Gymnastics really is a sport suitable for both boys and girls, for both toddlers and teens and for young bodies of all shapes and sizes. There are, however, some ongoing myths and misconceptions about gymnastics that prevent parents from encouraging, or even considering, allowing their child to enroll in a gymnastics class. And that’s a real shame, so it’s about time to debunk some of the most commonly heard of them.

My child is not very coordinated (flexible, strong) so gymnastics is not going to be right for them.

These ‘weaknesses’ that parents perceive their child has are actually great reasons for a child to be enrolled in a gymnastics class. Gymnastics helps even the youngest children improve their basic gross motor skills, improve their flexibility and it’s great for building overall strength.

My child isn’t ever going to make a competitive team so why bother?

Once you get beyond the obvious question – why are you so sure they won’t make a team? – the fact is that gymnastics is a wonderful activity for young people in general, even if they never do pursue it competitively. In addition to all of the physical benefits it offers, it’s a great tool for learning self-discipline, for boosting self-esteem, for making new friends and simply having fun, all of which are beneficial for any kid.

It’s too dangerous for my child

If you casually watch the professional gymnastics championships then yes, you will hear of competitors being sidelined with injury. But that is the same in every sport! The fact is that gymnastics coaches have to be highly trained in issues like injury prevention, gym safety and, if needed, advanced first aid.

When and if a child progresses to higher level competitive gymnastics they may indeed face an injury at some point, but the chances of that are no higher than for a child who plays baseball, football, soccer or any other popular youth sport. So a fear of injury is no reason to prevent a child from pursuing something they may very well come to love.

My child is (is going to be) too tall for gymnastics

Yes, many of the greatest professional gymnasts have been rather petite, but that does not apply to all of them by any means. And in reality height is no barrier to success at the level most young gymnasts aspire to and if they are interested, and participating and having fun, why let any perceived difficulty limit them?

My child is too old for gymnastics

Many children do indeed begin to take gymnastics classes in late toddlerhood. But that does not mean that tweens and teens cannot become involved in gymnastics if they are interested in it. In some cases they may be a little old to make a competitive team – although maybe not – but they can still reap all of the mental and physical benefits that gymnastics has to offer.

Gymnastics is a girls sport and I have sons

This is a very common myth and one that the many supremely talented male gymnasts in the world laugh at. The fact is that there are few sports that provide such great ‘cross-training’ for males as gymnastics does, which is why an increasing number of pro athletes in other sports, especially football and baseball, now incorporate gymnastics into their training regimes.

And as for those male gymnasts? For three years running now, in their annual ‘Fittest Athletes’ rundown Men’s Health magazine have placed Japanese gymnast Kohei Uchimura third on the list, behind only US decathlete Ashton Eaton and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, miles ahead of all of the footballers, weightlifters and other pros some people consider to be ‘more manly’.

Visit the Gymnastics section and review the goals and description of our classes to find out which one best fits the needs of your child. Our lesson plans are designed to accommodate every age group and skill level. For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Were you the best possible gymnastic parent in 2018? We hope so, but there’s always room for improvement. Sometimes it’s far too easy to get lost in hustle and bustle of your child’s schedule and class and contest commitments that the real joy of being a sports parent gets a bit lost.

With the New Year here everyone is making resolutions, so we thought we’d chime in, with three important  New Year’s resolutions for all sports parents gearing up for the 2019 season:

I Will Cheer from the Sidelines, Not Try to Coach

As a parent, your job is to make sure your child gets to their practices and meets on time, that they have everything they need to practice and/or compete successfully (including the right nutrition and hydration) and then just support them like crazy! The problem is that sometimes we forget that. In the excitement of a meet – or even in practice – it is tempting to do a little sideline coaching. After all, you’re there every week, you do know what you’re talking about now.

However, if you are constantly coaching your child from your seat you are putting them in a really awkward spot; do they listen to you or their coach? It’s distracting and distressing for the gymnast, even if your advice is very well-intended. So this year let the coaches do their job so you can concentrate on yours, the most important part of which is being that reliable cheerleader every young gymnast needs.

