How to Start Doing Gymnastics (Part 1)

Gymnastics is a kind of sport that involves a lot of physical activity. It requires a proper amount of fitness in order to be done by an individual properly. Gymnastics can be one of the most fun activity a person can commit too. Not only that, it is also a great exercise, which can improve your fitness on intense levels.

Perhaps you are now starting to get interested with gymnastics and may be wondering how you can start on learning the sport. Below are some of the steps you can follow in order to get started.

(Note: This article will be divided into three parts, and the link for the next part of the article will be provided at the end of this article)

PART 1: GETTING STARTED

FIND A NEARBY SCHOOL THAT TEACHES GYMNASTICS

Gymnastics isn’t a kind of sport that you can just learn all by yourself. Yes, you can watch tutorials and educational videos, and you can also read articles about gymnastics in order to learn some of the basics of the sport. However, those things alone are not enough to get to an advanced level. It would be best if you will train with the guidance of a trained professional.

GET STARTED AT YOUR LEVEL

Always remember, any kind of sport, especially gymnastics, is not something that you can rush. You have to take it one step at a time. You cannot just do backflips and somersault at the start of your program. Also, it would be impossible for you to do splits if you are not yet flexible enough. You should inform your teacher of your current fitness level so he/she can adjust the difficulty of your training depending on your current ability and skill set.

NEVER EVER FORGET TO IMPROVE YOUR FLEXIBILITY

If there’s a thing that you could do on your own, it is working on your own flexibility. Never forget to do stretching exercises at your free time in order to improve your flexibility. Being flexible is super important if you want to be good at gymnastics as a lack of flexibility will hinder you from doing certain gymnastic stunts.

Most people thought that being flexible is just being able to kick higher and do splits effortlessly. However, you should never forget to improve the flexibility of your shoulders and especially your back as it will be super important when it comes to gymnastics.

TRAIN YOUR MUSCLES AND -- REST!

Aside from flexibility, getting strong muscles is also an important part of being a good gymnast. Being able to lift your own body is a must for some of the gymnastics stunts so you should also focus on improving your strength.

Start improving your strength by doing some bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups and squats. Once you built a good foundation, you can start to move forward on lifting weights. However, if you do begin weight training, never forget to take a day or two off from the gym to let your muscles heal themselves. Resting is as important as training as that is the time where your muscles are growing. Plus, you deserve that rest day after an intense workout!

GET COMFORTABLE OF BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

Always remember these things: if you are too comfortable of doing any tricks, without feeling any kind of fear, there is a high chance that you are going to hurt yourself. Plus being too comfortable will make your training sessions boring. However, if you are too uncomfortable and scared to the point that you’re shaking and hesitating before doing a trick, you are likely to fail and won’t get the trick done. So, you need to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable – meaning you have to accept if you’re feeling a little nervous. Being a little nervous will make you aware of what you’re doing and will prevent you from being overconfident.

Those are just some of the steps you need in order to get started on learning gymnastics. Stay tuned for the next part of this article (click this link: http://biankapanovaacademy.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-start-doing-gymnastics-part-2.html). Should you be looking for a school that teaches gymnastics for kids, I am very glad to tell you that the search is over. Visit the official website of Bianka Panova Academy to learn more about the school and what it can offer for you :)

Breaking the “Gymnastics is a Women’s Sport” Idea Using its History

A lot of people know what gymnastics is, and it has been a long while since the wide-known sport existed. Almost everyone knows basic information on gymnastics, whether it may be popularly called as “being flexible” or “a supernatural talent,” people have an idea what it is. However, only few know the international sport’s history and background. It’s time to cut off the stereotypical idea that gymnastics is a woman’s sport and reevaluate your concept as you go through its timeline.

Gymnastics originated from Ancient Greece and was initially intended for military training. Yes, military training for soldiers to get ready for war. The skills and strengths in performing this sport were considered as great assets for those who are battling in war-fields.

In the late eighteenth century, pioneer physical educators Johann GutsMuths and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn created exercises using apparatuses for young men and led to what is considered modern gymnastics. Don Francisco Ondeano was the first person who introduced educative gymnastics in France and he promoted the use of parallel bars, high bar and rings on international competitions.

In 1881, the Federation of International Gymnastics was found in Liege, and by the end of 19^th century, men’s gymnastics competition became broad and viral, and was eventually included in the 1896’s first modern Olympic Games.

During the 1920’s, women organized and participated in gymnastics events. The first Women’s Olympic Competition was held in Amsterdam in 1928. Olympic Games apparatus and events for men and women had been systematized in modern format and uniform grading structures in 1954.

Girolamo Mercuiriale wrote Le Arte Gymnastica in 1956 which consisted studies of ancients’ attitudes toward exercise, diet, hygiene, and using natural methods for curing diseases. Le Arte Gymnastica also expounded the principles of physical therapy and is noted as the first sports medicine book.

Superb and outstanding gymnasts can be now found on every continent, although it may seem like women are dominating the sport, people should never forget that it’s men who founded and started all of this.

