, and is the surrounding gymnastics area prepared for the safe performance of gymnastics skills?
2) Is the gymnast physically prepared to do the skill? (i.e. appropriate strength and flexibility)
3) Does the gymnast understand exactly what is expected of him or her in the performance of the skill?
4) Is the gymnast mentally prepared to do the skill?
5) Is the instructor properly prepared to teach the skill?
This includes: proper progressions of gymnastics skills and techniques, appropriate lesson plans, how to safely spot the gymnast, and how to adapt technique based on gymnast's size, shape, and physical ability.
6) Has the instructor received training and certification in CPR and first aid?

Preschool gymnastics classes usually have between six and eight members in the class. Beginner through advanced level classes usually have an eight (or ten) to one student to instructor ratios. Level 5, 6, and 7 team programs may have a twelve to one gymnast to coach ratio. Higher level team programs, level eight and higher, tend to drop in numbers because of the more intense instruction necessary at that level.

In the Beginning.....
Most class programs begin with a mass warm up, or the coach of each program takes his/her specific children and warms them up, then the class is broken down into the various levels and the rotation to training on the various pieces of gymnastics equipment begins. The purpose of the warm up is to prepare each child's body for the safe participation in the gymnastics activity. The use of appropriate warm up exercises and stretching gets the blood flowing throughout the body and prepares the muscles for activity.

This is also the time when most gym programs take attendance, get caught up with each of the kids by chatting with them during the warm up, and let them know what activities will be happening at the gym in the near future.

Presentation of Gymnastics Skills
Master Lesson: The most experienced coach of the group may take the whole class and teach a particular skill on a gymnastics event, after which he/she will break the class into groups to work with specific instructors to learn the skill. The master coach may change depending on the areas of specialty of each of the coaches working at the particular gym.
Class Rotation: The class may be broken into different groups and rotate through the gym spending a certain amount of time working on each apparatus and then rotating to the coach on the next event.
Group Rotations: In this case, the coach rotates with the group to each of the different pieces of gymnastics equipment.
Circuit Training: Specific skills and drills may be set up at each apparatus that a gymnast must do after working the main skill with the coach. Each of these drills and/or skills are designed to enhance the progress of the gymnast in one particular gymnastic skill or physical development area. What is the best method of training? Variety. Each of the different styles has its strengths and weaknesses. By changing teaching styles every so often you help keep the learning environment from becoming stale and boring.
End of Class/Warm Down: It is equally important at the end of the class to give the gymnasts a few moments to relax and stretch out their muscles and let their heart rates return to a more normal level. During this time the instructor can review what was learned that day as well as remind students of upcoming activities for the next class. Ending the class on an upbeat note with a game or fun activity is an excellent way to make sure each gymnast wants to come back for more classes.

Spotting
Melanie Totten-Jonas
Jonas Gymnastics Academy

Spotting is the art of maintaining a safe environment for the performance of a gymnastics skill. Using the hands or specialized equipment the instructor will guide a gymnast through the skill during the early learning phases, and for safety, sometimes long after the gymnast has perfected it.

There are three different types of manual spots:

1. The Carry Spot: When a gymnast is first learning a skill and has no idea where to place her hands or when to tuck, it will be your job to step in and physically pick her up and put her through the skill. When you use the carry spot, the gymnast can feel where her body should be and at what time she needs to begin the actions necessary to complete the gymnastics skill.

2. The Control Spot: Once a gymnast has been practicing a skill, but is still unsure of her ability to accomplish the trick safely, you can use the control spot. In this spot, you manipulate the gymnast's body only as much as is necessary for her to complete the skill safely.

3. The Safety Spot: During the safety spot you allow the gymnast to attempt the skill by herself, but stand close enough to spot just in case any assistance is necessary.

Most of the spots I have just described are done with hand spotting. The instructor uses his hands and the strength of his arms and body to safely catch and/or control the gymnast during the execution of a gymnastics skill.

Your ability to spot will play a large role in how many skills a gymnast is willing to learn, or for that matter even attempt. You only have to drop someone once. After landing in a nose pose a gymnast might say, "Holy cheeseburgers, that hurts!" Convincing the gymnast to go for the skill again may be difficult at this point.

Gymnasts know which instructors are good spotters. They will instinctively shy away from someone they don't feel safe with. The instructor-gymnast relationship has to be very strong and trusting for a gymnast to attempt advanced skills on any of the pieces of gymnastics equipment. The ability to spot gymnastics skills safely is a talent that develops over time with hard work and practice. To develop your spotting abilities attend workshops and clinics. You can also volunteer time with lower level team programs at your gym to learn the art of spotting.

When Should I Spot?

(Here, assume that all areas have matting and/or safety equipment appropriate to the exercise or skill being performed.)

