For Parents anyone's dd training twice a day?

[jls1969]

I am wondering if anyone has a DD who trains twice a day yet? We are approaching this decision...and while my DD seems to have the desire to do this, I am wondering what all we should factor into it. She is at a gym that has several elite gymnasts and I believe she is getting excellent training. She is 11yo and is training L7/8. My secret hope is that she will get tired of the sport and want to be "normal"...but I would never tell her that. I think at this point continuing in the sport needs to be her decision...

Any thoughts???

 

[Aussie_coach]

We don't have twice a day training for our gymnasts in the regular levels system but we do for our elite kids. In Australia the elite training system is a bit different to give you a better idea of background. Our levels 1-10 system is called the national program and is for most gymnasts but we have a separate system called the international levels system that is for those gymnasts specially selecetd with the ability to train to become the best in the country. There are only a handful of girls in the country training this system but they do so from a younger age. There fore these girls are doing training twice a day from about the age of 9 or 10.

You are right, it does need to be her decision. Gymnastics is an incredibky hard sport, it requires an enourmous amount of hard work and constant repititions, giving up many of the things her friends do to train hard and a tough mental attitude. No child can do it successfully unless the drive to do it comes from with in themselves. If she loves her training, is willing to give up invitations out with her friends and parties to train, goes to the gym enthusiastically every day and works to the best of her ability then she has a strong drive from within herself and it would be fair to allow her to take on the more difficult training schedule.

If however she is not working hard in training, cheatg on her conditioning exersizes, often told to stop talking between exersizes, asking to miss training to attend other activities, not really minding if she misses training here and there then don't go for the mornings. She may be training more for social reasons and for fun and does not have that incredible drive. and increasing to the mornings is probably not worth it.

 

[Scout's Mom]

My daughter (high school freshman, Level 9) trains two-a-day. I have very mixed feelings about it. She started two-a-days after 8th grade--at her insistance. She really wants to be involved in college gymnastics; and she felt that as an "older" gymnast, she really needed the edge that two-a-days could provide.

Obviously, there are the financial aspects to consider--higher gym tuition and private or home school costs. There is also time--do you have time to get her back and forth? Who is going to teach her?

My daughter goes to a private school that caters to children who have outside interests--actors, athletes, musicians, etc. Classes are very, very small (which is good and bad). Between gym and school, her social circle is limited. We have tried to maintain relationships with prior school friends, but it takes alot of effort to keep it up.

On the up side, our daughter now eats dinner with us every night! On the down side, with just two and a half hours of school, there is tons of homework!

Our gym has both one-a-day and two-a-day programs. There is no question that the two-a-days are more thoroughly conditioned, and that they get the gym when it is least busy. However, we have many one-a-day level 10s who score well and go to traditional school. The hard facts are that there is little time for anything other than school and gym whether the girls go once or twice a day--particularly at the upper levels.

I do wonder, sometimes, if my daughter wouldn't know how to quit if she wanted to since school and gym are so intertwined. I wonder if she'll regret later not having a traditional high school experience--no football games, no homecoming, etc. I constantly try to evaluate if she is happy and well-adjusted (no easy task with any teenager!).

It's really a complicated decision--only you will know what's right for your daughter and your family. Good luck!

 

[LemonLime]

I have a gymnast who does 2-a-days and has since the week she turned 10yo. She loves it. She homeschools at a gymmom's house who is a teacher and very on-the-ball. She starts at 9 and is out by 6.

 

[gym law mom]

My gymmie will do some 2 a day practice during the summer(goal is to compete L8 and start some L9 skills), but will not do any 2 a day once school starts. Homeschooling by me or dh is not an option(if she wants to do gym) and I really think she needs that time at school for interaction with non gym kids. Also, I just don't want to see her burn out at the ripe old age of 11(ok--she turns 12 just as summer schedule starts)

 

[Aussie_coach]

Can they not do morning training and attend a regualr school? Do your schools not make allowances for high level athletes?

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

During the summer we do twice a day some days. During the school year it just isn't an option. I like her being in regular school.

It does make you wonder though - look at Shawn Johnson - she only trains once and day and goes to a regular public high school.

I'm not against twice a day or homeschooling - it just isn't something I am willing to do at this point. DD's coach has mentioned to her and a few others though that she would like them to do that - but like I said - I'm not ready for that.

