Gymnastic Safety Guidelines

http://www.92y.org/content/gymnastics_safety_guideli
nes.asp

Appropriate attire should be worn by the gymnast at

all times. The clothing worn should not restrict the
gymnastic students' movements or interfere with their
safety on the apparatus. It is recommended that the
boys wear shorts and T-shirts and the girls wear
leotards and footless tights or shorts. On a cool day
in an air-conditioned room, sweats can be worn.

Jewelry is a potential safety hazard to the gymnast. It

is for this reason that we do not allow jewelry to be
worn during class time. The exceptions are small post
earrings.

The hairstyle worn should not interfere with the

gymnast's vision or movements. Please be aware
that the gymnast will often complain about large clips
used to tie back the hair when doing rolls.

As in all classes, all street clothing and book bags

should be placed neatly on the sidewalls or in
cubbies when available.

There will be no gum chewing, food or beverages

permitted in the gym. If the children are hungry after
school, they may have a snack outside of gym.
Please wait in the third floor lounge until the start of
the class.

The instructor will start and end the class on time.

Please be prompt. All gymnastic classes will begin
with a warmup designed to reduce the potential for
physical injuries. If you and your child are delayed,

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 please encourage your child to warm up in the
gymnasium before joining the class.

Anyone bringing a child who is not registered in the

class should wait in the designated area. The waiting
area for classes held in the basement is the hallway
just outside the Auxiliary Gym. For the classes held
on the fourth floor, the waiting area is in the third floor
lounge area, or in the library on the second floor.

Visitation will be held mid-semester and the last week

of classes. You are encouraged to come and see
your child in action.

For the safety and well being of all concerned, there

will be no running or horse playing during class time
or in the hallways. No one should be in the
gymnasium or on the equipment without the
supervision of an instructor.

In order to make this a safe and productive education

experience for your child, we need your cooperation in
enforcing these guidelines.

Safe Gymnastics Play At Home

http://gymnasticszone.com/MeetSafety.htm 

Gymnastics parents are well aware of how difficult it is to

stop gymnasts from doing gymnastics at home, outside in
the grass or just about anywhere.  How concerned should
gymnasts and parents be about their safety when doing
gymnastics at home away from the gym. 

The Gym is Padded, your Home is Not

Gymnastics in an inherently (naturally) fun activity and
children enjoy it in both formal and informal settings.  It
provides a unique type of inner joy to run, jump, leap and
tumble.  The difference between the gym and at home is

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that the gym is a safely matted environment.  With mats
everywhere and soft foam gymnastics safety pits, the gym is
a much safer place to play and practice gymnastics.

If You are Not Absolutely Sure, Don’t Do the Skill

To be safe at home, gymnasts need to lower the level of
skill difficulty that they attempt and do at home. 99% of the
time, gymnasts will not attempt to do skills that they are not
capable of doing safely.  But gymnast should think first
carefully before attempting any skill they are not completely
sure they can do safely.

Never Try To Learn A New Skill At Home

All new skills should be learned first at the gym with
professional coaching and adequate matting.  Never try to
learn a new skill at home by yourself.  You should
especially not try any new skills without supervision in case
of an accident.

Only Do Skills at Home That You Have Already

Mastered
Never do skills at home without proper gym matting that
you have not safely mastered already at the gym.  You
should not be doing skills at home without mats if you have
not completely mastered them already at the gym. 
Mastering a skill means that you can do the skill every time
you attempt it.

Watch Out For Hazards

Gyms have wide-open padded areas that have carefully
been cleared of obstacles and obstructions.  Your house is
full of unsafe obstacles for gymnasts.  Watch out for
hazards including things like glass, mirrors, obstacles,
heavy wooden or metal furniture.

Safe Gymnastics Outside

There is little doubt that doing gymnastics in a well-

equipped gym is the safest place to do any and all skills.  A
gym has all the correct matting for every situation and skill. 
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In spite of the fact that both coaches and parents may prefer
that gymnasts limit their gymnastics activities to the gym,
most young gymnasts are going to perform skills outside the
gym.  Because of that, they should understand what they
must do to protect themselves and keep themselves safe.

Don’t Use Outdoor Equipment

Gymnasts should not attempt any gymnastics skills on
improvised or substitute equipment that they may find
outdoors.  There may well be distinct and potentially
dangerous differences in improvised bar and beam
apparatus.  They may be too slippery, unstable, the wrong
size or otherwise unsafe.  In addition, there is no suitable
matting under such improvised equipment, which makes
them dangerous as compared to equipment in the gym. 

Resist Peer Pressure

Many gymnasts’ friends and peer group are interested in
what skill gymnasts are doing and few of them have much
of an idea of the skills and strength required to perform
them or of the danger of performing them without proper
equipment, matting, coaching and supervision.  Gymnasts
must resist the impulse to show off skills which they have
not yet mastered or to take dares to do skills which they are
not completely certain they can safely perform.

Restrict the Level of Skills

One o the most important safety tips for gymnasts is for
them to restrict the level of skills that they performs outside
of the gym.  They should not attempt any skills outside
which they are still working on mastering.  Gymnasts
should most likely not even perform any skills outside that
are only one level below what they are working on in the
gym.  In other words, if a gymnast is working on doing a
full in the gym, they should not attempt to do layouts
outside.  At most, they should perhaps do back tucks (a
number of levels below what they are working on).

Find a Level Soft Surface

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For doing tumbling skills, an uneven tumbling surface can
be a negative safety factor.  Tumbling uphill can cause
gymnasts to jam into the ground as they are used to
tumbling on a flat surface.  Tumbling downhill can throw
off normal tumbling skill timing making it dangerous. 
Tumbling on a sideways slope could put considerably more
pressure on one arm and leg during tumbling skills making
them more dangerous.

No Obstructions
Gymnastics facilities are carefully planned to have
sufficient clear areas to do all of the different gymnastics
skills.  Gymnasts need to choose an area where there are no
obstructions of any kind and should especially avoid any
potentially dangerous obstructions, like posts, trees, rocks,
etc.

