Parents Self Taught Gymnast

[ProudMomOfAlani]

My daughter wants to be a self taught gymnast. We have a trampoline, and a mat, but thats all. What are some easy beginner skills she can do?
This is what she has so far:
Skills on Trampoline:
-Back Tuck
-Front Tuck
-Back handspring Back Tuck
-Bounce Handstand
-Handstand
-Back walkover
etc
Skills on Floor:
-Back Walkover
-Front Walkover
-She did a back handspring once but is too scared now
-Cartwheel
-Rolls
-Backbend
-Round off
-Handstand
-Bridge Kickover
-Handstand to bridge kickover
-Leap

 

[gymgal]

personally, I wouldn't encourage her to continue with harder skills on her own. She is already trying skills that could cause injury if she is doing them improperly. Why does she not want to join a class where she will learn proper technique? How old is she?

 

[Aussie_coach]

Self taught gymnastics is something to very strongly discourage.

Gymnastics is and incredibly complex sport and it’s risky if not done safely.

Best case scenario, she will teach her self with poor technique. Even the most basic skills need to be done with a specific technique in order to be progressive. She will halt her own progress.

If she is teaching herself it’s inevitable that she will be injured at some point. Either an acute injury from a mistake or a slowly built up injury from doing skills incorrectly over time. The slowly built up injuries are also very slow to heal and could last a lifetime.

There is also the possibility that she could become paralysed or even die.

You can’t safely learn gymnastics off the Internet. The internet can’t watch GKR your mistakes and correct them, the Internet can’t figure out your weaknesses and design a program to work through them. The Internet can’t help catch you when you fall.

 

[JPC13]

There was a girl at my daughter's gym who showed up essentially as a self-taught level 5 NGA gymnast. She could do all the required skills, but her execution was anywhere between incredibly sloppy and dangerous. We left that gym before she competed, so I don't know how she did but there's a huge difference between being able to "do a front walk over" and being able to do it right -- so I expect not well.