Gymtastiks Fall Session Includes Traditional And New Cross Sport Sessions

By Robert Thomas

If you think about gymnastics as just gymnastics well to use the old cliche then think again.

It’s a traditional meaning the local gymnastics club Gymtastiks wants to change with its upcoming Fall session.

The club is featuring not only the traditional gymnastics but also classes which integrate gymnastic techniques to other sports.

Gymnastics For Other Sports

Gymtastiks is moving gymnastics as a base for other sports track and field, hockey and yes even football. While at the same time, maintaining their traditional gymnastics instruction.

Gymtastiks head coach Jamie Olmstead said techniques used in gymnastics can be integrated into track and field to make those athletes better.

“Gymnastics is a great base for all sports,” she said, adding “if you do gymnastics as your side sport, or your just for fun sport, it’s going to improve you at volleyball, basketball, football, figure skating and all the sports,” she said.

For sports like track and field she said gymnastics teaches techniques to be a better athlete.

“One of the things we can offer athletes is teaching them how to set up their run,” Olmstead said.

She explained how the skills used in gymnastics’ events are transferrable to track and field.

“So when you’re running towards the long jump board you have to be able to hit it at an exact place. So our (gymnastics) athlete who vault or who do the double mini trampoline they have a set run. We know how to teach it to them, we know how to teach them to go to other places and use that run.”

Skills transferability has driven the move to offering the cross sport classes commencing in September.

“We have decided to add some specialty classes which is our indoor track (and field). It will work on your running technique learning proper jumping for high jump, long jump and triple jump. We will work on some hurdling technique some ball throw and relay races with the handoff,” she said.

Olmstead said it’s not just hitting a certain spot on a board is a transferrable skill from gymnastics running itself is as well.

“In just running techniques gymnasts are very quick. We work running, drills every practice, and saw those running drills will be incorporated into learning how to run also for long distance.”

She said setting up the courses to be used in track and field was something she reached out to the local Rotary Track and Field Club and they were super excited about the new classes.

“He knows how gymnastics has already helped his daughter and gymnasts who do come to the Rotary Track Club have great success,” she saud.

Gymtastiks is also looking at providing dryland training to other sports teams or individuals to help improve their game.

“For dryland training we’re welcoming teams if they need to find somewhere to do dryland training it’s for swim teams, hockey teams or figure skating they can reach out or we can do that on a personal and private level as well.”

Asked about the flexibility of gymnastics training for other sports, such as football Olmstead said, despite the game being seen as one of pushing large weights and developing strength in a gym that gymnastics has its place there as well.

She pointed to Moose Jaw native Dylan Barker who was involved in gymnastics, and who later went on to play four seasons with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats as an example of how gymnastics has helped out in football.

Gymnastics offers agility, spatial orientation, balance and flexibility for football players.

New And Returning Gymnastics Offerings

The season will also see the return of the recreational trampoline class to Gymtastiks. The classes will entail individual trampoline, tumbling as well as the double trampoline.

Other additions to the repertoire of classes offered is aimed towards the dance and cheerleading crowd.

“We decided to add two tumbling classes an intermediate one and an advanced one. It will benefit anyone in gymnastics, but it will also benefit dancers and cheerleaders,” Olmstead said.

A new offering is a demonstration rhythmic gymnastics team.

“We’re trying to add a rhythmic (gymnastics) performance team that would be really good for dancers, cheerleaders, or anybody who’s been in gymnastics and wants to work with an apparatus.”

The rhythmic gymnastics class will offer the hoop, the ball and scarves while working on dance routines.

Plans call for to later go out in the community and demonstrate the routine.

Traditional Gymnastics Still On The Menu

Despite the move into new gymnastic centered offerings designed to improve in other sports the traditional gymnastics program will still be available.

“We start classes at the age of two with parent and tot class. We have preschool classes. Anyone that is six (years of age) plus comes into her badge programs. This is when they start working on the level system we have designed in house,” she said.

But gymnastics goes further than just participating and it helps create its own community.

“It’s a great place to meet other kids your age. It’s great for parents to find other parents that have kids the same age. So we are really trying to build that community base,” Olmstead said.

How To Register

On-line registration has already opened. It started on August 14th and it will go until the end of September. But classes will begin the week of September 11th.

The club is running at an average membership but some classes already full so Olmstead encourages people to register as soon as possible.

For further information you may contact Gymtastiks through their website or by telephone at (306) 692-2303.

They also have a Facebook page which may be accessed by clicking here.