It acts as a primer to those young athletes who wish to get started at the ground level. It also covers the history of the sport, rules and equipment, fundamental skills such as tumbling, balance and flexibility, and much more. Teaching the techniques for mastering the floor exercise, balance beam, uneven parallel bars and vault, it gives girls new to gymnastics information, and coaches and parents guidelines for helping young athletes. The basic routines used in competitive gymnastics, as well as nutrition, fitness training and flexibility training are also covered. Each chapter provides suggested drills. More than 130 photographs illustrate many of the drills and concepts discussed, and an appendix offers additional resources.