Parents Gymnastics equipment @ Home?

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Shearer816

Proud Parent
My lvl 3 is begging for more time in the gym. Her gym only allows 8hrs a week for first year lvl 3s so I’m kind of in a hard spot right now. I don’t want her to lose the desire she has for gymnastics. I am wanting to put some mats and a beam in our pole barn. Is this common? I see beams on marketplace all the time. I also have a wrestler so I could dual purpose a wrestling mat as well for them both. I should also note in those 8 hours a week her gym is crowded and they are limited on coaching staff so her practice isn’t to full potential as it is. Obviously safety is top priority though.

Any recommendations? Good idea? Bad idea?
 
We were given some thin crash mats from my friend's kids who did Hapkido and this was perfect for her to muck around and do some fun tumbling and stretching (e.g. splits, bridges, walkovers, forward rolls etc). We also have a floor beam which she rarely uses - however it came in handy when she had to practice routines for competitions. Not sure if you are in Australia but we bought our beam through Gymnastics Direct - quality and not too pricy!
 
We were given some thin crash mats from my friend's kids who did Hapkido and this was perfect for her to muck around and do some fun tumbling and stretching (e.g. splits, bridges, walkovers, forward rolls etc). We also have a floor beam which she rarely uses - however it came in handy when she had to practice routines for competitions. Not sure if you are in Australia but we bought our beam through Gymnastics Direct - quality and not too pricy!
Thanks for the insight. We do have a floor beam that also goes pretty unused, I suppose I forgot we had that. We’re in south Florida.

That’s my thought as well. We’re not trying to learn new skills at home, just filling the gap between practices to keep interest. Thanks again!
 
My opinion? Bad idea in two ways. First, you want her to be eager to go to gym more. It will motivate her to get to the next levels. Over time, allowing her to practice at home will reduce that desire to be at the gym more. Secondly, inevitably she will create bad habits without the coach's input, which are hard to break.

Perhaps placing her in another activity to help pass the time. I refused to put my dd in dance but in hindsight, I really should have. It would have helped with rhythm and gymnastics
 
We do have a fair amount of home equipment, but it was needed over Covid shutdown Now it rarely gets used.
I would recommend spending the money you would use on equipment on private lessons for more gym time. Or fun open gyms if her coach allows that. Home equipment is very fun at first, but gets used very little as their gym hours increase. As others have mentioned, they can form bad habits or get injured.
 
I agree with putting her in other activities over having equipment. Dance is a great idea. Swimming or an endurance sport would be another one as endurance is needed for floor. That being said, we do have a panel mat and a low beam but my dd only uses for dance and stretching. She'll do dance throughs on the beam and stretch on her own. Whatever you do, let home stretching etc be 100% gymnast driven. I never suggested stretching or dance work except maybe a few times during Covid because I was still paying for zoom sessions...
 
You want her wanting more. Floor beams and basic mats are all I'd suggest for home play - you practice/train at the gym and you play at home. 8 hours can be sufficient even in a busy gym with a good coach who uses drills and progressions.

If you have the time and resources then I would offer her other activities that will have an indirect benefit as well as being another option for her to follow should she finish with gymnastics.
Dancing - ideally ballet, but a style she will enjoy and stick with will be best
Rock climbing
Trampoline
Pilates
Yoga
Music classes
Athletics
Drama classes

Even things seemingly completed unrelated - variety makes for well rounded kids
 
Any recommendations? Good idea? Bad idea?

Ok... here goes... not sure how much I have actually voiced my opinion on this one over the years (probably not at all online).

A trampoline is the #1 thing that I would buy as a parent if I did not have access to one all the time. Remember I do have access to the gym all the time... so I don't have a trampoline in my yard for my kids.

Trampolines require adult supervision and structure 100% of the time to make sure that everyone stays safe... but with a little structure... a trampoline can be used safely at home with great benefits.

Improving air sense when a gymnast is young requires only bouncing and very basic skills on a trampoline. You don't even need to allow them to do front and back tucks or back handsprings.

What about all the bad habits that develop on a trampoline? Since when is athleticism and air sense a bad habit? Honestly... gymnasts that are moving up the levels quickly typically fix things very quickly if they are doing them wrong.