I Will Support the Whole Team

If you couldn’t make it to a meet (because life happens) wouldn’t you want someone to cheer on your child when they put in a great performance? In 2019, don’t just resolve to support your own gymnast, resolve the support the whole team.

Cheer, applaud, give out some high-fives; you don’t need to artificially inflate anyone’s egos but give credit where credit is due! And please, don’t throw your child’s teammates under the bus when they make a mistake. It can create an uncomfortable team dynamic between the athletes that can be hard to fix.

I’ll Let the Meet Be Over When It’s Over

Sometimes things don’t go so well, and that is when being a sports parent gets super tough. After a bad practice, or a bad meet, it’s normal for even the best and brightest gymnasts to feel a little down and defeated.

Obviously you’ll want to help. But talking about what happened immediately afterwards is not the right thing to do, unless they want to. Try to start the after event conversation with something positive but then let them lead the conversation (or not, they may not want to talk at all right then.

Nit picking every single thing that went wrong isn’t going to change the outcome, and chances are it won’t make them perform better next time. Give your gymnast some time to process what happened and address it when they are ready. And the chances are they will, because they know that, no matter what, you’re on their side.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

“How was gym today?” is a question every gym parent wants to ask their kid on the car ride home.

Unfortunately, this age-old, open-ended question loses it’s importance when the word “fine” become the oh-so-common answer. Here is a list of 25 questions to ask your young athlete (not all in the same day of course), that will provide some welcome variety to you and your child!

Communication Tips:

(1) Ask questions to spark communication, not to interrogate.
(2) Listen. Let them work out their thoughts before you interject.
(3) Validate. Validate their feelings and thoughts. Share your own assertions if needed.
(4) Keep the big picture in mind. What life lesson are they learning from their reflection?
(5) Foster a love for the sport. Sometimes it’s just about having fun, nothing more. And that’s an important part of the sport – in fact any sport – that should never be forgotten.

So, onto those questions:

1. What were you most proud of accomplishing at gym today?
2. What was the hardest part of your workout today?
3. Did any specific corrections stand out to you today? And why?
4. What did you do that made you an awesome teammate today?
5. What muscles do you think worked the hardest today?
6. Were you proud of any of your teammates today?
7. Who was a great example to you today? And why?
8. What was the funniest thing about gymnastics today?
9. If you could have worked only one skill today, what would it have been?
10. What was your favorite assignment today?
11. Pick one word to describe today’s workout.
12. On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard did you work today?
13. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much did you love workout today?
14. Pick one word to describe your attitude during workout today
15. What was the best thing about Beam today?
16. What was the best thing about Bars today?
17. What was the best thing about Floor today?
18. What was the best thing about Vault today?
19. If you weren’t at workout/class today, what would you have missed?
20. What did you learn from your mistakes today?
21. Who inspired you at the gym today?
22. Right now, why are you glad you are a gymnast?
23. Did anything funny happen at gymnastics today?
24. What skills will you be doing in your dreams tonight?
25. What weaknesses did you work towards turning into strengths today?

Obviously, it’s best to work these questions into conversation naturally, rather than reciting them, something that might make your questions sound more like an integration. However, do take the time to do so. Communication between parent and child is hugely important – especially for an athletic child who is often too busy to talk. You’ll learn more about your child and they will feel happier and more secure because they will know that their parents are truly interested not only in what they do but how they feel about it as well.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

There are, in fact, lots of good reasons why cheerleading is a great option for kids – and yes, it is a sport, even Bleacher Report agrees – here are just a few of them for you to consider.

They Learn the Importance of Trust and Being Trustworthy

Cheerleading is all about trust! Kids learn the responsibility of trust, what it means to lose it and what it takes to win it back. The flyers must trust their bases to keep them in the air and to catch them when they fall. The bases have to trust that their flyers execute their skills with precision. For cheering to work the team must be on the same page and they have to trust one another. That lesson in trust – and teamwork – can then be taken forward into many other aspects of a kid’s life as they grow up.

