National Gymnastics Day – September 17, 2022, history, significance
Gymnastics are as old as ancient Greece where exercise helped men stay fit and battle ready. In modern times, National Gymnastics Day is held annually on the third Saturday of September. Mirroring ancient Greece, the first National Gymnastics Day was held in the late 1990s as a way of getting young people more involved in the importance of exercise. This year, on September 17, gyms will turn into beehives of activity with displays and exhibitions highlighting the benefits of a healthy body for kids and adults alike.
History of National Gymnastics Day
The first National Gymnastics Day was staged in the late 1990s to help bring awareness to the sport, with the aim of encouraging more youngsters to get involved. The celebrations and exhibitions of that day have been carried forward ever since and the event continues to take place on an annual basis to highlight the many attractions of this energetic sport.
Gymnastics clubs are encouraged to open their doors to youngsters on the day and put on displays and exhibitions to show the skills that can be learned. They can also stage festivals and fundraisers to provide some gymnastics fun for visitors.
Individual athletes and fans can get involved in some of the officially organized events for the day, which have included cartwheel-a-thons and world record handstand attempts. They can also organize their own fitness challenges and post the pictures of this to the official National Gymnastics Day social media sites.
NATIONAL GYMNASTICS DAY TIMELINE
1881
Gymnasts organize
The Federation of International Gymnastics was created in Belgium.
1928
Women finally competed in the Olympics
A group of female athletes was allowed to compete in the Olympics for the very first time.
1999
National Gymnastics Day was born
A group of Olympic champions and other athletes criss-crossed the United States performing exhibitions promoting National Gymnastics Day.
2012
An Upside Down Victory
Almost 44,000 participants turned upside down simultaneously.
2017
Competition for the Chobani Creative Cup Award
The winners of the Chobani Creative Cup Award walked away with 400 cups of Chobani Yogurt for their gym.
NATIONAL GYMNASTICS DAY ACTIVITIES
Stage a fundraiser for a worthy cause
Gather a group of kids for a cartwheel-a-thon with ticket proceeds going to help children in hospitals who can’t exercise. Kids love to help other kids.
Challenge a world record
How many handstands can you do? How long can you stay atop a bike in a spin class? Bring out the press and see if you can entice someone to break a world record.
Attend an event
How many times have children competed in events but no one cheered them on? Don’t be that guy. Sometimes the most important thing we can contribute is ourselves. If you see kids competing on National Gymnastics Day, come out and lend support.
5 FACTS ABOUT GYMNASTICS TO KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES.
German roots
The father of modern gymnastics is Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, a German teacher who touted the benefits of gymnastic routines like the parallel bar and the ring.
It’s for ladies only
Although women weren’t admitted into the Olympics until the late 1920s, today only women can compete in the balance beam and the uneven bars.
You’re never too young
Even two-year-olds can prepare for major gymnastic competition at most gyms.
It’s got bounce
Trampolines aren’t just for backyards anymore since trampolining became a competitive Olympic sport in 2000.
It turns children into champions
Gabby Douglas made a hit as the first African-American to win the individual, all-around event in 2012. She was 16.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL GYMNASTICS DAY
It’s dedicated to fun and fitness
Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s so good for the body that we have to remember why we’re sweating during spin class in the first place. We want to look and feel great. National Gymnastics Day is a fun reminder of different ways to integrate movement into our lives. Plus, you get the fellowship of working out at a gym. National Gymnastics Day also encourages children to develop a love of the sport that could last a lifetime.
You can strut your stuff
National Gymnastics Day gives us a chance to show off what we’ve learned in those early morning fitness classes. Gyms all over the country will host special competitions and exhibitions so that everyone can either participate in or watch a special gymnastics event. This is your time to try out for that one sport that you have been trying to master. National Gymnastics Day gives you a safe space for your efforts.
Make new friends
Even if you don’t join a gym, you might meet new people sitting on the bleachers at a competitive event. Or, get an autograph from your favorite sports personality at a festival. Sometimes, the most supportive thing you can do is cheer on a team or a friends as they compete. National Gymnastics Day is all about health and camaraderie.
How to celebrate National Gymnastics Day
Of course, the best way to celebrate National Gymnastics Day is by getting involved in some gymnastics yourself. If you have never tried gymnastics since you were in school or you don’t feel very confident, you could simply try some of the easier moves at home. This includes the likes of a bridge, handstand, forward roll, backward roll, and cartwheel. We would definitely recommend getting some exercise mats and placing them over your floor to ensure you’re safe and protected. After all,
anyone who has landed flat on their back while attempting a handstand will tell you that it can be a bit painful! In order to make sure you perform the moves correctly, we would advise making the most of the different video tutorials that are online at the moment. Video tutorials are beneficial because they show you the correct form so that you know how to practice the exercise in question properly.
There are plenty of other ways that you can celebrate National Gymnastics Day. This includes signing up for an introductory class at your local gym. There are lots of different gymnastic classes going on these days, including specialist gymnastic classes, which offer a unique take. It is definitely worth taking a look at what is out there at the moment. A lot of people feel anxious about going to these classes for the first time, but you have nothing to worry about.
If you don’t want to get involved in some gymnastics, or you are not able to for any reason, there are some other ways that you can celebrate National Gymnastics Day. Why not watch some historic gymnastic performances? You can take a look at the performances of the incredible woman that we mentioned earlier. Of course, there are plenty of other performances from men and women around the world too!
There are lots of great films that are based on gymnastics as well. This includes Stick It. In this film, a girl receives a court order to enroll in an elite gymnastics program. Other films include Full Out, which is actually a true story. It is an emotional tale of Ariana Berlin, a gymnast from San Diego, California, who missed out on her Olympics dream in 2008 because of a terrible car accident. The film follows this incredible story, as somehow Ariana manages to make a miraculous comeback.
It is a truly incredible story, and one that we would definitely recommend watching. Another good film is A 2nd Chance, which follows a coach and a young member of her team as they try to make their way into the National Gymnastics Competition. The gymnast does not have the confidence that is required in order to make it to the top of her sport. However, she has the opportunity to win a spot on the national team thanks to the help of her new coach. The options do not end there either. You also have An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars, as well as Raising the Bar, Perfect Body, and Chalk It Up