Pre-Check the Terrain

Outdoor terrain can be unpredictably rough.  It can be rough
enough to cause ankle or wrist injuries even doing skills
which a gymnast can easily do.  The appearance of a
smooth grassy tumbling run can be highly deceptive.  The
only sensible thing to do is to check out the area first by
walking the entire length and checking to make sure there is
nothing unexpected and that the terrain is as anticipated.

Look Out for Holes, Bare Spots and Uneven Patches of

Grass
In particular, gymnasts should look out for and holes in the
ground which could easily cause a very serious injury.  A
wrist or an ankle landing half on a bare spot and half on a
clump of grass can be enough to cause injury.  Even uneven
patches of grass can potentially cause injury.

On Harder Surfaces, You Must Bend More

Gym landing and tumbling surfaces are made to provide a
certain amount of give when gymnasts tumble and land. 
There may be little or no give at all in outdoor surfaces and
gymnasts must bend their arms and legs more on harder

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outdoor surfaces than they would normally do in the gym. 
This will also cause timing differences in tumbling, which
must be adapted to.

Don’t Tumble Alone

As with all activities that might be even remotely dangerous
or have the potential for accidents, gymnasts should never
tumble outside alone.  In case an accident should occur,
having someone to go for help may be critical for safety.

If You Don’t Have To, Don’t 

We can’t emphasize too much that the only really safe place
to practice and perform gymnastics is in a well-equipped
gym.  If you can refrain from doing gymnastics outside, you
will be safer.  If you want to show your friends your
gymnastics abilities, invite them to the gym to see you.  If
you can’t restrain yourself, follow the safety tips above

Gymnastics Safety Pits

Every serious gym needs pits.  We know of no Elite

gymnastics training program facility that does not have at
least some pit set-up.  We would not want to coach and
teach in a facility that did not have pits for every event.

Pits Never Miss a Spot

No coach regardless of their spotting abilities can guarantee
that 100% of the time.  There are certain skills like full outs
that no coach can consistently and safely spot.  Conversely,
pits do gymnasts no good if they do not land in them.  The
first rule of the pit is land in it.

Safe Landings
Gymnastics safety pits function as dismount landing areas
an provide extra safety when learning new skills, in case of
falls from the equipment.  Pits are useful for vault,
tumbling, beam dismounts, safe bar skill learning, bar
release moves, bar dismounts, skills off the trampoline, ring
dismounts and P-bar dismounts 

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Landing Safety Margins
When different events share pits, there must be sufficient
safety margins for each event or gymnasts must take turns
doing skills into the pit.  These safety margins should at
least be the same as regulation mat size guidelines. 

Fire Resistant Foam Only

All pit foam should be fire resistant.

Latticework Foam Constructed Pits

Some pits are designed and constructed with latticework
foam or crash mats in the bottom. Latticework pit bottoms
must be covered with a mesh net to keep foam from falling
into and filling the lattice construction which would provide
less protection.

Ankle Sprains Possible

It is possible for older and larger gymnasts to receive ankle
sprains from landing deep into loose foam pits and twisting
their ankle as it slips between unevenly situated foam. 

Fluff Pits Regularly

Loose foam pits must be regularly fluffed up to prevent
foam compression, which can severely decrease the safety
provided by the air pockets in the foam.  The pits may be
fluffed manually or special hydraulic devices can be built to
fluff pits automatically. 

Watch the Dust

Foam blocks eventually deteriorate and create dust.  From
time to time most gyms empty out their entire pit, vacuum
the bottom and clean out all the foam dust from the pit and
on the foam blocks.  Gymnast should be discouraged from
picking apart the foam blocks as this aggravates the dust
problem and requires expensive replacement of the foam
sooner

GYM RULES
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These are a common set of rules for gymnastics facilities
designed to ensure gymnast safety and smooth gym
operation.

 SAFETY FIRST!!  Rule #1 in the gym is that no one is

allowed to get hurt.  That means no one is allowed to do
anything that might get themselves or anyone else hurt.

Safety rules must be followed not only by gymnasts, but

also by the parents and siblings. 

All parents/guardians with a child in any gym program must

sign a Waiver/Release Form.

Drivers in the parking lot need to stay alert for traffic, cars
backing out, and departing and arriving gymnasts. 

Be sure your son or daughter is actually in the gym prior to

your leaving after dropping them off at the gym. 

Children are not allowed outside the gym unless they are
directly supervised by an adult. 

Gymnasts need to wear appropriate gymnastics attire - e.g.,

leotards or shorts and T-shirt for girls and shorts and T-shirt
for boys.  Belt buckles and any other metal clothing
accessories may not be worn on any apparatus.

Jewelry is not allowed during class. Jewelry of any kind

including but not limited to ear, nose, tongue, belly button
and facial rings, clear plastic jewelry, bracelets, necklaces
and pins on uniforms are prohibited. This applies especially
to rings which may scratch the bars and cause severe
pinches. Exceptions: medical ID tags/bracelets, and 
rhinestones on leotards. 
 

No valuable items should be brought to the gym.  We can

not be responsible for lost or stolen items.

Make certain that you wear any equipment that is advised 

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by the coach, e.g., hand or dowel grips.  Advise the coach of
any poorly-fitted or defective equipment.

Gymnasts should have their hair tied back away from their
face.  Nails should be trimmed to prevent the possibility of
injury.

No student is allowed in the gym areas or on any equipment

without a gymnastics instructor present. 

Please be on time. The warm-ups are important to your

child's safety. Warm-up prior to all strenuous gymnastics
participation is required.

 No Horseplay.

 No running on the concrete, especially in socks.

 No smoking anywhere in the gym.

Children must be kept under control in the waiting area at

all times.No standing or climbing on chairs, benches or any
other furniture.

 No glass or glass bottles anywhere in the gym.

 No chewing gum, food or drinks in the gymnastics area.

 No working out or playing without an appropriate, proper

and thorough warm-up.

Children must follow the instructions of the instructor for

their own safety. Proper gym and social behavior is
expected of all students.  Failure to act in an appropriate and
safe manner may result in your removal from class.

No running anywhere in the facility unless directed by your

instructor.

Whenever moving through the gym, stay alert and look out

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for other gymnasts.

Be alert for any physical hazards in the gym area, especially

the bar cables. 