 

[jls1969]

Our school district has been great about letting my daughter leave early to make her afternoon workouts on time, but that is about as far as we will get I think. I am not sure she would be able to handle the workload from the traditional school approach and the socialization thing has been hard. She doesn't have many friends at school since there is no time outside of gym to do much. There is a school in our area that caters to athletes with a half-day approach and several kids from our gym attend...I think this could be both a positive and negative. She wouldn't actually start two-a-days at her gym until after she finishes her L6 season in November...we are trying to decide whether to change schools in the middle of the year. Her coach has assured me that she has the ability and potential...it just seems like a big step. My DD and husband seem fine with the change---I am really trying to get on board. Please don't ask why our coach does it this way---it would make so much more sense if he would do it at the beginning of the school year--I have learned to not question. They (the coaches) know what they are doing, their goal is great gymnastics and mine may be a bit different, but I do trust that they know what they are doing. My daughter is totally happy in the gym and with both of her coaches...changing gyms is not an option. Thanks for listening...I am appreciating all of the input!

 

[Livinatthegym]

I've always tried to let the kids make their own decisions about continuing gymnastics, about moving up to the next level, etc. However, I always want the kids to know what their passion costs. One example: My oldest will be able to get her license in about a year. There will be no car available for her use should she continue in the sport because I just can't afford it. What will going to two a day cost you? Your dd needs to know before she decides based solely on what she wants.

My school district does not make allowances for athletes. I couldn't even get my dd a study hall instead of PE. Shawn Johnson may get a modified school day, but apparantly Iowa schools can't be persuaded to work with any athlete below the level of international elite. Find out what would happen at the school before you sign up for 2 a days.

I'll be honest, all the other parents at the gym have teased me for years because I always say, "Well, maybe this is our last year." I understand the "secret hope" that your dd will want to be "normal." Given that, I probably wouldn't go to 2 a day practices. Ok, this is just my opinion, but how can a kid "choose" anything but gymnastics if that's all they do? How can they compare one season of soccer, where they're just learning and probably making some mistakes, with years at the gym, where they're pretty good. They might simply be "choosing" what is familiar. So, I'd probably go with once a day just so you can get some other activities in her life. Then, someday, if she does decide to be "normal," she'll have other things that she enjoys doing.

 

[Scrapntyme]

For those of you that have a gymnast training twice a day or contemplating training twice a day, is this through invitation only at your gym or when the gymnast reaches a certain level, twice a day training is available to all who desire it?

 

[jls1969]

Our coach is very careful about who goes and when you go. We have only been there a year, but it seems that after the L6 season is the first opportunity to go, but that is only after he (vault/bars coach) and his partner (beam/floor coach) decide the child is ready to go. They have to be training above the L6 skills I think...our coaches are Russian and sometimes there are things lost in translation I don't think they are just after the money, people try out for our team and are turned away. You are also gauranteed not to pay over a certain amount each month. I have to think they are confident who can make it to the next level and who can't. I don't know how other places work, just our gym.

 

[Scout's Mom]

For those of you that have a gymnast training twice a day or contemplating training twice a day, is this through invitation only at your gym or when the gymnast reaches a certain level, twice a day training is available to all who desire it?

At our gym, two-a-days are available for all Optional gymnasts (although, there are a few compulsories training two-a-day) who wish to follow that path.

 

[LemonLime]

For those of you that have a gymnast training twice a day or contemplating training twice a day, is this through invitation only at your gym or when the gymnast reaches a certain level, twice a day training is available to all who desire it?

Invitation only

 

[heylady]

My dd has been doing 2 a days since she was 9. In hindsight, that's probably too early. I think there are good 2 a days and bad 2 a days:

Good: 3 or so hours in the morning, maybe 3 or so in the evening. A set schedule that doesn't vary, and a limited time frame from beginning of first practice to end of second.

Bad: 4+ hours in the first practice, 2 or so in the last. A 9am start time, and getting out at 8:30pm. A schedule that varies from day to day.

Being exposed to both, I can tell you that the "bad" version resulted in EVERY teamate dropping out, 2+ years of major overuse injuries, and a burned out gymnast. Switching to the "good" version has actually produced a happy, rested kid, and much more skill acquisition.

I also feel that if the night kids are getting good coaching and being succesful, stick with that. If the better coaches and advancement only come to the 2 a day girls, then go for it - but only if it's a good schedule.