Gymnastics at home... what can a child do SAFELY to help progress in gymnastics

[ReallyTired]

Dd does one hour a week of rec gymnastics. She is not remotely talented at gym, but is making progress. She can do a bridge, handstand, headstand, forward and backward rolls. She is not naturally supple so is unlikely to make any kind of squad or pre competition group however hard she works.

Dd wants to learn how to do a cartwheel and a round off and is trying to teach herself. At the moment she lacks the strength and balance to do either. She likes watching Seven Gymnastics Girls on youtube, but I don't think DIY gymnastics is entirely safe. However I don't think that dd will ever gain the necessary strength and suppleness from one hour a week of recreational gym. What can she do safely at home to help her gain good gym skills?

[Bunnyjo]

She could do the stretching exercises she does in her rec class. Particularly the ones that will increase her flexibility, such as stretching towards splits (both legs and box - important not to create a 'favourite' leg), Japana flat and bridges.

With the bridges, does she have her feet and knees together and her knees as straight as possible, like in the photo? If not, she could work towards that. If she does, she could then try lifting one or other leg off the floor, keeping her knee unbent and her toes pointed.

My DD has just started gymnastics squad training after doing rec classes for a couple of years.

[Teacuptravells]

How old is your dd bunny?

My daughter may do squad in Jan but she will be just 7 then and I'm a bit worried its a bit much at that age. She's in a selective pre-squad group for a year which is ace (but she missed doing badges!) Its a lot to think about!

[Bunnyjo]

She's 7, Teacup, and she'll be 8 in August.

To be honest, I was surprised when she was selected as she doesn't look the 'best' in her class, iyswim? There are girls that can do very good back tucks, beautiful cartwheels off beam with 1/4 turn etc. and DD really isn't the best at them. However, she is incredibly flexible and can do the splits and beautiful bridges like in the photo. She is hypermobile, which gives her an advantage and she getting quite good at the bars, too. She is also the youngest in her class, so I guess age plays a part in ability and what they would expect of her.

Obviously my eye is very untrained and they've spotted something in DD that I haven't! They're good at their job with at least 1 level 4 coach each session that is supported by at least 1 level 3 coach and many level 2 coaches - there are 2 coaches per apparatus, with around 5 children in each rotation. That's in rec classes - I don't know about squad classes as parents don't get the opportunity to watch.

The training fees haven't increased by too much, but the BG insurance jumps to £41, so she can compete at regional level.

[peppapigonaloop]

I could have written your op my dad is obsessed with learning to cartwheel and I've been at a loss as to how to actually teach her! Great tips on here thanks!

[peppapigonaloop]

Or my dd obviously..would be quite amusing to watch my dad try and cartwheel mind you

[MayPolist]

Yeah-that is not a great bridge in the picture her hands are too wide apart (I know it is a stock internet picture not your DD I am criticising .)
Make sure your DD has her hands only a shoulder width apart

[Bunnyjo]

I know the hands are wrong and quite wide apart, but it was the best photo to show good leg position I found.

DD's are actually excellent - her cartwheel round offs leave a lot to be desired, but her splits and bridges are beautiful! I should have taken a photo of hers but photos are, understandably banned at gymnastics.

[TeacupTravels]

Bunny - our training fees increase tons! Its something like £41 a month for the pre-squad group, which is 2 hours a week. The squads I think are about 9 hours a week and are closer to £100 a month (hence having to think it through quite carefully). They are v strict on attendance and its a lot of hours for a barely 7 year old (I'm guessing my daughter would need to give up ballet/swim/rainbows).

My daughter isn't hypermobile. Her favourite is the bars, her cartwheels are good, roundoffs are getting there - splits not at all and bridge is either a good position but wobbly or strong and not a good position. She's only just 6 though so I guess another 6 months of her pre-squad group will make a difference. She loves bars and beam also likes the look of the fusion dance I think. They decide on which squad with the parents/child/trainer at the end of the year I think (if they're good enough obviously). Or they go back into rec. I think she'd find rec a bit not stimulating enough and not enough actual gymnastics, yet 9 hours seems too much!

