ABC at home Challenge

ABCs At Home Challenge!

Each video will features a gymnastics activity for one letter of the alphabet. Please use your discretion when doing these activities at home. If you have your own gymnastics mat that will help make the activities safer for your child.

Our coaches truly love their jobs and are missing working with your kiddos on their gymnastics! They would love to see a quick photo or video of the kids doing these at home challenges. If you want to share your child's efforts please go to our facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/staceys.gymnastics/), find the post for the letter of the activity and post your photo or video in the comments.

We hope everyone is able to stay home and stay well during this time. We are looking forward to life going back to normal, and classes resuming.

Watch A-Z in one video!
click through each letter individually below

A is for Arms!

Quick warm up: Arm circles!

Next: hands on floor, feet on ottoman or couch, walk on hands around ottoman, or down the length of the couch, and back.

Challenge: Add a push up at after 2 "steps" with your hands. Add a needle kick on each leg after 2 "steps" with your hands!

Thank you Miss Aimee and Addie for contributing to this video!

B is for Back!

First: Lay on your tummy, lift your arms and legs. See how long you can hold it... take a break, then try again... see if you can beat your own record on the next attempt. Try it 5 times.

Post a pic along with your best time on our facebook post for the letter B!

For a challenge: Add a rocking motion while you hold it

Thank you Miss Joy for contributing to this video!

C is for Core!

Warm up: Hold your cat (stuffed or real!) sit down on your couch, and stand back up 10 times.

Core activity: Hold superman, then roll to hollow body, then superman again. repeat as many times as you'd like! Be sure to keep your arms and legs off the floor the entire time.

Challenge: Add an extra "lift" of the arms and legs when you are on your back (reach hands up, lift legs up, touch toes with hands in the middle) for a lemon squeeze. How many can you do? Remember to post your results on our facebook page. Comment on the C is for Core post.

D is for Donkey Kick!

Warm up: Downward dog, slowly walk into a plank and hold for 5 sec.

Next: Start with hands on floor in front of you (upside down table), push off the floor with both feet, leaning weight onto hands.

Challenge: lift right leg (like a needle kick) keeping it straight and tight, hop on your left foot, leaning your weight onto your hands. repeat on the other leg!

E is for Elbows!

Warm up: Jog or march lifting knees up to elbows.

E activity: Plank on elbows, hold for 5 sec (or longer!)

Challenge: Try a side plank on one elbow. With tummy facing sideways hold one arm and one leg in the air, keeping weight on only one elbow and one foot

F is for FINGERS (and FINISH)

Grab 2 eggs (or similar sized objects) before you begin this video!

To begin: Hold your eggs with your thumb and your middle finger in each hand.

F is for fingers: Stretch your other fingers out nice and pretty. Practice walking with the eggs in your fingers, arms overhead in a crown. Then set the eggs aside.

F is also for finish: Start in a stick it position (keeping your fingers pretty... even without the eggs!), knees bent, hands in front... hold for 3 sec, then stretch to a finish with pretty fingers, hold for 3 sec.

Challenge: Try your favorite jump, then stick it and finish. What is your favorite jump? Upload a photo or video of you working on your stick it and finish with your pretty fingers to our facebook page under the F is for Fingers post!

G is for GALLOP

Gallop around your kitchen island/coffee table/ottoman.
Use your right leg, then use your left leg. Try it sideways (both right and left).

Challenge: Try galloping backwards!

Another Challenge: Try galloping around the outside of your house! How many laps can you do with one leg in front before you get tired?

H is for HOP

Warm Up: Hop on 2 feet 10 times in a row

Hop: Hop on one foot 10 times, then the other foot 10 times. Try to keep you foot by your knee the whole time (passé).

Challenge: Hop on one foot up to a higher surface, then back down again only letting one foot touch the whole time! How many can you do in a row? Share a photo or video on our facebook post for the letter H!

I is for INVERTED

Warm up: Jump 10 times while keeping a straight body so you look like the letter I

I is for Inverted: Inverted means upside down. Walk your feet up a wall so you are inverted (in a handstand). The closer your hands are to the wall the harder it will be. Hold your handstand while you sing your favorite song!

