Why Gymnastics is Perfect for Boys and Girls!

When the United States women’s gymnastics team won nine medals this past summer at the Rio Olympic Games, little girls by the thousands signed up for gymnastics classes this fall. With the spotlight shining so brightly on the women’s side of the sport, it’s easy to forget that the U.S. also fielded a men’s team and that a male U.S. gymnast, Alex Naddour, won a bronze medal with his pommel horse routine. It may be hard to get boys interested in this sport that seems to focus so much on the girls, but there are compelling reasons for boys to get involved.

Benefits of Boys Gymnastics

The greatest benefits of participation in gymnastics programs apply equally to boys and girls. Boys gymnastics classes teach social skills, improve strength and coordination, and build confidence, just as classes for girls do. The trick to selling boys on a program is in making the focus reflect what boys want. For boys, gymnastics classes should focus on gaining strength and improving coordination. Studies have shown that gymnastics is a great foundation for other sports as well as a great cross-training sport for kids who are already involved in another sport such as hockey or soccer.

As a parent, you may appreciate that gymnastics offers boys an opportunity to demonstrate their strength and coordination without hitting anybody. Boys and girls learn both self-control and body awareness as part of a gymnastics program, skills that transfer to other sports and enhance an athlete’s performance.

Mental Discipline

By participating in gymnastics classes, children learn the mental discipline necessary to practice the same skills and routines over and over until they can practically do them in their sleep. These skills are so essential to success not only in sports but also in school, where practicing math and spelling skills is tedious but absolutely important. Laying the foundation for mental discipline at an early age will make it possible for your child to employ it throughout his life.

Overall, girls and boys gymnastics programs are great places for your children to learn a multitude of skills that will benefit them in sports now, transfer to academic growth through college, and foster career success as an adult.