Flips, cartwheels, and handsprings are all well-known tumbling moves. However, it’s also important to stay safe during classes. The safety-focused staff at The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester in Penfield, NY, has been training students for years and wants to share their top four tips for preventing tumbling injuries.

4 Ways to Keep Yourself Safe While Tumbling

1. Maintain Overall Fitness

The best way to prevent injuries in any sport is to maintain a high overall fitness level. Stay hydrated, and eat a balanced diet. Furthermore, exercise should be balanced between aerobic conditioning and strength training to optimize the body’s resilience.

2. Warm Up, Stretch, & Cool Down

Tumbling involves twisting and turning the body. Preparing the muscles through warm-up exercises and stretching reduces the risk of strain from these movements. Following tumbling activities, you must stretch again and cool down to promote recovery and reduce your injury risk.

3. Wear Protective Gear

A line of equipment exists to make tumbling safer. For example, a young gymnast may wear wrist guards when performing a back handspring as added support. A tumbler learning on a trampoline may wear a knee brace to protect the vulnerable joint. 

4. Don’t Progress Too Quickly

The risk of injury increases as tumbling moves become more advanced. That’s why it’s important students don’t try to progress too quickly. They should be fully confident in a technique before learning a new one, as hesitancy can lead to injuries. Finally, new moves can be practiced on a trampoline for cushioned impact and safer learning.

Following the proven steps implemented by The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester will drastically reduce your risk of a pulled calf or torn quadricep. For professional tumbling instruction under the watchful eye of a highly trained staff member, call (585) 388-8686 to ask about their classes today. Like their Facebook page for more information.