1. If the gymnast has any doubt about her ability to do a skill safely by herself you should always spot the skill. It is better for you to spot the skill than have a gymnast land on her head.

2. As the instructor you must be sure the gymnast will go for the skill with 100% effort. If you have any doubts, be close enough to spot the gymnast if necessary. To help you decide, answer these questions:

Can the gymnast tell me in her own words the exact timing and sequence of events that need to take place to successfully complete this skill?

Answer: Evaluate the gymnast’s answer.

Is the gymnast strong enough and flexible enough to complete this skill safely?

Answer: The answer should be yes. Did you make that determination from previous testing or just your best guess? Test the gymnast!

How much of a spot have I been giving her to make the skill on previous attempts? A tap or a big lift?

Answer: If you have been consistently decreasing the amount of help you give the gymnast and mostly placing your hand on her body to let her know you are there, she is probably ready to do it herself.

Has the gymnast balked on any previous attempts?

Answer: If a gymnast still balks, chances are there is some part of the skill or instructions that she does not fully understand and the wise instructor will backtrack and go over the skill from the beginning to find out which part is missing.

Usually, after a long relationship the instructor will know when the gymnast is ready to attempt the skill, and on which nights she is not ready and he will act accordingly. Some gymnasts are "self starters" and are more than willing to go for a new skill. Other gymnasts may need a little cajoling.

An important point to remember is that when a gymnast goes for a skill 100%, the chance of getting hurt is minimal, much smaller than if she changes her mind in the middle of the skill. That's like trying to change your car from drive to reverse while traveling in a forward direction; all that happens is the gears get stuck somewhere in the middle and the car goes out of control. Basically the same thing happens when a gymnast changes her mind in the middle of a skill; she loses control which can lead to injury.

Break it Down

A method the instructor may use for developing a skill, with the minimum of spotting, is to break the skill down into it's basic parts and teach it with the use of mats or other safety devices so the gymnast does most of the skill on her own. If the gymnast is afraid to do a skill without a spot this method may help her to learn the skill by herself.

To learn more about the basics of gymnastics technique consult the head coach or program director of your gym. An excellent book for basics on gymnastics technique is “Biomechanics of Women’s Gymnastics” by Dr. Gerald S. George.

Spotting Devices

Many gyms use an overhead spotting belt that may be located over any of the gymnastics apparatus. It consists of a belt that fastens around the gymnast's waist. Ropes connected to either side of the belt extend up to a series of pulleys mounted on support girders in the gym ceiling. The coach holds the other end of the rope and can lift the gymnast in the air keeping her safe while she attempts new skills. This is a specialized device and should be used only by trained and qualified coaches.

In addition to the belt, many gyms have a landing pit. A "pit" is a hole in the ground usually six to eight feet deep, twelve to fifteen feet wide, and twenty to thirty feet long filled to the top with loose foam or specially designed mats.

Gymnasts may practice many different skills, landing in the pit with a high degree of safety, and with less wear and tear on their bodies from hard or slightly out of control landings.

No mat, landing pit, or spotting device can guarantee a safe landing!

Landing on the head or stomach can still cause injury in a pit, as well as landing in several other inappropriate positions.

If you have been using devices, such as the foam or resi-pit, incline / decline mats, stacks of mats under equipment, or landing mats you must carefully monitor / spot the gymnast as you change the workout conditions to accomplish appropriate skill acquisition.

Caution: Never tell a gymnast you are going to spot if you have no intention of doing so. It could cause the gymnast to balk or freeze midway through the skill when the spot is absent, leading to a potentially harmful landing.

Final notes:

1. The instructor should spot until the gymnast makes herself familiar with the equipment and workout conditions.

At home in your own gym this should not be difficult. Later when you take a gymnast to a competition it will become more important. For any competition, your gymnasts should be able to successfully complete her routines with the skills she will use in that competition at least two weeks previous to the meet.

2. For difficult skills, a spotter may always need to be standing by just in case.

The reason for this is that when an instructor spots he is, in effect, giving the gymnast a little more air time or support necessary to complete the skill. When the spot is not there, the gymnast may land short, or over rotate the skill and injure herself. A safety spot is always a good idea in this instance.

3. Make every gymnast demonstrate the appropriate progressions and/or drills before you spot them on the “big trick” for the first time. This allows you to evaluate the gymnasts ability level and prepare to spot by first working with them on the lead up skills.

Many young gymnasts like to tell new or substitute instructors, “I can do that by myself.” Most often the instructor nearly has a heart attack as the gymnast barely survives the attempt. Always spot if you have any doubts or are unfamiliar with the gymnast.

4. Learn to spot new and/or more difficult skills by double spotting with a coach who is familiar with the skill.