New Gym Surveillance Systems Provide More Safety for Gymnasts

New Gym Surveillance Systems Provide More Safety for Gymnasts

New video technology is affordable and available.

Video security surveillance is not common in gym facilities but is becoming more economically viable with the falling prices of multi-camera security camera systems. Video systems can be fed into the reception area, helping the front desk staff to monitor in general the gym, a security office, the coach’s office, the owner’s office, or the Internet, or a combination of some or all of these.

A camera in every corner.

Four-camera video surveillance systems are available in any discount superstore at very reasonable prices. Some of these are web-ready, so they can be easily displayed on the gym’s website. A single four-camera video system can cover the entire gym by placing one camera in each corner of the gym.

Parents can observe their gymnasts from their home or office.

Internet video surveillance systems allow parents, staff, and gym owners to view the gym remotely. Parents can rest assured about the safety of their gymnasts. Parents who cannot come to the gym can watch their gymnasts for short or long periods of time, even if they are out of town or even abroad.

Staff and owners could do with better supervision.


With a video surveillance system fed to the office, the office staff can help monitor the gym and can be notified earlier if an accident or emergency occurs and can call for help more quickly. Gym owners can monitor what’s happening at the gym from home, whether they’re away for a meeting or traveling.

Traditional specific and general supervision systems

The other forms of more traditional gymnastics supervision should already be in place, including specific supervision by an instructor of their own class and general supervision by an instructor of the entire gym and gymnasiums. These traditional surveillance modes should not be replaced, but complemented by the new video technology. For liability reasons and to best protect gymnasts, every possible surveillance system should be put in place.

20 books and counting.

John Howard is the author of 20 books and e-books on gymnastics, gym design, gymnastics humor, and cheerleading. More books are already on the way. He has 25 years of experience coaching state, regional, and national champion gymnasts and international competitors as well as national-level cheerleaders in NCAA Division I.