MAG Home mushroom question

[rosiekat]

We've been searching sporadically for a used mushroom for about a year now, and haven't had any luck. We've tried the gym, tried Craigslist, etc. Hubby wants to bite the bullet and get one or make one. Here are the options I see, and I'm interested in your thoughts.

1 -We saw a relatively easy homemade option using a wooden spool (like cable comes on) and carpet cut in layers then covered over with vinyl. I estimate it would cost about $50, but wouldn't be exactly standard specs and there might be problems like the vinyl being slippery or something. (Other drawback is that DH isn't exactly handy, and I don't have time to mess with this thing.)

2-A manufactured one for around $200. Seems to be basic and stable, but does not appear to have a detachable or changeable top. That's fine for now (entering L6) but will limit its long term use.

3-A manufactured one for around $400. The top is detachable, so you can use it on the floor alone, or replace with a pommel top (for another good chunk of cash). Longer term usefulness, but obviously the most expensive.

DS shows every sign of staying in gymnastics for the long term, certainly for the forseeable future. Resale to other gym kids would definitely be an eventual option, but probably at least 4 years or more down the line, so I can't truly count that as a factor. We can afford option 3 at the moment, but it's obviously a large enough amount that we don't want to spend it if it isn't worth it.

 

[GymDad23]

Would you spend $200 on a slightly used one? If yes, then you'd figure someone else probably would too.......buy the new one and then sell it in two years. Mushrooms will always be great for perfecting/practicing circles, russians, etc., but if your son plows through Level 6, the next levels are all on the horse.

 

[skschlag]

i would recommend option #3, with the knowledge that I just sold a used one for $250. Never did replace with a pommel top because he moved past the mushroom. My son did use it until about mid level 7....and then phased it out. It is good to be able to remove teh top to practice floor circles.

 

[samsmama]

I bought one when DS was a L4 and it got a lot of use while he worked on his circles, but once he had them down and could do 20+ at a time (about a year later), he didn't use it much and I don't think he's touched it at all as a L6. I would love to sell it, but he's still kind of attached to it and refuses to let me get rid of it.

 

[Sasha]

We successfully had Option 2 - no removable top, not quite the same as competition mushroom feel, but worked just fine for practicing basics & routines. Also was remarkably durable and stayed looking 'new' unlike the softer padded tops of the competition mushrooms which pick up dirt and scratches much easier. We were able to sell it in "like new" condition after 3 years for 80% of what we paid for it.

I'd go with either Option 2 or 3. Those home ones can be great, but the feel can be very different. Some boys are more particular about this than others.

 

[profmom]

Option #3. My son got a lot of use out of his until he started having wrist woes (something to watch!). We just resold it. No problems unloading it.

 

[rosiekat]

I bought one when DS was a L4 and it got a lot of use while he worked on his circles, but once he had them down and could do 20+ at a time (about a year later), he didn't use it much and I don't think he's touched it at all as a L6.

I'm actually kind of afraid he won't use it at all. This is definitely his weakest area, although once they let him start training the spindles and flares (just about a month ago) he picked them up fairly quickly. Spindles are compete-able, flares not so much (although he did compete them, lol). I am afraid if he does practice, it'll just develop bad habits or form. There's also no great place to put it. Ughhhh. I'll report back on whatever we decide!

 

[Madden3]

When I wondered if I should get a mushroom years ago I came on here (I think it was here) and found a thread where the advice was that once kids are in level 6 they are spending so much time at gym they are not going to want to practice much at home. I have found that to be true in our case. What extra time my kids do have, I encourage them to do running or biking or street hockey or whatever for aerobics as they do not get enough of that at gym.

One year the gym let kids take turns taking a mushroom home on loan. This was great as it let me see that there was no way we could have a safe mushroom set up at home that allowed me to walk across my living room, and even then we had to move furniture into other rooms, it was a hassle. But it was nice to have it for a couple weeks. My kids did use it, but not to the amount it mattered or we every wanted to borrow it again. If your coach will let you do that, maybe you can see if your son would use it or not. You would have to have it long enough to get past the novelty stage.

Have you talked to your son about how much mushroom he is actually doing at practice? Not how much time they all spend on it, but how much he is taking advantage of that time? In my experience, kids who are hating on mushroom do not actually work it as much as they have the time for, if that makes sense. Mushrooms make handy places to "rest," it seems. Or they do the bare minimum. Other kids take extra circles when doing that event, or hop on it on during any down time at practice. I would expect my kids to be really working mushroom consistently at practice before investing a dime on a home set up.

Also my son's friend had one made from a spool. It was well made, but compared to the gym mushrooms, seemed a bit tall and unsteady.

 

[Outlast]

We bought ours used and it has been well worth the $. It's still used, 4 yrs plus.

 

[rosiekat]

Have you talked to your son about how much mushroom he is actually doing at practice? Not how much time they all spend on it, but how much he is taking advantage of that time? In my experience, kids who are hating on mushroom do not actually work it as much as they have the time for, if that makes sense. Mushrooms make handy places to "rest," it seems. Or they do the bare minimum. Other kids take extra circles when doing that event, or hop on it on during any down time at practice. I would expect my kids to be really working mushroom consistently at practice before investing a dime on a home set up.

He definitely does work on it (distance from gym + relatively short practices means I'm usually there), but it isn't his "go to" thing if he has a few extra minutes. I'm not sure I can really judge accurately - they had him just doing circles for so long (all L4 and through about March of L5) that he had no enthusiasm for it whatsoever. Now that he gets to add new skills, he rather enjoys it. Their practices are pretty structured right now, so there isn't really down time. There will be more of that in the coming months as he'll double his hours.

This all fired back up because we thought we had a chance to get a barely used one for $75, but that fell through. Now DH is kind of sold on the idea; I'm not so sure I am. I wouldn't mind the risk so terribly much (since I know we can definitely resell it), but I'm honestly not sure we have a place to put it where it'll be used. (DS is a very social creature, and would likely use it in the family room but not in the garage. Unfortunately, family room isn't an option!) DS swears he'd use it, but, well, we can always trust the impulses and desires of 8-year-olds, right? I love the idea of having a loaner mushroom, but I'm pretty sure the gym has none to spare. Maybe I'll see if one of the other families would loan us one while they go on summer vacation or something.

 

[Popcorn]

When my son was 7, he loved it. By 9, he was using it to sit on when he played video games. We still have it mainly because it is furniture now; if you lived closer I'd give you a very good deal!