Parents Balance......about what age?

[Committed]

So....I'd say my DD is a pretty good gymnast....she'll be 6 in a couple of weeks (for reference). At what age would you say your child found their center?
I'm a bit clumsy myself .... even after 7 years of dance, I could only occasionally hit a triple turn. So, I'm wondering if it is genetic, or just still needs a couple of years!

 

[EmmasMommy]

I think different kids have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, my daughter (also age 6) is really solid on beam (rarely wobbles) and she learns skills quickly, but it always takes her longer than most to figure out the form on something. Meanwhile, other girls on her team (ages 6 and 7) Might be wobbly, but learn fast and have nice form. Or they might have nice form and great balance, but they struggle to learn a skill. For example, they have great form when they TRY to do a cartwheel, but still can't land one. I do think it's age related though. All those things (balance, ability to understand the dynamics of a skill, and attention to detail--ie form) are easier to do when you are mentally more mature, which generally comes with age.

 

[iwannacoach]

So....I'd say my DD is a pretty good gymnast....she'll be 6 in a couple of weeks (for reference). At what age would you say your child found their center?
I'm a bit clumsy myself .... even after 7 years of dance, I could only occasionally hit a triple turn. So, I'm wondering if it is genetic, or just still needs a couple of years!

I don't know if this is what your after, but for what it's worth........

Yeah maybe there's such a thing as a clutz, but is the clutz that way because the missing link passed them by...... Probably they're missing connecting the top half to the bottom half at their "center". Some people are either naturally tensed through their core, others gain the tension through exercise and awareness.

As far as her finding it goes, she'll know right where it is every time she tenses up her core muscles. One of the first things I want a kid to do well on beam is to keep their core tight every possible moment while on the beam, and when they move, no matter the skill, I want them to move the sensation, or where they feel their core, and to keep that sensation traveling along the center of the beam. It helps.