Before crossing any dismount mat, tumbling strip, the floor

exercise mat or any other apparatus mat, look all around  for
other gymnasts.  Don't cross until the way is clear.  Always
yield to gymnasts in the middle of doing skills.

Students may not leave their class without permission from

their instructor.  This includes trips to the bathroom, water
fountain or locker room. 

Advise the coach if you are ill or have any symptoms of

illness.

Immediately wash your hands and other skin surfaces if you

come in  contact with blood or other bodily fluids. 

 No jumping off any of the trampoline apparatus onto the

floor.  Walk or climb off the equipment carefully.

 Check for proper matting before using any equipment. 

Check equipment, matting, and apparatus before use.

 Never dismount off apparatus onto anything but landing

mats or crash pads
.
 Crash pads, landing mats and pits increase safety, but will
not totally protect anyone from injury.  Use common sense
and proper learning progressions.

 Never dive head first or land on your head or neck in the pit
or on crash pads or landing mats.  No pit or mat can totally
prevent serious injury to your head or neck, so avoid
landing on them.

Children on medication which may affect their coordination

skills should not be allowed to attend classes. The higher the

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skill level the more dangerous this is to your child. Please
advise the coach  if your child is on medication. 

Report any injury, unusual pain or discomfort felt during

participation to your coach or instructor immediately. 

 No one other than currently registered and enrolled

gymnasts are allowed in the gymnastics area or on the
equipment for any reason.

 Spotting is to be done by coaches only.  No student or

parent spotting of gymnasts.

 Gymnasts are not allowed to leave the building for any

reason except with a parent or approved guardian.

 Gymnasts are expected to stay with their class and

instructor throughout the class period.

 No one is allowed to interfere with the progress of another

gymnast or class.

 Classes and team have priority use of equipment over open

gym.

 Gymnasts are expected to be respectful, polite and show

good manners at all times in the gym.

 No fighting of any kind.

 Foam is to stay in the pit unless directed otherwise by an

instructor.

 The foam is not to be torn into small pieces as this creates

dust which can get in the eyes.

 No destruction or vandalism of equipment will be

tolerated.  Gymnasts and parents are liable for any damage
caused.

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 All trash goes immediately into trash cans.

 Shoes and clothing are to be left in the designated areas, not

spread all over the gym.  The gym can accept no
responsibility for lost articles.

Parents should not coach from the sidelines. Your child will
be safer and learn more from the instructor and get more out
of class if you do not interfere. If you have questions, ask
the coach after class, or schedule a meeting time. Should
there be a problem with a particular instructor or a problem
with anything to do with your child and the gym, please do
not hesitate to discuss the same with management. 

Students must remain inside the gym until their parents

arrive.  Please be on time for the start and end of your class. 

 Gymnasts are expected to be picked up within 15 minutes

of the end of their scheduled class.  Repeated lateness
without instructor or gym notification and agreement will
result in extra charges.

Parents must make their children aware of the possibility of

injury and the rules of the gym and insist that gymnasts
follow the safety rules and coaches instruction.
Gymnastics Pit Safety Rules

 SAFETY FIRST.  No one is allowed to do anything that

will get themselves or anyone else hurt.

 Always land in the pit. If you miss the pit, it can't keep
you from getting injured.

 Do not dive headfirst into the pit.

 Avoid landing on your knees, head or in a front drop

position, especially in an arched position.  Safely land on
your feet, seat or back.

 Follow proper skill progression.  Do not attempt skills if

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you can not land safely.

 Always check the pit before entering.  Do not enter pit if

other people are in the way.

 Always climb out of the way immediately, when other

people are ready to enter the pit.

 Do not bury yourself in the pit.  Others may jump on

you without knowing.

 Do not dig holes in the pit.

 Refluff the pit regularly and whenever holes occur or

the foam is packed down.

 Make sure the pit is fluffed before attempting skills.

 The foam is to stay in the pit at all times.

 No throwing foam.

 Please replace any foam you see outside the pit.

 The foam is not to be torn into pieces.  This causes dust

in the pit.

Put Walkways in the Gym

One of the most overlooked aspects of gym design and gym

safety is the judicious placement of walkways throughout
the gym.  This is most important when preschool
gymnastics classes and equipment are mixed with
equipment and classes for older and larger gymnasts.

Danger, Danger
Without clear pathways, preschool, beginner and
inexperienced gymnasts are in danger whenever they move
from one spot in the gym to another.  These gymnasts do
not fully, or even vaguely, appreciate the dangers of moving
through the gym, without a clear idea of how they might get
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hurt by other gymnasts.

Hazards Abound for the Uninitiated

Without even realizing it, gymnasts can be in danger when
they inadvertently walk into dismount areas, in the path of
tumblers, under the bars, across the vault runway, etc.  Of
course, it should be a major priority to teach young
gymnasts what to look out for and how to be safe in the gym
at all times. 

Planned Walkways
Until they reach that point, it is much safer if there are clear,
designated walkways throughout the gym that gymnasts can
follow to wherever they need to go.  The most important
placement of pathways should be from the front desk, office
and spectator areas to any and all preschool areas.  Clear
paths from preschool equipment to the bathrooms and water
fountains are another necessity.

Walkways to Emergency Exits

Open walkways provide for a safe, quick open and
unimpeded path to the emergency exits.  Gymnasts, in an
emergency, will have an unobstructed exit pathway and if
the emergency exit walkways are clearly marked with a
painted path or brightly colored mats (say red), in smoky
conditions, gymnasts would be better and more quickly able
to find their way out.

Padded Walkways Do Double Duty

If walkways are padded with mats, they can serve double
duty as an overflow area for warm-ups, conditioning,
stretching, handstand stations, etc., so that the space is not
wasted. 

Always a Good Design Feature

Of course, placing all the preschool and beginner areas right
next to the front of the gym can reduce or eliminate the need
for some walkways, but walkways are still a useful safety
design feature.

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The Gymnastics Safety Fall Complex

Coaches have experience regarding when and where falls

from the equipment are likely to occur. For the gymnast, a
fall can have a negative effect on future performance and
potentially lead to a mental block on the skill causing them
fear. But it is not the skill for which they have fear, it is the
falling from that skill. 

#1.   Always practice the Fall first!

