Be Prepared to Practice

As with any other physical activity, injuries occur much more often when you are tired and/or worn down. Make sure you get sufficient sleep the night before your classes or practices. If you did not get enough sleep, rest and take a nap before class or practice. Make sure your body has enough energy from nutrition to last through your class or practice.

Build Your Strength to Increase Your Safety Margin

The stronger and more flexible you are, the less likely you are to get hurt and the more likely you are to learn gymnastics skills quickly and safely. Flexibility not only makes many skills more beautiful to watch (like back walkovers), but also can make you less prone to injury. So prepare for your gymnastics career first by working to make yourself strong and flexible.

Make Sure You Understand What to Do

Tell your coach if you don't completely understand instructions on what to do. You should know and understand exactly what skill your teacher expects you to do and how they want you to do it. If you are not sure, ask! Understanding will also help you learn more quickly and do skills more safely.

Follow Proper Skill Progressions and Master Skills

It is extremely important to learn gymnastics skills in the proper order of difficulty. Gymnasts should not be attempting difficult skills without learning all the lead-up skills and doing any appropriate lead-up drills. Gymnastics is a series of habits built upon other habits. Moving along too quickly without mastering skills can ultimately interfere with learning higher level gymnastics skills.

Follow Proper Equipment Progressions

It is only common sense to work on gymnastics apparatus in their naturally progressive order. Beam skills are first learned and mastered on the floor (on a line). Then gymnasts can move up to low, medium and high beams.

The More Mats the Safer

Make sure there are enough mats under and around the equipment you are working on. The harder the skill you are doing the more mats it is wise to have in potential landing and fall areas. Don