This summer Harlow has been taking a gymnastics class at Sharp's Gymnastics in Indianapolis. It is right down the street from our apartment for the summer. There are two former Olympians that were trained in this gym. She started off by taking a 3-4 year old gymnastics class. It was her first non-mommy and me class and to my surprise (and slight disappointment) she didn't even care that I wasn't in class with her. After her second class her teacher approached us to see if we wanted to try what they call the powerhouse 3 year old class (don't let that name fool you, she's no powerhouse). So we switched classes and were so much more pleased with the class. The other class really was for basic beginners who had never taken a class, it worked more on following directions than actual skills. I remember telling Pete that I wasn't really impressed with her class, especially from being in such a well known gym. Thank goodness her coached asked her to switch! It was just enough push for our cautious, scared-y cat Harlow. She got to see her peers doing bigger, harder and more complex skills and even when she didn't want to do something she saw them doing it and at least gave it a try. Harlow has taken gymnastics in 4 different gyms now and it always amazes me how different they are. I do wish this class had been a little bit stricter on skills but she's 3, I'll give it another year. Sometimes I think that class structure gets stuck centered around age, like 3 year old classes do "these things" and 4 year old classes do "these things" when really I wish they were pushed a little harder to try skills once they show readiness. But, maybe that's just my Break the Barriers upbringing :)
I will say though that this class has been great for Harlow. Her confidence in the things that she is able to do and willingness to try things without objection first has improved tremendously. I still heard her shaky nervous laugh all the way from the bleachers a lot though. But she never left class in tears. Well scratch that, on her last day of class she sat down on the bleachers to put on her shoes and slipped backwards and smacked the back of her head on the bleachers, but class had already finished so it doesn't count, right?
Stretching at the beginning of class.
Lennox, patiently waiting while sister takes class.
Bear walks down the mat.
Crab walks, which she does not like.
Tippy toe walks on the beam.
Getting ready for her forward rolls.
Her favorite part of class is jumping on the tumble trak or playing in one of the many foam pits.
On the bars.
Coach Michelle
No comments:
Post a Comment