They Learn How to Practice Good Time Management

Competition cheerleading, like any other elite sport, often calls for a big time commitment. Cheer kids must learn how to juggle not only cheer practice but also school, family commitments, friends and all the other things they need – and want – to do in their young lives. With these time management skills mastered they have learned something that will benefit them for years to come, at home, at school and certainly once they head out into the world of work.

They Develop Greater Mental Strength

Cheerleading is about 30% physical and 70% mental. Cheerleaders need to be able dance, tumble, jump and stunt multiple times in just a few minutes, and make it look good, so it is hard work! Kids learn, when cheering, how to get back up when they fall – mentally and physically – and be the better for having done so. Cheerleaders are tough cookies, and that’s a quality that can take you far in life.

They Forge Strong Friendships

Cheerleaders spend so much time together between training, competing, fundraising and display performances that they can’t help but become friends. Add to this the trust that is needed between athletes to execute all the skills that are needed for cheerleading and lifelong friendships are built. Cheerleaders end up being more like brothers and sisters than friends.

They Learn the Value of Teamwork

Cheerleading teaches kids to work as one focused unit. It helps them learn how to handle the inevitable disappointments. If one person fails, the whole team fails but if one person succeeds the whole team succeeds. It takes the hard work and kinship that is synonymous with football teams and replaces the dirt and mud with rhinestones, hairspray and bows. Cheerleaders work just as hard as a football team and they look good while they are doing it too!

Integrity Gymnastics, Dance & Cheer is one of the few organizations in Kansas City to offer exclusive cheer classes with experienced coaches. Please check out our current classes or call us if you have questions.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Children lie to their parents. They can be sneaky. They don’t listen to what they’re told and somehow, they can often seem to have been born with the ability to press just the right buttons to drive Mum and Dad nuts.

None of this is really news to most parents. But many don’t stop to think that some of the things that they do might be driving their kids just as crazy and adding to THEIR stress.

We all want to raise kids that are good, well-adjusted creatures who do well in school, in sport, and in life, are popular and who will grow up to be useful, successful people in their own right. This is especially true sometimes of parents whose kids are involved in organized sports like gymnastics.

We also hope we can raise our kids to do better and have a better life than we have, but in doing so often hold some hypocritically high standards for our children, especially when they reach their tween and teen years.

Are you guilty of this? Consider these behaviors (and be honest here) and if you can see yourself in any of them then the time has come to learn to lighten up.

Expecting Your Child to Always be in a Good Mood

It’s annoying (to say the least) when you come home from a long day at work and your kid is in a bad mood. Why? You are the one who has toiled all day to keep a roof over their head and food on the table – as well as pay for that new leotard they were so desperate for. Surely the least they could do is stop their silly sulk that’s adding to your stress.

The fact is though, kids have bad days too. They get a bad test score. They had a terrible practice in the gym. They could not master a brand-new routine even after eight attempts. They had a fight with their BFF. The teacher or their coach was particularly mean today (at least they thought so).

The fact is that children experience things during their day that anger them, stress them out and upset them just like you do. They deserve to be cut a bit of slack. Kids are not always going to be in a good mood and parents just have to accept that. Now, if they are never in a good mood, that’s a different story. But for the most part leaving them alone, while making the offer that you are there to talk if they need it, is better than haranguing them to ‘cheer up’ just because it will make you feel better.

Expecting Your Child to Be Perfect in School or in Sports

There is nothing wrong with wanting your child to do well at school and in sports. There is nothing wrong with encouraging them to do so and for setting boundaries for study times or encouraging them to stick to their practice routines. There is even nothing wrong with becoming a little frustrated when they get a low mark in a test or perform not quite up to their best standard at a meet. But expecting your child to be perfect in school or in sports is not just unreasonable, it can border on cruel if you set the bar too high.

Are you perfect at work? Do you never make a mistake? No, you do, and you learn from it, continue to try to do your best and move on. You should encourage your children to do the same and try to sympathize a little more when things don’t quite go to plan.

