Gymnastics at Home For Kids

Whether they’re interested in trying out a new sport or they just love gymnastics, kids can train at home to hone their skills and get a feel for the sport before signing up. Although setting up a full gymnastics training area at home can be a big investment, it’s possible to purchase key pieces of equipment to help kids train on specific movements and build their overall strength and skillset.

For example, a foam learning beam allows children to practice balance beam moves without the danger of injury. These are the next step down from a real balance beam and are a perfect choice for smaller children. Additionally, a tumbling mat is essential for training on flips and handsprings. These are a much larger investment, but provide the spring flooring needed for safe landings.

As kids progress to higher levels of gymnastics, they’ll need advanced core strength and agility training equipment like a set of squat bars or a pommel horse. These can be more expensive than a balance beam, but are a good choice for young athletes who are eager to advance their skill level in this highly demanding and difficult sport.

In addition to a foam learning beam, a slack line is another piece of gymnastics home training equipment that can be very useful. This device is essentially a length of fabric that hangs between two points, with a spot where the gymnast can swing their legs to create a “slack line.” Gymnasts will use this to perfect their handstands and learn how to move into inverted positions while keeping their balance and body awareness.

Kids can also practice basic jumps at home to improve their leg strength and cardiovascular endurance. For instance, the straight jump is a simple jumping exercise that requires a child to stand up and lift their feet up into the air before extending them back down to a soft landing. Performing this movement multiple times over can increase cardiovascular endurance and help strengthen the legs, knees, ankles, and hips.

Lastly, air rings are a great way for kids to work on their handstands and learn how to keep their bodies in alignment while they’re in an inverted position. Having a partner stand in front of them and act as a spotter can also teach kids how to safely exit out of these positions when they’re off-balance.

For kids who want to train at home, it’s important to have a safe training space. An adult should always be in the room to spot and react to injuries. Ideally, an experienced gymnast should be present to teach the basics of gymnastics and to supervise the training.

Aside from having the right equipment, it’s important to keep in mind that gymnastics is a dangerous sport. Kids should be encouraged to train at home only if they’re under the supervision of an experienced gymnast. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency plan in place so that parents and children know what to do if an injury occurs.