What: The USA Gymnastics Fitness Program is an initiative that encourages physical fitness through fun activities that emphasizes strength training, cardiovascular exercise, flexibility and good nutrition.

Who: The program is geared toward children 3-16 years old and can be used for gymnasts from recreation to team. The program is designed for year-round use to develop a physically active lifestyle for today's youth. The new USA Gymnastics Fitness Program also features scales of measurement, additional movement training exercises, as well as exercises for three levels of fitness: beginner, intermediate and advanced students. Other new materials include individual online video breakdowns of every exercise, a participant progression chart, updated Fitness and National Gymnastics Day logos.

Where: The USA Gymnastics Fitness Program can be held at any gymnastics club, youth organization, school or community center. You can find a local club by calling 1-800-345-4719 or visiting this page.

Video tips from St. Vincent's Sports Performance

When: While the program is designed to be year-round program, most gymnastics clubs start their sessions in the early spring with a renewed push during the back-to-school timeframe. Each year, National Gymnastics Day is a platform for clubs to host demonstrations of the program.

Why:

• Conditioning is the core of any fitness plan and the basis of any sport
• Today's children are considered the most inactive generation in history.
• Gymnastics clubs are a fun and safe environment and many already have fitness-related activities and classes.
• Approximately one in five kids is overweight, a percentage that has more than doubled in the last 30 years. Childhood obesity is considered the most common nutritional disorder of U.S. children. (American Obesity Association)
• Gymnastics provide a solid foundation for becoming physically fit and preparing to participate in other activities and sports.