Expecting Your Child Never to Mess Up

It’s frustrating when a child messes up for sure. How did they rip those jeans? How did they manage to get that move wrong when they had practiced it a hundred times? How did they manage to drop that phone? Do they think iPhone screens grow on trees?

The question here to ask yourself is why do we often hold kids to a higher standard than we do ourselves? If you did sports at school did you never make a mistake or put in a less than perfect performance? One odd step or slip and you might drop your phone as well. And the chances are you’d be mad, but you’d forgive yourself and move on to finding a solution to the problem. So, if you don’t do the same for your kids then yes, you are being quite unreasonable.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Gymnastics in and of itself is beneficial for gymnasts at all levels of participation. Sometimes, however, when gymnasts progress well and the sport becomes a bigger – and more serious – part of their lives – things change a little.

Competitive gymnastics can be a challenge and a joy, but sometimes well-meaning parents and guardians of young gymnasts develop habits, and do things, that take away some of the great enjoyment of the sport for their kids.

With this is mind, here are some of the things parents of gymnasts should avoid doing so they don’t interfere with the positive benefits of gymnastics for kids:

• Don’t compare your gymnast’s progress with that of other gymnasts.
• Don’t become overly preoccupied with your gymnast’s success or lack of it.
• Don’t take judge’s scores too seriously, especially at the lower levels.
• Don’t forget the need for fun in gymnastics.
• Don’t stand for unacceptable behavior from your gymnast during practice or competitions.
• Don’t gossip about anyone in your gymnastics community. Word always travels fast!
• Don’t interfere unnecessarily with coaches and their coaching duties during practice or competitions.
• Don’t pressure your gymnast regarding their skill levels or competition performances.
• Don’t set unrealistic goals for your gymnast.
• Don’t predicate your love or attention on your gymnast’s competitive success.
• Don’t base your self-esteem on the success of your gymnast’s progress or competitive success.
• Don’t lose your long-term perspective about the importance of your gymnast’s participation in the sport.
• Don’t let yourself care too deeply about your gymnast’s competition results.
• Don’t undercut your gymnast’s confidence in their coaches or coaching.
• Don’t show any negative emotions while watching your gymnast practice or compete.
• Don’t try to make your gymnast talk about the event immediately after a gymnastics meet, especially if they performed less well than they had hoped.
• Don’t do or say anything to make your child feel guilty for the time and money you are spending on their gymnastics or any sacrifices you feel are making for them to participate in the sport.
• Don’t base your support for your gymnast’s participation in the sport on any expectation of a monetary return like receiving a college scholarship or winning ‘big money’ competitions.
• Don’t try to live out your own sports dreams through your gymnast.
• Don’t expect anything more from your gymnast except their best effort.
• Don’t ever do or say anything that will cause your gymnast to think less of you (like argue with other gymnasts, parents or coaches in public)
• Don’t use sarcasm, threaten or use fear to try to motivate your gymnast. Love is the best motivator.
• Don’t expect anything more from gymnastics than physical fitness, life skills and fun for your gymnast.

Is gymnastics cheap? Not exactly, especially if you want – which you should – your child taught in a safe environment by qualified, caring and experienced coaches. Before you dismiss the sport as too much of a strain on your tight budget though take a look at some of the ways you can cut the costs that can make it a little pricey, most of which are incidental and not directly tied to the cost of tuition:

Saving on Basics

A leotard is a gymnastics must have and most kids will need more than one. You don’t have to spend a small fortune to get a good one though. As long as a garment fits, is made of a durable material and is properly taken care of there is no need to pay extra for ‘brand names’ over well made ‘generic options’ and a still in great shape hand me down is another economical option as well (check the local consignment or thrift store or with older cousins to find these!)

Cut Travel Costs

Many gymnasts progressing in the sport will not only need to be transported to and from classes and practices but to and from meets as well. And, to be fair, this can get expensive, especially in terms of gas costs and those take outs that seem like a must when you are faced with a tired, hungry gymnast who is quickly becoming a ‘hangry’ handful.