I'll put together a list of basic skills that can be done on a trampoline at home.

The #2 thing I would buy would be a pull up bar.

Air sense & strength are major ingredients in the recipe for upper level gymnastics.
 
Ok... here goes... not sure how much I have actually voiced my opinion on this one over the years (probably not at all online).

A trampoline is the #1 thing that I would buy as a parent if I did not have access to one all the time. Remember I do have access to the gym all the time... so I don't have a trampoline in my yard for my kids.

Trampolines require adult supervision and structure 100% of the time to make sure that everyone stays safe... but with a little structure... a trampoline can be used safely at home with great benefits.

Improving air sense when a gymnast is young requires only bouncing and very basic skills on a trampoline. You don't even need to allow them to do front and back tucks or back handsprings.

What about all the bad habits that develop on a trampoline? Since when is athleticism and air sense a bad habit? Honestly... gymnasts that are moving up the levels quickly typically fix things very quickly if they are doing them wrong.

I'll put together a list of basic skills that can be done on a trampoline at home.

The #2 thing I would buy would be a pull up bar.

Air sense & strength are major ingredients in the recipe for upper level gymnastics.
Thank you for your detailed response. I never thought of a trampoline but it’s an excellent idea. I’d appreciate the home trampoline basic skill list if you happen to compile one.

I definitely agree with your statement on bad habits. As long as they catch the bad habit and fix it before injury finds the bad habit first. That’s where the supervision and safety come in play. Of course, 100% supervision will be practiced.
 
I wish we had gotten a trampoline. The girls with trampolines at home were clearly ahead on certain skills than the girls without them.

Love our chin-up bar. My daughter's bar skills have improved dramatically since getting it. she's hanging/pulling/swinging on it all the time. She went from near last on arm strength to 1st since we bought it.
 
Ok... here goes... not sure how much I have actually voiced my opinion on this one over the years (probably not at all online).

A trampoline is the #1 thing that I would buy as a parent if I did not have access to one all the time. Remember I do have access to the gym all the time... so I don't have a trampoline in my yard for my kids.

Trampolines require adult supervision and structure 100% of the time to make sure that everyone stays safe... but with a little structure... a trampoline can be used safely at home with great benefits.

Improving air sense when a gymnast is young requires only bouncing and very basic skills on a trampoline. You don't even need to allow them to do front and back tucks or back handsprings.

What about all the bad habits that develop on a trampoline? Since when is athleticism and air sense a bad habit? Honestly... gymnasts that are moving up the levels quickly typically fix things very quickly if they are doing them wrong.

I'll put together a list of basic skills that can be done on a trampoline at home.

The #2 thing I would buy would be a pull up bar.

Air sense & strength are major ingredients in the recipe for upper level gymnastics.
This is so interesting and really makes me think. I have seen a very gruesome injury on a trampoline and heard more horror stories which have lead me to the idea that we would never have a trampoline (larger than the toddler one). I do see that the girls with home trampolines are better tumblers. I may be rethinking my hard rule!
 
So I am nowhere near as experienced as some of the parents in here, but here is what we have. My daughter is 8 years old, competing level 4 and planning to compete level 5 in the spring. We have a kip bar that she bought when she was around 5. A few panel mats, a small cheese wedge mat and a low beam. Mainly her equipment is used for making up play routines on and just playing. I haven't seen any bad habits from this yet because she never really does skills she is working on at the gym, she just plays. My daughter still loves going to the gym. I don't believe that the equipment we have at home as dulled her desire to be in the gym at all because there is a big difference between spotting a teddy bear on her beam and bar and learning new skills at the gym.

I do think the other comments about bad habits and all are very good to keep in mind if you get any home equipment. I just haven't seen that be an issue for us so far.
 
So I am nowhere near as experienced as some of the parents in here, but here is what we have. My daughter is 8 years old, competing level 4 and planning to compete level 5 in the spring. We have a kip bar that she bought when she was around 5. A few panel mats, a small cheese wedge mat and a low beam. Mainly her equipment is used for making up play routines on and just playing. I haven't seen any bad habits from this yet because she never really does skills she is working on at the gym, she just plays. My daughter still loves going to the gym. I don't believe that the equipment we have at home as dulled her desire to be in the gym at all because there is a big difference between spotting a teddy bear on her beam and bar and learning new skills at the gym.

