Gymnastics style workouts are becoming ever popular in the fitness world: Crossfit, aerial fitness, callisthenics and adult gymnastics (yes, it’s a thing!) are just a few ways that traditional gymnastics movements have made their way into adult fitness classes. Now, more than ever and in particular through social media platforms, we are seeing adults doing handstand, pull-ups, muscle- ups, back flips, somersaults…. the list goes on! So how do you go from being your average person that has no gymnastics background, to successfully completing these movements as an adult? 1. Be prepared to start ..read more

Teaching Gymnastics in School Teaching gymnastics in school can seem daunting for teachers as this is not a familiar subject you are familiar subject for everyone and there is not always a lot of focus on gymnastics during training. In this blog we will give you lots of hints and tips to direct you in the right direction to become more confident in teaching these lessons and give you lots of resources to help. Where to start… Fundamental gymnastics shapes form the basis of any great gymnastics lesson do this is the perfect way to start a series of lessons. A Tuck is the shape created in a rol ..read more

Following on from the success of our Shuffle Up Gymnastics Conditioning game we have partnered with Rippa Rugby to create a new rugby game. Like our gymnastics version it encourages young rugby players to get moving in exciting ways, whilst teaching core principles of strength and conditioning that are often neglected at grassroots level. With the vast experience we have in the gymnastics industry, we understand the importance of strength and conditioning in sport. Using this knowledge the game has been specifically designed to minimise the risk of injury to rugby players, encouraging them to ..read more

Hi everyone! I’m Lois and I am a recent history graduate from the University of Liverpool. Gemma has been kind enough to allow me to volunteer for Head over Heels and Shuffle Up Games in order to gain more experience during a time where there are minimal opportunities available for graduates. I have interviewed Gemma in order to find out more about her passion for gymnastics, her business, and any tips she can share for gymnasts practicing at home. When and how did your love for gymnastics start?  From the moment I could confidently walk I skipped alongside my parents with boundless ene ..read more

In light of recent press coverage, reading through comments about children’s negative experiences in gymnastics has been heart breaking and has made me reflect. I have proudly coached for many years and while I don’t consider myself the perfect coach, I have always tried to prioritise the children, their well-being and their enjoyment. The thought that some children entering a gym can leave feeling bullied, body shamed, belittled and punished makes me sick to my stomach. I have worked with and recommended children to go to be coached by ‘tough’ coaches. As a recreational coach I believed that ..read more

Passion to profession. Many young coaches enter into the coaching profession through the same pathway. They may have been a competitive gymnast themselves, been at their club for many years have a love and passion for the sport and as they turn 15-16 years old getting paid to coach seems far more appealing than flipping burgers at McDonalds. This pathway has been repeated throughout gym clubs around the world for years and will continue to repeat. It also makes sense as any head coaches already knows that the young coach understands the fundamentals of how the club operates, may already kno ..read more

1st Prize 3m Airtrack from Elite Tracks UK, Gymnastics Journal, Floors Skills Book and DVD from Head Over Heels Gymnastics. 1st Prize – 3m Air Floor, Journal, Floor Skills Book and DVD 2nd Prize Inflatable Dot from Elite Tracks UK and Gymnastics Journal from Head Over Heels Gymnastics. 2nd Prize – Dot and JournalWho are Elite Tracks UK? Jo Wicks is the founder of Elite tracks UK Ltd set up in 2018 after helping successfully launch Sandbanks Style Paddle-board company 4 years earlier. ” The technology in both products is fairly similar and as I saw inflatable AirTrack’s ..read more

Guest Blog by Shaun James Getting motivated to plan a gymnastics unit… While finishing off a now cold instant coffee that was made two hours ago I begin to plan a Gymnastics unit for next term. Like most teachers the thought of doing a gymnastics unit sends fear through my body. Dragging the dust-ridden heavy floor mats out of storage and trying to keep everyone engaged from high energy boys who are telling me that they can do double flips, to the girls who can do splits twist from years and the rest who would rather be playing fortnight. In my procrastination and googling i stumbled ..read more

Your children may forever be upside-down, but do they know how to hold their headstand with good technique? This blog unpicks our top tips to successfully holding a Headstand. Feel free to skip to the video at the bottom for a demonstration with technical commentary. 1. Make a Triangle Shape If you imagine a stall with three legs, this would be useless unless the three legs are in a triangle shape creating a stable base to sit on. The same applies to a Headstand. Your hands should be flat on the floor, a little more than shoulder-width apart with your head above, in the centre of the h ..read more

In this episode of #AskGemmaGym, Gemma speaks to Ryan Ellis (@RyanSporting on Twitter) about her top tips to make Primary level gymnastics (age 5-11) achievable. Watch below to hear some of Gemma’s top tips from her 20 years of gymnastics coaching experience. The post Making Primary Gymnastics Achievable #AskGemmaGym 8 Ft. Ryan Ellis appeared first on Head Over Heels Gymnastics ..read more