To save on gas consider car-pooling with other kids and their parents. This can also be a great way to help young gymnasts stay grounded and confident before a meet, as hanging out with their teammates and friends is a great way to relieve stress and keep nerves at bay. And to avoid the costs of the drive thru get into the habit of packing plenty of (healthy) snacks and drinks at home and bringing them along for the ride picnic style. Not only should this prove to be the more inexpensive option but the healthier one as well.

Get the Whole Family Involved

Many gyms (including our own) offer discounts when kids take multiple classes or when siblings are enrolled at the same facility. So, if you have a younger child who seems to get a kick out of watching their older brother and sister out in the gym encourage them to stop watching and get involved. Kids as young as 3 or 4 can take gymnastics classes and even adults can enjoy some great dance classes at Integrity so the whole family can get involved.

See the Value of the Investment

Gymnastics classes are, in many ways, an investment in your kid’s future. Even if they do not go on to serious, competitive gymnastics the sport offers a myriad of benefits for young athletes of all ages and some of the lessons learned in the gym will benefit them for life. Therefore it’s fair to say gymnastics can be a great investment in your kid and their future and that is something, as every parent knows, is very hard to put a price on.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Young gymnasts perform some amazing feats every time they step into a gym. However, as back to school time rolls around again and a new school year begins young gymnasts begin trying to master a balancing act that has very little to do with a four inch beam; balancing their school work with their athletic commitments.

Not that participating in gymnastics should be considered an obstacle to academic achievement. In fact, study after study has shown that children who participate in formal sports tend to do better in school than many of their peers who do not. What is called for however, in order for students to reach their maximum potential in both sports and schoolwork is some planning, time management and support from the adults in their life.

With this in mind, here are a few tips for achieving this delicate, but potentially very beneficial balance.

Talk to All the Stakeholders

Right at the beginning of the school year a young gymnast and her parents need to take the time to speak to both teachers and coaches, to teachers about their gymnastics commitments and to coaches about their academic ones. This way everyone understands what the student is dealing with and can be supportive if a little stress starts to set in as the year goes on.

Have a Plan – and a Planner

The key to good time management is proper planning. And a planner is a great tool not only for making plans but for sticking to them as well. When a child will be juggling schoolwork, gymnastics and trying to also have the social life any kid needs having a proper schedule is often the only way to make it all work.

You can make use of something as simple as an old-fashioned notebook or go a little more high tech and opt for a software based planner like Trello. Whatever you do just ensure that both child and parent have access to the planner at all times.

Make Clever Use of Time

Gymnasts can use their planner to ‘find’ extra little chunks of time to get things done. For example, often a lot of homework assignments can be done in a few 10-15 minute chunks. The commute from home to gym, or from gym to meet can offer that time and, as a bonus, if a gymnast is a little nervous about facing a big competition distracting themselves in this way can help keep pre-performance jitters away as well.

Encourage Kids to Get Help If They Need It

Even with all the planning in the world, and all of the best intentions, the balance between achieving great classroom marks and great marks on the gym floor can sometimes get to be a little much for young gymnasts of all ages. Parents should be aware of this fact and make it clear to their child that it’s OK to ask for help if they need it; from coaches, from teachers and from them.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Any sport comes with its risk of injury though, and that is as true for teens as it is for adults. Some sports injuries are more common in kids than grownups though, and parents, and kids, do need to be aware of just what they might be able to do to prevent some of them.

Types Of Injury

Sports injuries in general come fall into two major categories – acute injuries and overuse injuries. Acute injuries are the ones that no one really sees coming, the sudden sprain, the crack to body from a badly timed ball, the falls and the spills that at some time or another almost every athlete, amateur or professional will succumb to. As they are, in many cases, just learning their sport of choice, as well as the fact that teens are often over enthusiastic in sports, such injuries in young people can be very common.

Overuse injuries are a different story though and easy for kids, whose bones and bodies are still growing and changing, to fall victim to. Sometimes a child will develop unexplained aches and pains after competing that are simply the result of overdoing things or training too intensely. In other cases, a serious of small knocks, bumps and bruises may accumulate until the damage becomes more serious.

