Success of British Team in Glasgow inspires Jay Thompson

Jay Thompson, a gymnast from South Essex Gymnastics Club admits that the remarkable accomplishments of his teammates at the recently held World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow has encouraged him to go back to gymnastics.

The 19-year-old gymnast, who is currently recovering slowly after suffering from a dislocated elbow, was left with no choice but to watch his teammates Max Whitlock and Brinn Bevan as they fight for Great Britain in Glasgow.

Despite that, the outstanding medal-winning performances of his colleagues has inspired him to fight his way back to the sport.

“I’m really proud of how well they did but I’m jealous as well because it’s something I want to be doing as well,” Thompson said.

“Due to circumstances I couldn’t be there taking part but it’s certainly something that motivates me because I’ve seen how successful they are and I want that too.”

Thompson watched the opening day of the competition in Glasgow, where he witnessed the World Championships debut of Reiss Beckford, a gymnast who also came from South Essex Gymnastics Club. 

Thompson believes that he is also capable of achieving the accomplishments that his colleagues have attained.

“It’s seems more achievable for me now and it’s definitely something that could happen,” said Thompson.

“However, I’m working on getting back fit at the moment and I can’t afford to rush back.”

The injury, which he had acquired during the course of his training, has led him to have his Achilles stitched during his surgery.

Nevertheless, he is glad with the progress that he is making.

“I’m 10 weeks post op and things are starting to pick up for me now,” said Thompson.

“I’m managing to do some stuff in the gym and I can do a lot more than last year when my elbow injury was a lot worse.”

“Now I can do everything but floor and vault so I’ll be making sure they will be strong when I get back.”

The19-year-old gymnast also hopes to get back to the sport sooner to make it to the Olympic selection in Rio next summer.

“In my mind it will be a massive struggle but I’ll still be pushing as hard as I can for Rio,” said Thompson.

“There are the Europeans as well and I’ll be pushing to back on all six by the time the British Championships comes around.

“But for now it’s just about working hard in training. I’ve been massively lonely training on my own.

“I’ve missed the guys a lot so it’s great to have them back here again.”

Jay Thompson was eager to express his gratitude to his sponsors, Paul Lancaster, MyProtein and Groovy Food Company for their unending support . 

Great Britain Secured Team Olympic Berth

The British men’s gymnastics team have successfully secured their spot for the Olympic Games in Rio next year after confirming their place at the Artistic Gymnastics Championships team finals in Glasgow.

The countries who made it to the top eight of the team competition have acquired guaranteed spot in Rio Games next year, and with a finishing score of 354.417, the Great Britain has proved enough.

The accomplishment of the British men’s team came after the success of the women’s team, who have also secured their Olympic spot for Rio after taking the third place in the team finals in Glasgow – Britain’s best finish in an Olympic qualifying competition.

The British men’s winning team was comprised of Max Whitlock, Brinn Bevan, Nile Wilson, Dan Purvis, Kristian Thomas and Louis Smith.

“Qualifying is almost the most difficult as lots of things are going through your head,” Purvis told british-gymnastics.org. “But when it comes to the final you can just go for it, so hopefully we can improve even more.”

The biggest sporting event on the planet, the 2016 Rio Olympic Games will take place in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil on August 5-21, 2016. 

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Ballerinas are Resistant to Dizziness, Research Says

It turns out that, ballerinas aren’t just a master of graceful movements and fancy footwork, they also have a “pirouette-proof” brains.

A study has determined the significant differences in their brain structures that allow them to avoid the feeling of light-headedness whenever they’re doing a set of endless pirouettes.

It strongly suggest that ballet dancers’ years of training have allowed their brains to develop a way to suppress the signals that are transmitted by the balance system in their inner ear, which would otherwise make them feel dizzy and may lead to loss of balance.

This finding, which was published in the Cerebral Cortex journal, could promote a better treatment for the sufferers of chronic dizziness, a problem that affects one in four people at one point in their lives.

Usually, the sensation of dizziness comes from the vestibular organs in the inner ear. This fluid-filled structure becomes aware of the rotation of one’s head with the use of the tiny hairs -- which can detect the movement of the fluid.

The fluid in the vestibular system continues to move even after a series of rapid spinning, which gives the sensation like you are still rotating.

Practitioners of ballet are able to execute a series of pirouettes without having the feeling of light-headedness. The findings proved that ballet dancers doesn’t just rely on “spotting” – a technique used by dancers while performing a series of dance turns, which involves the rapid movement of the head in order to fix their eyes on the same spot. 

Twenty-nine female ballerinas and twenty female rowers of the same age and fitness level were recruited by the researchers at the Imperial College London. The participants were spun around while sitting in a chair in a dark room. They are instructed to turn a handle in time with how fast they felt like they were still turning around after they had stopped.