#2.   When in doubt always tuck up, never open out. Serious
neck and back injuries may be avoided.
#3.   Avoid putting hands to the floor, hyper-extension can
result in an elbow break or dislocation of the shoulder can
ensue due to this reflex action, EXCEPT TO PROTECT
NECK.
#4.   If landing is likely to be on the front of the body, try to
1/2 turn to the back, with the arms used to break the fall,
extended above the head. 
#5.   Practice forward and backward rolls and shoulder rolls
for fall from height.
#6.  Practice back rolls with the arms overhead protecting
the neck.
#7.  Place protective matting in the proper places.
#8.  Practice judo falls including slapping the mat.
#9.  Practice fall to push-up.
#10. Teach gymnasts to continue with the execution of
skills.  Injuries and more serious injuries are more likely to
occur when bailing out.

Practice Regularly
All of the above can in certain situations be rehearsed.
Support the gymnast through the exercise of falling or
falling with a 1/2 turn to back and continue to rehearse with
assistance regularly.

Ensure Adequate Matting

For a young gymnast, even cartwheels on beam for example
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can be a cause for concern. Ensure that adequate safety
matting is provided in the area where the gymnast is likely
to fall. Frequently coaches place matting under the beam,
the gymnast is hardly likely to land there. To the side of the
beam and well behind the point of take off is the more likely
landing sight. Again avoid hands being placed behind them
and rehearse jumping and falling back from the beam. 

Roll Out of Somersaults

Over rotation from saltos, encourage the gymnast to roll
backwards from back salto, again avoiding hand placement
on the floor to stop rotation but to place above the head, as
in the execution of the back roll.  Gymnasts should do
shoulder rolls when over-rotating front saltos.  Shoulder
rolls avoid rolling over the head and risking neck injuries.

Soften Short Landings

When landing in an under rotation from back saltos,
encourage gymnasts to free forward roll or shoulder roll out,
again avoiding rolling over the head and risking neck
injury.  Landing under rotated from front saltos, will just
result in a seat drop or a half roll back.  In both cases the
hands should be used to soften the landing.

Drill Safe Falls as Part of the Learning Process

Many skills have similar 'outs' and these should form an
integral part of learning the skill at hand

Safe Gym Design 

Safety in the gym begins with the design and equipping of

the gym.  In order to do everything possible to ensure the
safety of gymnasts, certain design concepts must be
incorporated into the building and layout or redesign of any
gymnastics facility.

Emergency Response Equipment and System

While we plan to make sure the safety of all gymnasts is so
aggressively protected that no serious injury will ever occur,
it is a prime responsibility of a gym designer to design and
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provide an emergency response system. A proper
emergency response system will include both emergency
response equipment and hardware and safety plans and
safety training for all staff.

Emergency Situations to Plan for and

Provide Emergency Response Equipment for

 Emergencies when the coach is alone in the gym (no

other coaches or office staff)
 Emergencies when no other staff person notices the
problem.
 Emergencies when the coach cannot leave the
accident area at all
 Emergencies in the waiting areas or other parts of the
facility other than the gym

Walkways
The concept of clear pathways to emergency exits is a
commonly ignored gym design problem.  In any emergency,
especially in case of fire, clear, quick access to exits is
necessary.  Clear pathways are also needed to provide easy
access to all gym areas for emergency personnel.  When
gym areas are not separated for age groups, walkways
provide safe passage for preschoolers and other young
gymnasts through areas where larger, older gymnasts are
working out.

Separate Cordoned-Off Preschool Areas

Mixing small inexperienced preschoolers with older larger
gymnasts in the same areas can be a prescription for
accident and injury. Separate areas can still be a problem
when preschoolers must travel from preschool area to
preschool area but must travel through areas with older
larger gymnasts.  It is also probably a very good idea to
provide separate areas for younger beginner gymnasts as
well as preschoolers.

Pits

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Pits are one of the biggest safety feature innovations in the
history of gymnastics and sports training.  As a minimum
there should be pits available for training bar dismounts and
release moves and also vault and tumbling pits.  Pits for
beam dismounts, p-bar dismounts, ring dismounts should
also be available for maximum safety.

Wide Pits
Training pits should logically be longer and wider than
competition matting requirements.  Since gymnasts have not
yet mastered the skills they are performing, like they would
be in competitions, they need a larger margin of safety in
the size of the safe landing areas.  Gymnasts landing in pits
may fall backwards or sideways striking the edge of the pit
if the pit is not wide or ling enough.

8" Pit Side Mats

For the same reasons as above, falls backwards or sideways,
the sides of the pit should be fully padded with mats soft
enough to really cushion a fall against them.  The
commonly used inch and a ¼ mats over concrete are not
really enough protection.

Type of Pits Must Match Training Style and Systems

There are loose foam bungee pits, loose foam pits, bungee
resi-pits and resi-pits.  It is extremely common for coaches
to place 8" foam or competition mats over loose foam pits
for more stable landings as gymnasts progress.  Ideally all
of those pits would be available for training progressions 
providing the full range of landing and release move safety
progression. If only one pit type is available, it should likely
be the softest landing, the loose foam bungee pit. The style
of  training progressions normally used by the coaches
should match the type of pit being used.  More gymnast
skill and experience is required for safe landings on the
harder pit surfaces as opposed to the softer ones.

Inground Trampolines
Unless gymnasts are training for competitive trampoline

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competition, it is much safer for all trampolines in the gym
to be sunk in the ground with the bed level with the rest of
the floor.  Then, in case an athlete should fly off of the
trampoline, the fall is to a level floor (suitably matted) and
not down and additional four and a half feet fall from an
above ground trampoline.

Open View of Whole Gym for General Supervision

Visibility
All gyms should have at least one person or more
designated with responsibility for general supervision of the
gym at all times.  General supervision means that someone
should be watching the entire gym, not just one class to look
for possible dangerous situations, like wandering
preschoolers or non-class members, accidents, etc.  In order
for this to happen the gym must be completely open so that
one person can see the whole gym.

View into Gym from all Offices and other Rooms

For the same general supervision reasons as above, ideally
all offices and other rooms in the gym should have a view
into the gym so as much supervision as possible occurs,
including from staff members not in the gym itself. 
Windows or other openings into the gym from all, or as
many as possible, rooms in the building make general
supervision of the gym easier and more effective.

