YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Winter 2019 | Page 14

TAYLAH PALMER
Taylah Palmer is an Intermediate Women’s Artistic Gymnastics coach, who has been
coaching community gymnastics for five years and Special Olympics for three. She is
in her third year of a Masters of Occupational Therapy degree, and is currently
developing educational resources for gymnastics coaches who work with adults and
children with disability.
GYMNASTICS
IS FOR EVERY
BODY
Gymnastics is only for flexible, super-fit
people who can defy the laws of gravity
and physics... right? Wrong! There’s been
an inclusion revolution in the gymnastics
community, and we’re excited to say that
gymnastics is for everyone, especially
people with disability.
How does inclusive gymnastics work?
Inclusive classes are generally run one-on-one, which is
especially important for students on the autism spectrum.
Coaches progress at their student’s pace, adapting the class
to suit them. Students who have a natural aptitude for
gymnastics progress more quickly and can choose to integrate
into a mainstream group when they’re ready. It’s a gradual
process and their coach stays with them for focus and support.
Let’s start at the very beginning
Every student learns the basics: how to roll and tumble,
jumping (how to use their whole body to jump and get height,
as well as how to bounce on a trampoline), swinging, balancing,
and familiarisation activities using all the gym apparatus (floor,
beam, bar, vault, rings and parallel bars).
Where to next?
Once a student has learned the foundation skills of gymnastics,
they can take the sport as far as they want. Success might be
social class, or it could be training to compete in the Special
Olympics or Paralympic Games.
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YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE WINTER 2019
Classes run for people with disability are generally called ‘All
Abilities Gymnastics’ or ‘Inclusive Programs’. The Gymnastics
Victoria website has a section dedicated to inclusive
programming, or you can talk to a gymnastics program
coordinator at your local YMCA Victoria, about classes available
in your area.
Just remember: there’s no age limit to gymnastics – the oldest
YMCA All Abilities student is 54 years old – and you don’t have
to be able to defy the laws of physics to have a go!
Example progressions:
Start with standing on the beam supported by your
coach
standing on the beam unsupported
walking along the beam supported
walking along
the beam unsupported
walking on tippy-toes
walking backwards. The beam starts flat on the floor,
gradually getting higher and higher.