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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

General gymnastics chat anyone?

32 replies

BellaGoth · 30/08/2017 18:49

Just wondering if anyone would like a place to chat?

I have a 4 year old DS, he's just moved from preschool trampolining to the club's proper classes.

I come from a long line of people with absolutely zero coordination, so it's all new ground for me. At the moment I'm furiously Googling after every lesson to work out what DS is talking about!

The club he goes to is very serious, lots of assessments / competitions etc. I can't see DS wanting to take it that far but right now he's loving it.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
QuentinSummers · 30/08/2017 18:51

Is he trampolining or gym? Trampolining has very weird terminology but the competition structure is much better than artistic gymnastics imo and they can move up the levels at their own pace. I have a DD who does gym and a DS who does tramp

Original poster
BellaGoth · 30/08/2017 19:10

Trampolining. He's desperate to do gymnastics too but he starts school next week and I want to make sure he's settled / not too tired before I make any more commitments for him. Plus the fact it's not cheap. I also have a 1 year old DD to think about, there's only so much we can fit in!

Tonight he was muttering about front drops on the way home. Something else to Google!

OP posts:
Original poster
BellaGoth · 30/08/2017 19:11

Am I right in thinking that trampolining is a discipline within gymnastics? Or have I got that wrong?

OP posts:
QuentinSummers · 30/08/2017 21:01

Yeah same governing body but the clubs are often separate specialisms if that makes sense Smile

QuentinSummers · 30/08/2017 21:02

Front drops are landing on your belly on the trampoline like a skydiver. My son did a randi the other day apparently Hmm

Original poster
BellaGoth · 30/08/2017 21:20

A randi?

OP posts:
Original poster
BellaGoth · 30/08/2017 21:22

A randi! Shock

OP posts:
Original poster
BellaGoth · 30/08/2017 21:24

Ah, the front drops are what he's doing off of the sofa onto the dog's bed then. Lord knows why when we have a perfectly functional trampoline in the garden. Hmm

OP posts:
QuentinSummers · 30/08/2017 21:44

He sounds like a natural!

Original poster
BellaGoth · 31/08/2017 06:53

Sadly Quentin he's not quite got the hang of his limbs yet. He looks somewhat like Bambi on ice on the trampoline. But what he lacks in technique he certainly makes up for in enthusiasm!

OP posts:
MiaowTheCat · 04/09/2017 19:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

diamond49 · 09/09/2017 02:37

I run a gymnastics club if you have any questions

catkind · 09/09/2017 12:34

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.

alletik · 09/09/2017 21:18

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.

catkind · 09/09/2017 22:05

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.

alletik · 09/09/2017 22:30

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.

Mischa123 · 09/09/2017 22:34

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!

whojamaflip · 10/09/2017 07:29

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

catkind · 10/09/2017 10:09

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.

MrsEms · 10/09/2017 17:45

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.

alletik · 10/09/2017 18:32

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.

alletik · 10/09/2017 18:35

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 · 10/09/2017 19:00

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.

catkind · 10/09/2017 19:14

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.

MissEliza · 10/09/2017 19:36

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.