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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

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

35 replies

Boobz · 27/09/2015 14:26

Hello - I was wondering if any of your DC do gymnastics in and around the London area and could offer some advice?

We currently live in Rome and our 2 DDs aged 6 and 5 have been going to a local gymnastics club for 2 years, going twice a week for an hour each time.

This year they are now doing it three times a week for an 75 minutes each time.

We aren't a family with a particular background in competitive sports, but DH and I wanted them to do something they enjoyed and was physical a few times a week after school, and this has been great for them (and their Italian as it's an Italian club). However I can't help but think that after 2 years, I would expect them to be of a higher standard.

So my questions are thus:

  1. Has anyone else's DC started at a very relaxed after school club level, and then suddenly ramped it up to get them to be much better at this sport?
  2. If so, did your DC just happily take on the extra time commitment or did they want to stay at the "fun" level?
  3. We are moving back to London next summer - does anyone know any good clubs either around South Ken (where they will go to school) or SW London (where we will live) which would be a good place to get them going to the next level
  4. I know I keep saying next level, but I'm not exactly sure what I mean by this - I guess I mean doing vaulting, parallel bars, tumbling etc., rather than the more straight forward forward-rolls and cartwheeling they seem to do at the moment.
  5. Sorry - last question - how many hours practice a week should I expect them to do, to get them to be at this higher standard? (How long is a piece of string, I know...)

Thanks for any advice!

OP posts:
Eastpoint · 28/09/2015 08:51

Sorry - you said SW London so I thought Putney/Richmond. Do you mean Fulham/Chelsea?

atticusclaw2 · 28/09/2015 08:50

I'm not in Lodon but am a qualified gymnastics coach (and did competitive gymnastics when I was young). I would be expecting them to do full apparatus work already. I would wonder what they've been doing TBH if they've been going for two years and are still doing forward rolls and cartwheels. Three times a week for 75 minutes they should definitely be doing more than that by now even though they're little. Is a lot of it ballet and conditioning work?

I would wait until you've moved, ask around at school for the good local clubs, send them along and see what they say at the club. They will undoubtedly do full apparatus work and they'll soon assess them. They will then set the pace for number of sessions per week etc. Be aware however that the club might simply say they can't attend for more than two one hour sessions a week. Unless they're chosen for a squad (which certainly won't happen straight away if they've never done any work on the other pieces), they're going to be limited to the sessions that run for children of their age and ability.

Original poster
Boobz · 28/09/2015 08:42

Have joined the chalkbucket site - am waiting for someone to approve me!

OP posts:
Original poster
Boobz · 28/09/2015 08:29

OMG 12 - 18 month waiting list?! Wow.

I think Richmond would be too far away really, if they were going to do it for up to 10 hours a week. But how do you know if a club is serious? By being over-subscribed?

Will look at chalkbucket, thank you.

DDs' gymnastics teacher is Italian and doesn't speak of word of English so I don't know if she could put a good word in for them! I don't even really know if she thinks they are any good...

OP posts:
Bunnyjo · 28/09/2015 07:50

I don't live in London, Boobz. I am the opposite end of the country!

I second what Eastpoint has said. Most of the good clubs have waiting lists, some longer than others, depending on location.

DD trains 10 hours per week.

ididntsignupforthis1 · 28/09/2015 07:03

If you look at the website chalkbucket.com it is an international gymnastics very friendly chat forum with lots of parents who could help.it has a strong UK element too.

Eastpoint · 28/09/2015 07:00

Richmond Gymnastics. It says their waiting list is full & currently closed. If your Rome club has any British staff they might be willing to contact a UK club to encourage them to accept/trial your children.

Eastpoint · 28/09/2015 06:57

Richmond Gymnastics, which is near Kew Retail Park & Chiswick Bridge, has several squads and trains its gymnasts very seriously. Children enter normal classes and they test those with the most promise to see if they are likely to progress to acro etc. I'll post the website if I can find it. There is a long waiting list, used to be 12-18 months.

Original poster
Boobz · 28/09/2015 06:41

Thanks Bunnyjo - that is SUPER helpful. Are you in London by any chance?

How many hours a week does your 8 yo DD do at the moment?

OP posts:
Bunnyjo · 27/09/2015 21:56

I'll try to answer your questions from my perspective, which is just as a mum of a child who does gymnastic training. My DD is 8, she does artistic gymnastics and is in the club squad.

  1. Yes, DD did. However, it is the club coaches, rather than the parents, who select children for additional training and squad places.

  2. DD loves the additional training. It is very tiring, but she is passionate enough about the sport to battle through any tiredness.

  3. If you are looking for a club for when you move to London, I would recommend searching for a British Gymnastics affiliated club. There are many BG affiliated clubs in and around London, so it would be a case of contacting them and visiting once you are resident in London.

  4. At DD's club all children train on all the gymnastic pieces - vault, uneven bars, floor and beam. This is the case regardless of whether they are a recreational (fun) gymnast or an advanced squad member.

  5. I would expect the club coaches to select children they feel have the aptitude to progress from the 45 minute to 1 hour per week classes. At DD's club squad training begins at 2 hours per week and increases to 10 hours per week. As I said above, squad training places are offered by the coaches and not on the basis of parental request.