My DD just turned 7 and is a level 4 gymnast. She is quite coordinated and can do all the skills, but she struggles with good form, mostly because she is very hyper mobile (legs and arms both overextend). Body tightness has always been difficult for her, she can tighten, but she has to think a lot about it. Any tips? Has anyone ever coached or had a gymnast like this? Can she overcome this weakness?
WAG Hypermobile, loose gymnast
- Thread starter Mompoul
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I AM a gymnast like that. Have you ever taken her to a PT? He/she will probably be able to recommend specific exercises to make the muscles around the joints stronger. That should help with the tightness, and it will certainly decrease the risk of injuries related to hypermobility.
Good luck on this crazy journey!
Good luck on this crazy journey!
You described my daughter to a T--right down to the 7-year-old level 4! At the end of her level 3 season, she had a pretty bad injury due to her flexibility and hypermobility, and ended up in PT for 5+ months. This easily could have been a career-ending injury. I worked very hard to find a PT with a background in gymnastics. Her PT worked a lot on helping her understand which muscles to use and to not rely on her flexibility for skills like BWO. This was one of the best parts of having someone familiar with gymnastics working with her. She knew exactly what each skill was and how it should be done. It might be worth seeing a PT and getting some exercise recommendations to prevent injury.
Your daughter sounds like mine! I have a 6 year old just starting level 3. She also is very hypermobile. Being tight or “squeeze!” is the constant correction she receives. She is strong, but very loose - it feels like her arms are connected to her body by just skin! She also has a very pronounced “sway back” so she has to work very hard on correcting her posture and remembering to be tight while doing her skills. Because this hypermobility runs in my family I have contacted her doctor about a referral to PT. I haven’t heard back yet, but I have parents and siblings who have ended up injured and in PT due to these loose joints, so I’m hoping we can be proactive and help my daughter before she gets injured.
Her coach did say that kids like her usually figure out how to be tight. It just takes longer for them. So we will see!
Her coach did say that kids like her usually figure out how to be tight. It just takes longer for them. So we will see!
I hope my answer to this topic is not rude. But somehow there is something wrong if already 6 and 7 yo are afraid of getting back pain or other health problems when they are just starting the long journey of gymnastics. This is to me a big coaching no no.
Somehow also your coaches should know and also teach how a BWO and other skills should be done without harming the gymnast... It is super easy to do a BWO through the back. But normally coaches should have an eye on this and go for the correct technique. For this there should no PT be needed.
From what I saw from other coaches those girls don't figure it out in time or without harming their body. Please make sure that your coaches know what to do. So many injuries can be prevented by proper technique and teaching how to listen to your body. There are also a lot of ways to teach being tight. Better go back some steps and work on the basics, then ending the journey to early.
She just turned 7. This is super normal, those little ones have to concentrate super hard to also get the skills done correctly. I don't know if her coaches is including side stations for body tight and awareness in different body positions. Hollow holds, hollow holds between boxes, hanging on the bar just sitting in an L shape flexing the feet, straightening the legs there are so many different ways. At one point being tight will feel normal and she won't have to think about it any more.
Somehow also your coaches should know and also teach how a BWO and other skills should be done without harming the gymnast... It is super easy to do a BWO through the back. But normally coaches should have an eye on this and go for the correct technique. For this there should no PT be needed.
From what I saw from other coaches those girls don't figure it out in time or without harming their body. Please make sure that your coaches know what to do. So many injuries can be prevented by proper technique and teaching how to listen to your body. There are also a lot of ways to teach being tight. Better go back some steps and work on the basics, then ending the journey to early.
She just turned 7. This is super normal, those little ones have to concentrate super hard to also get the skills done correctly. I don't know if her coaches is including side stations for body tight and awareness in different body positions. Hollow holds, hollow holds between boxes, hanging on the bar just sitting in an L shape flexing the feet, straightening the legs there are so many different ways. At one point being tight will feel normal and she won't have to think about it any more.
You are right, and we have made a gym change for many reasons, this being one. Unfortunately, I did not know enough about gymnastics to recognize that she was doing the skill incorrectly. It was hard for me to know whether or not the coaches knew what to do when I am so unfamiliar with the sport. I didn't see many injuries at our gym, it was a positive environment, and the kids were progressing, happy and scoring well, so I didn't really have any red flags until my daughter was injured.
I think that working in a large group of girls, it was easy for her to get away with doing her BWO incorrectly and it not getting noticed like it should have been. She was corrected on it when working directly with her coaches, but I don't think she really felt/understood the difference, which comes with being so young. She is many months out of PT now, and is pain free, and I am very thankful for the time with her PT to help her continue doing the sport she loves!
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