Available Hydration and Air Conditioning for Safe

Summer Workouts
In certain climates or during certain seasons of the year,
heat stroke or heat exhaustion are things all coaches should
be aware of and taking precautions to prevent.  From a
design perspective, this means that where applicable, air
conditioning should be available in the gym to lessen the
possibilities.  Equipment or a system should be in place to
allow proper hydration for gymnasts.  This would show up
in gym design by having a sufficient number of water
fountains or water sources, spread throughout the gym.

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Complete Matting and Safety Margins
One of the most important safety measures for gym design,
in terms of gym equipment layout is allowing sufficient
space for safe matting and allowing for a sufficient matting
margin of error.  To us, that means that matting should
extend to any and all places that might even possibly need
to be padded against a fall from the equipment.  Sufficient
space for and sufficient matting should always be designed
into any gym design.

Fire Control Detection and Suppression System

Considering the dangers from the smoke from burning foam
and smoke inhalation in general, smoke detectors or a
smoke detector system should be a requirement for
gymnastics facilities.  In addition, because of the
flammability of foam, it would be good policy to have a fire
detection and suppression system throughout the entire
gym.

Jump to the High Bar Safety

We had not anticipated putting an individual skill (especiall

a non-skill, like jump to the high bar) on the safety pages,
but having viewed and heard about a series of serious
accidents (broken bones) and resulting negative effects
(fear) of this seemingly simple transition from bar to bar, we
have decided to put out an alert to gymnasts and coaches. 

Anecdotal Evidence Requires a Second Look at Safety

We have no scientific evidence that this non-rated
movement is more dangerous than any other skill or skills,
but our method has always been to re-evaluate any and
every accident and implement any new safety procedures,
progress and innovations we deem necessary to ensure the
same accident never happens again.

Injuries Seem to Occur with Gymnasts New To The Skill

All of the injuries we have seen and heard about with this
skill were with gymnasts who were just beginning to try this
20
maneuver, either Level 5 or TOP type training program
gymnasts.  We have not witnessed problems with this skill
with gymnasts at higher levels or experienced performing
the maneuver.  Interestingly, all of the accidents were at
gyms we were visiting or other programs and gymnasts, we
have been monitoring, but we are still instituting these new
safety measures in our own programs.

Don’t Underestimate this Maneuver

Perhaps the apparent simplicity of this movement is one of
the causes of accidents.  The dangers, as evidenced by the
accidents we have seen, are real and significant.  All of the
injuries occurred the same way with a jump to the high bar
from a stand on the low bar (as in the Level 5 and Level 6
bar routines).  The bar is caught initially, the feet swing
forward and the grip is lost. 

Often Causes Arm Injuries

During the resulting fall, the gymnast instinctively reaches
back with one or both arms and the weight of the body on
the arm causes an injury ranging from shoulder or elbow
sprain, fracture, compound fracture to dislocation.  It is
possible that this skill could cause a neck or back injury, if
the gymnast peels very late.

Safe Gymnastics 

The first and most important topic in gymnastics is how to

stay safe and uninjured.  The following is a list of some of
the things you can do to help ensure your safety and the
safety of others.

Be Prepared
As with any other physical activity, injuries occur much
more often when you are tired and/or worn down.  Make
sure you get sufficient sleep the night before your classes or
practices.  If you did not get enough sleep, rest and take a
nap before class or practice.  Make sure your body has
enough energy from nutrition to last through your class or

21
practice. 

Follow and Master Skill Progressions

It is extremely important to learn gymnastics skills in the
proper order of difficulty.  Gymnasts should not be
attempting difficult skills without learning all the lead-up
skills and doing any appropriate lead-up drills.  Gymnastics
is a series of habits built upon other habits.  Moving along
too quickly without mastering skills can ultimately interfere
with learning higher level gymnastics skills.

Follow Equipment Progressions

It is only common sense to work on gymnastics apparatus in
their naturally progressive order.  Beam skills are first
learned and mastered on the floor (on a line).  Then
gymnasts can move up to low, medium and high beams.

Don’t Do Gymnastics By Yourself

Just like swimming and other physical activities where there
is even the remotest chance of injury, gymnasts should only
work out when there is at least one other person around. 
This means on those home trampolines, too.

Don’t Spot Other Gymnasts

Spotting is an art and requires the knowledge, strength and
experience of a gymnastics professional.  Any error in
judgement on your or their part could lead to you being
involved and responsible for their potentially serious injury. 

Only Let Professional Coaches Spot You

By the same token, you should only let qualified gymnastics
professionals spot you on skills you cannot do and need
help with.  You risk potentially serious injury by being
spotted or coached by someone who is not qualified,
knowledgeable, experienced or strong enough.

Learn How to Fall Safely

It is probably a good idea to learn or at least know how to
fall safely from any specific skill you are going to attempt,
especially new skills.  You also need to prepare yourself by
22
learning how to fall on common types of skills.  Learning to
forward, backward and shoulder roll out of front, back and
sideward over-rotated skills is necessary.  Practicing front
and back drops (on a mat), including with the use of judo
falls (slapping the hands to absorb the force of the fall) is
another fall sequence to learn. 

Pay Attention
You need to be aware of what is going on around you in the
gym if there are other gymnasts, especially bigger ones,
around.  You need to be aware and pay attention to
everything and everyone around you who might crash into
you or land on you.  You also need to pay careful attention
to your coach so you understand exactly what they expect of
you  to learn efficiently and keep yourself safe.

Stop, Look And Listen.

Just like crossing a street, when you approach an equipment
area, the floor exercise mat, tumbling strips or other mats
and pieces of equipment, you need to stop and look both
ways before you cross or enter to make sure you are not in
the way or going to get landed on.

Build Your Strength to Increase Your Safety Margin

The stronger you are, the less likely you are to get hurt and
the more likely you are to learn gymnastics skills quickly
and safely.  Flexibility not lonely makes many skills more
attractive (like back walkovers), but also can make you less
prone to injury.  So prepare for your gymnastics by working
to make yourself strong and flexible.

