The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide) Reviews
The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide)
This indispensable guide is simply the best book for beginners to the sport of artistic gymnastics. Illustrated with stunning full-color photographs of gymnasts swinging, balancing, tumbling and jumping, The Gymnastics Book features skilled guidance from a medal-winning athlete who is now a noted instructor. The topics covered in detail include finding a good gymnastics club, qualities to look for in a coach, warm-up and cool-down exercises, moving into competitive gymnastics, managing victories and losses, the importance of family and friends, nutrition and apparel, financial aspects, and a typical day in the life of a competitive gymnast.
The book is also filled with anecdotes and advice from Olympic stars, taking beginners behind the scenes and offering a no-holds-barred account of the life of a competitive gymnast.
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(out of 5 reviews)
List Price: $ 16.95
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Review by for The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide)
Rating:
Nice book, but do not be misled by info in reviews here – there is almost nothing on men’s competitions or male competitors. I originally purchased it for my nephew, but found that all of the photos of young competitors were little girls.
Review by StarGymnast for The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide)
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A wonderful book for those who want to or have just started gymnastics, this book will guide you and makes a great introduction to gymnastics. The book was written Elfi Schlegal, a former Olympian, and has many full-color photographs of famous gymnasts and young gymnasts performing basic gymnastics skills. Some things this book talks about are getting started, finding a gymnastics club, what to look for in a coach, eating healthy, conditioning and warm-up excercises, different gymnastics skills, competitive gymnastics, and much more. Many tips and quotes from famous gymnasts are also in this book, too. This book is a wonderful choice for all beginning gymnasts, and a very wise purchase.
Review by Ana Fung for The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide)
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I really recommend all parents and children to read this book whether they are involved or not in gymnastics. It tells you everything there is to know about the world of recreational and competitive gymnastics. It also motivates kids to stay fit,healthy,and doing their best in any aspect of life. It also informs parents the benefits of hard work and discipline on children .
Review by Carol C. for The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide)
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For less than the cost of a single gymnastics lesson, you won’t go wrong reading this before signing up for gymnastics class! Very nicely done guide to gymnastics, written by Elfi Schlegel, a former Canadian national champion and University of Florida NCAA champion gymnast, along with Claire Ross Dunn. This book provides detailed information for girls (boys, too) considering gymnastics and wishing to develop their beginning gymnastics skills. The book addresses reasons for choosing to pursue gymastics, what to look for in a gym and coach, how to get started, staying healthy, basic gymnastics skills, recreational gymnastics, and competitive gymnastics.
Throughout the book, there are many photographs of young girls demonstrating skills and techniques. There are also many photographs of Efli Schlegel as a child performing a gymnastics stunt. There are a few photographs of boys, but they’re definitely not the target audience. Skills are often shown through a series of photographs and detailed explanations, which are instrumental in showing EXACTLY what one should do in order to master a skill — such as learning how to do a handstand or a cartwheel. All apparati used in both boys’ and girls’ gymnastics are featured.
Particularly enjoyable is the section at the back of the book on the people and moments most impacted the author — she calls this “Elfi’s scrapbook.” It features Olga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, Vitaly Scherbo, and others.
The book looks a little bit dated (copyright 2001), but the information seems current. Although it describes the benefits and fun parts of gymnastics, it doesn’t glamorize gymnastics. Nor does it minimize the amount of time and committment that is required in order to compete, particularly at the senior level. The “Day in the Life of a Competitive Gymnast” may help keep your young gymnast from getting stars in her eyes and dreaming of the Olympics.
Overall, this is a book that young gymnasts will return to time and time again, that provides information useful to beginning gymnasts and to parents guiding their children through the beginning stages of gymnastics.
Review by Ana Fung for The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s Guide to Gymnastics (Young Performer’s Guide)
Rating:
I really recommend all parents and children to read this book whether they are involved or not in gymnastics. It tells you everything there is to know about the world of recreational and competitive gymnastics. It also motivates kids to stay fit,healthy,and doing their best in any aspect of life. It also informs parents the benefits of hard work and discipline on children .