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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Gymnastics uniform

17 replies

RidgewayLass · 05/09/2010 14:12

DD is crazy to start gymnastics so went along to see club last winter on a cold day. The uniform is a sleeveless leotard, almost like a swimsuit, and the only other thing the girls are allowed to wear are bizarre black velvet shorts. The girls were begging the coach to let them warm up in their tracksuits and she was telling them no, you'll get warm once you start work.

When I was young the normal things to wear were: long sleeved leotard, tight tee-shirt, leggings, tracksuit. On cold days we'd start off wearing the whole lot (coach's advice) but even in the summer tended to train wearing leggings and tee-shirt. It seemed more modest and didn't get in the way of the work.

Now DD's name is finally reaching top of waiting list and I'm wondering what to do. Shall I rebel or would that be an odd thing to do? I couldn't bear to shell out for those hideous shorts that make the girls look like they're wearing nappies, and I'm darned if DD is going to get cold.

OP posts:

2blessed2bstressed · 05/09/2010 14:21

My friends dd does cheerleading, and they wear the same velvety shorts , gawd knows why. However, if your dd is still keen, then yabu to not let her just in case she gets cold.

Butterbur · 05/09/2010 14:29

DD has belonged to two clubs, and I have been to a couple of others as part of my gym coach training.

Rules vary alot from club to club, as does the heating in the gym. I would say that in a good club, they do normally seem to enforce rules about leotards and optional shorts only, after the warmup is over. Clothes need to be body fitting for safety.Nothing is worse as a coach, than trying to support a girl, and finding you've onloy got a handful of loose T shirt. the clothes also need not to slip about, revealing more than the girl is comfortable with. Also, I think, like for schools, it's often easier to enforce a single policy, rather then deal individually with girls wearing inappropriate clothing.

The shorts are usually optional, not allowed in most competitions, and are mostly worn by older, more body concious girls, and those who have their periods. I think they look sweet.

If you have got one of the prized places in a good gym, don't rock the boat by questioning the rules. They won't change.

MmeTrevignon · 05/09/2010 14:32

DD does gymnastics and her black velvet shorts definitely don't look like a nappy.

She has a few leotards, all sleeveless and doesn't complain about being cold, apart from in the depths of winter. Infact she gets hot and sweaty with all the body conditioning they do at the start of the session

MmeTrevignon · 05/09/2010 14:34

Yes, Butterbur, that is definitely our experience too.

Original poster

RidgewayLass · 05/09/2010 14:53

Butterbur, I can see the point about having one uniform to enforce, and safety. What I can't see is why the uniform has to include furry shorts - they might look sweet to some people but they look weird to me and you wouldn't wear them to walk home in. Leggings are closer fitting anyway and can be worn elsewhere. And they're a lot warmer than shorts - it is the depths of winter I'm worried about MmeTrevignon.

OP posts:

MmeTrevignon · 05/09/2010 14:56

Does it HAVE to include the shorts - the girls at DD's club only wear them if they want to and as BB says, it's mainly the older ones.

Is your DD young? There are tinies doing it at DD's club, and they only wear the leotards. They are very active (or should be), so I'm sure they warm up quite quickly.

Original poster

RidgewayLass · 05/09/2010 15:17

DD is only 3 - I'm amazed they have gymnastics classes for that age group, but all her friends go, and she is better than most of them, can do handstand, cartwheel etc etc. Her friends all go to a club where there is no uniform and to be honest the "coach" seems to be teaching them things wrong, (the coach is not British Gymnastics qualified).

Sleeveless leotard it is then.

OP posts:

MmeTrevignon · 05/09/2010 15:23

Definitely go to a decent club if you think she will be good at it and enjoy the challenge of competitions, etc.

But they will have rules you have to stick to!

ppeatfruit · 05/09/2010 15:29

I assume the shorts are for modesty. More important IMO is that the DCs are not intensively trained; my DD had an injury from such gymnastic training.

PixieOnaLeaf · 05/09/2010 15:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Butterbur · 05/09/2010 16:15

If your coach is not BG qualified, and insured, I think that you should consider very carefully what you are sending your DD to. Most clubs also insure the gymnasts through BG as well.

It is a very dangerous sport, and if your daughter is in it for the long haul, she can expect injuries, even with fully qualified coaches.

Even handstands and cartwheels can be mildly dangerous if the children do things they are not physically ready for.

I know she is only 3, but you should keep a close eye on what they are being taught.

TheSmallClanger · 05/09/2010 16:23

Gymnastics uniforms often look a bit extreme and odd to the casual observer, but your DD will probably be fine with it.
The velour shorts started off being worn by older girls for modesty as Butterbur says, but the younger ones always want to copy the older ones. It's nice to have a difference between training and competition outfits as well.
If you ever get as far as competition leos, you are in for a treat of WTF...

PixieOnaLeaf · 05/09/2010 16:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Butterbur · 05/09/2010 16:24

Oops, Pixie, misread that!

Original poster

RidgewayLass · 05/09/2010 22:07

Pixie I question everything. Like whether the coach is qualified.

OP posts:

plonker · 05/09/2010 22:24

Well, yes, it does seem odd that shorts would be uniform for gymnasts, but I suppose rules are rules.

At our gym, children (especially the much younger children) start off wearing shorts and t-shirts. As they move up through the squads they wear training leotards (short-sleeved) and yes, shorts or leggings. As others have said though, it's mainly for the modesty of the older girls which the little ones like to copy

We do have a club leotard which can be purchased, but isn't part of a uniform code, and various squads have their own competition leotards which are compulsory.

As the gymnasts hit the elite squads they wear competition leotards which cost a pretty penny ...

Oldjolyon · 06/09/2010 22:10

DD does gymnastics, and at her club they wear leotards and the velvety shorts. The shorts are optional, but most of the girls love them because they get their names put on in diamantes, and it is a bit if a fashion thing. At the gym shop, they do sell gymnastics leggings to go on top of their leotards, and this is acceptable, but the leotard must be worn and tbh, the leggings are not encouraged as I don't think the coaches can see the line of the body so much, and I don't think it is their preferred option.

I was told that they do not wear anything like a top and t shirt because this can ride up and they can hurt themselves (rub) whilst on the bar.

At DDs club, most girls wear a tracksuit to / from the club and some girls wear the bottoms for the start of the warm up, but they are usually taken off within the first five minutes.

So yes, a leotard is the most practical thing for them to wear, with the velvet shorts being an optional fashion extra.

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