Gymnastics for 6 and 5 yo DDs - can you offer some advice?

in addition to Richmond Gymnastics, which is hard to get into as others have said, Putney Gymnastics is also excellent and part of the British Gymnastics association ( the club is called South West London Gymnastics club):
www.swlgc.co.uk

Why don't you put your kids to school in Richmond, by the way? Is it the French Lycée or why would you do that commute every day?

A good large gym club will cater for all levels of ability and commitment.

BertrandRussell the club DD1 is in select squad from the first primary group too. That's from age 4.

And I agree with newname that maybe it's needed to express an interest in squad too. I won't put DD1 forward for squad at all. We both work full time, no nanny, so it's basically impossible for us to take DD1 to more training outside her one hour in the weekend. We are only doing gymnastics because we believe it's a good foundation of strength, coordination and flexibility training. It's great exercise which hopefully set up her for other sports. And I don't think we are the only parents with this mind set.

The good thing about gymnastics is it is excellent physical preparation for all sports. Ex gymnasts can transition to a lot of other sports with a headstart
When picking for squad coaches aren't interested in skills your child can do
And yours are a good age.
They want a mix of strength speed fearlessness, focus,and coachability in my experience. Don't go to a club that doesn't offer squad if they may be interested and don't expect they will automatically be noticed from recreational classes.
I would be upfront about possibly being interested and ask how it works in that particular gym.

I would however say that gymnasts are very prone to injury (my knees are screwed) and that in order to be really good you have to dedicate an enormous amount of time both in the gym and outside when at home. Think about whether that's even what they/you would want.

When I was training we trained five times a week (generally 3-4 hours a go) including ballet/conditioning etc and then on top of that there were runs, training for stamina etc. Each night it was 100 press ups, 100 sit ups, 100 v-sits, then extended splits (feet up on blocks) and other flexibility exercises.

For now let them enjoy the class and see where they want to take it rather than thinking about whether they will be any good at it.

OP, I think all the replies have one thing in common - we're trying to push your dc into the sports that our dcs have been involved in. I think the most important thing is that you find a sport that suits your dc and your lifestyle (no point in encouraging serious swimming if you're not prepared to get up at 5 am several mornings every week, or cross country if the thought of standing in a bog muddy field makes you hyperventilate).

You'll find something that's right - and it is easier in London than in the middle of the countryside.

I really don't think you should discount gymnastics. Find some sessions locally. A good gym club is the best thing but even a leisure centre run class will enable them to be assessed for potential. They're still very young. If they show potential then you can always put them on a waiting list for a serious club whilst keeping things going at the same time.

You could also consider trampolining, sports acro, rhythmic gymnastics, circus skills, dance etc

Our local athletics club (and the next one down, for that matter) allow children to start at 6 or 7) - it's seen as a fairly important source of future athletes for the club.

They're not going to be in a squad doing forward rolls and cartwheels and unable to do the splits.

More likely its a club that just happily takes money for however many sessions you want to put them in for.

Another good point about athletics is the fact you can drop it for a season, and still come back. If you drop out of gymnastics for a year, it would be very difficult to come back again. When various dc have been ill, had a lot on at school, or have just decided that they don't want to do athletics, they've left training for a few weeks (in a couple of cases a few months) and have just joined in again where they left off. Yes, their times have slipped a bit, but not as much as you might expect. And nobody seems to think anything of it (I guess the national runners might not have their absences treated in such a sanguine manner).

They are 5 and 6........

Athletics tends to be for older children. I think our local athletics club is 12+. Triathlon for juniors is 8+

I do think sometimes you have to express an interest in squad. Squad is a massive commitment, many hours, weekends, competitions. Coaches often take into consideration parents commitment when selecting children, so letting them know you are interested and aware may make them more likely to consider your children.

Some clubs have open trials you can go along to if you want to be considered for squad.

It does sound like your children are squad at your current club. recreational gymnastics is usually one hour a week. Ask your current club what their aims are for your children, and if they'd recommend anywhere in particular. Even if they don't personally contact clubs for you it will give you an idea.

When they were younger they did jumping, throwing, sprinting, hurdling.... but when they hit the U13 age category (top juniors/bottom secondary) they chose to concentrate on running. Other children may wish to do heptathlon/decathlon, or will be throwers, sprinters or jumpers.

My dc are older now (14, 13, 12 and 8). The three eldest train outside all year - they're middle distance runners (county-ish level, so quite good, but not exceptional), and enjoy it. The youngest trains outside in the summer, but in the winter she'll be training inside - largely circuit training.

They've been running on and off (some seasons just don't get off the ground for one reason or another) since they were about 7.

If your 6 year old likes running, perhaps you could consider switching to athletics. In my (admittedly very area specific) experience, gymnastics clubs are geared up to the elite - although they often have a 'fun' session for the children they don't consider worth training, because it brings in some extra cash.

In contrast, my dc go to an athletics club, and train with athletes who run at international level (and there is no chance that my children would ever be international standard, unless they were running for San Marino) - and are treated as valued members of the club.

I hate to say it but where we live (not London) the waiting list is 12 - 18 months at the pre-school age and 6 years school age for girls! There is also an internal waiting list for those who were in the pre school and have started school. This varies depending on when your birthday is but was 8 months for dd (who is a mid year March birthday).

It is ridiculously fabulous though!

I have to agree with the pp that they don't seem to have done much in 2 years.

Dd is 5 and has done just over a term of "proper" gymnastics (as opposed to the pre school "play with mummy" class). She is of a similar standard to your dd except she is that level on all four pieces (well 3 if I am really honest - she struggles with vaulting - can't get over the mushroom!) For example she can crawl, skip, run, jump, gallop, do dips and walk backwards on the beam.

That's on one hour a week so maybe 14 hours of training altogether. Obviously she had a bit of an advantage from the pre school class but as it was free play and her favourite thing there were the hula hoops I don't think she learnt that much!

I'd say she is progressing slightly faster than the average but nothing special.

There is no selection in the current class. They are then moved up to higher classes by a combination of age and ability. There are squads but they are selected by the coaches - no parental asking will get your child in a squad.

5/6 is still young. I wouldn't worry about getting too serious until 7- and only then if you're talking olympics. The amount they're doing seems fine, and in the beginning strength, flexibility, and solid basics are more important than learning tricks on apparatus.

Richmond I think is an acro club. No bars/beam/floor/vault.

London has many clubs. If you're thinking high level- elite, national/international competition, you need an elite club. Realistically these are Heathrow, East London, Europa, Tolworth might be near you.

Clubs that do 4 piece comps at regional level are more common. If you look at heathrow's website at the competition results for womens artistic regional level 5 and 4 "out of age" ("in age" or compulsory level is the elite clubs) you'll get an idea of who trains at that level.

Finally even more clubs do floor and vault only. This can be much easier to get into, less commitment, but still do lots of competitions.

Re being able to do the splits, it's all dependent on the amount of practice they do at home. They could go for three years and still not be able to do the splits if they are not doing the splits exercises at home every night.

If they do the exercise at home every night they'll be doing the splits within six months (with the possible exception of box splits which some children really struggle with).