Building Brainy Bodies
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Developing core skills of movement enhances confidence, flexibility and coordination; all while the kids are having fun and being active.
Movement plays an important role when kids are learning and growing. It assists with concentration, focus and engagement, along with building their self-esteem. The thrill of seeing a nervous, shy kid in the class overcome a challenge and beaming smile, filled with confidence is why we are in this game, and why we love it as much as the kids! |
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Gymnastrix Schools Programs
Gymnastrix at Schools combines the vital ingredients of fun and fitness. It targets pre-schoolers and primary school aged children so their movement competencies ensure they can successfully take up any sport and recreation activities. Gymnastics provides the building blocks for a solid physical preparation for children.
Includes:
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Gymnastrix Programs improve your children’s:
Dominant Movement PatternsSpring & Landings
Landings can be complex! Children need to learn how to safely spring and land in different directions. Developing motor coordination is all about being able to control where you want your body to be. Understanding how a body's centre of gravity is affected by adding ‘height and flight’ is one of the key benefits of participating in a Gymnastrix program. By learning these motor skills in a structured gymnastics program, children are more likely to be able to transfer this experience to other sporting pursuits.
Statics
This is the branch of physics that deals with physical systems in equilibrium, in which no bodies are in motion, and all forces are offset or counter-balanced by other forces. The Gymnastrix teacher will refine lying and standing shapes during lessons activities to ensure that each child is aware of what muscles can improve with the development of core stability.
Rotation
This is usually the Gymnastrix activity that children enjoy the most. However, like swing, it is becoming more difficult for many children to do these activities because they lack the upper body strength to do this. Rotations develop children's sense of spatial awareness, coordination of major limbs, physical abilities such as upper body strength and core stability.
Locomotion
Skills like running, hopping, jumping and skipping will all be covered throughout the Gymnastrix programs. However, we also offer children changing locomotor activities that will encourage and change the development of key physical abilities. The ability to carry and/or support body weight Is important for healthy bones and muscles. Strong body structures will facilitate a physical enjoyment and promote general well-being.
Swing
It is astonishing how many children are unable to support their own body weight in a hang or support position. Upper body strength is important for general well-being. Gymnastrix actives develop this skill. All programs offer as many support and hanging skills as possible to ensure that children develop this vital physical ability.
Manipulative
Managing objects with hands, feet and bodies is an important skill in many sports and physical activities as well as in classroom-based learning experiences. Fine motor skills such as being able to hold and control a paintbrush or a pencil can be developed through fundamental movement-based experiences.
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Physical Abilities
Agility
The ability to move quickly with suppleness, skill and control.
Spatial Orientation
The ability to know a position in relation to the surrounding space.
Balance
An awareness of where their body and limbs are in space encourages children to develop both static and dynamic balance.
Dynamic balance keeps children on their feet when running, skipping, hopping or moving in general, whereas static balance refers to the balance required to maintain a stationary position. Equilibrium settles the mind, and through the vestibular system, prepares it to focus and maintain attention and begin the process of absorbing new information. Coordination
The ability to perform movements in an integrated action.
Kinaesthetic
The ability to know the position of a body part without being able to see it.
Strength
The ability to exert a force or carry out a task.
Flexibility
The ability to move joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons through a range of safe motions.
Speed
The ability to execute movements quickly.
Endurance
The ability to perform repeated movements/activities for an extended period of time.
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Brain Development
Vestibular Stimulation
Regulates our equilibrium and our sensation of movement through information sent to the brain from the eyes, muscles and joints. Stimulating the vestibular system helps to encourage the brain’s ability to maintain alertness. Vestibular Stimulation can be practiced and improved by engaging in activities which take the body off balance then back again by rolling and rotating.
Crossing the Midline
The left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice-versa. The corpus callosum is a bundle of neural pathways that are formed and strengthened as the body moves.
Each time the limbs on either side of the body cross the midline, the neural pathways in the corpus callosum are stimulated and strengthened. Cross Patterning
Gross motor movement on either side of the body that cross the midline strengthen and increase the number of the neural pathways between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This improves the brain’s ability to use creativity to solve logic or mathematical type problems.
Strengthening the collateral connection gives students faster feedback on movements and enhances skill learning and movement automation. Balance
An awareness of where their body and limbs are in space encourages children to develop both static and dynamic balance. Dynamic Balance keeps children on their feet when running, skipping, hopping or moving in general, whereas Static Balance refers to the balance required to maintain a stationary position. Equilibrium settles the mind, and through the vestibular system, prepares it to focus and maintain attention and begin the process of absorbing new information.
Rhythm
Our bodies perform rhythmical activities every day without us having to consciously think. The brain is especially sensitive to rhythm and has the ability to regulate the body’s internal rhythm- heartbeat, e.g. breathing and blinking. Rhythm can be found in all languages through pace, pitch and tone. Reading and speaking require development of these core components which can be achieved in an enjoyable way through activities involving music and movement.
Fine Motor Development
This skill development involves the small muscles of the hands, fingers, feet and toes as well as the face. Generally, these skills develop after gross motor (large muscles) development, moving from the body parts closest to the trunk down to the extremities.
Core Strength
Without good core strength, posture is compromised and children can become tired and restless sooner as their weak abdominal muscles struggle to keep upright. This detracts from engagement in learning opportunities, regardless of how well they have been planned.
Visual Tracking
The muscles that control our eyes need to be exercised and developed just like any other muscle in the body. 'Ocular Lock' is becoming more and more prevalent in children today. Moving the eyes is paramount to success in activities such as reading and writing where children must scan across a page, crossing the midline of their body with their eyesight and maintaining focus.
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Head office: (02) 8039 7469
Mobile: 0423 136 141 Postal: PO box 2 Menai Central NSW 2234 |
