Gymnastics classes are a fantastic opportunity to build skills, strength, and confidence. Whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced gymnast, there are always ways to make the most out of your time in the gym. Maximizing your progress doesn’t just happen by showing up—it’s about putting in the right kind of effort, focus, and attitude.

Here are 10 ways to help you get the most out of your gymnastics class and reach your full potential:

1. Practice the Gymnastics Shapes at Home

   One way to speed improving your gymnastics skills is to practice the gymnastics shapes at home. For little ones parents can quiz them on the shapes, and see how fast they can get in them while sitting on the floor. For older gymnasts, they can practice holding the shapes with good form.
   Basic Shapes: tuck, straddle, pike
   More Advanced Shapes: wolf, straight-body position, arch, hollow, plank

2. Ask your Gymnastics Teacher or Coach for Feedback

   Ask your gymnastics teacher or coach at the end of class for one thing you can improve on and one thing you did great. Then, during the next class you can be very focused on the one thing you can improve on, and feel good about continuing the one thing you did great. Asking for feedback will ensure that you are constantly improving. Even if you think you’ve got a skill down, there’s always room for improvement. Being coachable and open to constructive criticism is a key part of becoming a better gymnast.

3. Celebrate Getting New Skills

   Celebrate whenever you learn new skills as a way to continually motivate yourself. The gym I used to coach at would let gymnasts ring a cowbell and the whole gym would stop what they were doing and watch the gymnast perform the new skill. (I doubt they still do that because now the gym is jammed with tons of gymnasts.) But, the point is to find ways to make getting a new skill a special event. Progress in gymnastics can sometimes feel slow, but it’s important to recognize and celebrate the small victories along the way. Whether it’s getting a little closer to holding your handstand or nailing a new drill, each step forward is worth celebrating. This will keep you motivated and remind you that you’re constantly improving.

4. Buy or Create a Gymnastics Skill Checklist

   Snippet from GymnasticsHQ’s Skill Progression Checklists

   You can buy a gymnastics skill checklist on GymnasticsHQ or come up with your own. But a progression checklist of the skills you need to learn for each gymnastics level is a great way to motivate yourself. It’s helpful because it makes learning the skills in class intentional.  Also, it will be exciting every time you check off a new skill.

5.  Go to any Open Gyms or Parents Night Out that Your Gym Offers

   Going to any Open Gyms or Parents Night Out that your gym offers will help you get more time in the gym. They are usually much less expensive than signing up for an additional class for a whole session. So it’s a cheap way to get more practice time. And it’s a way for you to practice the skills you want to work on, or maybe skills from your checklist.

6. Set Goals for your Gymnastics Class

   Before each class, set specific, measurable goals that you want to achieve during the session. These could be mastering a particular skill, improving your form, or doing more conditioning to improve your strength. Setting goals gives you direction and helps you stay focused on what you want to accomplish.

7. Have a Conversation with Your Parents

   Have conversations with your parents about what skills you are working on in gymnastics class and what you are struggling with right now. They can help motivate and encourage you. Gymnastics is a challenging sport, and not every skill will come easily or quickly. It’s important to stay positive, even when you’re struggling with a new move or feeling frustrated. Patience is key to long-term success in gymnastics, as many skills take time and repetition to master.

8. Spend Time on Strength Exercises at Home

   Spending time improving your strength will never be a waste in terms of improving your gymnastics skills. Many times the difference between being able to do a skill and not being able to do the skill, is whether you have the strength.

9. Practice Improving your Flexibility at Home

   I am frequently asked how to get your splits. One thing you can do is practice (learn more about flexibility in gymnastics here). You can practice your flexibility at home by practicing each of your splits- left, right and middle, by practicing bridges (try to get your legs straight and together in the bridge) and by practicing your pike stretch. Improving your flexibility will help you improve your gymnastics skills when you do them during gymnastics class.

10. Watch Gymnastics on TV and Youtube

    My last tip for getting the most out of your gymnastics class is to watch gymnastics on TV or on YouTube during your spare time. When you are watching famous gymnasts on TV, notice their form. Pay attention to how straight their legs are and how they have them squeezed together. Notice their arms are straight and their tummies are pulled in. They are squeezing their abs and their bottom. Notice how great it makes their gymnastics look. Check out these videos of famous gymnastics coach Tammy Biggs , and some of these videos for practicing gymnastics.

    If you are a more advanced gymnast, watch YouTube videos of gymnasts performing the skills you are trying to learn. Visualize yourself doing the skill the exact same way after the video is over. Visualization can be a key part of any gymnastics mental workout.

Getting the most out of your gymnastics class comes down to setting goals, staying focused, and committing to consistent practice. With a positive attitude and the right approach, each class can bring you closer to mastering new skills and achieving your gymnastics dreams. But remember, progress doesn’t stop when class ends!

If you’re looking for a way to keep improving outside of the gym, check out SkillTrakker—an online program designed to help gymnasts practice their skills daily from home. With SkillTrakker, you’ll get a structured plan to build strength, flexibility, and technique through bite-sized daily drills. It’s the perfect way to keep up your momentum and make progress, even between classes.

Ready to take your gymnastics skills to the next level? Join SkillTrakker today and start making those extra gains!

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