gymnastics

[ryedalema]

Our precocious 3.5 year old girl is getting bored of football and wants to do ballet. Part of me feels that the ballet we've attended to date has been really strict (or at difficult times for us), so I was wondering about gymnastics.

I loved getting my baga badges when I was a kid - and am just teaching madam forward rolls, splits, headstands and the like (btw they hurt when you are 30 -odd years older!)

Does anyone know anywhere local where you can do gymnastics??

[prickle]

Southwark Gymnastics Club is in Camberwell. Their web site is

http://www.southwarkgymnastics.co.uk/

The club is large and diverse catering for 'general' children (ie those with no particular gymnastic talents), adults, special needs and very successful boy and girl squads who regularly perform in nationwide festivals.

I think there are some lessons for little ones like your child.

[nunheadmum]

I'm sure folk have posted on here before about a club at Harris Girls School - does anyone know if there is one here still (I know some of the community sport activities have suffered at the school lately) and what the details are. Thanks.

[BeccaL]

Yes, Harris Girls school runs 4.30-5.30 on Tuesdays - drop in, costs ?6 a session.

[Pickle]

My friend's 4 year old girl goes to gymnastics classes at Beckenham Spa which she loves.

[nunheadmum]

Excellent - is there an age range for it? I guess if it's only an hour it may be a fairly mixed group? My daughter is only just turning 5 so I'm not really looking for anything too serious, just something to give her some confidence in doing physical things.

Sorry - should have asked all the questions first time.

[tallgirl]

Ladywell Gymnastics club opposite Bellingham train station is good (train from Peckham Rye or Nunhead). Caters for all ages of boys and girls from pre-school to 16. They also have an under 5s drop off play seeion on Friday mornings and Wednesday afternoons and some holiday sessions

[victor]

Charisma Gymnastics is based at Dulwich College Sports Club - they do pre-school through to teenagers, but there is a long waiting list. Worth it if you think your child will really enjoy it and want to compete in local/regional/National competitions as she gets older. I think Ladywell is a similar club too.

[zeban]

I have mixed feelings about gymnastics. I did it when I was little and although enjoyed getting my BAGA badges felt really self conscious in the leotards and thought my thighs were fat (I was only 10 at the time). My sister was at the level of competing and although MANY things have contributed to this, has had an eating disorder for most of her life.

I'm not trying to scare parents. My brother does trampolining and the outfits the girls wear are also quite skimpy but when I went to see him competing at Crystal Palace the girls all seemed ultra confident, all different shapes and sizes, and it was very multi cultural.

Maybe gymnastics just seems that much more harsh because it's seen as very much a girls sport, and also seems to attract quite a middle class following, so I think if I got my child involved with gymnastics it would be at a club that was very multi cultural and mixed gender and not too serious.

[victor]

Zeban, if you had been to the local clubs and comps I've been to, you would see that it is not just the MC, white girls at all. Though there are far more girls than boys and they have to train and compete in different groups.

And none of the 17+ girls looked remotely anorexic at the last comp, thank God.

[zeban]

Victor I'm just giving my opinion that's all. That's absolutely great if it's changed. I'm talking nearly 20 years ago now. But my sister and I also went to a local club in Hackney (that's where we grew up) so it was inner London and fairly multi cultural and it still had an effect on me so knowing this it's made me ultra aware and maybe a little on the over cautios side. It is difficult when a girl goes through puberty wearing such skimpy outfits.

I've never been a competitive person though. Even now! My thing was jazz dance when I was a little girl, I absolutely loved it!

[prickle]

Southwark Gymnastics are certainly *not* white and middle class. Their squads are excellent - the boy's squad particularly - they are called Cobra and are one of the best squads in the country. Have a look on utube?

[zeban]

Forgetting the white, middle class thing, i'm just saying it can be quite strict and very female which IMO has the potential to breed body image issues. But like I said, I probably feel like this because of personal experiences. I'm certainly not attacking the sport. From personal experience I have issues with all competitive sports but that's just me!

Also, I think we have come a really long way in recognising and educating children on body image and eating disorders- 20 years ago it was unheard of to talk about such things. So thank god for that!