FDS Gymnastics

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
Mommy/Daddy & Me Gym Class
18 months old to 3 years old ... 35-45 min
Children ages 18 months to 3 years old can join in the fun with a little help from an adult friend in our M/D & Me classes. This class offers age-appropriate lessons in creative movement through the use of music, playful games, parachutes, hula hoops, obstacle courses, and sealed-down gymnastic equipment. Children will get a chance to learn how their body works by jumping on a trampoline, climbing on mats, rolling down inclines, walking across balance beams, hanging on bars, and sliding down slides. The parent/adult assists the child under the instructor's supervision to learn safe, developmental gymnastic techniques, utilizing preschool mats and shapes in a mildly structured setting. They are introduced to various gross motor skills, including throwing, catching, rolling, kicking, and swinging, as well as balance and flexibility. Students MUST have an adult participate with them.
Tiny Gym Class
3 - 4 years old ... 45 min
Tiny Gym classes are 45-minute co-educational classes for toddlers 3 and 4 years old. Participants must be potty trained to register for this class! These classes work on more advanced motor skills and require the social skills necessary to stay in line and follow directions. During this class, toddlers can try the beginning stages of men's and women's gymnastics skills, shapes, strength, and flexibility. The preschool group will participate on the floor, beam, bars, and tumble track. And, of course, we still save a little time in the end for playtime!
RECREATIONAL PROGRAM
Mini Gym Class
5 - 6 years old ... 55 min
Mini Gym class is an independent class for 5-6 years old which uses modified gymnastic equipment. The classes are structured with new lesson plans each week and also include theme weeks to make learning fun.
Proper stretching techniques and strength training will be emphasized to provide a foundation for continued progression. Students in this class are reaching towards accomplishing the following skills: running drills; front support, casting, pullovers with a light spot and bent arm hold on bars; increasing confidence on both low and high beams, walking and balancing on beam; and positioning, forward rolls, handstand kick-ups, cartwheel and backward rolls on the floor.
Stars Gym Class
9 - 10 years old ... 55 min
This class is for the gymnast who has advanced through our recreational program and is ready to work towards becoming a member of our competitive team. This class will further build on core skills. Gymnasts will progress to high-level skills on all apparatus requiring increased strength and flexibility. Proper skill execution will be emphasized to promote safety and future advancements. Gymnasts will learn accelerating run, arm-circle, springboard entry and handstand flat back; casting, back hip circle, stride hold and glides on bars; handstands, turns, and tuck jump on beam; and handstand forward roll, backbend kick over, and round off on floor.
Pre-Stars Gym Class
7 - 8 years old ... 55 min
Pre-Stars Class is for children ages seven and up who want to learn the basics of gymnastics, including terms, skills, strength, and flexibility. During each 55 min class, students are reaching towards accomplishing the following skills: running drills and proper board hitting drills on vault; front support, casting, pullovers with a light spot and bent arm hold on bars; increase confidence on both low and high beams, walking and balancing on beam; and positioning, forward rolls, handstand kick-ups, cartwheel and backward rolls on the floor.
Pre-Teens & Teens Gym Class
11 - 13 years old ... 55 min & 14 years old and up ... 55 min
This class is advanced recreational gymnastics. Gymnasts will have the opportunity to challenge their abilities in a program where the sky is the limit. Gymnasts will follow proper progressions to safely achieve advanced-level skills at their own pace. Proper skill execution is strongly emphasized. Gymnasts will learn front handspring onto stacked mats and front handspring on vault table on vault; glide, kip drills, front hip circle on bars; cartwheels, turns and advanced dismounts on beam; and front handsprings, back handsprings, perfected round-offs, back walkover on floor.
BOYS GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics is and has always been the ‘Prerequisite’ for all sports. It helps to lay a strong foundation for any other sport a child might be interested in. At its very roots, gymnastics is Strength, Agility, Flexibility, and Coordination, and we think the most important in our times are CONFIDENCE and SOCIAL skills!
Although basic gymnastic skills for Boys and girls are very much the same, as kids age, these skills diverge.
The differences in apparatus between boys and girls in artistic gymnastics are primarily based on historical tradition and the physical differences between boys and girls because boys traditionally focused more on upper body strength than girls.
The pommel horse rings and horizontal bars are considered more physically demanding events, as they require more upper body strength, so these events are typically competed in and practiced by boys. On the other hand, the balance beam and uneven bars need more technical skill and grace, so these events are typically competed in and performed by girls.
Based on that, we have offered classes for boys to develop and improve strength, flexibility, coordination, and confidence in more specific areas, like the pommel horse, rings, and horizontal bars, to help them later in life.
XCEL PROGRAM
Boys and Girls 7 years old and up
The Xcel Gymnastics Program is an alternative competitive program that is more flexible with skill requirements than traditional competitive gymnastics. It is an excellent balance between recreational and competitive gymnastics where students can continue to grow in learning new skills and start learning routines for each event. Incorporating more fun and flexibility still allows students to showcase their hard work and routines without the heavy commitment that full competitive gymnastics would require!
Requirements for the Xcel Program
Floor:
- Handstand (end in lunge)
- Forward roll
- Bridge (can lift one leg for 10 seconds)
- Backward roll
- Splits on one leg
Beam:
- Straight jump
- Walk across the beam on the toe
- Side handstand (3/4 of the way)
Bars:
- pull over
- Casts (hips must leave bar)
- Window position under bar
“Jump off the beam, flip off the bars, follow your dreams and reach for the stars”– Nadia Comaneci