Off Topic Home equipment?

[Goldmedalgirl]

I was just wondering how everybody feels about gymnastics at home. I did not have that much home equipment growing up but I did have a little beam that was low to the floor, and I had a panel mat. What do you guys think about home bars, beams, mats, and more?

 

[cbifoja]

Do a forum search. You will find so many threads on this topic as it has been debated here over and over.

 

[gymbeam]

The forum search hasn't been working right- for me, it only brings up 2016 posts.

 

[txgymfan]

My summary of the debate. Most people agree that a few mats for child initiated stretching and handstand works is fine. Some will say that a floor beam was fun and used with enthusiasm by young children. Others will admit that they bought/made beams that became tripping hazards, useless logs.

Most will passionately say that bars need to be done at gym with the exception of pull up bars that help develop strength.

Almost all will say that by the time a child is at the end of elementary school and/ or in gym more than 12 hours almost all home gym equipment is pointless.

Several will site the extreme dangers of learning bad habits at home and of incurring injury.

A few will site examples from YouTube of kids doing giants etc at home, with limited mats and shockingly living to make more videos.

Does that about cover it CBers?

 

[skschlag]

Yes. I woudl add on the boys' side that a mushroom is a good thing....rings in the foyer are not.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My summary of the debate. Most people agree that a few mats for child initiated stretching and handstand works is fine. Some will say that a floor beam was fun and used with enthusiasm by young children. Others will admit that they bought/made beams that became tripping hazards, useless logs.

Most will passionately say that bars need to be done at gym with the exception of pull up bars that help develop strength.

Almost all will say that by the time a child is at the end of elementary school and/ or in gym more than 12 hours almost all home gym equipment is pointless.

Several will site the extreme dangers of learning bad habits at home and of incurring injury.

A few will site examples from YouTube of kids doing giants etc at home, with limited mats and shockingly living to make more videos.

Does that about cover it CBers?

Yep.

Personally

I am in the no stuff at home camp, except viewing and running through the non tumbling portion of your floor routine for timing.
Conditioning, so weights and pull up bar OK (age/level appropriate as well) so Level 2 no conditioning no weights. Age 4,5,6 umm just no. Age 7-9 conditioning no weights for sure. L4 and higher, you need conditioning on off days as in a long weekend, vacation because by the time you are L4 and higher there aren't that many off days.

From our coaches. Gym in gym, they don't want to fix, they want to teach. Conditioning OK. Floor run throughs OK for timing and making it routine.

When you do some digging you usually find those You Tube little cuties are not in the sport long.

 

[Leila]

I would say that it really depends how old you are and what level you are. My daughter is 7, level 1, and we do have a bar, raised beam (18" off floor), and a 2"x4'x10' mat. Since my daughter joined team later in the season than other girls, she really needed to catch up. The equipment helped a lot, especially balance on the beam, basic bar moves, etc. The mat is primary used under the bar, she prefers to do her floor routine and stretching on our giant rug. Like somebody else said, bars are pretty useless and unsafe after a certain level. All equipment needs to be used with careful adult supervision at all times. I would say that instead, you should utilize your gym's "open gym" time as much as possible. Our gym charges $7 for 1.5 hours every Friday, and they only have about 20 kids attending, and 3-4 coaches available, who might even help you with certain skills. Fun and safe at open gym.

 

[raenndrops]

No bars other than pullup bar.
Beam very low and STABLE (if you make your own, this is very important... You don't want it rolling during a jump)…. Enough matting for an 8 foot fall space on all sides... Limit to walks at first, biggest skills to be done - basic jumps and handstand... Maybe cartwheel AFTER it is learned in gym.
Other than that, no equipment.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

This thread is 8 months old

 

[bogwoppit]

Actually 7 months old, now closed.