WAG L8+ parents - did/do you have home equipment?

[gymgal]

I have often wondered this and a recent thread prompted my curiosity again. Does home equipment factor into success in upper level gymnastics (positive or negative). We as a CB group routinely tell new parents to leave gym in the gym. That home practice will cause burnout, bad form, etc. I just am curious about the experiences on CB.

I am only including L8+ because I want to get a sense of how much home equipment factored into girls getting to to this level. General consensus is that pure talent typically can get a girl to L7 without much "effort" so that's why I chose L8.

So, if you are the parent of a gymnast who competed L8 at some point:

did you have *any* of the following equipment - beam, bar/bars/floor bar, trampoline, mats for tumbling
If so -
What did you have?
What did you allow in terms of skills?
How often was it used?
At what level did your gymnast stop using it and why?
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did?

 

[gymgal]

did you have *any* of the following equipment - beam, bar/bars/floor bar, trampoline, mats for tumbling yes
If so -
What did you have? floor beam, floor bar, chin up bar
What did you allow in terms of skills? basic walks, kicks, pull ups, pull overs (until I became part of CB), handstands against a wall
How often was it used? maybe a couple time a week for the beam initially?
At what level did your gymnast stop using it and why? equiv of old L3/4. I foolishly bought the floor bar to help with bar handstands but she never used it.
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did? not at all...

 

[B&M's mom]

We had a floor beam and mat. They used the mat as a bed for sleepovers and for building forts until L5/6. The floor beam stopped being used by L4. And no, neither was instrumental in getting her to L10.

 

[thefellowsmom]

did you have *any* of the following equipment - beam, bar/bars/floor bar, trampoline, mats for tumbling
If so -
What did you have? Folding floor beam and some panel mats - ooh and a chin up bar.
What did you allow in terms of skills? Up to level 3 she would practice her beam routine on folding beam. A backwalkover was the highest level skill she ever did on it and I shut that down after thinking more about it. Mostly conditioning and stretching and fun dance routines. The only thing I encouraged was stretching. Coaches wanted them doing handstand holds as much as possible so lots of those too. At one point she was obsesssed with getting her press handstand so a lot of that happened. I never allowed anything with flight to happen period. We have a trampoline but she never tried anything crazy. She really wanted to get that front handspring back handspring back and forth drill down so she worked on that as home. She isn’t the greatest at leaps and jumps so still sometimes she will go out and do switch leaps and split and straddle jumps just to work on strength and flexibility. But these days it is usually just teen girls laying around talking on it. Chin up bar was a big hit until we moved. Haven’t put it back up, my son is asking for one now.
How often was it used? Daily early on when she wanted to be in the gym every second but was only there two or three days a week. .
At what level did your gymnast stop using it and why? Tapered off and I can’t remember last time beam was used. Maybe she was 9? Mats still used regularly for oversplits and general stretching or conditioning on off days. She can’t go a whole day without working out in some way, her muscles get really restless. She she does her pt and stretches daily and will go for a run with her dad or on the treadmill or do some conditioning, handstand holds etc. At some point she was in the gym enough she stopped feeling the urge to work on stuff outside. She still walks everywhere on her hands though.
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did? I think that the conditioning, stretching and handstand work may have helped. Not necessarily get to the level but with technique, strength and form. She can do 10+ press handstands and stand on her hands like they are her feet. On a beam the blood to her head would make her come down from a handstand long before she lost her balance.

So mats I might do and encouraging handstands and splits would be all I would ever recommend. The rest of it had zero impact on her getting to level 10. ZERO!

 

[3rd_time_around]

No, we didn't even have a mat. And my daughter went to Easterns and would most likely have competed for a college if not for getting injured. I have another gymnast who was a state champion 5 times, and a 3rd who has won her share of 1st places so far. We have no equipment. I think those that have home gyms or just equipment may have a child who excels early and looks like a little superstar, but once theirs skills can't be done at home, or they are at the gym more than they are at home, then the field evens out. Just my opinion.

 

[Splat]

I am not up to level 8 but I know my parents got me a beam and a few mats that I used more for fun doing skills that I already had down. I used these quite a bit when I first got them but now they just take up space in the garage. I got a trampoline last year that again I used a lot when I got it but don't use as much now. The trampoline definitely helped improve my skills. I still get on it every now and then when I feel like my skills need improvement. Between school and practice plus homework I honestly don't have time to do any gymnastics at home other than weekends which we now have meets on.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My daughter is L7. She has some L8 skills, working other L8 skills

No equipment ever
No working skills ever.
She has done CWs and Handstands in the house, long after acquiring them.
Conditions sometimes at home. We have a pull up bar.
Only gymnastics done at home is routine run throughs for sequence to become muscle memory. As assigned by both her gyms.

 

[aerials]

Yes but it's not used. She gets enough time in the gym.

 

[duyetanh]

Nothing other than a mat i already had for situps and stretching. She likes to stretch on it while i do my horrible situps and criticize my form issues....

 

[Seeker]

What did you have? Nothing more than a yoga mat
What did you allow in terms of skills? There was a phase where she did tons of handstands and press handstands....stopped around L4
How often was it used? No real equipment to use
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did? No.

