Gymnastics

Want to try a beautiful individual artistic sport that increases strength, flexibility, endurance and physical awareness?

then get into gymnastics!

Gymnastics is an indoor sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, agility and coordination. The modern form of gymnastics typically involves exercises on

for women

and for men

Other formats include tumbling, rhythmic, trampoline, and display.

Gymnastics is good for developing physical skill and awareness, and is taught at schools. Gymnastics can enjoyed all year round, at clubs all over the country. Children as young as three years old can do kindergym. Gymnastics for people with disabilities is small but growing, with an International Disabilities Gymnastics Competition in Belfast in 2000.

The beauty and grace of Olympic Gymnastics has made it a popular spectator sport. Team GB gymnasts are competing in Beijing in artistic, rhythmic and trampoline events.

gymnastics: a profile

take part? just you | small group
where? inside
energy/fitness level? you’ll sweat a bit
sociability? can talk some of the time
disability access*? limited | ok with help
can be played? competitively | as friends
contact sport? non-contact (but can be high-impact**)
try it cost? low
play it cost? moderate

* Individual circumstances vary hugely, and this affects participation in any sport. This guide is necessarily general in nature and may not suit your situation.
** High-level and high-impact gymnastics is classed a dangerous sport, with many chronic injuries.

starting gymnastics?

going to give gymnastics a go? Well done!

The next step is to find a club or classes.  Check out your local council’s website for club listings, sports pages in your local paper, the YMCA, YWCA and so on.  Also see the Club Finder links in ‘More Information’ on the right and on the getting started page.

Find you local gyms in ActivePlaces, a database of sports facilities etc.

not quite right for you?

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