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

[Boobz]

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!

Our local athletics club (and the next one down, for that matter) allow children to start at 6 or 7) - it's seen as a fairly important source of future athletes for the club.

I really don't think you should discount gymnastics. Find some sessions locally. A good gym club is the best thing but even a leisure centre run class will enable them to be assessed for potential. They're still very young. If they show potential then you can always put them on a waiting list for a serious club whilst keeping things going at the same time.

You could also consider trampolining, sports acro, rhythmic gymnastics, circus skills, dance etc

OP, I think all the replies have one thing in common - we're trying to push your dc into the sports that our dcs have been involved in. I think the most important thing is that you find a sport that suits your dc and your lifestyle (no point in encouraging serious swimming if you're not prepared to get up at 5 am several mornings every week, or cross country if the thought of standing in a bog muddy field makes you hyperventilate).

You'll find something that's right - and it is easier in London than in the middle of the countryside.

I would however say that gymnasts are very prone to injury (my knees are screwed) and that in order to be really good you have to dedicate an enormous amount of time both in the gym and outside when at home. Think about whether that's even what they/you would want.

When I was training we trained five times a week (generally 3-4 hours a go) including ballet/conditioning etc and then on top of that there were runs, training for stamina etc. Each night it was 100 press ups, 100 sit ups, 100 v-sits, then extended splits (feet up on blocks) and other flexibility exercises.

For now let them enjoy the class and see where they want to take it rather than thinking about whether they will be any good at it.

The good thing about gymnastics is it is excellent physical preparation for all sports. Ex gymnasts can transition to a lot of other sports with a headstart
When picking for squad coaches aren't interested in skills your child can do
And yours are a good age.
They want a mix of strength speed fearlessness, focus,and coachability in my experience. Don't go to a club that doesn't offer squad if they may be interested and don't expect they will automatically be noticed from recreational classes.
I would be upfront about possibly being interested and ask how it works in that particular gym.

BertrandRussell the club DD1 is in select squad from the first primary group too. That's from age 4.

And I agree with newname that maybe it's needed to express an interest in squad too. I won't put DD1 forward for squad at all. We both work full time, no nanny, so it's basically impossible for us to take DD1 to more training outside her one hour in the weekend. We are only doing gymnastics because we believe it's a good foundation of strength, coordination and flexibility training. It's great exercise which hopefully set up her for other sports. And I don't think we are the only parents with this mind set.

I'm pretty sure they are not in a squad newname - the Italians are all pretty relaxed about this stuff and all the kids are in the same group whether they join half way through the year as a complete beginner etc., and it's all just based on age rather than ability at the moment (which is fine!)

Bertrand yes they are 5 and 6. DS is 3 but hasn't taken a liking to it at all so we are trying to start him on Kung fu as when asked what he would like to do, he said "be a ninja!"...

Jee - yes I agree everyone will push their own sport - and I do think athletics might be interesting to explore, mainly because I am a runner (not competition level or anything, but just recreationally and I have done a few half marathons and so on, so I LOVE running and can see DD1 might love it too) - but I haven't written off gymnastics yet atticus! Not least because they have invested in it for 2 years already...

The time commitment is something we have thought about but I guess until it actually starts, you don't know how it will have an impact... we have a nanny so that does help a bit (DH and I both work full time..)

Lots to think about. Essentially I think I will try and speak to their coach and gauge whether she thinks they have what it takes to be streamlined a bit (which is hard as they don't really talk to the parents and I don't speak Italian, so it's all a bit hand gestures and translated through the DDs!) and then tour a few clubs in and around where we live and ask what their thoughts are with squad etc. I honestly have no idea if they are good enough to do more with the sport than just a couple of hours a week for fun (which is fine if they're not, or don't want to), but it's been really useful to get people's guidance for a clueless mum - so thank you!

A good large gym club will cater for all levels of ability and commitment.

in addition to Richmond Gymnastics, which is hard to get into as others have said, Putney Gymnastics is also excellent and part of the British Gymnastics association ( the club is called South West London Gymnastics club):
www.swlgc.co.uk

Why don't you put your kids to school in Richmond, by the way? Is it the French Lycée or why would you do that commute every day?

Sorry Sanam - just saw your post!

Yes we are putting them into the French Lycee, hoping for a spot at the South Ken site.

Will look into Putney Gymnastics - thanks for the tip.