International Gymnast

6Tips for Learning New Tricks

1) Select It! Sometimes the hardest part of learning a new skill is figuring out which one to choose! Start simple and work your way up to more complex skills. If you perfect the basics, then harder skills will be easier to learn later on.

2) Safety! Before you start attempting a new trick, make sure you have plenty of safety mats, because you might be falling down a lot! Spotting also is an important part of learning skills, so be sure that your coach is there to help you. New skills are fun to learn, but make sure you learn them safely.

3) See It! When learning a new skill it is often helpful to watch another gymnast who has already mastered the trick. When you see how the trick is supposed to look, it helps you understand what your body must do to achieve it.

4) Separate It! New tricks are usually made up of different parts, most of which you probably already know how to do. Separate the parts of the skill to figure out which pieces you’ll need to focus on to master your new trick. Make practice drills that are specific to the harder parts of the new skill.

5) Stop the Sloppiness! Focus on learning your new skill with perfect form. If you learn a skill with bad form, it will be very hard to correct it later on. Good form decreases your chances of injury and increases the likelihood of learning your new skill quickly.

6) Switch It Up! Sometimes trying a new skill over and over can get frustrating, so make sure you also practice skills you have already mastered. This change of pace will give your body and brain a rest, and it will remind you that you are an awesome gymnast with or without the new trick! —Emalee Fox

Fox is a former competitive gymnast who currently coaches in Oklahoma.

COACHING

Crowd Grabber! ISN’T this an awesome photo of Julie Croket of Belgium? Can’t you just feel the movement by her pose, and the xcitement generated by her smile? Julie is immersed in her routine, physically and emotionally. She is not just hitting positions with a blank stare. She is per- forming for the crowd, and their loud reaction will most likely affect Julie’s score in a good way! With practice, you can perform like this too, even if you are a beginner. So give it a try! Go grab the crowd!

CORNER

THOMAS SCHREYER

ATTENTION KIDS!

Let us publish your
gymnastics creativity!
POEMS, DRAWINGS,
SHORT STORIES!
Get busy & mail them to:
IG Kids Klub, P.O. Box 721020
Norman, OK 73070