​To wear shoes or just barefoot? While most of the gymnasts wear nothing on the feet, you may find some athletes wearing some kind of gear as they perform.

If it is your first time in the gym, protecting the most precious toes of yours or your kid is a really big thing. However, what you wear on your feet could make a difference in your performance.

So before jumping into the conclusion of what to wear, there might be a few considerations to bear in mind.

​Pros and Cons of Wearing Shoes  

​The Pros

• Safety

Whether you wear beam, floor, vault or apparatus shoes, one of the best advantages you can get from them is safety. They can prevent slipping and provide some sort of cushioning. Some types are padded to help you feel comfortable when you land.
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• Health

Gymnast’s feet are also made of flesh and bone. As they do extreme gravity-defying routines, feet can experience myriad injuries. There can also be toe fungus anyone can get when performing barefoot. Wearing socks or shoes will help absorb forceful impact and prevent bacteria from coming in.

• ​Performance

The feet support the body and are responsible for holding up all of the body’s weight. Extreme hard dismount landings and high-flying routines can damage the feet. This will damage the whole performance as well. Wearing shoes will not just protect them against health-related issues but will also help you have a better grip for the win.

The Cons

• Lose of Feel

Wearing gymnastics shoes will make you lose the real feel of the floor or beam. 

• ​Center of Attraction

Your feet can attract more attention if you wear shoes, something that your body deserves.
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So, is it good to wear shoes or not? The answer depends on the gym requirements and the needs of a gymnast itself. Sweaty feet have to use socks or shoes. But don’t forget to consult your coach first. If your coach approves then get ready to step onto the floor with confidence!
 

​In gymnastics, you can do a lot of cool things. But you need to be alert and responsive to better every single move you take.

The ability to move or change position quickly is known as agility. To be agile, you need to respond everything around you while maintaining balance and control. Sometimes, it’s not easy to be swift. You need a certain sort of speed, quick reflexes, coordination and accurate reaction to changing circumstances.

​If you can correctly react to what’s going around, you can effectively take the next action without messed up. Gymnasts are amazingly agile. Wonder how to build a brain like that? 

​The Power of Agility

​Women back in 1948 used to compete with terrifying equipment such as floor mats that are only a few inches thick. Being able to win an Olympic medal with extreme difficulty, ladies have been named in newspaper headlines as ‘fragile but agile’.

Agility is truly one of the most important components of gymnastics fitness. Being able to change several positions quickly and efficiently is power. Floor routines and balance beam exercises need agility to do things like somersaults and back flips. 

​How to Improve Agility

• Strength
• Control/Balance
• Speed
• Coordination

Agility can be developed if you have a strong foundation of strength and there’s a huge amount of body control lies within. Strength and control are the key components athletes should learn to efficiently produce and absorb force even under pressure. This includes speed and coordination.
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The ability to execute explosive movement, anticipate, react and recognize are also essential to improve agility.

​Agility Training

There are various trainings that indicate athlete’s quickness such as agility ladder. It can be done inside the gym and also outdoors. See how dynamics you can be on a balance beam, floor, and vault or in anything where you can challenge yourself.
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After all, it’s you that will reap the benefits. Remember, agility will not just improve your athletic performance; it can also improve how you move every day.

Trying out some jumps? Getting self off a surface and flip into the air is probably the most exciting part in gymnastics. It is required in every floor. Beam routines need it the same time. In fact, it can help you climb all the way up to the highest levels.

Gymnastics jumps come in various types. Any of them you try learning can help improve height, speed and agility. This complex creative part of the sport comes from the gymnast’s power. Read on and learn some ways to learn that – even at home.

Different Types of Gymnastics Jumps

​Tuck

A tuck jump is simply a tuck of the knees. The knees are placed under the chest while flying in the air.

Pike

The pike jump is all about bringing the legs straight out. The body typically forms right angle in the air.

Straddle and Split

The split leap and split jump as well as straddle jump work the same as doing splits on the floor. However, to create 180-degree separation in the air requires more training.

Leaps, Jumps and Hops

The leaps, jumps and hops create a difference in the footing.
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Leaps: One foot should be taken off. Then make it land on the opposite foot.
Jumps: Both feet are used to leave off the ground, like a simple jump.
Hops: One foot should be taken off and make it land on the same foot, like a hopscotch.

How to Make your Jumps Better

​Improve your Body Position

Your jump is all about your body position. Take good care of it from the moment your feet come off the floor. The body should be in tight position throughout the jump with the correct shape.

Improve your Strength

It is impossible to jump when you have weak legs. Train your legs and your lower-body muscles to gain strength.

Exercises:
Squat
Punching
Fast Feet Up & Down
Single Leg Up & Down
Jump and Switch
 
How do you improve your jumps? We’d like to hear your thoughts below.
 
 
 

​It is always fascinating to see a gymnast’s performance. Their twists and rolls will make us awake all night. People love gymnastics because athletes have that amazing flexibility.

Flexibility is what makes gymnasts create an arch of beauty. But there is one thing they possess better than that – a strong heart. Some of the strongest, toughest people in the world of sports are gymnasts.
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To be strong is great but being stronger is powerful. This is how important it is to become tougher in body and mind.

​Becoming Stronger in 3 Ways 

1. Start with Motivation

Stronger gymnasts are shaped with stronger motivation. You can’t borrow others inside drive. It comes from within. Know why you do it and all the benefits you can get. Be the strongest supporter of yourself.

Some Sources of Motivation   
•    Encouragement
•    Achievement
•    Cheering crowd
•    Medal/award

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2. Take Good Care of Yourself

It is easy to skip good meals and lots of rest when you’re going at full speed. You work hard. Fuel yourself with something it deserves.

Tips for Caring the Body
​•    Eat only nutritious foods (lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein).
•    Drink plenty of fluids.
•    Avoid sugary snacks, junk foods, and other unhealthy cravings.
•    Get more sleep.

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3. Keep Practicing

Learning new skills takes time, keep practicing. If you know doing things already, stay that way. Be consistent in all you do. See how far you’ve become by your progress.
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Sometimes, the strongest people don’t have abs and muscles. They just have the strongest mind that never quits.