All ages enjoy classes at Head Over Heels

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEAD OVER HEELS

Head Over Heels offers gymnastics, ninja, and aerial silks classes for a range of ages.

MORE THAN Gymnastics

Children and adults find fun, friends, and fitness at Head Over Heels

BY LAUREN H. DOWDLE

From forward rolls and cartwheels to ninja moves and aerial silks, Head Over Heels offers classes for all ages.

The gym first opened in Birmingham in 1979, and Ann Williams and her husband, Craig, purchased it back in 2001. They also had business partners, C.J. and Mary Grace Laird, join several years ago

In addition to gymnastics classes, Head Over Heels also offer cheer tumbling, ninja classes, and aerial silks/circus arts classes. There’s something for preschoolers all of the way up to adults.

“People come to gymnastics for so many reasons,” Williams says. “We want them to have a great experience whether it’s for their first class or one of our other ninja skills or aerials classes.”

Gymnastics isn’t only a fun activity, but it can also help support child development with coordination, agility, balance, locomotor skills, strength, and more.

“It’s amazing how much it helps them,” Williams says. “There are little movements that they’re working on that we don’t’ even see them working on, but gymnastics helps them develop those skills faster.”

For the younger students, parents assist their children during the class, helping them get used to the gym and program. The parent/child tumbler class, for example, is for children ages 2 to 3 years old. Their instructors guide parents and children through fun warm-up games and stretching. Then, the children can try activities on mats,

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balance beams, bars, trampolines and the vault.

Moving up in age from there, the gym offers classes for preschool 3 and young 3s, preschool 4 and 5, advanced preschool 4 and 5, preschool 4 and 5 for boys only, and starlets (similar to Silver Starz but for younger children). Classes for girls and boys elementary aged and above are also taught. Children receive a free trial class before they sign up, giving both them and their parents the chance to see if it’s a good fit for them. Though, judging by all of the smiles seen there every day, chances are they will have a blast.

Head Over Heels will also bring the excitement from the gymnastics classes to local preschools and daycare centers. Using portable, preschool-sized equipment, they teach the basics of tumbling, balance beam, bars, and vault.

Williams’s love for gymnastics began decades ago, performing on the gymnastics team at Auburn University and later coaching. Now, she and the other coaches at the Head Over Heels share their passion with all of their students. Her favorite part about the gym is watching the children grow up and progress through the program.

“I like seeing the joy and excitement when a child or adult masters a skill,” she says.

Adults can also get in on the fun at Head Over Heels. They offer aerial silks classes for beginners and more advanced students, and Williams encourages people not to feel intimidated if they’ve never attempted these techniques before.

“You don’t come to class because you’re strong,” she says. “You come to become strong.”

Head Over Heels also hosts birthday parties, as well as Parents Night Out. They will have summer camps in June and July, in addition to holiday camps, which are open to anyone.

Head Over Heels is located at 500 Caldwell Trace in Birmingham. For more information, visit Headoverheelsgyms.com.

Gymnastics offers students a variety of benefits, including building their coordination and strength.

HEAD OVER HEELS CAMP SCHEDULE

Keep kids active while they have a blast at one of Head Over Heels’ summer camps. Family and friends can watch what they learned during the “Show Off Camp Finale Performance” at the end of the camps.

June 1-3: Mity Mites Camp; Tuesday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 3-6

June 7-11: Gymnastics Camp; Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 5-12

June 14-18: Ninja Camp; Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 6-12

June 21-25: Combo Camp (circus, gymnastics and ninja); Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 6-14

June 28-30: Skills Camp; Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for ages 5-12

July 6-8: Mity Mites Camp; Tuesday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 3-6

July 12-16: Gymnastics Camp; Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 5-12

July 19-23: Combo Camp; (circus, gymnastics and ninja); Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 5-12

July 26-28: Skills Camp; Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for ages 5-12

Note: Children must be 3 years old one week prior to camp and fully potty trained to participate in the camps designated for children 3 and older.