Los Angeles School of Gymnastics Blog

Congratulations Gabriel Sheriff, a level 6 gymnast, for becoming a member of the All Star Team! He is one of 9 who will be representing Southern California in the Regional Championships. Chosen for his performance at the SCMGA State Championships held at SOKA University March 21-23, 2014.

I asked Gabriel how he reacted after being told he had been chosen to be an All Star Team Member, and his face lit up! "I was really excited! I didn't think I would because I had fallen 3 times on the high bar. But when Manvel told me, I was elated and really happy."

His favorite gymnastics events are the Floor Exercises. He likes the open space to do backhand springs and to express himself through various flips, twists, and tumbles. He has been told he has powerful legs, which translates his seemingly effortless performances.

Gabriel has been practicing gymnastics since he was just 2 years old! He took 10 years off to focus on his studies and musical passion, but he felt like something was missing in his life. At 17 years old, Gabriel decided to join gymnastics once again. He chose to attend the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics after doing a lot of research on boys programs and found his home at LASG. He has been with LASG since August of 2013, and he has already made an exceptional impact on our student body and himself.

Gabriel is a great inspiration for gymnasts everywhere! He started young and chose to steer away from the gymnastics lifestyle, but found himself most satisfied with his life while being involved in the gymnastics community. He found that returning to gymnastics had filled the empty void in his life and gave him something to occupy his time and divert him away from sitting on the couch and watching TV after school.

Gabriel Sheriff is planning to pursue a career in dentistry while continuing gymnastics. He would also like to explore musical theater. Gabriel is a multi-talented individual, not only is he a skilled gymnast, but he also plays the cello, sings, acts and dances. He loves to entertain!

Gymnastics is not only the foundation of all sports, but also the foundation of a confident future.

Coach Elena Bokova and Rhythmic Gymnast Isabella spent the weekend in Houston, Texas at the March 2014 Elite Squad Training Camp. Isabela qualified per her competition results from 2014 Colorado Invitational in February. The camp was intended to bring together emerging athletes and their coaches to benefit from an event with other gymnasts and coaches for collective feedback, collective teamwork, and stimulation. Take a look at some of Elena ad Isabella's experience at the March 2014 Elite Squad Training Camp!

It must have been chilly in Texas this weekend as our LASG gymnasts are bundled up outside of their camp facility. Elena has been coaching rhythmic gymnastics for over 10 years. She currently also teaches Off-Ice Skating and manages the front office. Thanks for all your hard work, Elena!

The

   Rhythmic Gymnasts stretch on the stretching bar       during training camp. It is evident that these gymnasts are taking full advantage of the Elite Squad Training Camp through their posture and focused facial expressions. The gymnasts worked hard on improving their techniques, strength and flexibility skills through conditioning. After training, Isabella and her fellow Rhythmic Gymnasts get a break on the floor and put their focus on their studies.

Thank you USA Gymnastics for this wonderful opportunity! Coach Elena and Isabella had a blast!

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts!

Saint Patrick was not Irish!

March 17th is the day Saint Patrick passed away, it's a day of honor and remembrance.

Shamrocks were used as a method of explaining the Holy Trinity (The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit)

The FOUR Leaf Clover is a symbol of luck because not all Shamrocks have 4 petals. You're truly lucky if you come accross one! The odds of finding a Four Leaf Clover is 1 in 10,000!

Why do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

Green is a symbol of Spring, Ireland, and the Shamrock, but not St. Patrick himself! St. Patrick's color was blue. Did you know that?

How does the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics celebrate St. Patrick's Day? We wear green!

Take a look at some of our little LASG leprechauns! 

New student Star wears green during her Free Assesment to be placed in Girls Beginning!

Level 5 Team Member wearing green on the Pommel Horse!

Coach Healther weaing green while teaching her Hot-Tots Preschool Advance Class!

Coach Darryl and the Level 4 team!

LASG is launching our first ever social media hashtag project! 

The Los Angeles School of Gymnastics loves to see our logos out and about in the greater Los Angeles area. We want to see where you wear your LASG gear and logos! Do you take your t-shirts on vacation? Do you work out with your gym bag? Show us!

To enter:

Post a picture wearing your LASG gear (T-Shirt, Shorts, Leotard, Gym Bag, Track Suit, anything with the LASG logo) anywhere other than the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics. Post images on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #LASGram.

Our office staff with vote on our favorite post and the winner will be featured on our blog! Along with honorable mentions. 

Submit all images by March 24th to be considered!

Happy Posting!

Our Social Media Coordinator, Cynthia, was spotted wearing her LASG Gym Bag at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook! The famous Culver City Stairs is located directly behind the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics on Jefferson Blvd!

