VEGA Recreational Gymnastics Class Descriptions

Please note­ for all VEGA gymnastics classes, a one day a week class is a fabulous introduction to a healthy exercise habit for your athlete. To truly build a strong and healthy lifestyle, we recommend a two or three day a week class. You will see more growth, memorization and coordination in your child through repetitive practice throughout the week.

Pluto (Ages 18 Months-3yrs)
45 minutes
Pluto is a parent participation class which begins with an open warm up in VEGA’s Planet Preschool Room. Help your athlete climb a small ladder, swing on the rope, climb and slide using our monkey bar slide as they prepare to head out into the big gym with our VEGA Coaches. Once in the big gym, follow your athlete through a giant obstacle course, under the colorful parachute, as they learn to balance, follow directions, hop, and bounce their way to a great time. This class is created to allow little athletes to experience playing, exercising and interacting with others in safe and positive environment.

Neptune (Ages 3-4 yrs)
45 minutes
Neptune is your athletes first class on their own, watch them grow before your eyes as they try out their independence. Our enthusiastic VEGA Coaches will lead a warm up of running, skipping and hopping to prepare your little athlete for a healthy start on their exercise habits. They will learn how to stretch, roll, and build strength through games and obstacle courses, all in order to prepare their bodies to jump on the tumble track, balance on the low beam, and hang on the bars. This class is designed to introduce athletes to colors, equipment, listening and taking turns and to kickstart them into a healthy lifestyle of exercise, fun and friends.

Saturn (Ages 4-5yrs)
45 minutes
Saturn begins the focus on learning basic gymnastics skills. Your athlete will begin each class by warming up their large muscle groups with running, bear crawls, skipping, running backwards, frog leaps. Our informative VEGA coaches will teach them to stretch, work on bridges and splits at a level comfortable to each individual. Expect to see many obstacle courses and relay games. These are the educational tools our VEGA coaches use to build core strength, arm strength and the coordination necessary to learn headstands and handstands and forward rolls‐ the fundamental building blocks of almost all gymnastics skills. Athletes will spend time on the single bars hanging and swinging in order to build the necessary strength to pull over onto the bars. This age is very experiential and individual athletes will progress at the pace best for them under the guidance of our VEGA coaches’ watchful eyes.

Jupiter (Ages 5-6yrs)
1 hour
Jupiter marks a shift in time to your athletes’ first hour‐long class. Basic gymnastics skills on all events are the primary focus of this co‐ed class. Jupiter athletes will follow a group warm up format to begin each class employing their large muscle groups and raising their heart rate. Expect a renewed emphasis on developing strong and flexible bodies through the repetition of chin ups, rope climbs, splits, standing bridges, handstands and cartwheels. Jupiter athletes will begin to learn the elements of bridge kickovers‐ eventually shifting to walkover skills when individually ready. Jumping and coordination sets on tumble track and floor will begin to connect as your athlete becomes comfortable and familiar with tucking, twirling, piking, straddling and performing a squat onto mats. Bars will become even more exciting as your Jupiter athlete works on mastering bar swings, the pull‐over and begins working on back hip circles and casting. All athletes in the Jupiter class, from beginner to intermediate, will grow at their individual pace with encouragement and positive reinforcement from our professional VEGA coaching staff.

JAG (Jupiter Advanced Girls)
JAB (Jupiter Advanced Boys)
4 hours minimum
Athletes demonstrating a higher degree of skill and potential in Jupiter classes may be recommended by VEGA coaches as candidates for the JAG and JAB Groups. These groups are invitation only. Athletes train at least twice a week, emphasizing skills and moves that lead to the competitive levels. While participating in JAG or JAB is not a guarantee that an athlete will compete, it is an indication of potential and a commitment to the pursuit of that achievement.

Mars Girls (Ages 6-11 years)
1 hour
Mars Girls classes are designed to be a continuation of skills and growth from the Jupiter classes. School aged beginner level girls will also feel right at home in this class as the focus of the program is on building healthy athletes with the basics of strength and flexibility. Mars introduces athletes to all the standard equipment: Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor Tumble Track and Power Tumbling Athletes in Mars will work on cartwheels, handstands, bridge kickovers, and beginning tumbling. The main focus on bars will be swings, casts and supports, with the extra excitement of hip circles and sole circles. Beam skills will continue to improve with the repetition of walking, and kicks, leading into turns and rolls. The focus on vault will begin with proper running technique, skipping and hurdling drills and then practicing the squat on. Classes will focus on strength training, and flexibility through out each event under the supervision of VEGA Coaches.

Mars/Earth Boys (6-12 years)
1 hour
Mars/Earth Boys is designed for school aged beginner level boys. Mars introduces boys to equipment designed specifically for boys, as well as other standard gymnastics apparatus. This program also focuses on strength, flexibility, and coordination through games and relays.
Vault stations will focus on running, skipping and hurdles, eventually ending in a squat on to the vault. Boys will swing on the high bar and the parallel bars, working on their casts and pulling in to support. They will continue with supports on the rings, also learning to “L” hold and hang in proper form comfortably and safely. Mars/Earth boys will work on the basics of cartwheels and handstands. When appropriate they will move to beginning tumbling under the watchful eyes of the VEGA coaches.

Mercury Girls (6-10 years)
6 hours
Athletes demonstrating a higher degree of skill and potential in Mars classes may be recommended by VEGA coaches as candidates for the Mercury level. Grouped by age and ability, Mercury is available by invitation only. Members train twice a week, emphasizing skills, strength and flexibility that lead toward a competitive level. While participation in Mercury is not a guarantee that an athlete will compete, it is an indication of potential and a commitment to the pursuit of that achievement.

Earth Girls (6-11 years)
1 hour
Earth classes are designed to be a next step following the Mars Classes. VEGA coaches will focus on teaching the squat through and landing methods on vault. Bars time will center around pullovers, back hip circles and casts. On beam your athlete will work on rolls, half turns and leaps. Moving to floor, athletes will work back handspring drills, back walk over’s and roundoffs. Refinement of old skills will continue throughout this class, as well as gymnastics’ healthy focus on strength and flexibility throughout each event.

Middle School Class
3 hours/week
This class is specifically designed for girls in middle school. Middle school Class meets twice a week. Some of the things you can expect in addition to the VEGA strength and conditioning:
Vault: Squat through, Handspring Drills, Front Handsprings
Bars: Routine work, Front Hip Circle, Connection of Skills
Beam: Turns, Rolls, Routine Work
Floor: Back Handsprings. Turns, Leaps, Routines
This is an excellent class for those athletes wanting to compete for their school season!



Important Note to Parents and Gymnasts in the Recreational Program
Repetition is the key to all gymnastics classes, but it is exceedingly important in the Jupiter, Mars and Earth classes. The technique and finesse of gymnastics takes years of time and development. Progress is slow and measured. In order to build the strength and flexibility necessary to perform gymnastics safely, all of our programs are designed with the philosophy that slow and steady wins the race. Expect basics‐handstands, chin ups, push ups. Expect them to repeat, repeat, repeat. This philosophy is perhaps most easily seen in our team program. Even though our highest advanced team gymnasts have mastered handstands and bridges and the more mundane swings and glides and strength exercises, they continue daily to focus on these basics, and will throughout their career. These are the building blocks, the foundation that allow the other skills to come in on top. They can never be forgotten or taken away from the athlete’s practice.