Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Founder Accepted to Present New Research at ACSM 2026

We are proud to announce that Dr Stefan Kolimechkov, Founder of Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy (KCGA), has once again been accepted to present his research at the prestigious American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting — widely regarded as the world’s leading conference in sports science and sports medicine.

The 2026 ACSM Annual Meeting will take place at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) from May 26–29, 2026.

Dr Kolimechkov’s scientific abstract, titled:

“Bilateral Handgrip Symmetry in Primary-School Boys Practising Recreational Gymnastics: A Cross-Sectional Study from Kensington & Chelsea”

has been accepted for in-person presentation in a Free Communication/Poster session in the Sport Performance category.

What Will This New Gymnastics Research Reveal?

This year’s research focuses on a crucial but often overlooked aspect of child development: bilateral muscular symmetry.

Modern childhood increasingly exposes children to unilateral activities — writing, tablet use, gaming, and dominant-hand sport participation — which can contribute to strength imbalances over time.

Dr Kolimechkov’s study investigates whether boys practising recreational gymnastics in Kensington & Chelsea demonstrate improved symmetry in handgrip strength between their left and right sides.

Handgrip strength is widely recognised in sports science as:

• A marker of overall muscular strength

• An indicator of neuromuscular development

• A predictor of long-term health outcomes

The research analyses whether structured general gymnastics training may support more balanced muscular development during primary school years.

The findings are expected to provide new insights into how recreational gymnastics can positively influence symmetrical growth patterns in children.

Why Symmetry Matters in Children’s Gymnastics

Symmetry in physical development is not just an aesthetic goal — it has functional and health implications.

Balanced muscular development may contribute to:

• Reduced injury risk

• Improved posture

• Better coordination and motor control

• Enhanced athletic performance later in life

• Stronger foundational strength for adolescence

Gymnastics, by nature, requires children to:

• Support body weight on both arms

• Rotate and stabilise through both sides

• Develop equal strength in upper and lower limbs

Unlike many unilateral sports, gymnastics encourages symmetrical loading patterns, which may explain the relevance of this new research.

From Kensington to the World’s Leading Sports Science Stage

The American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting is considered the most prestigious global event in sports science and sports medicine.

Acceptance into the programme is competitive, with abstracts undergoing scientific peer review.

Dr Kolimechkov’s presentation will take place on May 27, 2026, in the Sport Performance Free Communication/Poster session .

All accepted abstracts will be published in a supplement of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (MSSE), one of the leading journals in the field .

This marks another year in which research conducted in Kensington contributes to the international scientific conversation on youth sport and child development.

Stefan at the Olympic Rings in Centennial Olympic Park last year in Atlanta, during the ACSM 2025 Annual Meeting.

What This Means for Families at KCGA

At Kensington & Chelsea Gymnastics Academy, gymnastics is not just a recreational activity — it is delivered with a deep understanding of sport science principles.

Our small-group classes (maximum eight gymnasts per session) allow us to:

• Monitor technical development closely

• Encourage balanced strength training

• Support safe, progressive skill acquisition

• Apply research-informed coaching methods

The very children training in Kensington are contributing to advancing scientific understanding of youth physical development.

This connection between grassroots gymnastics and global research is part of what makes KCGA unique in London.

Stefan and USA gymnast on Handstands at the ACSM meeting last year in Atlanta 2025

‘Once again, I am looking forward to attending the ACSM conference, and represent the Academy at this important scientific event. This will be my third time after presenting in Boston in 2024 and Atlanta 2025.’

Continuing the Mission of Research-Led Gymnastics in Kensington

Dr Kolimechkov founded KCGA in 2022 with a vision: to combine high-quality coaching with evidence-based practice.

Being accepted once again to present at the ACSM Annual Meeting reinforces that mission.

As gymnastics continues to be recognised not only for its athletic value but also for its contribution to long-term health and balanced development, this new research on symmetry provides further evidence of the broader benefits of structured gymnastics training for children.

We look forward to sharing more insights following the presentation in Salt Lake City.