Hashtag your LASG pictures and posts with our favorite hashtags: #LASG #LAGymnastics #LosAngelesSchoolofGymnastics

The Los Angeles School of Gymnastics knows that Spring Break is just around the corner! We have a program to keep your child active while school is on break. Don't know what to do during your child's Spring Break? Have them come to Gymnastics Camp! 

LASG offers gymnastics classes, martial arts classes, art classes, dance classes, and more!

At the largest gymnastics facility in California, campers can use three 3,000-foot spring tumbling floors, full-size trampolines, multiple beam bar stations, spotting belts and the foam filled pit to guarantee to keep your child active during the school break. 

Our first day of Spring Camp is Monday, March 24th!

Gymnastics Spring Day Camp will be held Monday- Friday from 9 AM- 3 PM. 

Schedule:

Gymnastics from 9:00-12:00PM

Lunch from 12:00-1:00 PM

Activities from 1:00-3:00 PM

• Monday: Dance & Sports
• Tuesday: Martial Arts & Games
• Wednesday: Arts Program
• Thursday: Martial Arts & Games
• Friday: Dance & Sports

You can enroll your child weekly, or daily with a minumum of three days per week.

Program Fees:

• Pre-Payment week by week $300

• Gymnastics Only: $50 Daily Rate, (9:00 AM- 12:00 PM) (min. 3 days per week)

• Daily Rate: $70, 9:00AM - 3:00 PM (min. 3 days per week)

• Early care and Late care are available for $15 per hour.

  • Early Care: 8:00-9:00 AM
  • Late Care: 3:00- 6:00PM ($1 per minute after 6PM)

We also offer hot lunches!

• Two slicies of cheese pizza for $7 everyday. 

Rhythmic gymnastics is an activity in which individuals or teams of 5 manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon, rope and Free (no apparatus). An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time. Rhythmic gymnastics combines ballet and creative movements to music in a choreographed dance-and-tumble routine.

Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics,dance, and apparatus manipulation. The victor is the participant who earns the most points, determined by a panel of judges, for leaps, balances, pirouettes (pivots), flexibilities, apparatus handling, execution, and artistic effect.

Rhythmic gymnastics started as an independent competitive sport in the early nineteen fifties by the Russians. Then in nineteen sixty three the first rhythmic gymnastics world championship was held in Europe. Even though rhythmic gymnastics has its own world championships it did not become an Olympic medal sport until nineteen eighty four. This is partly why rhythmics is such a little known and hardly recognized sport in the U.S.

Rhythmic gymnastics has positive benefits, including: Develops posture and confident body movement, for sport and life, enhances co-ordination and agility, for body awareness and balance enhances creativity and builds self-confidence, increases flexibility and strength and prepares the body for the life's challenges, and develops healthy minds and bodies for now and later life.

Most parents would agree that strength, balance, self-confidence, and discipline are all attributes we hope our children can attain. Very few sports are able to offer all and in a well rounded way as well as gymnastics can. From very young ages to even adult ages, gymnastics is a powerful positive developer for physical and emotional development. It is an excellent launching pad for skills that will carry through their lives and impact their health.

Physically it has many benefits: it strengthens their core, increases flexibility, and improves coordination. It also encourages healthy eating patterns due to the expenditure of energy on their growing bodies, and this habit sets a great foundation for the rest of their lives.

Possibly even more influential on their lives are the mental skills they develop. Gymnastics increases focus and intellectual capacity. This encourages good decision making skills and can impact them positively emotionally as well as they build confidence. This gives them a rock solid foundation that they can use to build upon in whatever way they wish.

One unique and extremely valuable attributes that gymnastics offers is the awareness of the duality of both the idea of "self" and of "team." Children in gymnastics work very hard to improve their skills, competing against themselves, hence the idea of "self". Often they end up competing against their friends, however there is a team aspect and shared sense of pride as they encourage one another. It is a wonderful promotion of sportsman-like conduct and teaches them both how to win and lose with grace.

There really are no down sides to putting your child into gymnastics. There are many skills they will take away from it that will positively influence their lives. So bring your kids in and give them the benefits of gymnastics with us!

Why Los Angeles School of Gymnastics?

 I could give you the usual spiel-That LA School of Gymnastics was founded in 1975 and is an Olympic caliber school. But I'm sure you have heard this before, and while this is all true and very good reasons to be interested. There's a lot more to us than just history. There's an amazing now that can lead to a very bright future.

I know you hear "We've got something for everyone" every where. But the truth is we do. A lot of people seem to think that gymnastics is for children and that after a certain age, there's no reason for you to start. This isn't true. While it's great for kids-and we will get back to that in a bit. It's also great for adults. We all get caught up in our busy lives and the stress involved with that, we forget to take time out to take care of ourselves. We offer Adult Gymnastics classes that can help with that. Gymnastics helps relieve stress by relaxing your body, focusing your mind and encouraging the release of endorphins as well as promoting confidence. It is never too late to enjoy gymnastics, or to give yourself the gift of the enrichment it can bring to you. Make new connections, meet new people, discover new things about yourself. And come do it with us!