Check Equipment First

Make sure all equipment is set and sturdy before you begin
to perform any skills on it.  Handles and cables need to be
tight enough so the equipment is safe for you to be on. 
Don’t assume the equipment is correctly set and tight. 
Check it an make sure first.

Know Fall Zones

Don’t sit or stand in potential landing or fall zones.  Too
23
often gymnasts waiting for their turn do not stay enough out
of the way of other gymnasts who need adequate room to
dismount or a place to fall.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for a Spot

Ask for a spot if you are doing tricks if you need or want it. 
You are the one most likely to know and remember if you
need a spot or not and it will be too late if you attempt a
skill you are not sure of and fall.  Spotting can protect you
and build your confidence in doing the skill until you are
ready to do it on your own safely.  Don’t tell a coach that
you can do skills if you are not 100% sure you can do them
safely.

Make Sure You Understand What to Do

Tell your teacher if you don't understand instructions on
what to do.  You should know and understand exactly what
skill your teacher expects you to do and how they want you
to do it.  If you are not sure, ask.  Understanding will help
you learn more quickly and do things more safely.

What Not to Wear

Being Able to See is Helpful
Keep your hair out of your face and tie back long hair. Hair
can obstruct your vision, get caught on equipment or you
can pull it on skills like back extension rolls.

Don’t Dent Your Head

Don’t wear hair ties with hard objects, like plastic balls, on
them.  Skills, like back extension rolls, or falls can press
them painfully into your head.  There is no place in the gym
for decorative but dangerous hair ornaments.

This is Not Ballet

Don't wear slippery nylon tights, like you commonly see in
ballet classes.  They are not appropriate or safe in a
gymnastics gym.  They can cause you to slip on both beam
and bars. 

Don’t Be a Bag(gy) Lady

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Don't wear baggy shirts or sweatshirts.  Your vision can be
obstructed if your shirt goes over your head when you are
upside down.  This can make it difficult and unsafe to
tumble or perform on apparatus. Baggy clothing can also
caught on spotters and equipment or wrap up your spotters
hands.

No Bling
Don't wear dangling jewelry, rings, earrings, etc. They can
get caught on equipment, mats or carpet

No Valuable Jewelry
Don’t wear any valuable jewelry in the gym, especially into
a loose foam pit.  You may never find it or find only by
pulling out every single piece of foam in the pit.  Take it
from the girl who lost her mother diamond stud earring and
spent three full days sifting through the pit and dust and dirt
at the bottom of the pit to find it.  She never did find the
back to it.

Tight is Right
If you wear socks to class, make sure they fit tightly.  You
don’t want them to come off in the pit and get lost. And you
don't want them to bunch up and possible create poor
footing on skills or landings.

No Studs in the Gym

Don’t wear any clothes in the gym to work out with belts,
metal studs or buttons. The uneven bars are especially likely
to get scratched with these.  They can also scratch up your
instructor or maybe even you.

Tell Mom and Dad It’s Time for Contacts

Well, maybe that won’t work as an excuse, but if you wear
glasses, you need to make sure they are safe and secure. 
Wear a strap with glasses if they fit too loosely or tend to
come off.  Not only they can fall off and perhaps break, but
also they could come partially off and poke you in the eye. 
You need to find some kind of solution for your glasses
situation if you are unable to see well enough to vault or to
25
see your coach clearly enough.

Watch Where You are Going

Watch where you are walking.  Nothing is more
embarrassing and sometimes painful and dangerous than
falling over mats, into pits, over bar cables, etc. There are
lots of obstacles in every gym like different heights and
softness levels of mats.

No Such Thing as Too Many Mats

Make sure there are enough mats under and around the
equipment you are working on.  The harder the skill you are
doing the more mats it is wise to have in potential landing
and fall areas.  Don’t be shy about gong to get some
more mats if some area is not sufficiently and safely matted.

Tell Your Teacher If You Get Hurt

Let your teacher decide if you need medical attention, ice, a
band aid, or if you can and should continue to work out if
you get injured.  Don’t keep injuries to yourself.

Nail It
Keep your toenails and fingernails closely clipped and
manicured.  The rough and jagged edges of both toenails
and fingernails can get caught on the floor exercise carpet
and cause a painful tear.  There is no place in gymnastics
and the gym for extremely long nails.  Hey could break  or
even scratch your coach

Gymnastics Safety during Gymnastics Instruction 

The first and most important topic in gymnasticsinstruction

is how to stay safe and uninjured.  The following is a list of
some of the things you can do to help ensure your safety
and the safety of others.

Be Prepared
As with any other physical activity, injuries occur much
more often when you are tired and/or worn down.  Make
sure you get sufficient sleep the night before your classes or
26
practices.  If you did not get enough sleep, rest and take a
nap before class or practice.  Make sure your body has
enough energy from nutrition to last through your class or
practice. 

Follow and Master Skill Progressions

It is extremely important to learn gymnastics skills in the
proper order of difficulty.  Gymnasts should not be
attempting difficult skills without learning all the lead-up
skills and doing any appropriate lead-up drills.  Gymnastics
instruction and learning  is a series of habits built upon other
habits.  Moving along too quickly without mastering skills
can ultimately interfere with learning higher level
gymnastics skills.

Follow Equipment Progressions

It is only common sense to work on gymnastics apparatus in
their naturally progressive order.  Beam skills are first
learned and mastered on the floor (on a line).  Then
gymnasts can move up to low, medium and high beams.

Don’t Do Gymnastics By Yourself

Just like swimming and other physical activities where there
is even the remotest chance of injury, gymnasts should only
work out when there is at least one other person around. 
This means on those home trampolines, too.

Don’t Spot Other Gymnasts

Spotting is an art and requires the knowledge, strength and
experience of a gymnastics instruction professional.  Any
error in judgement on your or their part could lead to you
being involved and responsible for their potentially serious
injury. 

Trampoline Rules
 

 SAFETY FIRST.  No one is allowed to do anything that

will get themselves or anyone else hurt.

27
No student is permitted on the trampoline or in the pit
without a gymnastics instructor present. 

Never go under the trampoline when someone else is

jumping.

Do not use the trampoline when feeling ill, tired, when

using medication or under influence of alochol.

Bounce using bare feet or special gym shoes (beam shoes)

because socks can lead to slips. 

