General gymnastics chat anyone?

Exciting! They used to do it with the coach's jumper wrapped around their middle somehow when I was a kid. (I was too chicken though!)

Wow some serious dedicated children and parents.
DD might change her mind and fall out of love with gymnastics like she did with swimming.

Bit early to be sure of that Bella!

DD's class was slightly less scary this week, there were a couple more little ones of similar ability to her. Maybe she will last the term after all...

We're in the try lots of different things phase of hobbies at the moment. I do hope DC find their passion at some point in their childhood, whether it is a sport or something else. Not sure gym would be my choice, but you can't choose for them can you?

Dd started in her last year of preschool at a class run in the local school by the gymnastics club (actually she started because her older db went and every week she would ask the coach if she could start and tbh I think she went on so much they gave into her!)

She did about 2 terms there and was then asked to go over to the main club to try out for development squad and it's just snowballed from there

I know at our club the squad coaches are also involved with the recreational and school groups and regularly trial kids for squad groups who show "something".

Dd was naturally very strong which is why they asked her across - the only reason she's still there is down to her sheer grit and determination - her entire world revolves around her gymnastics and it looks like it's finally paying off - she's just this year started placing in the medals. (7 years down the line!)

I would have a chat with your coaches and ask them straight out what direction they see your child going in be it squad, recreational, team gym or even cheer - there are so many gymnastics disciplines out there to choose from.

My dd(9) started in y2, moving up gradually through the levels. She was doing four hours a week last year but she was selected for the club's competitive squad and will be doing nine hours a week. She loves it so far. I'm a bit worried though as ds1 (18) told me his new gf was in the same club til last year and was doing 20 hours of training a week by the time she quit! It takes up a lot of free time and I hope she doesn't resent it when she's a teenager.
I've noticed gymnastics is a much more demanding sport not just in terms of time but commitment too. Dd had to sign a contract (!) promising to attend mandatory events and a certain number of trainings before competitions. Her dbs played football and rugby and they were never asked for something like that.

Ah that's interesting alletik. I was going to say to MrsEms that I can't work it out either as DD can't do anything clever. The Y2s who've just joined her class too sound similar to your DD, the Y3s were already in the group and can do more. I haven't worked out the system but there are definitely squads too who look quite little, and I think there is another level of recreational gym after DD's. I quite enjoy watching, specially when the acrobatics teams are training during DC's session.

Hi Alletik,
When we got a place (was on the waiting list for nearly a year) I casually asked and was told, beginners and then intermediate. One of the mums I've started talking to said they were told beginners, intermediate and then if you want to continue after intermediate they can recommend local clubs.
No squad and no competitions. We put DD's name down because she expressed an interest in gymnastics lessons, it's only now seeing how she is doing compared to the others that started with her that we are wondering if she may be capable of more and with DD saying she would like to try and win medals.
If she takes after me she wont have the right body shape but she's appears to be flexible and seems to have some body strength. She does listen in class but doesn't always apply what told straight away but think this is because of bad habits before starting gymnastics rather than not listening.
I'm not sure about fearlessness, she will jump off things her friends wont but is a bit scared of trying a back walkover herself but will happily attempt them with help at class and with me supporting her. She is very determined and is constantly practicising and like now is making up her own floor routine :-)
Thanks for your help.

And as for coaches... I don't know, but I was told that they look for potential, rather than what they can do now. In particular...

Right body shape
Flexibility and strength
Ability to listen / concentrate
Fearlessness

Whether other coaches look for different things, I couldn't comment. But when I asked, this it what I was told the coaches at my DDs club were looking for.

MrsEms,

My daughter was selected. I didn't know anything until I got the letter in the post offering her a second training session a week.... little did I know at the time where it would end up!

It sounds to me as though there might not be a more advanced class at your DDs gym. Do they have a squad? If so, what competitions do they do? If they don't have a squad, you may have to apply to a proper gym club and ask for a trial. My daughter always went to her gym club, but there were others who joined the squad later because they had been doing it in local sports halls, school buildings etc and their original clubs didn't have a squad and they wanted to take it further. If it's something you're going to do, now is probably a good age.

Hi all,

My DD (6) has been doing recreational gymnastics for just over six months.

Catkind, what do you need to be able to do at your gym to get to intermediate?
DD goes to lessons at the local sports hall and unlike friends who go elsewhere and get BAGA awards etc we get nothing so I don't know what skills you need to be able to do but in the current beginner group DD is the only one who can do roundoffs, one hand cartwheels on floor and low beam. They are working on back and front walkovers with DD but not the others.
DD says she would like to try and win medals but I haven't got a clue about gymnastics and don't really want to ask the coach for fear of seeming pushy.
Alletik, Mischa and whojamaflip; I don't know how to phrase what I'm trying to ask but how did the coaches/you know your DD was good enough to progress. DD would drop other activities to do more gymnastics.

Taxi must be a pretty full time job there too! I think your kids are amazing to have that sort of commitment and persistence so young. That's a life skill in itself.
I'm wondering what other sports they do so much so young.

Misha same here - 11yr old dd doing 21 hours a week - all completely driven by her - I'm just taxi!

My eldest is 12 and does 21 hours a week. Little one is 7 and does 6 hours. I feel a real sadness that it has taken my 12 year olds childhood but it has always been her choice, I never wanted her doing this much really. And it has taken a huge toll on her body, she has wrecked feet, knees and shoulders already!

Hmm, I honestly can't remember.

She started preschool gym at 3, and joined development squad when she was 5 (that's the age they started squad at DDs gym). That was then twice a week (3 hours). I seem to remember when she was at the end of year 1, it went to 6 hours... and then built up slowly from there. The most she trained was 5 days a week, and she had a serious six pack then. She only trains twice a week now, school, friends and life took priority... until she discovered trampolining earlier this year. She absolutely adores that and says she now prefers trampolining to gym. She loves it, but I do feel it ate up her whole childhood somewhat.

20 hours, wow! That's a different world. They must be super fit. How young do they start doing that sort of training? I'm always curious when I see the squad groups training, they're so amazing and some of them look tiny still.

My daughters do gym and trampolining too.

Eldest did competitive gym for most of her childhood... 20 hours a week etc.. but gave up at 11. After a year, she missed it and so has gone back, but she only trains twice a week now and does regional grades rather than nationals.

Over the past year, she's just got into trampolining and I believe is going to do her first regional grades next year... but the whole system is just confusing to me after the gym system.

Ooh, I'd appreciate some company/help/translation too. My two do gym. DS started in Y2 so isn't particularly good but enjoys it. DD started in preschool, and now going into Y1 has been promoted into an "intermediate level" group. I thought she wasn't particularly good either so I'm a bit puzzled by it all. They must think she has some ability, most of the Y1s are still in the beginner groups. Or maybe just lack of fear? She's quite happy to throw herself at things!

Her group range from Y1 up to at least Y3, and the older ones are what I would class as really good - doing backflips and stuff. One of the other Y1s is also super-bendy and I can imagine will soon take off. DD and the third are still really beginnery, learning cartwheels and handstands. It seems a weirdly mixed ability group to teach. The gym are good though, train to a high level, so I guess they know what they're about.

I run a gymnastics club if you have any questions

He sounds like a natural!