Read up on our various programs and classes! True Gymnastics offers a Recreational Gymnastics Program, a Ninja Program, and a Preschool Gymnastics Program.
Preschool Gymnastics Program
Our Preschool Program is vibrant and full of action! We change our themes and setups every 2-3 weeks. Students can expect a colorful and fun atmosphere with organized activities and lesson plans. We focus on motor skill development, upper body strength, flexibility, beginner gymnastics skills, and how to be safe during class. This is a great beginner activity for the little ones in your life. We love watching these children develop into strong, happy, healthy young athletes. Our program is based off of age, not ability. Suitable changes can always be made pending the recommendation of an instructor.
Tiny Tumblebees: (18 months-3.5 years)- This is a parent- tot class for young children that provides socialization, physical development, emotional development, and excitement for your toddler. Tiny Tumblebees is such a great way to bond with your child and make new friends. We enter the gym and do 10 minutes of organized/ exploratory play. Safety in the gym is always covered – we will give friendly reminders to students on how and why we need to be safe in the gym. Instructors will introduce students and parents to the setup . Next, we do a quick circle time, practice body shapes and stretches, and demonstrate the floor circuit. (Try to make it through 3 times!) We move on to trampoline for beginner jumping curriculum, then to bars for upper body strength skills, and lastly to beam for some balancing challenges. It is 50 minutes of rolling, bouncing, fun music, climbing, skipping, jumping and so much more.
Gym Requires: Parents are asked to stay with their child and guide them through the assignments in class until they are able to work independently as a 3.5 year old.
Climbing Caterpillars: (3.5 years -4.5 years )- In this class, students work independently with their classmates and instructors to continue the work they started in Tiny Tumblebees. The ratio is 1 instructor for every 6 students. Forward rolls, backward rolls, straddle rolls, cartwheel drills, rope climbing, straddle jumps, tuck jumps and beginner handstand drills are all a part of the plans we make for these students. We work on chin holds, front supports, glide swings and tuck hangs on bars. Low beams and high beams are incorporated for balance. We learn how to follow directions from the instructors and how share with our fellow classmates. A great activity for any young child that is looking to enjoy a vivid beginner gymnastics experience.
Gym Requires: Student must be fully potty trained and able to work independently and safely while following cues from their teacher.
Galloping Grasshoppers (4.5- Pre-K)-
Ratio: one instructor to seven students.
In this class, students continue to work on their forward , backward and straddle rolls. They begin to work on their cartwheel, and they are taught to practice a bridge. On bars, they practice climbing the rope, holding a ten second chin hold, and adding a cast to their front support, among other skills. On balance beam, this age group is able to advance from forward walking to sideways and backwards. They also begin to work on their static balances on the beam : holding a passé or an arabesque. This age group begins to learn a basic squat on and straddle on on vault.
Mighty Millipede (Kindergarten) –
Ratio: one instructor to 8 students
The kindergarten floor skills include moving the forward , backward and straddle rolls from the mat to the floor. The students begin to master their cartwheels, bridges and handstands. We work on form and presentation. On bars, kindergartners are sometimes able to climb to the top of the rope. They practice chin holds, pullovers, casting and working on the high bar. On balance beam, kindergartners are introduced to mounts, dismounts, jumps and turns. The kindergartener is taught basic springboard and vault progressions and is able to squat on and straddle on. After the summer completes and the students finish their show in August, Kindergarteners are eligible for the Recreational Gymnastics Program!
Recreational Gymnastics Program
Our Recreational Gymnastics Program is an ability-based curriculum that focuses on strength, flexibility, fundamental basics, and mindful progression of the student. Athletes must be 7 years old and in first grade. There are 2 branches of the program: All-Around Gymnastics and Tumble & Trampoline. We begin every class with a 10-15 minute warmup and stretch. Students review exercises that strengthen the muscle groups needed for the skills that they use in class. We stretch to understand a safe range of motion and to prevent injury. Students review safety landing positions (SLP) often, which comes into play on every event when we land, (or sometimes do not land) a skill. It is important to our staff that athletes understand how to land and fall safely. After warm-up, students join their teacher and rotate to floor, bars, beam, vault, trampoline, ninja course, and sometimes we like to end with a game! Please note that not all events may be reached within one class period. Every class level has core skills that must be mastered prior to moving up. Students: Please keep in mind that each class contains 2 levels of curriculum. Therefore, it is very common to not move up in the program every year. We have a lot to cover! 🙂 Free evaluations are available by appointment. Please contact us at [email protected] to schedule. Check out the class level descriptions below!
