Beyond Dance Skills, Beyond Health Benefits, Beyond Fitness

When thinking about what children gain from calisthenics, an increase in confidence is one of the first things that comes to mind. Calisthenics differs from other sports in that it incorporates a variety of dance items that all require vastly different skills and techniques. This variety gives coaches the ability to create a positive, strengths-based environment. To break this down further, there is no exceedingly high expectation and pressure placed on participants to be ‘perfect’ in every item. Instead, the sport in its very nature gives room to highlight individual capabilities whilst encouraging and motivating growth in other items (where needed on a case-by-case basis). By creating an environment that is welcoming, person-centred, and where it’s possible for all individuals to have multiple strengths (regardless of age, weight, height etc.) the sport supports athletes to develop trust and belief in their own capabilities. This in turn enhances their own overall confidence. The difference in confidence levels from when participants start their very first term, across the first year and beyond in this domain is phenomenal.

Calisthenics can also support children to develop an increased understanding of commitment and a sense of team spirit. The ‘teams’ component of calisthenics typically spans over a period of 8-9 months. This period of time is typically broken into skills building, teaching choreography, placing items, tidying items, and ultimately performing in a competition setting. For participants, this process of working towards a common team goal of putting the best possible routines on the stage at competitions promotes a sense of commitment to both themselves and the team (both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation). A commitment to attend classes each week, a commitment to work together and help lift each other up, a commitment to self-improvement and a greater understanding of the impact on others when this commitment is not maintained. This in turn supports the development of discipline. At its core, discipline is the process of developing, teaching and reinforcing desired behaviours and outcomes. Calisthenics is particularly good at teaching this as there is a reasonably high expectation in terms of presentation (neat, tidy, hair in bun), participation (attendance, reliability,) and self-improvement (skill-building). The increased understanding of commitment and team spirit alongside the positive role modelling and expectations of participants, (with intermittent and consistent consequences where necessary) facilitates growth in children’s discipline and positively reinforces desired outcomes and behaviours.

Increased resilience is another positive impact of participating in calisthenics. The common definition of resilience is the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity and stress. However, to learn resilience, children must experience “healthy” stress in a positive environment that teaches appropriate coping strategies and thought patterns. Within any competitive sport, there is an element of stress and expectation to perform and calisthenics is no different. However, I do believe that calisthenics places higher value on continual improvement through constructive feedback, encouragement, reinforcement and support than in some other sports/settings. This response to expectation vs reality (in other words not achieving a goal despite having had the discipline and commitment) supports growth in resilience and supports children’s capacity to quiet of their internal critic, accept disappointment and implement problem-solving skills to increase the likelihood of a different outcome at the next opportunity (if that is what’s desired!).

Finally, the final gain of calisthenics that this blog will discuss is the lifelong friendships, bonds and memories created through participation in the sport. Children come into the sport from all different schools, social circles, geographical domains, and cultures. Together, they push their boundaries, support each other, cry together, work together, laugh together, stay up all night together at camps and parties (or try to!), win together and lose together. This bond, outside of the usual routine of school, can provide emotional sanctity and a place to ‘escape’ to where homework, school, friends, and other stress can be temporarily forgotten.

In sum, there are so many benefits of participating in calisthenics beyond health and fitness. These benefits are typically intertwined and dependent on each other as foundation blocks – they will also continue to grow over time and have an impact right across the lifespan. These benefits may take time or may happen quickly to be noticeably present, but they are definitely there. As a final note for this blog, last Saturday, I asked some of the girls I coach what they believed they gained - the resounding response incorporated the following phrases: improving strength and technique; working hard; friendships and that it’s not all about winning.