Gymnastics query

I came back to add a similar comment to above, as they get a little older don’t be surprised the the recreational classes don’t get much attention or seem to progress very much. They will likely spend a lot of time with the development and squad teams.

I would try the other club and see if you get a better vibe. Working on listening to keep them safe is fair enough but using crunches for failing a skill wouldn't sit right with me. I'd be unhappy if I had to do that as an adult, so wouldn't expect a young child to.

I think you would probably be OK with the class for a few years, but might need to pull her out as it gets more serious, unless you want to be in that world. The difficulty will be if she doesn't want to leave.

I wanted to sign DD up for gymnastics, as I loved it as a child. I was put off by a friend saying they had made a space for her 5yo due to her potential at one holiday session. I don't want DD being judged on something she has no experience of. I just want her to have fun and stay fit. In our case we found a really friendly dance class that suited us better.

I pulled my DD from gymnastics when she was 6. It was like boot camp rather than a fun extra curricular activity. Ultra competitive and serious. She wanted to have fun but this never seemed to happen.

The instructors also decided fairly early on that she wasn't a competition winner so she was never given much of their time, the team were focused on whilst the rest of them told to walk along a beam for 20 minutes or practice forward rolls for 20 minutes. It was genuinely disappointing for her and the others deemed not good enough. They just weren't included or given the chance to improve.

I remember one instructor telling me when DD was 4 and able to do some straddle that that ability was the difference between a competitive 4 year old and a non competitive 4 year old. 4!!!

As an ex gymnast I agree with the above. I’d be very concerned about the pushy/highly competitive clubs (google British gymnastics abuse if you want to know what can happen at them). If they’re not allowing you to watch at this age alarm bells are ringing. If they start asking her to increase hours steadily in the next couple of years that would be another sign. There are nice clubs and there are very abusive clubs and everything inbetween.

We've had experience with both types of clubs tbh.

We got caught up with the flow in a v.competitive club, added extra hours each time and by 6 had a child that wasnt allowed to go to birthday parties (squads sign a contract) and at 7 was given pushups if last to hold a handstand. At the time and in that world it seems "normal" but outside of it it is nuts. I wish for that child we had changed clubs as it killed her love of gymnastics. She just wanted to do more and I didnt realise how harsh it was. We have a friend there doing a billion hours. Do read some of the gymnastics threads/culture that's coming out from the tip, olympics etc. I think its easy to get caught up in "good club" and "being chosen."

Child 2 goes to a different club and they are much friendlier. They have a couple of national trampolininists but not in the sheer numbers as club1 . It is so so much friendlier. She genuinely loves it, is encouraged to have the odd weekend away and is still doing it at an age child 1 gave up.

V highly pressured clubs rely on the churn of lots of low level/young gymnastics trying it and burning out to get their stars. Imo its far healthier to avoid these.

Hence run for the hills comment. Spent far roo long in this world!

Both mine competed at squad level for their club and also in trampolining for the same club squad. The facilities were second to none and it was definitely a ‘serious’ gymnastics club. It did have a friendly atmosphere (though I imagine it could have been viewed as cliquey) but everything was taken very seriously, including discipline, from a young age. This was partly to do with safely of course, gymnastics can be a very dangerous sport. Mine dropped out once they went to secondary as at that age they were expected to be of a level and have the ambition to represent county, and the time commitment was immense. That might be the kind of club you’ve joined - we do have another club near here that is definitely more recreational and fun, centred on fitness and inclusion, rather than competition. I’m sure the clubs would be honest with you about what their expecting was, but of course you have to know what questions to ask first in order to find that out - which you probably do now . On the plus side, though mine were never going to be Team GB, they really did love their time there and both are still very fit (18 and 19 now), flexible and in to exercise in a way I’m not sure they would have been otherwise.

My DD did gymnastics for 10years - to squad level, then coached at the club. I agree with pp’s advice, and there are different levels of clubs.

She had the pre-schoolers and they tried to make it fun and looked after them properly. It is a lovely club - like a family and lots of the gymnasts go on to coach. I think follow your instincts and if you feel your DD is happy and wants to go, then it’s probably a good one.

She said 3+ was very young to start (she had started at 5) but there were loads of little ones! Of course, some were more ready than others to follow the simple instructions, take their turn, etc.
If your DD is ready and willing then she will likely enjoy it.

I woild run like the hills and find a friendlier club..

Definitely depends on what level you want to be at. The club near us ( a few of my daughters friends go) has recreational, development & squad. The discipline & commitment grows with the level. The push ups for example would be quite normal from development squad, the actual squad girls train for around 15 hours per week and there is no give for messing around or not listening, this is from as young as 6 years old.

You will definitely also find more relaxed clubs if that’s what your looking for but don’t expect the facilities to be as good.

It really does all depend on the type of club you attend. My daughters club has children as young as 2yrs, with the sessions mostly play based focusing on coordination and balance. As they get older and move up there is a choice of recreational or intermediate classes. Recreational is mostly just having fun whilst safely using the apparatus, intermediate is training towards joining a squad.
We started with recreational and found many in her group had moved from more "stricter" clubs as the parents found the coaches too demanding of children their age and wanted them to have more fun and actually enjoy the activities. I would consider looking around at what other clubs in the area have to offer and try to speak to a few parents to get an idea of what it's really like.

Well they do need children to do as they are told, because if they don't, then they could hurt themselves or others.

Having said that, my dc went to a tots gym thing at the local leisure centre and that was play-based. She stopped going when she started in Reception.