Dynamite Gymnastics - Agility class?

[Anonymous]

Has anyone taken their child to one of the Agility of Gymfusion classes at Dynamite. My daughter need some upper body strength and OT has just been working on fine motor. I think it is more of her arms getting tired because for 5-10min she can write just fine. She just turned 5 and can not do more than one monkey bars or wheel barrow too well. She has very mild SPD.

I am thinking agility would be better than gymnastics but just curious what others have done.

[Anonymous]

I have not, but know others who have, and speak highly of it. I'm thinking about going this route as well.

[Anonymous]

Ask about doing a drop in class. (I feel like the teachers are really variable at Dynamite.)

[Anonymous]

Love them, especially if you go in an off time when the gym isn't so crowded (i.e. not the 4:00 weekday classes). The kids are moving the whole time (not waiting in line) and there's a whole range of skills so that everyone participates where they are. Classes are small too.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the instructor. I would do a regular over agility. I do think it helps with gross motor.

[Anonymous]

My son with hypotonia and no upper body strength did both Agility and TNT (tumbling and trampoline) last year at Dynamite Gym.

He hated the TNT because they spent a good part of the class learning cartwheels instead of using the trampoline, which he loves. Of course, any exercise that depended on arm or core strength, like cartwheels, he didn't care for! Sadly, this is what he really needs.

He loved the Agility, which focused on getting the kids to keep moving through an obstacle course - I found it less useful for his needs, and ended up pulling him out because the Agility classes are in their second gym place and I always smelled car exhaust when I opened the door and went in. I do have a sensitive sense of smell, and maybe it bother anybody else, but I do not want my kid exercising for an hour in car exhaust fumes.

The Motion Education is well regarded but too expensive for us.

So this year we are trying ballet! I found a boys class at Maryland Youth Ballet, and they insist on core and upper body strength, and have great attention to detail. We'll see how that goes.

[Anonymous]

...maybe it DIDN'T bother anybody else...

[Anonymous]

Motion Education charges so much because they can get it from LISS and other funding sources. Some families do private pay, but most are not and under some kind of grant. We did it for two years under LISS money. Their prices are a bit high given most are not specialists but decent folks who just enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

My daughter does motion education each week, and, while her teacher lacks the fancy degrees of the numerous other therapists in her life -- dollar-for-dollar she gets WAY more out of Dynamite than any other activity. Her progress has been amazing. Plus she loves it.

And $75/hour is nothing compared to the $133 charged by her weekly OT.

[Anonymous]

My son did agility when they first started offering it (before they opened up the 2nd facility). His first instructor was great. The 2nd was not. My experience was that it was a lot of little boys who have a tough time paying attention. I would specifically request a small class if your daughter needs extra attention.

[Anonymous]

DS started in gymnastics and switched to agility when the Agility center opened. The Motion Education director had seen him in class and told me that he had low tone in his upper body, which we hadn't noticed and his pediatrician had also missed. Gymnastics was good, but agility is GREAT for him, because they keep the kids moving the entire class. He's been doing it for almost 2 years, and he is stronger and has a lot more physical confidence.

My advice would be to have your daughter try a mini-agility class. There has been some instructor turnover recently, but Paige and Russell have both been there a long time and both are very good.

[Anonymous]

Dumb question, but what is LISS and what sort of diagnosis do you need to get this to cover motion education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, but what is LISS and what sort of diagnosis do you need to get this to cover motion education?

http://dda.dhmh.maryland.gov/SitePages/liss.aspx

You can spend the grant on whatever you like that's therapeutic. ME's prices are high b/c of the individualized attention and b/c they are a business trying to make money. They depend or get that many people paying through LISS grants b/c LISS grants are few and far between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, but what is LISS and what sort of diagnosis do you need to get this to cover motion education?

http://dda.dhmh.maryland.gov/SitePages/liss.aspx

You can spend the grant on whatever you like that's therapeutic. ME's prices are high b/c of the individualized attention and b/c they are a business trying to make money. They ***depend or get that many people paying through LISS grants b/c LISS grants are few and far between.

***don't

[Anonymous]

Which instructors would you recommend at Dynamite?