i wanna quit gymnastics... :(

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cat

Gymnast
okay so i recently moved to a new gym in texas and they're just really more competitive than my old gym.
i miss my old gym which is also in texas, and they're more of an easy-going, fun, not really competitive gym but yes they do compete. the reason i moved gyms was because i AM A REALLY COMPETITIVE GYMNAST, and i want better for myself and don't wanna play little children games (we have to train with the level 3s & 4s on saturdays) EVEN THOUGH IM IN LEVEL 6 :mad:
so i moved to a new gym this month. and they're just really strict. i like it how they create champions but its just that, they condition sooo much. they probably condition 9 hours each week and i know it will make you stronger but its painful for me. i can't come back to my old gym because they told me if i transfer gyms then i cant come back :/ which is RIDICULOUS!!! but i told them okay. i dont wanna quit because i want to get a scholarship in future but i want to quit because i never have time to hang out with my school friends, or go anywhere with them because i always have gym practice.. idk if i should just quit?
 
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Give yourself a few more months to get used to the conditioning. For now, write down all of the best skills you can do confidently on each event. Take that list out and look at it when your two months are over. If that doesn't make you smile just a little, well you know......
 
A gym change can be a huge event for a gymnast. It can take several months to adjust, so I would give it more time, especially if you can't go back. Plus, they might not condition 9 hours a week year round, since it is the off-season many gyms focus more on conditioning right now. I hope it gets better, hang in there.
 
You moved to this new gym because you are competative and want to do as well as you can. That doesn't happen by just doing things in the relaxed way you did before, there's going to be much more conditioning to get the results.
Don't worry though because you will get there and your body will strengthen and as it does your skills will improve. It just takes time to adjust.
When my daughter switched to a higher level programme the conditioning used to have her fighting tears. A few months later she's fine with it, enjoys it even! and the improvement is amazing.

Just hang in there a bit longer, remember why you switched, and things should start to come together.
 
Well, you could also get a scholarship springboard diving, and probably not train much over 12 hours a week. So I'm going to disagree to the extent I think you should CONSIDER quitting. If you're so torn about it, I think you should consider transitioning to another sport. You can be competitive and goal-oriented, and/or D1 scholarship oriented, in a sport that will give you more life balance.

But if it's just the conditioning, well that will not hurt for so much longer and you should stick it out.
 
Trust me, the conditioning helps - let me tell you my experience.

Started gym with a really chilled coach and we rarely progressed. We got a new coach who upped conditioning majorly - 10hour week, 5hrs at least of conditioning (more in summer less in comp season). We all hated it and couldn't stand it and wanted to quit. Most of our squad quit and we got a bunch of new girls - there is only 4 of us left out of about 14. 8 months later come state championships we all placed top 6 in at least one apparatus. It was the strength that paid off. Maybe the reason they produce champions is because of the strength (combined with good coaching of course). And i'd be willing to put money on the fact that any gym that produces state champions devotes a lot of time to conditioning
 
It's a ton easier to do something when you're sufficiently strong. It's also safer. The most rewarding things in life are the ones you worked the hardest for.
 
You switched because you wanted to be in a more competitive program because you consider yourself to be highly competitive, well what did you expect the program to be? You must have known there would be alot of changes and things would be stepped up alot. Conditioning is the thing that will make it possible for you to be more competitive. The gyms around where I live - the ones considered "highly competitive gyms" definitly do more hours and more conditioning.

If you are finding the program too hard then maybe you should ask yourself the question How competitive are you really with your gymnastics? If you enjoy the more relaxed environment then maybe your not as competitive as you might wish you were.
I would give it a bit more time to get use to the routine. Your body and your mind aren't use to what is now going on and you have to give yourself a chance to get use to how they do things, reprogram your thinking process to accept being more competitive means more conditioning and more work. If you find it to be too much and your old gym won't take you back, I'm sure there are other gyms out there to look at. Maybe one more competitive than your old gym but less competitive than you current gym. There is also always the Prep Op/Excel possibility which allows you to compete but usually has less hours etc.
Level 6 and Level 7 is where alot of gymnasts go through exactly what you are going through and end up either quiting or going Prep Op because they want more time with friends etc and Prep op gives them that time. You should look into it if you want more time outside of the gym but still want to compete.

You need to decide what you really want and be honest with yourself. If you are going forward in gymnastics and plan to go into Optionals then you are choosing more time in the gym, working harder and little time with social life outside of the gym.

As far as a gymnastics scholarship goes - if you look into it not too many are given out you would be better to consintrate on your academics and try for an academic scholarship rather than a sports scholarship. If you must have a sports scholarship then you need to contact the colleges you think you might want to go to and see what criteria they want for their team members and how many scholarship do they give out every year. This way you have a basis to weigh your options and make a plan to get there. Just an FYI the ones I know of that have received scholarships for gymnastics (only 3 in 15 years) Just about Lived in the gym, working very very hard almost every day, and really didn't have a social life outside of gymnastics. Just something for you to consider.
 
I agree with iwannacoach. I do that every year. On January 1st, everyone on my team makes a list of all their skills on every event. Then, our HC takes them and gives them back to us on our first practice of the next year.
It really makes you think back to when you couldn't even do a backwards roll like seven years ago, and you really realize how good you are and how hard you've worked all those years.
 
Keep in mind summer practice schedules are always more intense than the school year. Give this program a chance and see if you feel the same way in 2-3 months. Just because this gym is "competitive" and produces top gymnasts does not mean its the right place for everyone. You're in a highly competitive state and gyms will push to keep on top.
 
Gymbee,

Very well put. Your description of college gym is right on. Dd is joining a D1 team as a walkon this Fall, and it has been a long and difficult journey. Only a very few will get there, and it really does take complete dedication to the sport.
 
As others have said--you wanted a more competitive program and now you've got it. It's bound to be tougher--that's why they're more competitive. Give yourself time to adjust and, if you still don't like it, then find something you do like--whether yet another gym or trying another sport.
 

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