I do think the other comments about bad habits and all are very good to keep in mind if you get any home equipment. I just haven't seen that be an issue for us so far.
So I am nowhere near as experienced as some of the parents in here, but here is what we have. My daughter is 8 years old, competing level 4 and planning to compete level 5 in the spring. We have a kip bar that she bought when she was around 5. A few panel mats, a small cheese wedge mat and a low beam. Mainly her equipment is used for making up play routines on and just playing. I haven't seen any bad habits from this yet because she never really does skills she is working on at the gym, she just plays. My daughter still loves going to the gym. I don't believe that the equipment we have at home as dulled her desire to be in the gym at all because there is a big difference between spotting a teddy bear on her beam and bar and learning new skills at the gym.

I do think the other comments about bad habits and all are very good to keep in mind if you get any home equipment. I just haven't seen that be an issue for us so far.
Thank you

I think the time spent just playing around on the equipment (safely) is what we are aiming for. Her mind, like many other kids, is easily moldable to liking something then it becomes all they think about ie. boys with monster trucks, girls with Barbie dolls etc.. Her focus is on tumbling and that’s all I hear about. I think some mats, a floor beam, and a trampoline is a great start for us to stimulate those wants.
 
Grab some mats - they’ll be used, if just for stretching, physio exercises etc.

We have pretty much everything thanks to two long covid shutdowns and people who hand down things. The mats are ongoingly useful, the floor beam was very useful in the early years and during shutdown. Doesn't really get used now though. The hand me down kip bar is a complete waste of space. I accepted it when she was working towards her Kip, and I honestly don’t think she has ever even done a kip on it. She likes to perch on it and read.
And the airmat? It was a shutdown panic purchase and a huge waste of money.

If she would agree to get rid of the Kip bar, I would buy a chin up bar. I think that would get used a lot.
 
All I have to add is Go Gators!!!! :)
That’s right!!!
College Sports Sport GIF by Florida Gators
 
I am amazed that there is a coach recommending a home trampoline on here. I believe that's a first in my roughly 15yrs here on CB.

From a parent's perspective, I personally have always been against home trampolines. Mostly for liability reasons. Even with supervision, they are injury magnets. Just ask ER personnel. If you live in a neighborhood, you are likely going to have other kids on it. As for the gymnast, it is too easy to allow 'just one' (fill-in-th-blank). Yes, kids with home trampolines tend to get the lower level tumbling skills faster but the other kids catch up and often surpass them at some point.
 
I am amazed that there is a coach recommending a home trampoline on here. I believe that's a first in my roughly 15yrs here on CB.

I stayed in gymnastics due to trampolines. It's the part of gymnastics that I love the most... flying high. When our parents ask if they should have a trampoline... I educate them. There are pros and cons. For most families... the cons outweigh the pros... but not for all.

Just because some people don't know how to use something doesn't mean everyone shouldn't have one. That's like saying Home Depot shouldn't sell table saws.

One of the things that drives me nuts the most is that a majority of gymnastics coaches have no idea how to use a trampoline effectively... and for that matter safely... but that's a whole different conversation.

The coach side of me would say to get an in-ground trampoline... and a good one... like this...


The parent side... a cheaper but still good model...


Even with supervision, they are injury magnets. Just ask ER personnel.

So are cars and table saws.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite Instagram accounts... @junktramp...

 
I really need to write up an article on trampolines... they deserve respect that's all. Most parents just get one and let their kids use it unsupervised. Now that's crazy.
 
What about all the bad habits that develop on a trampoline? Since when is athleticism and air sense a bad habit? Honestly... gymnasts that are moving up the levels quickly typically fix things very quickly if they are doing them wrong.
This might be true for extremely talented gymnast, but I've seen a lot of gymnasts who learned a bad tuck by themselves on a trampoline (with no set and extreme throwing the head back) struggling to fix it.
 
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