There is a myth of gymnastics keeping girls short and delaying their physical development. It’s been heard from parents that considering their children to choose the gymnastics as a primary activity, trainers and even some physicians.
There are 4.8 million children are participating in some
types of gymnastics training in USA. It is a large number and if there was some sort of pathology or delay in physical development associated with gymnastics, someone would notice that. Assumptions of that sports affect genetics, since everybody’s development including heights, weight and diseases, are predicted by genes for the most part, would be very superficial and wrong. On the other hand, not every child that plays basketball, does swimming, playing volleyball grows over 6ft tall, for the same reason every gymnast stops growing at 4 ft 8 inches (it is Simone Biles height).
Understanding the structure of sports can explain many of the questions. There are 6 different types of gymnastics including Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline, Tumbling, Acrobatic Gymnastics. First two are most associated with athletes being with well build upper body and slimmer lower body and short in heights. While in Rhythmic Gymnastics the athletes are being tall and slim. Knowing that for a fact when children are brought to the gymnastics they are going through the recreational classes, pre-team training and then training in competitive teams. There is a constant selection whether by coaches, children and parents, that determines children future in the sports of gymnastics. Overall development, skill set, desire, interest and genetics being the most important factors in future success in either of gymnastics program. Not the magical, “we can make everyone a champion” said by the coach or gym owner or parents' vision on the sports and their child.
Statistically, shorter athletes have more advantages vs their taller competitors in completing more skilled advanced gymnastics moves, not that gymnastics makes them shorter in order to complete the harder skills. Shorter athletes usually more likely to advance to elite level in Artistic Gymnastics while taller athletes have better chances in Trampoline, Tumbling, Acro or other sports while having gymnastics background that applicable to many sports and activities. There is a myth of gymnastics keeping girls short and delaying their physical development. It’s been heard from parents that considering their children to choose the gymnastics as a primary activity, trainers and even some physicians.
There are 4.8 million children are participating in some types of gymnastics training in USA. It is a large number and if there was some sort of pathology or delay in physical development associated with gymnastics, someone would notice that. Assumptions of that sports affect genetics, since everybody’s development including heights, weight and diseases, are predicted by genes for the most part, would be very superficial and wrong. On the other hand, not every child that plays basketball, does swimming, playing volleyball grows over 6ft tall, for the same reason every gymnast stops growing at 4 ft 8 inches (it is Simone Biles height).
Understanding the structure of sports can explain many of the questions. There are 6 different types of gymnastics including Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline, Tumbling, Acrobatic Gymnastics. First two are most associated with athletes being with well build upper body and slimmer lower body and short in heights. While in Rhythmic Gymnastics the athletes are being tall and slim. Knowing that for a fact when children are brought to the gymnastics they are going through the recreational classes, pre-team training and then training in competitive teams. There is a constant selection whether by coaches, children and parents, that determines children future in the sports of gymnastics. Overall development, skill set, desire, interest and genetics being the most important factors in future success in either of gymnastics program. Not the magical, “we can make everyone a champion” said by the coach or gym owner or parents' vision on the sports and their child.
Statistically, shorter athletes have more advantages vs their taller competitors in completing more skilled advanced gymnastics moves, not that gymnastics makes them shorter in order to complete the harder skills. Shorter athletes usually more likely to advance to elite level in Artistic Gymnastics while taller athletes have better chances in Trampoline, Tumbling, Acro or other sports while having gymnastics background that applicable to many sports and activities.