For a challenge: Lift one leg and hold it, then lift the other leg and hold it.
Need a bigger challenge: Try doing a push up in the inverted (handstand) position. Try the push up with only one foot on the wall!

J is for JUMP!

J is for Jump: This is NOT A HOP! Stand with feet together, arms at sides. Bend knees, straighten legs (pushing all the way through your toes), to jump up high! reaching arms up as you go. Be sure to have completely straight legs in the air! Land in a stick it position with knees bent, arms in front.

Challenge: After getting as high as you can and pushing through your toes, add a tuck, straddle, pike, split, half or full turn! Land in a stick it position with knees bent, arms in front.

Don't forget to share a photo or video of your child doing today's challenge on our facebook post!

K is for KNEES!

Warm up: Run in place with high knees, add arm pumps too!

K is for Knees: Work on completely straightening knees. Sit in a pike look at your legs to be sure they stay straight. Squeeze your leg muscles (quads) and lift one leg in air without letting your leg bend. repeat with other leg. Lift your bottom up into a straight leg table and repeat the leg lifts.

For a challenge: Bridge up and try the straight leg kicks. (bridge ups should only be done by children age 5 and older).

How many straight leg kicks can you do in a row from your table or bridge?

L is for LEAP!

Before you begin: Gather up some stuffed animals!

Warm up: Lunges, do 5 on each leg (10 total lunges)

L is for LEAP: Start standing behind one stuffed animal, and leap over it. Add another, see if you can leap over two.

Challenge: keep going... how many animals can you leap over?

M is for MARCH!

Warm up: Mountain climbers. Start in a push up position, pull one knee to your tummy at a time. Do 10 in a row, go as fast as you can.

M is for MARCH: First we will review pumping arms. practice pumping arms. keeping arms bent to 90º (not like it's hot outside, like the corner of a square). One hand up to cheek, the other down to your hip, and switch, repeat. Then work on your legs, lift one knee, then the other. Next put the arm pumps and leg together. Be sure to have the opposite arm in front from the knee that is up. march around the house, pumping arms (opposite arm as leg)

Challenge: Add high knees, and bottom kickers to your marching. Go as fast as you can!

N is for NECK!

Warm up: roll your neck both ways 5 times.

N is for neck: Stretch your neck, lean head to one side, then the other, pull chin to chest, look up at the ceiling.

This will be great for everyone, including parents! Especially anyone who is spending a lot of time looking at a screen. ;)

O is for Opposite

Warm up: Work your obliques! lean from one side to the other side sliding your hands down to your knees.

O is for Opposite: Sit in a straddle, reach one arm over to the opposite leg. Remember to have straight legs and pointed toes! Then reach to the other side.

Challenge: See what else you can do opposite today!

P is for PIKE

Warm up: Sit in a pike on the floor. With straight legs and pointed toes lift each leg 5 times. For a challenge try lifting both legs at the same time.

P is for PIKE: Start sitting in a pike with pointed toes, reach both hands to your toes and hold it for 5 seconds (or longer if you want an extra stretch!). Then flex your feet and reach your hands to your toes. Hold it for 5 seconds (or longer if you want an extra stretch!). Next stand in a pike and reach for your toes. Hold it! Then try pike jumps!

Challenge: Walk your feet up the wall to a pike, hold one leg in the air, then the other leg. For an extra challenge try lifting both legs at the same time!

Q is for QUADS!

Your quads are the large muscle in the front of your upper leg.

Before you begin: Get a low chair or step stool, the shorter the surface, the more challenging it will be.

Q is for QUADS: Sit down and stand back up without using your hands, repeat 10 times! Be sure to keep your feet together the entire time.

Challenge: Try it on just one foot, then try the other foot

Bigger Challenge: Add a jump. You can add the jump with both feet first, then try it on just one leg... then the other leg. How many can you do in a row?

R is for RUN!

Warm up: Get your ankles ready to run! Roll them around in a push up position, 5 times to the outside, 5 times to the inside. Then sit in a pike, and roll one ankle 5 times, then switch. Now let's head outside!

Run around your house (inside or outside). See how many laps you can do without stopping! Remember to pump your arms keep them bent to 90º (like the corner of a box)! Add high knees, bottom kickers!