Either way a child that complains of pain or discomfort before, during or after playing sports should never be ignored. It may just be simple growing pains or twenty minutes too long on the track that day but a visit to the doctor is still a good idea if the pain persists for more than a few hours.

Easy Prevention Tips

One of the unfortunate reasons why more sports injuries are being seen in today’s children and teens may be attributable to the fact many kids these days tend to pick one sport and then concentrate on it solely, never varying their routines or how they use their developing bodies.

This, experts say, robs them of the benefits that cross training offers. To help prevent overuse injury sports medicine experts suggest that young athletes participate in a variety of physical activities to make sure that they are not overusing one set of muscles or physical skills. For example, if a child plays softball they will also probably benefit from taking gymnastics as well, to help build strength and coordination while also

In terms of further prevention always making sure that they warm up properly before any kind of physical activity is important for kids to help prevent injury and if the sport they play calls for protective equipment it should be worn and worn properly. Coaches and parents should also be on the lookout for a child who seems to tired, sick or in pain to participate that day and have them skip the session – no pain, no gain should never apply to kids.

The risk of injury should not be a reason to discourage a child’s interest in sports though. In an age when child obesity is becoming a dangerous epidemic all over the Western world, encouraging children and teens to get plenty of physical exercise is a must, and there is also a lot that can be said for the mental benefits of sports as well. So go ahead and cheer your child on and support their goals, just help them try to make sure that they stay as healthy as possible while doing so.

Visit our Dance/Cheer section and review the goals and description of our classes to find out which one best fits the needs of your child. Our lesson plans are designed to accommodate every age group and skill level. For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

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Believe it or not, it’s not too long until the big holiday season rolls around again. If you are an organized, savvy holiday shopper – as most of us do try to be every year – no doubt you’ve already at least started thinking about your shopping lists and what should be on them.

The best holiday gifts of course are those that the recipients will not only like and enjoy but find useful in their everyday lives. And this certainly true of young gymnasts. With this in mind, and to help you as you compile your holiday shopping list for the gymnast(s) in your life here are just a few helpful suggestions for the best gifts for gymnasts this holiday season.

Gym Clothes

If you are thinking of treating your gymnast to some new clothes this year then clothing that can do double duty – as in gear that can be worn both in and out of the gym – is a great choice. Hoodies, maybe with a gymnastics themed print or slogan, simple leggings, which are great for wearing during warm ups or just to keep warm and fun t-shirts are all good, useful choices. And of course, maybe a new sparkly leotard tucked into a stocking would be a rather nice thought too…

Home Gym Equipment

Once a young gymnast starts to get a little more serious about their sport they know that their efforts can’t simply begin and end when they are actually at their chosen gymnasium. And while we are not suggesting that you try to recreate a full gymnastics set up in your basement there are some simple – and not that expensive – pieces of ‘home gym’ equipment that can make both great holiday gifts and useful additions to a gymnasts day to day training you can opt for.

Need some ideas here? A simple pull up bar, the kind that affixes in a doorway, offers a great way for gymnasts to work on improving their all-important upper body strength and most of them can be installed and removed on an as needed basis. Exercise bands and jump ropes are great for overall conditioning as well and they make great extra little ‘stocking stuffers’. Want to buy a really useful piece of home gym gear though? Opt for a folding gym mat that can offer gymnasts of all ages and all skill levels a safer place to practice at home.

Gymnastics Inspiration

Gymnasts of all ability levels and all ages benefit from a little encouragement and inspiration wherever and whenever they can find it. In terms of gift ideas this can come from a great gymnastics book. For older readers Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci and Raising the Bar by Gabrielle Douglas are two of our favorites and for very young gymnasts who are also still developing their reading skills DK Readers: First Day at Gymnastics is a fun and informative choice.

If you’re looking for world class gymnastic training for your child, visit our Gymnastics section and review the goals and description of our classes to find out which one best fits the needs of your child. Our lesson plans are designed to accommodate every age group and skill level. For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

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