Parents Air track recommendation

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We are in the early days of our gymnastics journey and looking to buy a few essential pieces of equipment to have at home. What air tracks do you recommend? Things I should look out for and avoid?

Thanks!
 
I wouldn’t categorize an air track as necessary in any way. With that said, tumbltrak is the brand my gym uses.
 
I wouldn't recommend an air trak at home, especially for somebody in the early stages. (Honestly, I wouldn't recommend them for any level).

The best equipment to have at home is a panel mat and some wall space that you don't mind getting foot marks on; this will work great for at-home handstand work and basic strength and flexibility, which are BY FAR the most productive things an athlete can do at home. MAYBE a stall bar or pull-up bar, but even those aren't necessary.
 
When mine was little and just starting out, we had a doorway pull-up bar and a panel mat. While neither was essential, those were the two that I found nice to have at home.

As for an air track, we did get one during the COVID shut down, when my daughter was out of the gym for an extended time, but now it is rolled up in a closet. I wouldn’t really recommend getting one.
 
As a coach, I do not recommend having an air track. We have kids get injured on those at home and then develop mental blocks on those skills in the gym. It can be so frustrating for everyone involved. What I do recommend:

1) A pull up bar. Pull ups and leg lifts are great!

2) A panel mat for hard surfaces. If your house is all carpet, you can probably get away without one.

3) Floor bar. Great for squat ons, kip drills, press/stalder work, and eventually handstands and pirouettes.

4) Foam roller for aches and pains, and for recovery. Can also be used for overstretching.

5) Jump rope. Cardio and leg strength, and fun too!

6) Hula hoop - for older athletes, this can be weighted. When done with legs straight and together, and arms overhead, it's great for handstand shaping. Plus it's a really fun core workout.

Our gym had a guideline when I was competing that we could only do skills at home that we could do on beam. As a coach, I now really appreciate that perspective and share it with my athletes as well. I was one of those kids who couldn't get enough so having ideas of good things to do at home helped me a lot. I like to give as many safe options as possible for those kids who just really want more.
 
As other coaches have said I would strongly recommend against air tracks.

They are generally more of a hi derange than a help. The timing of tumbling on an air mat is different to the floor. As the bounce is different. So doing lots of practice in an air mat will alter the gymnasts timing and create bad habits for floor, which can be near impossible to break.

Kids get a false sense of security on then and practice skills they are not ready to do at home, creating more bad habits.

Injuries are an issue. If they hit the sides they go flying. We use them at times in the gym on top of a mat, with a crash mat at the end surrounded by mats with several metres of clear space in all directions. You won’t have that luxury at home.
 

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