 No horseplay.  Recklessness and horseplay is not allowed. 

 Only one person on the tramp at a time.

Maintain a clear area around the trampoline at all times. 

 No double bouncing.  It is especially dangerous for larger

people to double bounce smaller people.

Never land head first on the trampoline or enter the pit head
first as it may cause serious injuries

 Keep balls and other toys off the trampolines.

 Make sure you have no objects in your pockets while in the

gym.

 Bounce or aim skills toward pit.

Avoid bouncing too high. Stay low until you can control
your bounce and repeatedly land in the center of the
trampoline. Control is more important than height. Keep
your bounce under control. 

Consistently land all your bounces and skills in the center of

the trampoline.

Stop your bounce by flexing your knees as your feet come

in contact with the trampoline bed. Learn this skill before
28
attempting others. 

 Stop your bounce whenever you get out of the center. 

Perform the stop bounce after every skill or sequence of
skills, or whenever you get out of the center of the
trampoline.

Learn fundamental bounces and body positions thoroughly

before trying more advanced skills. 

Certain landings are more difficult and dangerous, i.e., knee

drops and front drops, than others.  Exercise extra care
when learning and using these drops and skills landing in
these positions.

Do not stand on the trampoline frame or pads while waiting

for a turn to bounce.

 No bouncing or jumping off tramp onto the floor or mat.

Bounce only when the surface of the bed is dry. 

 Before jumping into the pit, make sure no one else is

entering the pit from other sides.

 Follow proper skill progression.  Master basics before

progressing to more difficult skills.

 No one is to attempt somersaults, back handsprings or other

difficult skills without specific instructor permission.

 No one on the trampolines without warming up.

 Keep teeth together and tongue in mouth to avoid biting

injuries.

 Use the pit to try and master new skills, not the trampoline.

The area below the bouncing surface of the tramp must be

kept clear at all times.

29
Ensure that spotters are always stationed around the
trampoline whenever necessary.

Master the specified prerequisites and progresssions before

attempting a new skill.

Do not attempt back somersaults, multiple somersaults or

twisting somersaults without the permission and supervision
of your gymnastics instructor/coach.

Trampolines ideally should be in a hole in the ground so

that the jumping surface is level with the ground level.. 

Make sure that there is a  safe fall zone surface around the
trampoline. 
The safe fall zone should be at least six feet wide on all four
sides of the trampoline. The safe fall zone should also be
free from all hazards.

When you buy a trampoline always buy the safety pads to

cover the steel frame and springs. 

Maintain the tramp mat, safety pads, springs, hooks, and

frame.

Inspect the trampoline before each use. 

Tell your gymnasts about the risks of not using the

trampoline properly 

Gymnastics Equipment Safety Training Progressions

Gymnastic coaches have a wide array of equipment and

equipment set-ups to assist in safe and easy skill learning. 
Just as there is a particular skill learning progression, there
are learning equipment progressions for each event also. 
These equipment progressions need to be followed because
they are safer for gymnasts, a make learning new skills
easier for gymnasts, make it possible to take smaller steps of

30
progression and overall to learn more quickly.

Spotting Mixed with Skill and Equipment Progressions

Coaches have the chance to use and intermix skill
progressions, equipment progressions and spotting to
provide however many steps of progression a particular
gymnast needs to learn a skill.  Judicious coaching
effectively combines all three learning aids to move
gymnasts forward through skill progressions.

Vault Equipment Progressions

Vaulting progressions can use a variety of different types of
gymnastics safety pits and matting.  Not all gyms can have
more than one type of gymnastic safety pit, but all of the
gyms can utilize a variety of matting techniques.  Other
vault equipment progressions can include tramp vaulting on
and off, mini-tramp vaulting and using foam vaulting tables.

Bar Equipment Progressions

Bar progressions also can utilize the entire range of
gymnastics safety pits and matting options for falling safety,
release moves and dismounts.  There are a number of bar
equipment progressions – strap bars, floor bars, single
bars, tumble tramp bars, bounce handstand bars, trench bars
– that can be used.

Beam Equipment Progressions

Beam equipment progressions usually have more to do with
the height and padding of the beam equipment
progressions.  Beam equipment progressions start with a
line on the floor and progress to competition high beams. 
Matting underneath and beside the beams can also be used
to vary the effective height of the beam.  There are also a
variety of beam pads available for use.

Tumbling Equipment Progressions

Tumbling equipment progressions center around a variety of
take-off and landing surfaces and densities.  Tumbling
progressions include using trampolines, tumble trampolines,
air floors, power tumbling floors and a variety of matting,
31
stacked mats, inclined mats and tumbling into a variety of
types of gymnastics safety pits. 

Safer and Faster Learning

In general, it is logical that the more equipment set-ups and
progressions that are available for coaches and gymnasts to
use, the safer and faster gymnasts can learn.

Beam Equipment Progresions

 For all the skills listed in the Secrets to Staying on Beam

e-Book or any other beam training progression system,
there are the additional equipment progressions relating to
beam height and padding.  All skills should be mastered on
a line on the floor and progress eventually to the high
beam.  Depending on the equipment available in the gym,
there are a number of intermediate equipment progression
levels.  They include:

 1.  Tape line on floor.

 2.  Ethafoam floor beam on mat.
 3.  Heavily padded floor beam.
 4.  Regulation floor beam with mats stacked even with
beam.
 5.  Regulation floor beam.
 6.  Padded medium beam.
 7.  Regulation medium beam.
 8.  High beam with beam platform.
9. Padded high beam.
10. Regulation high beam with platform mats.
 11. Regulation high beam.
12. 6 - 8 foot high beam with 2 - 4 foot high matting
underneath
(Platform beam)

Master Each Stage

 For safety and personal confidence, the best system is to
require complete mastery at each equipment progression. 
There are some coaches who do not like to include padded
beams, especially padded high beams in their progression
32
series, because it returns a crutch that has already been
overcome at a lower level.  This seems to be generally
sound advice except when a gymnast, perhaps, is unable to
progress because of fear caused by a fall. 