Gymnastics is a great sport and can be well performed by everyone. Mass appreciation doesn’t always equate to something good, whereas the typical thought of gymnastics is a women’s sport, doesn’t mean it is. The sport is unique and extraordinary which can be performed by those whose passionate are immense as they want to be. Whatever sport you are in to, you have to be brave, persevered and disciplined, and these attitudes don’t just come from women, they can come from everyone.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

·         Gymnastics were originally made for military trading in order for men who fight in wars to enhance their battling skills

·         The first women Olympic Games were held in Amsterdam, 1928

·         It’s not just the flexibility that matters in Gymnastics, but above all is the discipline

·         It’s not a women’s sport because anybody is welcome to do it

Bianka Panova Academy offers various kinds of lessons related to ballet and gymnastics for kids. To learn more about what the company could offer for you, check out our official website.

The Benefits of Attending Gymnastics Class for Young Children

Gymnastics is a kind of sport that young children can get involved in, and they may continue to do so until their teenage and college years. While most kids use their talent and expertise in gymnastics in order to be a competitive gymnast and participate in competitions, other children get involved in the sport just because they love to learn new things and they are seeking to develop their fitness level.

With today’s alarming obesity rate on the rise, because kids nowadays are starting to prefer playing video games and watching television rather than playing outdoors, letting your child attend a gymnastics class can offer them numerous physical and social benefits.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Regardless of the ability or age of your children, letting them attend a gymnastics class will enable them to enjoy a lot of physical benefits. Participating in gymnastics class will help them increase strength, flexibility, endurance and coordination.  The kids will also learn how to balance on the beam, and they will be able to enhance their power when they vault. Gymnastics will also help them become physically active, which will make it easier for them to stay in shape and get fit and healthy.

Encouraging your children to engage in sports like gymnastics, which incorporates moderate and vigorous physical activities, is very critical for them, especially at a young age, as any habits formed during childhood are often carried by the child through their adulthood.

SOCIAL BENEFITS

Allowing your children to participate in a sport like gymnastics can also help them further improve their social and communication skills. In a gymnastics class, they will be required to listen, follow commands and instructions, and also be respectful of each other. They will also have to socialize with their classmates and from there, they will learn how to make friends.

CHARACTER BENEFITS

Gymnastics lessons can also enhance the character of your child. Participating in the lessons teaches them discipline, determination, courage and self-confidence. It can also help them learn from their mistakes. Also, it encourages them to persevere in times when they face troubles in learning a skill. Goal setting will also be a natural part of your children’s life, as being involved in a sport like gymnastics requires you to set goals in order to keep track of your progress.

It was proven that kids who are involved in physical activities such as sports are rarely involved in bad habits such as alcohol, drugs, and smoking.

So with all the benefits that your child can get from a school that teaches gymnastics for kids, aren’t you now interested in looking for the right academy for your child? Bianka Panova Academy offers a great opportunity for your child to learn and develop their skills in the most fun way. So what are you waiting for? Check out our website (http://biankapanovaacademy.com.sg) or visit us personally to learn more about us.

History of Ballet

Ballet has become more popular in the recent years, but for most people, it still remains a mystical world of movements and expressions which are confusing for everyone and only understood by the most serious Balletomane. Today, let us learn about the origin of ballet so we can have more ideas on how it became popular all around the world.

HISTORY OF BALLET

Ballet became popular in the late 15^th century Renaissance court culture of Italy. You might not believe it, but the ballet was originally known as a “dance interpretation” of fencing. It was further enhanced and developed in the French court in the 17^th century, the time of Louis XIV. This is the reason of the use of French vocabulary in ballet.

In the 18^th century, despite the great reforms of Noverre (Jean-Georges Noverre, a French dancer and balletmaster, and the creator of ballet d’action), the popularity of ballet in France became lower after 1830, though it was still continued in other countries such as Denmark, Italy and Russia. On the eve of the World War I, the ballet was reintroduced to Western Europe by a Russian company owned by Sergei Diaghilev named Ballets Russes, and it became influential all over the world.

The company owned by Diaghilev became a popular destination for most of the trained dancers from Russia, in order to escape the famine and unrest which was caused by the Russian Revolution. Numerous choreographic and stylistic modifications and innovations were brought by these dancers that had been flourishing under the czars back to their place of origin.

The ballet became more prominent and continued to advance in the 20^th century. It has strongly influenced the broader concert dance. For example, in the U.S., a choreographer named George Balanchine created his signature style “neoclassical ballet". Some of the developments and innovations that followed includes contemporary ballet and post-structural ballet, which was developed by William Forsythe in Germany.

Ballet is a formalized type of performative dance, and was performed starting in the 16^th and 17^th century French courts. It was further innovated and enhanced in England, Italy and Russia as a concert dance form. The ballet dancers that time were not as skilled compared to the dancers we have today. Since then, ballet has become a highly technical form of dance, even having its own vocabulary. The dance was commonly known to be performed in sync with a classical music. Recent developments and innovations consist of expressionist ballet, and even include some elements of modern dance.

Today, it is being taught all-around the world in different ballet schools. Should you happen to be looking for an academy that teaches ballet and gymnastics for kids, you can try and visit Bianka Panova Academy.