Level 1/2:
Our beginner level of rec gymnastics introduces basic skills on all events. Rolling, bridges, cartwheels, arching drills, kickovers, casting, and essential tumbling shapes are in the curriculum. Prior kindergarten students will have a great understanding of some of the class, however they will notice an increase in conditioning and skill requirement. Ratio is 1 teacher per 8 students. Class length is 1 hour.
Gym Requests: Students must be 7 years old and in first grade. Athletes are eligible to move to Level 3/4 by *recommendation from instructor* once the following skills have been mastered: bridge kickover from panel mat, 10 second chinhold, a straight cartwheel, spotted pullover, seatdrop and headstand.
Level 3/4:
This level is the intermediate portion of our program and can often be the most challenging! We focus on slow, controlled arching skills such as backbend kickover, ticktocks, front limbers, back limbers, backhandspring drills, back hip circles, introductory tap swings, donkey kicks, snap downs, round offs, handstand control, handstand forward rolls, tip ups on beam and tuck jumps on beam. Ratio is 1 teacher per 8 students, class length is 1 hour 15 minutes.
Gym Requests: Student must have the following skills mastered in order for teacher recommendation to move up to Level 5/6: pullover, back hip circle, back bend kickover, handstand to bridge, tip up on beam, spotted backhandspring.
Level 5/6:
This advanced level begins to add power and speed to certain movements and shapes we have implemented in our earlier curriculum. Students begin drills for the following skills while still adhering to basics, strength, flexibility and safety: Backhand spring, Roundoff Backhand spring, Consecutive Backhandsprings, Front handspring, Side Aerial, Roundoff Back Tuck, Front Tuck, Long Hang Pullover, Straddle Offs, Flyaway Drills, Cartwheels on beam, Handstands on beam, Side Handstands on beam, and much more. Ratio is 9 to 1. Class length is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Gym Requests: Student must master roundoff backhandspring, spotted roundoff tuck, spotted flyaway, and 3 consecutive handsprings in a row to advance to level 7/8.
Level 7/8:
This is our highest level of recreational gymnastics. Students ascend through the program and stay in this class to work on their current skills and upgrade to new skills. This is also an excellent option for competitive gymnasts that have retired, but still love the sport! We value keeping retired gymnasts in the gym. Athletes work on higher level rec skills including: Layouts, Layout half twist, Layout full twist, Layout 1.5 twist, flyaways, kips, standing tucks, front aerials, whips, cast handstand, freehips, walkovers on beam, handsprings on beam, half-ons and front handspring on vault and much more. Coaches will help the students to upgrade and train skills that are personalized to the athletes path.
Recreational Tumble and Trampoline Program
This is the second branch of our rec program. Students must be 7 and in 1st grade, or have a teachers recommendation. Tumble and trampoline is a great supplement to our all-around gymnastics classes, and is also a popular option for learning new skills required for cheer, dance, acro and more. In addition, many of our students join Tumble and Trampoline because it is FUN! We utilize our 20 foot tumbletrak trampoline to teach specific shapes and air awareness. Students take their awareness from trampoline and slowly begin to apply it to floor skills. We use drills with appropriate progressions, spotting and form. Bars, Vault and Beam are not a conventional part of this curriculum, only tumbling. We focus on 3 levels: Kickover Walkover (KOWO), Backhandspring (BHS) and Flip and Twist. Check out the descriptions below!
Kickover Walkover (KOWO)
This is the first of three levels in our T&T program. Ratio is 1 teacher per 8 students. The class is 1 hour long. Students will use mats, floor, wall and trampoline to practice beginner tumbling skills. These skills include rolling, arching, kicking over from a bridge, standing backbends, cartwheels, handstands and roundoffs.
Gym Requests: Student must master a standing backbend kickover and a roundoff prior to advancing to Backhandspring class.
Backhandspring (BHS)-
This class focuses on backhandsprings and mid-level tumbling. Ratio is 1 teacher per 8 students. Class is 1 hour long. Athletes will utilize a large amount of drills to break down phases of a backhandspring. We feel it is very important to do this safely. A backhandspring is not a beginner skill. Donkey kicks, limbers, roller mats, jumping drills, spotting, and basics come into play for this skill to find consistency. This class also covers roundoff backhandspring, connected bhs series, front handsprings, and side aerial drills. Students transfer skills from trampoline, to mats, then finally to the floor. A backhandspring is a backwards jumping skill and requires patience, attendance and correction. We love watching this process happen for our athletes!
Gym Requests: Student must master a standing consecutive 3 backhandsprings on the floor to progress to flip and twist.