 

[NutterButter]

What did you have? - low beam and mats
What did you allow in terms of skills? I didn't have to police this because she would only do jumps and leaps and "routines" (made up or run throughs but no actual skills); she would practice BHS on mats or take it outside and practice standing BT. Lots of handstands until L5 but those weren't done on mats. That's it.
How often was it used? beam was used as a toy for the first few months, now almost never used; mats are used frequently but for other purposes.... they are good in homes with only hardwood floors!
At what level did your gymnast stop using it and why? Around age 11 or L4/L5; beam was a fun toy but not helpful for her gymnastics; plus she's in the gym a lot anyways
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did? Not at all. The beam was a waste of money and is now enjoyed by kitty cats. Mats are useful but not necessarily for gymnastics. I recently asked DD if she would consider selling her beam and nope, not ready. There is some attachment to it.

 

[Gymmom826]

I have often wondered this and a recent thread prompted my curiosity again. Does home equipment factor into success in upper level gymnastics (positive or negative). We as a CB group routinely tell new parents to leave gym in the gym. That home practice will cause burnout, bad form, etc. I just am curious about the experiences on CB.

I am only including L8+ because I want to get a sense of how much home equipment factored into girls getting to to this level. General consensus is that pure talent typically can get a girl to L7 without much "effort" so that's why I chose L8.

So, if you are the parent of a gymnast who competed L8 at some point:

did you have *any* of the following equipment - beam, bar/bars/floor bar, trampoline, mats for tumbling
If so -
What did you have? Floor beam
What did you allow in terms of skills? Leaps and dance moves
How often was it used? About twice a week
At what level did your gymnast stop using it and why? She still uses it from time to time
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did?

No. Not at all. It’s her work in the gym and the coaching.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Panel mat and folding floor beam were used by my kids to "play" gymnastics meet with friends (mostly around age 5 to 7, before they were actually competing). Many overly dramatic routines on both were performed, could probably argue that is where the salutes were mastered. Both were also used to build many a cool fort.

I do remember one kid was determined to get a skill she needed to move between devo groups(don't remember what it was) and she worked on it at home on the mat for a week straight and finally got it. But she is the one that only competed up to level 7, so there's that.

 

[gymmom10]

All we had was that foldable floor beam and outdoor trampoline. She used the beam maybe until old L4/5. I remember seeing backwalkovers and I think back handsprings on it. The trampoline was more to flip around on and have fun. I never got the feeling she was practicing on it. I don't feel they had any bearing on her current level.

 

[M2Abi]

We have a bar, beam, and mat. The bar helped with her Level 3 routine, but not after. She still uses them all for fun, not for skill acquisition, and I don't think it has any impact on her level or gymnastics development.

 

[thefellowsmom]

What did you have? - low beam and mats
What did you allow in terms of skills? I didn't have to police this because she would only do jumps and leaps and "routines" (made up or run throughs but no actual skills); she would practice BHS on mats or take it outside and practice standing BT. Lots of handstands until L5 but those weren't done on mats. That's it.
How often was it used? beam was used as a toy for the first few months, now almost never used; mats are used frequently but for other purposes.... they are good in homes with only hardwood floors!
At what level did your gymnast stop using it and why? Around age 11 or L4/L5; beam was a fun toy but not helpful for her gymnastics; plus she's in the gym a lot anyways
Do you feel that the equipment and extra practice time helped her reach the level she did? Not at all. The beam was a waste of money and is now enjoyed by kitty cats. Mats are useful but not necessarily for gymnastics. I recently asked DD if she would consider selling her beam and nope, not ready. There is some attachment to it.

My dd won’t let her beam go either. It has literally been leaning in a corner for four years. But nope, moved it to new house, back in a corner here too. She is emotionally attached to it or something. Too funny!

 

[Muddlethru]

We got my daughter a floor beam at her request when she was maybe 8 years old. We have a pull up/chin up bar that hung on the doorway of my son's room. It's been gone for years. I actually got it for me. A 2 inch mat and cheese mat was given to us by a friend. My daughter used the floor beam until maybe Level 6. The equipment was in my opinion toys and had no effect on improving or hurting her gymnastics. After Level 7, she stopped doing anything gymnastics related at home except for holding handstands. She has always liked being upside down.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

We did have a bar (helped her get her pullover and backhipcircle, useless for anything above that!) and a floor beam that was marginally used for fun but not hardcore for practicing skills.
DD is now L8.
I have always been firmly against home trampolines, never had one of those.
Honestly, as soon as DD was on team beginning at new L4, there was no use whatsoever for home equipment. If "my" parents ask (I coach preteam and compulsories) I suggest a pull up bar, maybe a mat or a floor beam if they so desire.

 

[beachgirl]

Bar: used until she got her kip (dimantled and put awahy after L3)
Beam: foldable floor beam, ( still have and used for fun made up dance throughs, not for any skills after L4) Adjustable height beam (used for handstands, turns, dismounts in L3 and never used after L4, finally just got rid of
Mats: Used folded up for getting out of back bend and for back handspring. Awesome for sleepovers, and for when a bunch a friends want to lay on floor to watch a movie
Trampoline: fun to jump on and a a good place to eat during pool parties to get away from the dog. Was never allowed to use for anything more than tucks. Blew over and crunched in wind storm, she wants a new one and I'm trying to put it off.
None of it needed, although when she got each item I thought it was absolutely necessary and she would never progress without it.

 

[Texasmomof3]

My bought dd a kip bar. We bought the extra stabilizers and mats with it and she was 50 pounds under the weight limit for it. First time she tried a kip drill on it, it rocked so hard she flew off. That was the end of equipment use at home.

Those things are dangerous! It was a complete waste of money.