Sorry - random thinking out loud as I know its a huge decision to make in a few months time and welcome any other gym-mum's perspective!

[Bunnyjo]

Ouch, that is a lot! At DD's gymnastics recreational is £54 per quarter for 1 hour training per week, squad classes vary from £22 per month to £50 per month.

The recreational classes, of which there are a lot, really do pay through the nose to ensure that the squad fees are much less. BG fees are additional and £17 per year for recreational, and £41 per year for squad. All members of the squad classes are expected to compete in NDP competitions so they all pay the higher BG membership fee.

[MayPolist]

I find kids are very, very rarely both very flexible and very strong naturally and you need to develop the other in them.

that is very cheap Bunny.At our gym the reccys pay £7 for an hour class and the lower level squads who doi 9 hours per week in termtime and a bit more in school hols, pay £125 per month!

[Bunnyjo]

It's good that you say that, May; as DD is definitely flexible, but seems to lack the core strength some of the bigger girls have - she is a tiny slip of a thing anyway. She seems strong on the bars so does have actual strength, but on the floor her arms and legs are completely bendy-bandy - probably not helped by the fact she is hypermobile.

I am glad her classes are good value for money - the cost often excludes some families from being able to allow their children to participate, which is a shame.

[ReallyTired]

I decided to ressurect this zombie thread of mine to let people know how we got on.

Dd has worked on her strength and flexiblity at home. I have not pushed her and its been her own choosing. She has really improved and now can do a recongisible cartwheel, box splits and splits with her good leg. She has also managed to master a flat japana.

My son is under an NHS physio and dd has been doing all the excercises that ds was supposed to do. The nhs physio wants my son to improve his balance by standing on one leg and playing catch. dd has joined in and improved her balance as well.

I am wondering on how to persaude her coach to move her out of novice rec classes and have her in an intermediate group. The rec classes at our gym club seem to be dicated by age rather than ablity. There is a tenancy that girls in the rec classes are neglected and just treated as cash cows to subsidise the squad. I have the feeling that our gymnastics club value raw talent over hard work.

[Bunnyjo]

I don't think you can persuade the coach to move your DD into intermediate group. It is not in the club/coach's interest to either hold your DD back when she's ready to progress or move her up too early. Both will result in a disillusioned child who fast loses passion and interest.

What you can do is speak to the coach and ask what your DD needs to work on/be able to do to progress into intermediate.

[ReallyTired]

My daughter has been doing a holiday gymnastics course with the same gymnastics club. This morning she did a cartwheel on the beam and a cast. She has been placed in a group with some girls from the intermediate (rec) group for the holiday course and has coped. In september she will still be in a beginners group.

[Bunnyjo]

You really have to speak to the coaches to find out why they are not moving your DD up yet. I know that (low) beam cartwheels and chin up circles with cast to backward hip circles are done in the recreational classes at DD's gymnastics club.

[ReallyTired]

I am not expecting did to be in a squad. An intermediate recreational class would be fine. Dd has had a ball with her holiday gym classes. I am hoping she will have the same level of challenge in her term time class. Maybe her coach will notice the improvement in dd's skills.

Different gyms have different ways of organising their classes. A four year old who cannot do a forward roll is different to a six year old who has had time to develop strength and learn gym. Recreational classes are often split into different groups otherwise differentiation gets to be a bit of a head ache. Rec children have huge range of abilities, progress at different rates and differing sports experience. For example dd swims twice a week and this is definitely having a knock on affect on her gymnastics progress.

[Bunnyjo]

Of course different gyms have different ways of organising their classes, which is why you should speak to the coaches to ask what your DD needs to learn/master to progress!

Honestly, OP. I don't know what you're expecting. Nobody here can tell you why your DD hasn't been selected for the intermediate (rec?) class. You cannot persuade the coaches to move your DD up, but you can (and should) ask what she can work on to improve and move up!

[MadamArcatiAgain]

it is not about what she can do , but about how well she can do them. is she really neat and tight ie straight arms legs and fingers PoinTed toes