For Parents Do you do gymnastics all summer?

[TeamDad]

If so, why? Is it because gyms up-train during the summer and tell you that you need to be there or you might not move up in the fall?

Seems like the months of July/August are a perfect time to just be a kid and give the body and mind a rest from all things gymnastics related.

 

[mariposa]

DDs gym has a 2 week break during summer. Not huge, but I know many gyms have none. I know that some girls took a break during summer and it took them awhile to get back skills, etc. Unfortunately, I think gym is pretty year round. Our girls usually have 2 weeks off in December as well. I like that a lot. I think they need more of those breaks. Maybe quarterly would be good.

Interesting question. Looking forward to the responses.

 

[hunde2]

Usually they learn new skills during the summer.Sometimes they also crosstrain and go swimming etc.So they try to make it fun too.Low pressure.
I almost forgot.They do have a couple weeks off post season.

 

[bogwoppit]

Our gym stops all regualr team/rec training from mid May to Spetember. There are some classes offered but much less hours and in teh actual summer break there is a summer day camp that offers gym only mornings.

My girls do some of it, they also go away to gym camps for two weeks that do gym and lots of outdoor stuff too, in fact the gym is outdoors rain or shine.

Many other clubs in our region do train all summer, mostly to uptrain and keep in shape. Our girls do not advance through the levels as quickly and take way longer to get new skills. Also the girls that do no summer training take quite a while to get back into shape and regain lost skills.

I live in the country so even if my girls do gym in the am in summer they still can sail, kayak, bike ride, swim etc all afternoon and evening.

I think most clubs couldn't survive if their team girls took the summer off, unless their parents wanted to still pay their fees!

 

[gym-mom-fla]

Our gym trains almost all summer. The gym is closed the first week of summer and the last, but in between you are expected to be at camp from 9-3 everyday. They work on all of the new routines and uptrain as well, plus lots of conditioning. My dd did it last year and LOVED it. She really bonded with the girls and just was very happy to be around girls who love gym as much as she does! We do take Fridays off so she has 3 day week-ends, and we'll take 7-10 days off in July, but other than that, she will be there with a smile. Getting out at 3 is nice because there is plenty of time for swimming, movies and just playing with friends. She gets the best of both worlds.

 

[kevchriswilli]

Our gym trains 8-1 M-F and then 8-12 on Sat. all summer. The girls get alot of their skills during this time (lots of conditioning also). It works out fine for us... but we do go on vacation and take days off when we plan things... My DD is fine with the schedule. My younger DD goes to the camp during this time so it works out great with us.

 

[flippersmom]

This will be DD first summer with DAY practices. Probably 3 days, 10-2 or 3, hasn't been figured out just yet.

Skills for next level will be taught over summer. Plus lots of conditioning. Coach doesn't want them to take off too much time. If they are gone a week or so she will give them "homework" (stretch all splits, shoulders, hold handstands, v-ups, etc. - no tumbling). She doesn't want their muscles getting too tight. They practice during summer also to build muscle memory. All gym that I know of practice during the summer. We left old gym before summer last year, they had DD schedule to practice 4 nights and on Sunday. We left for other reasons too, but I definately felt at 10 she needed to have a summer, she's not an optional or anything. 3 days I can handle.

 

[Granny Smith]

Dd does train all summer as does the rest of the team, it is expected of them as being part of the team. They get the last week of June off and the last week of August off and that is it for the year. The schedule does change to days and no weekends, unfortunately we got this yr's schedule and it's M-Th 2-6pm and Friday 9-12. It doesn't leave much for them to do during the week, except sleep in. But I just remind dd that both dh and I work, it's not like she would have an action packed summer anyways.

Still working on how she will get to the gym though, that's a tough but I seem to do it every yr!

 

[mbphoto]

Our gym works on upcoming level skills over the summer. This is the time that coaches evaluate and decide who is going to next level.

 

[cathiann]

Yeah, they go year-round. According to one of the coaches, it takes 3 times as long to get back to where you were before a break--so taking off 2 mos will take 6 mos to get your skills back to where you were when you left!

They work up over the summer too--so Beth will be working level 8 skills as she'll compete level 8 next year.

 

[emorymom]

Around here some to most of the rec programs take off the summer months in favor of day camps, but the pre-team and above tracks train.

I think kids should be able to take time off if they need it, or cut hours in the summer (or up them) but I think it would be stressful to decondition for 2 months and go back. I suspect it would increase the risk of injury too.

My daughter is only 5, but she has historically been hard to live with when the rec gym hours got cut down. I can't say I'm willing to find out what would happen if she took off for 2 months. Even though she enjoys a full childhood of playing, swimming, vacation, etc. in the summer she gets irritable without gym. Her practice sched this summer should be about the same as the school year, finally.

 

[TeamDad]

I'm not sure if I agree with this:

"According to one of the coaches, it takes 3 times as long to get back to where you were before a break--so taking off 2 mos will take 6 mos to get your skills back to where you were when you left!"

Last summer, our coach urged us to have DD train through the summer and even hung out a carrot that they might like to skip her up a level if she did. We opted to enroll her in a summer camp instead.

She has many 'summer' friends and looks forward to seeing them every year. She really looks forward to the break and we also think it's important to 'rest' the body and give her and her friends a chance to do all the things that they don't get to do together all year long. We also have fears of repetitive stress injuries which might start to show up as she gets older.

Anyway, she took a break from gymnastics from the end of June until the middle of August at which point she worked out at a local gym up-training and conditioning for two weeks and then did gymnastics camp.

She started the season a little behind, but caught up by the first meet. I'd say after two months of training skills and three months of working routines, she's pretty much ready for States AND she still has four more meets and three months to prepare.