As for kids, gymnastics offers so many benefits to children. It promotes self-confidence, helps them grow socially, and that's not even touching on the many physical benefits! It encourages strong bones, healthy muscles and helps with concentration. We know that as parents your life can get busy and that the little ones are full of all kinds of energy and we are never really sure where that endless well comes from, but we can help you give it a place to go! Our coaches are amazing, they enjoy their jobs, enjoy the sport, and get their greatest pride from coaching children to not only better themselves in gymnastics, but to gain confidence in themselves as individuals.

Yes, we have champs, yes we have all the certifications, and yes we have the history. But that's not what we want to focus on. What we want is to enrich your life, to raise new champs, to find the champ in each individual. And we want you to see that champ in yourself.

We offer camps to give the little ones a place to get out their energy and connect socially with others all the while practicing their gymnastics and promoting health. We have birthday parties that give you access to a fully outfitted gym. We have parkour, we have adult classes, we have morning classes. We do literally have something for everyone. And
we want you to gain from this! We want to create new memories, we want to grow our community and our family, and mostly we want you to come join us and have some fun!

So, Why Los Angeles School of Gymnastics?

The better question is, why not?

The LASG Girls Competitive Gymnastics Team led by Head Coach from Bulgaria Mr. Boyko Boev and former national beam and floor coach from Armenia Mrs. Hamest Ohanyan recieved top honors and qualified the entire team to State Championships and to the Sectional Championship! Congratulations to your very successful season and a job well done!

Pictured back row (l to right): Alexandra Harrison, Nedine Ahmed, Stephanie Kazaryan, Nicole Streich, London Bennett

Bottom row: (L to R): Madison Kim, Lauren Bowden, Madison Pierce

Coaches Hamest Ohanyan and Boyko Boev.

"If Gymnastics was easy it would be called Football."

Gymnastics is a sport of dedication, athleticism and determination. It is a sport that offers a lot of benefits for your child. It helps meet the daily requirements set forth by the American Heart Association which states that a child should have 60 minutes a day of physical activity. It also supports building self esteem in children and teaches them to work in a team environment.  Besides the long hours and physical dedication needed for gymnastics, it's important also that an athlete's diet support their activity. A balanced, healthy diet that provides all the essential nutrients will help develop and maintain lean muscles as well as give them confidence for an athletic performance that is required of them as a gymnast.

Carbohydrates to keep up the demanding cost of energy is very important. Gymnasts expend an immense amount of energy and lack of carbohydrates can cause them to crash. For main meals, your gymnast should consume complex carbohydrate foods such as whole wheat bread and pasta, high-fiber breakfast cereals, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Additionally, snacking on nutritious, energy-rich foods such as a banana, yogurt with granola and fruit, low-fat cheese and crackers or a peanut butter and honey sandwich before and after practice will enhance their performance and replenish muscle stores.

Gymnasts need protein for building new muscles, to repair muscles, and for hormone and enzyme replacement. It would be ideal to include lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, lentils or tofu in every meal to meet protein requirements. Although 20 to 25 percent of total calorie intake should come from protein, avoid fried, breaded burgers and fatty cuts of meats, which increase calorie intake.

Healthy fats are essential for building body cells and nerves, insulating and protecting organs and aiding the absorption of vitamins. A gymnast-especially a growing one-needs about 20 to 25 percent of their total calorie intake from fatmost of which should be from healthy unsaturated fats such as those in fatty fish, olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds.Saturated fats found in whole milk, butter and fatty meats should not contribute more than 10 percent of the daily calorie intake, and trans fats from fried food and processed snacks should be avoided as they may increase blood cholesterol levels.

A gymnast needs calcium and vitamin D to encourage strong bones. This not only helps build a strong frame to avoid breaks, but helps them avoid osteoporosis later in life. Low-fat milk and dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium and should be part of your gymnast’s daily diet.

Iron is a mineral essential for transportation of oxygen throughout the body. It's important that your gymnast receive enough iron to support their activities. A diet rich in lean meat, eggs, leafy vegetables and fortified whole grains will provide adequate amounts of iron to meet the needs of your growing gymnast. Also, eating from the myriad of food groups will ensure that your gymnast receives other minerals essential to growth and health.

Staying hydrated is very important. Staying hydrated increases coordination, reaction time, and focus. Encourage your gymnast to drink 10 to 12 cups of water every day. Pure water, pure fruit juices and sports drinks are acceptable ways of hydrating your gymnast, but avoid coffee, tea, soda and sugary fruit punches.

Sources:

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrition-teen-female-gymnasts-3115.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/414383-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-gymnastics/