Aerials Gymnastics in Colorado Springs

I took a vacation to get away from gymnastics and give my elbow a rest from spotting...and so what do I do? While visiting my parents in Colorado Springs, I stopped in to check out Tom Forster's Aerials Gymnastics (North Gym). Since I heard he doesn't coach on a regular basis anymore, and has more than one facility, I wasn't sure I'd catch him in the gym. I was told he'd probably be in later in the week, so I made two visits to the facility.



What a gymnast's paradise! Great training equpment, clean and spacious facility. The staff are professional, friendly, and courteous.


Many gyms delegate coaching positions and responsibilities in such a way that instructors with little personal gymnastics experience and technical expertise themselves end up teaching rec and preschool and not team. Somewhat understandable, if there's a lack of technical knowledge. But really, you want your best, most knowledgeable coaches nurturing the kids (especially future team girls) from day one. That's why Tom has gone the extra mile to insure that his whole coaching staff are his "top, best, most knowledgeable" instructors. He does this by training them so that they have at least the same technical and coaching expertise that he has. So the team coaches are also out there teaching preschool, and are as enthused about it as they are with teaching levels 4-10. (Tom said what he enjoys teaching the most right now, is rec). Here he is teaching a back flip to a raw beginner:




Tom's interested in seeing or putting more out there for rec gymnastics. He says there's now a lot of training drills available on dvd and the internet for team, but would like to see more for rec coaches.

Aerials Gymnastics has such a fun, positive atmosphere. I get the sense that not only do the produce great gymnastics and great athletes, but also cultivate and nurture great human beings.

Aerials has lots and lots of bar stations. As one of the women's national USAG bar coaches, bars is Tom's "thing". Here, Tom talks about where the idea for a channel/trench bar came from (and as a consequence, the sliding Forster Spotting Platforms, now sold by Gibson).




Here's a nice video Tom put up, offering some tips on the straddle tap for taller gymnasts in the giant swing:

Hope to see more such videos put up by Tom, someday (he showed me some other great drills and video clips on his laptop). I have his two Gym Smarts videos, and they are excellent!


Gymnastike was there a year ago for Workout Wednesday with the Colorado Aerials Elite:



Thanks, Tom, for your time and generosity in showing and sharing!