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The most important gymnastics rule to remember is to
know what you're doing! Never attempt a trick you are
not familiar with. Make sure you always have a trained
spotter (someone who stands near you in case you need
help while doing your tricks) just in case you lose your
balance on the beam, or attempt a wobbly handstand.
Gymnastics is a great and fun way to help build strong
bones. And it has a few different categories to choose
from so you can find your favorite. But, before you get
started, you need to know (and master) the basics!
The handstand is one of the basic skills of gymnastics.
If you're a beginner, it's a good idea to practice your
handstands against a wall until you get your balance and
build up your strength and confidence. And remember, it
is always good to have a spotter—just in case you
need some help along the way!
Follow these tips to a perfect handstand:
- Face the wall.
- Get in a squatted position so that your knees are
bent and your body is close to the ground.
- Put your hands on the floor with the tips of your
fingers facing the wall (your hands should not be any
wider than shoulder width apart).
- Bend your head down to the floor—keeping it
between your arms.
- Kick your legs up putting all your weight on your
handszkeeping your upper body straight and tight.
- Once your feet hit the wall, straighten out your legs.
Now that you've mastered the handstand—wanna' try
something trickier?
Practice these steps to conquer the cartwheel:
- Stand in a ready position, your "favorite" leg in
front, knees bent slightly. To find out your favorite
leg, stand up and take one step. The leg you step forward
with first is usually your favorite.
- Raise both of your arms.
- Reach forward with your right arm, putting your right
hand on the floor/ground.
- Shift your weight to your right arm and kick your
left leg up (If you're a lefty, reverse these directions).
- Your left hand should follow very quickly—as
it touches the ground, shift your weight to your left
arm. Your right leg should be off of the ground.
- Bring your left leg down, right hand up, right leg
down, left hand up.
For more information, visit: www.bam.gov/sub_physicalactivity/activitycards_gymnastics.html
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