Questions to Ask When Choosing a Utah Gymnastics Gym for Your Child

Gymnastics is an intricate sport, one that requires strength, flexibility and passion. This means that choosing the right Utah gymnastics gym for your child is an important decision. To make the choice easier, be sure to ask these questions.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Utah Gymnastics Gym for Your Child

1. How Competitive is Your Gymnastics Gym?

The answer that you want to hear from asking this question depends on the kind of experience that you want your child to have. Is your child interested in gymnastics because he or she wants to perform competitively or just for fun? This is important because your child will be expected to practice several hours a day as well as a few days each week. Gymnastics gyms that compete also charge more for the intense instruction. Make sure that your child’s passion for the sport is deep enough for this level of gymnastics before signing him or her up. If it’s not, choose a gym that teaches the sport as a fun activity.

2. How Old is Your Equipment?

Gymnastics is a sport that requires the use of specialized equipment, which includes the balance beam, parallel bars, vault and tumbling floor. The last thing that you want is for your child to become injured using old or broken-down equipment. Before choosing a Utah gymnastics gym, inspect the space and the equipment to assess its age. Also, consider the gym’s cleanliness, and make sure that there are plenty of mats positioned underneath the equipment.

3. Is Your Gym a Member of USA Gymnastics or the AAU?

Gymnastics gyms that are members of USA Gymnastics or the AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, are required to run their organizations based on particular guidelines and regulations. If they fail to do so, then they lose their membership. This provides peace of mind since you’ll know that they’re held to a certain standard.

4. What is the Age Makeup of Your Classes?

Ask each Utah gymnastics gym that you’re considering about the age makeup of their classes. Do they separate classes based on age or skill level? Bigger gyms usually form classes according to the skill set of the gymnasts while smaller gyms may separate them by age. Both have pros and cons, so you’ll have to decide what option is best for your child.

A Major Decision

Don’t feel as though you have to stick with a gym just because you choose it first. If the gym doesn’t seem to be a good fit for your kid, take him or her to another one. Make sure that the Utah gymnastics gym you select is not only safe for your child but is fun as well.