Laws of Motion Tumbling (LOM)

 The springy floor stretches out from end to end in the massive gym space; I can hear it squeak as gymnasts, parkour athletes, and instructors clamber over and bounce across it in all directions. Aerial silks in bright colours hang from the vaulted ceiling. A giant rig of rings, bars and climbing pegs decorates one entire corner.

And in the center, doing a front flip off a padded box, is my 12 year old daughter, who is here for the very first time.

Wait…hold on a minute - doing a front flip?

It’s not that M isn’t athletic, per se. She runs fast, she moves well, and we’ve lifted weights together before. But an “athlete”? A “sports-kid”? I’ve never used those words to describe her.

But she’s smiling tentatively and heading up to try it again, and I take this as a good sign that we might be in the right place.

The goal when we decided to try Laws of Motion Tumbling (LOM) was to get some physical activity, gain some movement skills, and put a dent in the boredom that overwhelms the pre-teen existence come summertime.

Last summer, when M was eleven-going-on-twelve, we attempted some City of Ottawa camps. Nothing against city camps, but they are clearly geared for the younger set, and M was pretty miserable. This summer we needed a new game plan.

We arrived to a friendly sea of parents watching their children from the seating area. A young instructor named Denzel greeted us, sensing we were new to the gym.

He immediately called M by name and guided her to her class, setting her at ease. As a non-athlete myself growing up, this move immediately gave me a great impression of LOM, which is going on the ten year mark in business in Ottawa.

After asking me a few questions and getting me to sign a waiver, Denzel gave me some more info about what to expect from the spring session of Tumbling and Trampoline.

“This is a recreational facility, meaning we don’t have competitive-level athletes,” he said, “but we treat all our athletes as athletes: this isn’t an expensive daycare.”

The gym itself smells like a combination of sweat and high-end vinyl. The walls are spartan, save for the giant Laws of Motion insignia and tagline, ‘Anyone Can Flip’.

The space is clean, the instructors are vigilant, and the athletes all seem to be having a great time.

And what did the tween-in-question think of her first class?

Aside from the relative bashfulness at being the least experienced, M enjoyed herself. She said she was pushed gently to try some things she hadn’t done before, but didn’t feel pressured or embarrassed if she couldn’t do it. She collected enough wins during the 1.5 hour time slot that she decided she’d stick out the session, which lasts 8 weeks.

TL/DR

LOM Tumbling seems to be a great recreational spot for aspiring gymnasts, parkour runners, and tumblers. Lots of helpful, qualified instructors. Safe, spacious, and also fun. Would definitely come here again for open gym or an 8 week course.

Age range: 5 up to adult (we tried the 13-17 Trampoline & Tumbling)

Experience level: None needed, all experience levels welcome

Cost: $150-$285 for 8 weeks. $15 drop-in open gym.

Location: East Ottawa (2215 Gladwin Cr, unit 130) - near the Museum of Science and Technology

Class types: Trampoline & Tumbling, Urban Gymnastics (parkour), open gym

For parents: Free parking, lots of seats to hang out and watch your kid. No water fountain - bring a big water

Bonus points: Bring your kids for a class and come on back to try the Adult Trampoline and Tumbling yourself!

Jen is a Mum of 4 and an Ottawa business owner living in the National Capital. She received a complimentary six-week class pass, but all views are her own.

Summer Camp at Starr Gymnastics!

When you send your kids to camp, you want to know that they are safe, with good friends (or ready to make some new ones), and having fun all week long. You want the price to be reasonable and you want to feel that your children will come out of a five day journey with stories to tell and a desire to go back again. When they want more, you know you've made the right choice. Well, if you send them to Starr Gymnastics Summer Camp, you might be shocked when they tell you that this is the ONLY camp they ever want to do!

Your child's week starts with gymnastics. After all, that's what Starr does best! Every child will learn something! It might be that they learn to flip for the first time, or they finally get that cartwheel that they've been practicing at recess for the last month. Every athlete is made to feel special and will learn new skills. Even kids that take regular lessons will find they are doing tons of "outside the box" moves and twists. The purpose of the camp is to explore the less conventional side of gymnastics and really get excited about the creativity of the sport.

Follow Monday with some group games, trips to the park, crafts, weekly themes ranging from Disney Day to Space Day (yes, that's where they do gymnastics with glow sticks and black lights!) and you're left with the highlight of the week - Friday's BIG SHOW TIME. If your child is falling asleep in the car on the way home every day isn't enough satisfaction, you are invited on Friday afternoon to see a live performance of all they've learned, packaged neatly with music and cheers - in true big top style! The Coaches even put on a show, reminding the parents that your children are surrounded by true role models who love what they do!

