How many hours a week should a young gymnast be doing?

[gemmasky]

My eldest dd, who is 11, has been in her club's squad for three years now, and, at the moment this is her weekly timetable.
Monday: 6-7:30am
5-7:30pm
Tuesday: 6-7:30am
Wednesday: 4-6pm
Thursday: 6-7:30am
6-8pm
Friday: 4-7pm
Saturday: 6-8:30am
3-6pm
Sunday: 9am-1:30pm
All in all this is 24 hours a week and very expensive, and as my other dd's swim and dance a lot this just makes everything difficult to manage? However, my daughter doesn't always do the Sunday class because she has competitions.

[MaddieAnna]

Honestly, this is normal for a squad team :( DD is 10 and does similar hours...

[uggmum]

My ds is a tumbler and trains for 14 hours a week. He is at high school and it's a bit of a juggling act.
He competes at a high level and still managed to win the British championships for his level and age in 2014 training 4 days a week.
I think 24 hours a week is too much. Especially 7 days a week.
I would be looking to shave a day off that as it must have a big impact on family time.
At my Son's club even the acro team (which comprises of this years world champions) train 6 days a week.
On top of that its the constant driving to pick them up. So you have travel costs and club fees.

[ontheginalready]

We stopped doing gymnastics for this very reason. My 7 year old dd was asked to go into the squad and train 18 hours per week. It was too much, not just for her but also for us as a family. Realistically she was never going to be a gymnast (not good enough or interested enough) so it seemed daft to effectively give up her childhood for something that would not lead to anything. She still does rec gym but also dances, plays netball and piano now which she wouldn't have been able to do if she had carried on with gym.

[dodobookends]

I agree with uggmum - 7 days a week is probably too much. Aches and pains, and little niggling injuries will never get the chance to mend themselves.

My dd (16) is in full-time vocational dance training, and the teachers there insist on one full complete rest day off.

[Marniasmum]

best practice is that they should normally have one day off training each week.

[Marniasmum]

Strange question Ugg, but does your DS's first name begin with an H?

[Needaninsight]

Even 24 hours a week (which sounds a lot) only means 1248 hours a year.

It takes 10,000 hours to become a 'master' at any sport.

So, that's about right if they're looking to make it a long term goal.

It's the same in any other sport, tennis, swimming spring to mind (I played tennis for 30 hours a week as a junior whilst still at school). It's why only the best make it I guess?

[dodobookends]

The best make it by not suffering from burn-out & chronic injuries brought on by over-training.

[uggmum]

Marniasmum, yes. My ds's name does begin with an H.

[sunnydayinmay]

britishgymnewstics.com/2016/01/28/why-its-not-quite-all-about-rio/

This article may be of interest. I guess it depends how far your child wishes to go

[popmimiboo]

Just spotted this thread which is of interest to me. I live abroad and my 10 year old has just been selected to join an regional gymnastics program as of September when she starts secondary school.
She'll have adjusted hours at school so will finish lessons at 2pm and train until 7pm plus extra on Wednesdays, amounting to 20 hours/ week (Monday -Friday, most of the girls are away from home and head back to their families on a weekend.)
I thought this was a lot but, at least we don't have the early mornings that you seem to have in the UK and get the weekends to chill and (hopefully) think of other things in life!
And all her training and school fees will be funded by the gymnastics federation so no charge to us (except the extortionately priced leotards and hand grips etc!)