Congratulations to Amelia Bourne who came 3rd overall in National 2 grades in Cardiff and will represent Wales at the British finals in the next couple of months, writes head coach Ceri Sass.
Congratulations also to Abi, Bella, Zara, Evie, Zara R, Megan and Lydia who all passed their grades with either a pass or commendation.
Here are the dates for Easter gym camps for the following groups
Gym is closed between Friday 30 March and Monday 2 April
Mollie
General Gym class 1: Mollie
Coach comments: Mollie works hard every session and is improving with her work at home. Well down Mollie, keep up the hard work.
Isabelle
General Gym class 2: Isabelle
Coach comments: Isabelle consistently works super hard every session and always listens when we explain how she can improve her skills. Well done Isabelle.
Evie
General Gym class 3, 5-6pm: Evie
Coach comments: Evie has been working hard with the skills we are currently working ready for our club championships.
Caitlin
General Gym class 3, 6-7pm: Caitlin
Coach comments: Caitlin has shown great determination recently with the new skills we have been working on vault. Well done Caitlin.
Erin
Development class: Erin
Coach comments: Erin consistently tries her hardest every session and impresses the coaches with her determination and drive to improve. Her tumbling and vaulting are lovely and she gives 100% on Tuesdays in our conditioning class.
Lucy
Intermediate class: Lucy
Coach comments: Congratulations to Lucy. All the coaches have seen such an improvement. This has been proven by not only coming 1st overall last year at Gymspire, but then this month she came 2nd overall in Club Grade 6 out of age – out of the whole of north Wales.
Mia
Advanced class: Mia
Coach comments: Mia has been working really hard, particularly on her tumbles and bar work. She is now consistently doing her tumbles and is trying very hard to achieve her float handstand and short clear on the bars. You can do it Mia. Always a pleasure to coach. Keep working hard.
We are continuing to look at our basic shapes and this month’s shape is pencil (straight shape). We tend to practise this shape on the floor at first but it will progress on to a straight jump as the gymnasts progress.
Step 1: Gymnast lies on their back with hands above head and arms squeezing their ears.
The shoulders are fully extended and the arms should be as flat on the ground as possible.
The legs should be fully extended and toes should be pointed.
From above the gymnast should look completely straight (not like a banana).
Step 2: Ask the gymnast to turn over on to the front.
Again you are aiming to be as flat as possible on to the floor – particularly look at the angle at the shoulder.
This should be wide open so that the armpit is as close as possible to the floor – as flat as a pancake.
Compare this picture with the one above. The angle at the shoulder is not open and the arm pit is well off the floor. Practise to be as flat as possible will help to improve flexibility in the shoulder.
Taking things one step further
Step 3: Arch
By raising the arms and legs off the floor the gymnast moves into an arch shape.
The arms should be squeezing the ears. The legs should be tight together and the toes pointed.
Step 4: Sky diver
This is not a gymnastics move but when gymnasts are starting to learn arch -and get strength in their backs, necks and legs – this is often how they will start. It gives them the right idea of ‘balancing’ on their tummies.
With practice they will move towards the arch shape.
The last shape from pencil is the dish position. We would only encourage gymnasts to work dish if they are already doing it as part of their weekly session (10am and 11am classes).
This is because when the children are small their heads are relatively big and they can find it difficult to support the weight of their heads on their necks in this position without additional help. Your gymnast will know whether they are able to attempt it or not.
Step 5: Dish
The gymnast should lie in pencil on their back. Then bring their hands down on to their thighs, keeping their arms straight.
The head and shoulders and legs should then be lifted off the floor.
The last step is to practise rolling from arch to dish and back again. See the photos below.
Buckley Gymnastics Club 
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