The researchers observed and measured the volunteers’ eye reflexes triggered by the signals coming from the vestibular organs. Subsequently, they have also analyzed the subjects’ brain structure through the use of MRI scans. The ballet dancers’ eye reflexes and their perception of spinning have diminished faster compared to the rowers

The Scientific American explained the reason behind it. “They were able to show that dancers had a decrease in the vestibular-ocular reflex. They moved their eyes less as they whipped around…And they also felt the turning less than controls. More importantly, the dancers sense of turning, and the vestibular-ocular reflex, were UNCOUPLED. They were not related to each other. So even though their eyes were moving in the reflex, they didn’t feel it!”

According to Dr Barry Seemungal, a neurologist who researches the brain mechanisms of dizziness and its treatment “Dizziness, which is the feeling that we are moving when in fact we are still, is a common problem.”

“I see a lot of patients who have suffered from dizziness for a long time. Ballet dancers seem to be able to train themselves not to get dizzy, so we wondered whether we could use the same principles to help our patients.” He continued.

The brain scans showed significant dissimilarities in the brain of the two sets of participants. The differences are found in two parts of their brain: an area in the cerebellum where sensory input from the vestibular organs is processed and in the cerebral cortex, which is in charge for the sensation of dizziness. The area in the cerebellum was smaller in the brain of the dancers.

Dr. Seemungal believes that this is because the brains of ballerinas have adopted not to use their vestibular systems, and instead rely on highly coordinated pre-programmed movements.

Seemungal stated that “It’s not useful for a ballet dancer to feel dizzy or off balance.”

“Their brains adapt over years of training to suppress that input. Consequently, the signal going to the brain areas responsible for perception of dizziness in the cerebral cortex is reduced, making dancers resistant to feeling dizzy. If we can target that same brain area or monitor it in patients with chronic dizziness, we can begin to understand how to treat them better.” 

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Record Number of Gymnasts Registered to Compete for the 31st Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Odense

Record number of participants has registered to compete for the 31^st Trampoline Gymnastics world Championships. The said competition will be held in Odense on November 26-29.

More than 300 athletes from 41 different countries are ready to compete in the said competition, and everyone is aiming to capture one of the 14 World titles that can be obtained in four different categories (Trampoline, Synchronised Trampoline, Double-mini Trampoline and Tumbling.)

With 11 weeks to go before the start of the World Championships, the competition draw, which will determine the competition structure of the qualification rounds, has taken place at the FIG Headquarters in Lausanne on Wednesday. The said competition draw was held in the presence of the Odense Organising Committee. The draw is important for delegations, as it will assist them to tweak their competition strategies.

For the gymnasts that are competing for the Trampoline discipline, the World Championship in Odense will also serve as their stepping stone on their way to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, with the first Olympic places in Trampoline to be attributed at the end of the competition. 

The record number of participants, 132 in the Individual Men’s competition and 87 in the Individual Women’s competition, shows a 30 percent upsurge in participation compared with last year’s Trampoline World Championships in Daytona Beach. 

The sudden increase in numbers signifies the flourishing appeal of the discipline, which made its Olympic debut in the year 2000.

This World Championships are also a significant event for gymnasts performing non-Olympic disciplines, as the championship is the sole qualifying competition for the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw.

As a host country, Denmark has claimed itself as the stronghold of Trampoline Gymnastics events. “After the 2001 World Championships, the 2008 European Championships and World Cups in 2011 and 2013, Odense will be welcoming the elite of the Trampoline world for the fifth time," the Presidents of the Danish Gymnastics Federation and the Worlds 2015 Organising Committee, Flemming Knudsen, stated.

Get more news and updates about gymnastics by visiting the different blog sites of Bianka Panova Academy. If you are looking for a school that teaches gymnastics for kids, then why don’t you check the official website of Bianka Panova Academy.

How to Start Doing Gymnastics (Part 3)

This would be the third and the last part of this article. The fact that you have reached the last part of this article is an indication of your intense passion for this kind of sport. So, let us now proceed on discussing the last part of this article.

PART 3: STAYING SAFE AND HEALTHY

DON’T FORGET TO WARM-UP AND STRETCH

Don’t! Just don’t. Before doing any kind of intense workout, you need to warm-up and stretch your muscles first. Make sure that you include a set of warm-up and stretching exercises in your daily workout. Without doing so, you are risking of injuring yourself.

• Always remember, warming up and stretching are two different things. It is often a mistake of some people to use stretching exercises as their “warm-up” exercise. However, you have to keep in mind that you should NEVER do stretching exercises while your muscles are cold, as doing so can lead to injuries. 