And that's another point that sticks with families that register for Camps at Starr. The staff are the most dynamic, caring and friendly people you will ever meet. They seem to genuinely have a passion for excellence, and they help every child achieve their best by inspiring them, not ordering them around. They are always approachable and happy to accommodate your needs whenever possible. Their flexibility (no pun intended) is matched only by their safety-conscious approach to the finer details of camp. You think you are dropping your kids off to learn gymnastics, but once you see how seriously Starr manages allergies, outings, lunch-checks, and attendance, you realize that you are getting so much more.

So it might not just be your kids that want Starr, and ONLY Starr! 

For more information - please visit www.starrgymnastics.com or call their central office at 613-721-4868

Editorial note: this post was sponsored by Starr Gymnastics.

Welcome to Sponsor Tumblers Gymnastics

We're so lucky here in Ottawa to have a great selection of gymnastics centres. Some are recreational, while other combine both recreational and competitive options - which means that anyone can participate, regardless of ability (wouldn't it be cool to have an adult gymnastics class? I'll admit I'm rather jealous of my 2 year-old tumbling around on the mats!) Tumblers Gymnastics Centre has been around for 25 years, incorporating in 1989 as a not-for-profit organization. It's now one of the largest gymnastics clubs in the province. Recreational classes follow the CanGym program, and specialty classes include Introductory Rhythmic Gymnastics, recreational trampoline, and Acro for Dance.

We had a chance to go and check out Tumblers' drop-in class, which runs every morning at 10:30 a.m. except Tuesdays.

The centre is GIANT! My daughter was in awe of all the fun things to check out - she had access to all the equipment during the drop-in. For a two year-old, it's better to be free to run around :) Her favourite things to do were jump on the trampoline and walk on the balance beams!

Staff were welcoming and friendly, and interacted with all the kids on the bars, trampoline and balance beams. A viewing area in the lobby is available for parents to watch their child's progress in kinder and recreational classes (a.k.a quiet time for Mommy to drink coffee ;) )

Check out the Fall schedule now for drop-in times, kinder and recreational programs - children can participate from as young as one year in parent-assisted classes.

If you're in the East end (or anywhere for that matter!), come by and check out Tumblers Gymnastics Centre - my daughter is already asking when we can go again!

GCGC Gymnastics

For a while I only knew them as GCGC Gymnastics. I recently discovered that GCGC stands for Gloucester Community Gymnastic Challengers. Tucked away in an industrial park in Gloucester, this unassuming Gymnastics centre wow'd us with their programming.

I took both my girls out to a Saturday morning Kindergym, and they were in awe of the 12,500 square foot facility. The children started off with a warm-up on the floor with fun music (who doesn't love running around in a circle like a mad person?) The kids were then separated into groups based on age and skill level. An instructor led each group over to various parts of the gym, and the girls got to practice on the balance beams, trampoline and bars.

My youngest (18 months), was just a teensy bit too young, although she certainly had a good time. By the time the class was over, I was in a full sweat from chasing her around everywhere. My 4.5 year-old got a lot out of the class, and I was so proud to see her confidence in trying new skills.

There are a lot of gymnastics options out there for parents, and it's hard knowing which one to choose. I like GCGC because there are both recreational and competitive options. Founded in 1976, the centre is in good standing with Gymnastics Ontario and bilingual coaches are certified with the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). The ratios are very small, and my girls were in a group of only 4 children in total. It's great knowing that my oldest could start off in recreational programs and perhaps move into competitive programs as she builds her skills.

Summer camps are also open now for registration, so if you're like me and have procrastinated getting your kids signed up, there's still space! Take a look at their website for more program information. Also, head over to their Facebook page and give them a "like!" Supporting local businesses like GCGC is such a pleasure!

5 Stars for Starr Gymnastics!

Welcome to Starr Gymnastics, our featured sponsor this month!

Our daughter was delighted to check out Starr Gymnastics (Orleans location) this past week. We've been living in Orleans for three years now, and have definitely been missing out on this local gem!

With a bright and large open space for plenty of exercise, Starr has it all - a climbing wall, a swinging rope, several mini-trampolines, and balance beams and bars. There is also a nice quiet room in the back, intended for use by parents with really young children, and a raised area where there are four large round trampolines, and a foam pit for the children to dive into. There are also slides, balls, hoops, bean bags, and small play equipment spread throughout the space.

Starr offers regular instructional classes,March and Summer day camps, and private birthday parties. We checked out one of the many drop-in play times. My husband was very impressed with the instructors, who he said were enthusiastic and very helpful. The highlight of the hour was the parachute, when the kiddies got to send a bucket full of balls flying up into the air. By the end of the drop-in, my daughter had already decided that instead of soccer this summer, she would rather do gymnastics camp!

We'll certainly be signing her up for a class. If you're looking for last minute March break activities, there are still spaces available in their half or full-day camps. For those who like to plan in advance, summer camps will be posted soon!

Have you visited one of the three Starr Gymnastics locations? What's your child's favourite activity?