Know and Overcome Danger Points

 Gymnasts should be trained and aware of the danger points
of each skill that they are performing and concentrate on
that first and foremost.  For example, when performing a
back handspring on the beam, the most dangerous mistake
would be to miss the hands and land on your head on the
beam.  The second danger point is missing the first foot and
possibly straddling the beam.   Once those danger points
have been successfully negotiated, the worst that can
happen on any beam is a controlled fall.

Gymnastics Facility 
Supervision Systems

Everyone agrees that children need to be supervised when

they are in potentially dangerous or unfamiliar situations. 
For most young children, a gymnastics facility can be both
unfamiliar territory and potentially dangerous to those
unfamiliar with the equipment and traffic patterns.  This
then indicates that supervision plans and systems should be
in place in any gym to ensure the safety of its participants.

4 Types of Gym Supervision

There are a four types of gymnast supervision that need to
be in place, both for liability reasons and to do the right
thing, which is to protect gymnasts to the highest degree
possible.  The types are specific instructor supervision of
their own class, general instructor of the entire gym and
gym areas, electronic/camera supervision of the gym which
may or may not be available by feed to the Internet and
traditional security supervision of the facility (a rare feature
in gymnastics facilities).

Specific Class Supervision

Specific instructor supervision of their own class is the first
33
level of gymnast safety.  The primary goal and
responsibility for this type of supervision is for instructors
to always know where their gymnasts are and what they are
doing.  Instructors should position themselves to be able to
see their gymnasts at all times and to be able to exercise
verbal, if not physical control of their class.

Specific Gymnast Control

Specific supervision also includes specific control over any
skills, which a gymnast is performing, including viewing,
spotting, evaluating and teaching.  Certain skills, which
require hands-on spotting, require the undivided
concentration and attention of the coach.  Other gymnasts
must be safely managed during that time, either by having
them wait or perform safe skills in a safe area. If a coach
has to leave the gym area for any reason or cannot supervise
their, they should verbally pass their class supervision
responsibilities on to another coach temporarily.

General Supervision of the Gym

General instructor supervision of the entire gym and gym
areas can take place in two ways.  General supervision
involves picking up supervision of any gymnasts who may
have wandered away from their class, anticipating any
potential safety conflicts between two classes and generally
making sure the entire gym is safe.  Instructors of classes
can position themselves to not only observe their own class
but to have a view of as much of the rest of the gym as is
possible, dependent on equipment placement.  In this way
each instructor can and should generally supervise the entire
gym. 

Shared or Individual Genlral Supervision

Responsibilities
One instructor, usually a senior staff member may also
individually be assigned the task of general supervision.  It
would then be their sole responsibility to keep an eye on the
entire gym.  Ideally but very rarely, a senior staff member
would have no other responsibilities during this task.  If a

34
single individual has general supervision responsibilities, if
they leave the gym area for any reason or cannot generally
supervise, they should verbally pass their general
supervision responsibilities on to another coach temporarily.

Video Supervision
Video supervision is not common in gymnastics facilities
but is becoming more and more economically feasible with
the dropping prices of multi-camera security camera
systems, many of which are already set-up to feed directly
to the Internet.  Video systems can feed into the front desk
area allowing front desk staff to help generally supervise the
gym area, to a security office, to the coaches offices, to the
owners office, or onto the Internet or a combination of some
or all of these.

One Out of Four ain't Bad?

Most gyms are aware of their specific supervision
responsibilities, but it is the rare gymnastics facility that has
expanded supervision to include general supervision
systems and it is very rare to see video supervision.

Gymnastics Competition Safety

Warm-Ups
 It is difficult with the compulsory meet structure and long
competition sessions to keep thoroughly warmed up for
each event.  It is very possible that your official warm-up
and competition may be hours apart, especially on your last
events.  For this reason, you must re-warm-up informally
before each event. 
 The goals of a warm-up are to increase body temperature,
thoroughly stretch and physically prepare to perform. 
Almost always there is some area, even if it is just the
seating area for gymnasts, that you can jog in place, stretch
and even warm up some stationary skills.

Stay Warm
 In between competition events, unless it is very hot, it is
probably a good idea to wear your warm-up suit to help
35
keep from chilling and tightening up your muscles.

Have Your Skills Prepared

 As far as gymnastics skills go, you should already be
prepared from many months of practice to compete and
warming up particular skills right before competing is not
really necessary to do well and be safe, especially at the
compulsory level.  Skill warm-ups are just to get used to the
equipment and its particular orientation in the gym.

Compete Only Skills You Have Mastered.

 While it is not usually a problem at the compulsory level,
you should not be competing any potentially dangerous
skills which you have not already performed by yourself.  A
competition situation is not the best place to find out
whether you can do a skill or not.  Sometimes gymnasts
compete in meets and do better than they do in practice. 
Sometimes they do not.  You can’t count on making a
skill in a meet based on the extra adrenaline competition
may give to you.  Sometimes it helps, sometimes it
doesn’t.  Look to your coach for advice in this area. 
They will tell you what you are safe to do.

Depend On Yourself, Not On A Spot

 Most coaches will not spot or even stand there for skills
during a competition.  Sometimes coaches will agree to do
this for safety reasons or to give psychological support. 

Don't Count on a Spot in Meets

 Even if your coach agrees to stand there, the rules prohibit
them from touching you without you receiving a deduction. 
Their inclination is going to be to let you do it on your own. 

They're Not There

 You should adopt the same attitude and perform the skill as
if they weren’t there.  Do not depend, either physically
or psychologically, on them for help with the skill.  Do it on
your own to the best of your ability, without expecting any
help.

36
Focus and Concentrate
 There are many distractions at a gymnastics competition,
both mental and physical.  There are usually more people in
the gym than you are used to in practice.  Equipment and
the set-up of equipment are different.  You may feel more
pressure to perform well.  You may have to adapt to the
effects of traveling to the meet.  There are any number of
internal and external distractions.  To be safe, you must shut
out the distractions and concentrate on what you need to do
to successfully do your routines.

Be Aware Of The Affects Of Adrenaline And Be

Prepared For Overdoing Some Skills
 Sometimes the excitement of being in a competition gives
you extra power, especially in vault, tumbling or
dismounts.  Be aware that this might happen and be ready to
quickly adapt to the effects of the extra power and air time
so that you can have safe landings.
 

 
 

37