• Always do cardio exercises such as walking in the treadmill or jumping jacks to warm your muscles up and prepare them for a more intense workout.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF

As a gymnast, you should be responsible to take note of your own progress. You should know what you can do and what you are not capable of doing. It is not a good idea to perform a backflip in front of many people on a hard surface if you haven’t mastered the skill yet. Do not be overconfident, as it might lead to serious trouble.

WORK YOUR WAY UP SLOWLY

Gymnastics is not a kind of sport that you can master overnight. Don’t rush! You need to learn how to be realistic with your goals. It would be impossible for you to learn backflips on the first day and then master it on the next day. Becoming a champion doesn’t happen overnight, so you need to be patient!

WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR

Protective gears are made for – guess what? For your protection! You probably don’t want to injure yourself while trying to practice complicated types of tricks, do you?

WATCH YOUR SLEEPING AND EATING HABITS

Gymnastics is a physically-demanding sport, so in order to perform at your best; you need to take a good care of your body. You have to make sure that your body is getting all the nutrition it needs, as well as getting enough rest after a day of hardwork.

• Make sure you are getting enough sleep. When you’re tired, it would be impossible for you to perform at your 100% capability.

• Also, make sure that you are supplying your body with the proper amount of nutrition. Eat foods that contain a large amount of high-quality protein such as meat, fish, eggs and milk. You should also include lots of fruits and veggies in your diet in order for you to stay healthy. Remember, STAY AWAY from processed foods!

Being a gymnast sure is a challenging life to live, but it is also a fun and satisfying one. If you are really passionate with this kind of sport, the day will come; you will see yourself successful in the field of gymnastics. Isn’t it a nice thing to hear? :)

However, to be a great gymnast, you need to find a great school that can provide you with the most appropriate kind of training. Should you be looking for a school that teaches gymnastics for kids, you can try and visit Bianka Panova Academy :)

How to Start Doing Gymnastics (Part 2)

As mentioned in the first part of this article, gymnastics is a sport that involves a lot of physical activities. It is one of the most fun kind of sport you can indulge yourself in.

Being on the second part of the article, I can assume that you are really interested to start doing gymnastics. So, brace yourself and let’s continue to discuss the things you need to do in order to get started with gymnastics.

PART 2: TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR COACH/INSTRUCTOR

As you make progress, it would just make sense if your instructor will encourage you to take your training to the next level. However, there might be times where you might feel that you’re not yet ready or you want to take it to a different direction.

The good news is you can actually tell your concerns to your coach. Don’t be afraid or shy that you might disappoint your coach if you disagree with his terms. Remember, in gymnastics, it is very important to be open with your coach. This kind of sport involves terrifying stunts, and you don’t want to see yourself doing back flips if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, right?

PRACTICE DOING BENDS

Aside from the standard cartwheel and handstand, one of the first skills that you will learn in a gymnastics class is bends. Bends is the foundation of countless other complicated yet exciting tricks. Without learning how to do bends, you probably won’t be able to do flips either. So it is very important to practice doing your bends every once in a while.

PROCEED ON DOING JUMPS

As you make progress, you will then proceed on doing different kinds of jump. When you combine jumps with bends, you will be able to do flips. That just means that you are moving to the next step of your gymnastics goals.

START DOING FLIPS

After getting used on doing jumps and bends, you are now ready to proceed on doing flips. Being able to do flips is the dream of every gymnast. This is where you will feel like you’re getting more and more advanced.

Before doing any kinds of flips, always make sure that you are being guided by your coach. Also, you should practice doing flips at the gym and make sure you have a spotter and a soft foam or cushion that you can land on. Once you get more advanced then you will be able to perform it in front of other people.

START GETTING MORE ADVANCED

Once you have learned the basics of bends, flips and jumping, you can now start to do more advanced kind of tricks and stunts. You can also combine all the things that you have learned in order to perform a more complicated and impressive kinds of tricks.

BEGIN COMPETING

Once you are advanced enough and are already confident with your gymnastics skills, then you are ready to compete with other gymnast. This is where you will further improve your gymnastics skills. You will also be able to show other gymnasts what you are made of. Let them know that you trained hard enough to be right where you are now!

Also, by competing, you will be able to show other people – gymnast or not, that nothing is impossible if you will just work hard for it.  You will be able to inspire other people that everyone is capable of achieving what they are dreaming for, if they are really passionate enough on trying to achieve it.

But wait, that’s not yet the end of the steps you need in order to get successful in the field of gymnastics. Stay tuned for the last part of this article (click this link: http://biankapanovaacademy.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-start-doing-gymnastics-part-3.html). By this time, you already know how fun and interesting gymnastics is. You might want to encourage your child, or a younger sibling to attend a school that teaches gymnastics for kids. If I am right, you can check Bianka Panova Academy out and see what we can offer for you :)

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.