Challenge: Sprint and time yourself, see if you can beat your own record!

S is for SKIP!

Warm up: Straddle Stretch. Sit on the floor in a straddle, reach to one leg, hold for 5 seconds, reach to the other leg, hold for 5 seconds, reach to the middle, hold for 5 seconds.

S is for SKIP: Try to skip by hopping on one foot, then the other foot... make sure you feet take turns hopping.
If you are having a hard time skipping, practice hopping on just on one foot first. See how many times you can hop in a row on just one foot, then try the other foot the other foot. Try hopping on one foot going forward, sideways, and backwards. Try your right foot, and your left foot.

Challenge: See if you can skip backwards, how about sideways?
Try skipping instead of walking all day today!

T is for TUCK!

Warm up: Windmill, reach your arms up and over your head while you turn around.

T is for TUCK: Try a tuck from a squatting position. Keep your knees tight together and pull them in to your chest. Try a tuck jump. Jump up high, then tuck your knees up to your chest. Make sure to land safely with bent knees, then stretch for a big finish.

Challenge: Try tucking into a handstand. Begin in a squat with your knees tucked in. Rock your weight onto your hands and push with your toes to lift your bottom over you head staying in a tuck position. Then when your hips make it all the way over your shoulders try to shoot your legs straight up into your handstand!

U is for UPSIDE-DOWN

Warm up: Stretch up as high as you can. Hold it for 5 seconds. Then stretch down as far as you can. Hold it for 5 seconds.

U is for Upside-down: We are doing a Tripod. Make sure you have a soft surface for your head. I used a yoga mat, folded in half, on top of carpeting. If you have a gymnastics mat at home that would work great! Place your hands on floor, shoulder width apart, keep your fingers spread out. Place head on floor so you can see your fingers. Lift your bottom up so you are on your toes, walk your toes in close to your hands. Place one leg on each arm with bent knees. Hold it!

Challenge: Lift legs up overhead into a headstand.

Need a bigger challenge? Try straddling your legs, splitting your legs, pumping your legs (like peddling a bike). You can even try pushing up into a handstand!

Take a video or photo of your child doing today's activity and post it to our facebook page in the comments under U is for UPSIDE-DOWN. We love seeing our gymnasts staying active at home.

Start seated with your knees tucked and toes pointed, hands behind you. Lift your toes up and straighten you knees so you look like a letter V (from the side). Hold it!

Then try lowering your straight tight legs down and lifting them back up 5 times. Can you do more than 5? How many can you do?

Challenge: Try it with no hands, you can pulse your hands up and down?

Then try lowering and lifting your legs while you pulse your arms! How many of those can you do?

W is for WALKS

Practice walking on relevé (tippy toes). Forward, backwards, sideways... what is your favorite walk?

Do you have a beam at home? Try your walks on your beam!

Also try passé (foot by your knee), coupé (foot by your ankle), straight leg kicks (keep both legs straight and tight).

Challenge: Try them all forward and backwards!

X is for X-UPs

Warm up: Do 10 jumping jacks!

X is for X-UPs: find a space where you can lay stretching out your arms and legs so you look like the letter X. Bring your left leg and your right arm together to meet in the middle, then switch! Bring your right leg and your left arm up to meet in the middle.

Challenge: How many can you do in 30 seconds?

Extra Challenge: Turn over into a bear crawl position (almost like a plank). Lift one hand to reach and touch your opposite leg, then switch. How many can you do in 30 seconds?

Y is for YOGA

Y is for YOGA: Follow along with the video doing all the poses demonstrated.
If you need more explanation or a different view of any of the poses you can find more with a google image search of the pose name.

Challenge: How long can you hold each pose?

Extra Challenge: With your parents, find more yoga poses online! What is your favorite?

Z is for ZIG-ZAG

Warm up: Get your hips moving! Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hands on your hips. Circle your hips... 5 times to the right, 5 times to the left.

Z is for ZIG ZAG: Hop forward and to the side leading with one foot, then bringing both feet together for the landing. Then try with the other foot. When you are feeling comfortable try the challenge!

Challenge: Try it backwards! See how fast you can go forward, see how fast you can go backward. Time yourself and try to beat your own record.