I just watched a college gymnastics meet on TV this weekend. It was very alarming that when every athlete stepped up and saluted, the commentators would start to list all of their injuries.

I bring this up because DD has never shown an interest in continuing her gymnastics to the collegiate level....that is before watching the Georgia Gymdogs this weekend. She was impressed with the level of gymnastics at a Division 1 school and I believe that she also feels that competing at that level is something that she can do and excel at. In other words, it's a goal more realistic than competing at an international level.

Sorry about the ramble, but I just have mixed feelings about training 12 months a year.

 

[bogwoppit]

I agree Teamdad, our girls who take over three months ago get back to where they were after about a month in the gym and they only train 9 hours a week. We of course should remember that these girls tend to follow an active lifestyle which helps out too. Cross training, biking, hiking, swimming are great for injury prevention.

I think the issue with most clubs is financial. Our coaches don't want to work all summer, they have kids of their own and want a life. One coach oversees summer camp and our younger coaches do the work.

I imagine the pressure must be intense in some clubs where moving up a level a season is the goal, fortunately I don't have that issue!

 

[gym monkeys mom]

DD does train all summer also. That is when they train up for next season she is lucky as their season for USAG optional does not start untill december so we have time. Optionals has big tough skills and they take a long time to learn to do them and compete them well. Plus summer is always fun they get to try new skill. We do have the freedom to miss some practice and do have 1 week when the whole club is closed.

However Level 4- 6 season starts the end of September I guess if they took 2 months off I' m unsure how they would be ready for the season. They have such a short training time anyways for those levels.

I think DD would be nuts with out gymnstics in the summer not sure what she would do?? She is driven to always be busy. Gymnastics fills this void as well as providing structure to a summer schedule.

I am sure some folks do and relish the time off and I am glad for different programs who offer a little something for all folks. I think the bottom line is each kids has a different "whats best for them" and we as parents need to help them figure things out.

 

[Mom2Gymgirls]

The only time our gym closes is between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day. No other breaks outside of that. L7+ practices during the day in the summer, but compulsory still goes for the same evening hours. It seems like the girls train the next level's skills probably until about July when they switch back to the skills of whatever level they will compete and learning routines. I think the 2nd year's in L4 and L5 still uptrain throughout the summer. They usually seem to break them off in their own separate group for a while as the new girls are learning skills and parts of the routines. At least this is what I have noticed in the past.

 

[singnring]

Our gymnasts train year round, but they have time off here and there. For example, we just had our last meet this past week-end and the girls are off this week for a break.
When they come back, they'll find out who gets to move up to the next level, and they will begin to work on learning those routines.

Summer is when they do intense and more focused training, finish learning and fine-tuning routines, and work on lots of conditioning. They have more training hours in the summer rather than during the school year so the girls can focus on their schoolwork. They are required to keep their grades up to be on the team.

However, they hold practice in the mornings so that the girls have the rest of the day to have fun.

Usually the coaches take the girls to camp each summer (for those who care to go). This year, because of the economy, they are forgoing that and talking about holding their own camp to save the families money.

We are not ball-and-chained by any means. If we want to go on vacation, we don't get guff from the coaches. They just give the girls the advise to continue stretching so they don't tighten up while they're gone.

I think it is good for them to continue working through the summer. It gives the girls something to occupy their time rather than sitting around on the sofa watching the tv for three months!

I don't know if my daughter could even survive going all summer without going to the gym! She was bummed when she found out they weren't having practice this week!!

 

[momof2gymgirls]

Our gym has both rec classes and team practices during the summer. They take a couple weeks off but that is all. The girls that are going to get moved up usually move up then, so that they can start learning all the new routines during the summer.

 

[gym law mom]

I think the amount of summer training depends on when competition seasons start and the level of the gymnast. Our compulsory kids begin competition right around Labor Day, so summer training for them is getting routines and skills looking good. The coaches goal is doing complete run throughs by mid August. They do get 1 week off after their state meet in Dec. and then have decreased hours over Christmas. For optionals, summer is time to work on those big new skills(some that take 1 yr or more to get), get new fx/beam routines(that will be mine) and basically uptrain. The optional girls also get at least 1 week off after states/regionals/sectionals wrap up and the gym is closed for 1 week over July 4.

Many girls will be going away to gym camp together and the gym hosts its own camp in late July that all team girls are expected to attend. Can you miss practice or take a vacation? Yes. The coaches ask that if the girl is away for more than 1 wk. they try and get some practice at a gym near where they are on vacation. We do get to declare 1 month as a "vacation month" and only pay 1/2 tuition.

I don't know how my gymmie will do with training L9 this summer since she'll be there more hours than all the other team levels. It doesn't mean she'll compete L9, but she will work on the skills she needs.

 

[ValleyGymMom]

I don't think you will find any competitive teams that take the summer off. I would be very surprised. Our summer schedule changes a bit though. We go to morning hours 9am-1pm, to escape the afternoon heat (central CA gets super hot!) and give the girls the rest of the day to themselves. Mon-Thurs. And every Thursday we meet at someone's house for swimming and lunch. Several of us have pools so we each take turns hosting, lots of fun for the girls. Without summer workouts it would take longer to get in shape for the fall season. Summer is the time we double up on conditioning and work on new skills. We do have a week off at Christmas and a week off in July. We have our gym-a-thon in June and in August we travel to camp. If someone has vacation scheduled, coach gives them a list of conditioning to do each day. My son does varsity wrestling for high school and they too have summer schedules, just like football.
For recreational gymnastics, I would agree with you, I don't see the need for summer classes, but when you are in competitive gymnastics it's necessary.

 

[gym law mom]

I need to add that most team level practices do move from evening to morning. Higher level optionals may be in the gym til early afternoon. The coaches do try and schedule practice so the girls either have afternoon or evenings free.