*Image courtesy of Calelite Kids
If you’ve ever suggested gymnastics to your son and received the response, “but that’s for girls!”, you’re probably not alone.
That’s because stereotypically, some parents and their kids might view gymnastics as a more female-oriented sport. But stereotypes are just that — social ideas that are worth re-examining, for ourselves and in conversation with our kids.
It’s important to open our own minds to gymnastics being for everyone. That’s because gymnastics has an abundance of benefits for children of any gender:
- It provides the 1 hour of physical activity a day recommended for children.
- It helps them improve body awareness, strength, and balance.
- Children make new friends and learn the perks of teamwork.
- Children can build confidence by being faced with challenges and overcoming them.
You want your son to be able to reap the immense amount of mental and physical benefits that gymnastics can bring. And sometimes, it’s just a matter of convincing him that gymnastics is for everyone.
Enter: Ninja Zone.
What is NinjaZone?
How do you get your son to see that gymnastics are for everyone? Enroll him in a NinjaZone class.
NinjaZone combines gymnastics with martial arts to create an action-packed lesson full of hidden mental and physical perks.
Children will experience a delightful mixture of coordination building, strength training, and freestyle movement that’s guaranteed to make them feel like the superhero they deserve to be.
They’ll build confidence, build new relationships, and learn a sense of self-discipline and reliance they can carry with them throughout their lives.
Bringing Boys Back To Gymnastics
Before we go any further, it’s important to know that NinjaZone is for everyone – not just boys. Children of all genders love the high-energy creativity NinjaZone has to offer.
However, NinjaZone seems to be an especially useful tool in opening boys’ minds to the power of gymnastics and shedding some stereotypes of their own.
NinjaZone is a national program that’s rapidly growing. It was started by Casey Wright, a former gymnastics coach who was baffled by the fact that there were so few boys enrolling in gymnastics.
Since then, NinjaZone has seen great success in bringing boys back to gymnastics. They’ve opened around 130 franchises in 42 states, enrolling more than 8,000 boys.
Perhaps it’s all thanks to the fast-paced action that allows them to safely and successfully pull off all the stunts they attempt on the playground.
After all, who can turn down an afternoon of martial arts, gymnastics and parkour?
Mountain Kids NinjaZone
NinjaZoners at Mountain Kids are first divided into age groups, then work to achieve different skill levels from there.
Age groups are:
- 3-4
- 4-5
- 5-7
- 8-11
Each level focuses on different traits and accomplishments.
Lil’ Ninjas, our entry-level class, uses a curriculum of skill development designed to teach young ninjas-to-be listening, healthy risk taking, self-discipline and manners.
When they graduate to the White level, they’ll dive more into fundamental body movement and how to land safely. They’ll even get to learn how to do backflips and basic vaulting.
Yellow levels are for advanced beginners age 5+. They’ll perfect their backflip, vaulting and bar progressions while strengthening their core muscles.
Once graduated from Yellow, kids will begin the Green level.
Here, they become masters of safety techniques. They’ll learn rolling, wall progressions, kicking, and other fun transitions.
The final level, or the Blue level, emphasizes jump/kick-flip combinations to have your child feeling like a true ninja.
All children will need a NinjaZone t-shirt and headband. Classes run year-round.
If your son loves action and isn’t so sure about gymnastics, NinjaZone is the way to go.