Winning Gymnastics for Girls

Lately, there haven't been many instructional guides published about gymnastics, so when I saw this at the bookstore, I got really excited and bought myself a copy right away. And I've got to say that it's money well spent! This is a great book for gymnastics, especially beginning ones, and will definitely help spark a love and dedication to gymnastics. The book starts off with a brief introduction and a history of gymnastics. Then, there's a chapter on starting gymnastics with helpful hints on what to look for in a gymnastics club, choosing the right club, what to wear, the type of equipment in a typical club, and much more. An advantage is that this book also offers a chapter on safety, with tips on spotting, landing, and falling, along with helping to prevent yourself from injury. The instructional portion of this book covers a very nice chapter on conditioning, along with basic skills on tumbling, floor excercise, balance beam, vault, and uneven bars. Black and white instructional photographs are included for most skills, but I wish that they were a bit more detailed and that there was more of them. Plus, the book also has sections on competing in gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, cheerleading, parent and tot programs, a glossary, gymnastics resources, and further reading. It would be a very helpful book for beginners who want to get far and have fun in gymnastics, along with intermediate and advanced gymnastics too.