Teaching Children's Gymnastics (Meyer & Meyer sport) [Paperback]

Ilona Gerling (Author)

Book Description

Series: Meyer & Meyer sport | Publication Date: December 1998

Spotting is a training technique in gymnastics for helping the physical, cognitive, psychological and social development of children. Designed for teachers to train children to spot each other, this book explains its value, how it can be developed methodically and what it should look like.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ilona E. Gerling is a university lecturer at the German Sports University in Cologne. She has worked in gymnastics for many years as a teacher and as a club coach. She is the National Chairperson for Gerneral Gymnastics in the German Gymnastic Federation and regularly speaks at international gymnastics congresses and forums. Furthermore, she is the author of a number of articles and books on both adult and children's gymnastics. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Meyer & Meyer Sport (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3891245491
• ISBN-13: 978-3891245491
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,485,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Gymnastics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good coaching tool, July 29, 2007

By 

L. Parker (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching Children's Gymnastics (Meyer & Meyer sport) (Paperback)

The title of this book is somewhat misleading. I ordered this book hoping to find lots of new ideas and methods - unfortunately I found very few. The majority of the book is filled with ways for kids to spot other kids. Ninety-nine percent of the material in the book would not fly in the USA! While kids CAN learn to spot each other, we cannot, as adults, trust that they are going to be as careful or capable as an adult 100% of the time. Not only is there the potential for injury (which is awful, no matter how it happens), but if a child was injured while ANOTHER CHILD was spotting them (not a coach), it would cause great problems with insurance and possibly in court.

Not only that, but the book is rather outdated, using equipment no longer present in today's gyms (or that you would even want in your gym - like wooden boxes!) Contributing to that, I believe,is that this book was originally published in Germany. I imagine that shortly after the cold war (around the time it was published), gymnastics institutes may not have been receiving the funding needed to keep their equipment up to date.

The few exercises I did find in this book I use only on occasion, as trust-building exercises. I would not recommend this book, especially if you are a young or new coach wanting to learn more about coaching.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for new coaches, September 20, 2005

By 

Momof4 (Plaistow, NH United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teaching Children's Gymnastics (Meyer & Meyer sport) (Paperback)

I was very disappointed. This book is very confusing, and not a good guide for beginning coaches.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent illustrations and step-by-step guidelines!, January 21, 2006

By 

Song & story lover (Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teaching Children's Gymnastics (Meyer & Meyer sport) (Paperback)

This book is very thorough and has excellent diagrams and photos to help in following the step-by-step instructions. Even young children can get involved and learn how to spot each other if the suggestions given in this book are followed. Gymnastics needs to be a safe activity for children, but it also has to be fun -- this book is helpful for any teacher or coach in achieving both those goals. A very practical and helpful manual. Recommended.