SUMMER is a great time to challenge themselves and learn something new.  Gymnastics is also a wonderful sport, not requiring good weather and feels the same comfortable temperature even if eggs are cooking on the side walks.  Camps for 3 years to 18 and Classes for ages 1 to 99 start next week!

If you have decided to enroll your child in gymnastics, you’ve made a wise choice. Participating in this sport will keep your kid in good physical shape, improve coordination and balance, and teach discipline. To help you learn more, the staff at The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester in Penfield, NY, share some fun facts about this graceful sport.

All About Gymnastics

1. Women’s Gymnastics Was Introduced After Men’s

Women weren’t allowed to participate in gymnastics in the first several Olympic games. Women’s gymnastics was finally included in the 1928 Olympics. However, their uniforms were different than the leotards worn today; female gymnasts couldn’t wear shorts that were shorter than four inches above their knees.

2. Ancient Greeks Practiced Gymnastics

Physical fitness was highly valued in Ancient Greece, so many men and women participated in running, jumping, and other activities related to gymnastics to become healthier and stronger. Gymnastics also helped men prepare for war. The sport improved their fighting skills and overall endurance.

3. Gymnasts Start Practicing Very Young

Gymnastics is considered a sport for the young, and most female gymnasts in the U.S. are just 16 years old. Many of them begin their careers when they are toddlers. It takes them many years to develop their skills, and those that become successful are considered elite gymnasts by the time they’re teens. 

4. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Is the Father of Gymnastics

Gymnastics wouldn’t be where it is today without Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. When he moved to Berlin in 1809, he started a program for outdoor physical exercise for students and invented many pieces of equipment for gymnastics, including the parallel bars and balance beam. In 1811, he opened his first gymnastics club and spread the word about the sport.

Now that you know more about gymnastics, you may be even more excited to sign up your child. The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester has a 22,00 square foot facility and offers everything from gymnastics to tumbling; they also use the latest equipment. They have a mission to help children have fun and challenge themselves in a safe and comfortable environment. For more information, call (585) 388-8686 or visit their website.