Parents She got her KIP!!!

[jessifrostR]

My daughter got her kip yesterday!!! She was so excited to tell me!
For weeks all I have heard after every practice is "MOM I'm SO close!".
I'm like okayyyyy lol!
I want to see it so bad! I'm going to try to sneak a peak at practice today.
This is on her first year on team.
Her gym competes level 1. The older level 1s with go to level 3 next year. The younger level 1s will go to level 2 and I think a few might go to excel. My daughter really REALLY wants to go to level 3 so hopefully this helps her.

She has been talking about kips constantly so obviously it's an important skill.
So whats the next big deal skill after kips?

 

[amiandjim]

A kip is a level 4 skill and not at all needed for level 3.

 

[jessifrostR]

A kip is a level 4 skill and not at all needed for level 3.

They have been practicing a lot of level 3 skills also. I guess they just like to start the harder skills early since maybe it can take a while to get?

 

[amiandjim]

Gotcha. Congrats on the kip...my level 3 got hers the other day and was over the moon. As far as level 3 skills, the round off bhs on floor, shoot through/mill circle on bars, and handstand on beam are the big ones.

 

[Mamabear123]

That is super exciting. DD has been competing her kip all this season in level 3. I know some coaches won't compete it until it's perfect because the deductions can be pretty big if not done correctly. But now that she has it already, she has a long time to make it perfect for level 4. Yay to your daughter.

 

[jessifrostR]

Gotcha. Congrats on the kip...my level 3 got hers the other day and was over the moon. As far as level 3 skills, the round off bhs on floor, shoot through/mill circle on bars, and handstand on beam are the big ones.

It's so exciting for them when they get it! I can tell that's a difficult one. They just start practicing them about 3 months ago. My daughter still struggles with that darn shoot through! She had it for a while and now she keeps hooking her leg. I almost wish she could just go to level 4 and skip level 3 with that darn mill circle lol but I know it's probably important to progress through the levels and build the foundations. She has pretty good tumbling skills and has her RO BHS BHS and RO BHS back tuck. Her handstand on beam are a little archy sometimes though she says lol. Her state meet is next weekend and then we will find out what level they put her in.

 

[jessifrostR]

That is super exciting. DD has been competing her kip all this season in level 3. I know some coaches won't compete it until it's perfect because the deductions can be pretty big if not done correctly. But now that she has it already, she has a long time to make it perfect for level 4. Yay to your daughter.

Yea, she said she did it with almost straight arms but I didn't see it so who knows lol. I think that's how her gym is. They want them to have the skills and make them pretty before they compete it. So even though she has all her level 4 skills now with her kip, I doubt she will be able to compete level 4 this year.
ETA: I didn't know they could compete a kip in level 3?

 

[amiandjim]

The kip is an option for the mount but most won’t let you compete it because as she said, the deductions are much heavier. I guess I don’t understand why your gym would have her compete level 3 if she has all her level 4 skills...that doesn’t make sense to me. Level 3 is not required.

 

[jessifrostR]

The kip is an option for the mount but most won’t let you compete it because as she said, the deductions are much heavier. I guess I don’t understand why your gym would have her compete level 3 if she has all her level 4 skills...that doesn’t make sense to me. Level 3 is not required.

The reason behind anything they do is a complete mystery to me. I am anxious to see where they put her. Especially since she now has all the level 4 skills but not level 3 since her shoot through is hit or miss.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

The kip is like learn g to ride a 2 wheeler. They feel so powerful. Bravo.

 

[Mamabear123]

Yea, she said she did it with almost straight arms but I didn't see it so who knows lol. I think that's how her gym is. They want them to have the skills and make them pretty before they compete it. So even though she has all her level 4 skills now with her kip, I doubt she will be able to compete level 4 this year.
ETA: I didn't know they could compete a kip in level 3?

There have been 2 different meets where the judge didn't even know a kip was allowed and the coach had to bring in the meet director.

 

[raenndrops]

It's so exciting for them when they get it! I can tell that's a difficult one. They just start practicing them about 3 months ago. My daughter still struggles with that darn shoot through! She had it for a while and now she keeps hooking her leg. I almost wish she could just go to level 4 and skip level 3 with that darn mill circle lol but I know it's probably important to progress through the levels and build the foundations. She has pretty good tumbling skills and has her RO BHS BHS and RO BHS back tuck. Her handstand on beam are a little archy sometimes though she says lol. Her state meet is next weekend and then we will find out what level they put her in.

Level 4 is the first REQUIRED level. If she has all the L4 skills, just MAYBE they will let her go to L4.
Cartwheel on beam. FHS and Back extension roll to Handstand on Floor (in addition to the ROBHSBHS) and FHS over the vault table. Squat on on bars.

 

[jessifrostR]

Level 4 is the first REQUIRED level. If she has all the L4 skills, just MAYBE they will let her go to L4.
Cartwheel on beam. FHS and Back extension roll to Handstand on Floor (in addition to the ROBHSBHS) and FHS over the vault table. Squat on on bars.

She would LOVE to go to level 4. She's got the squat on jump to high bar, all that. She definitely has all of the floor skills. She has always been ahead on tumbling. She has the cartwheel on the high beam but doesn't land it every single time just yet. Now that you mention the front handspring vault. I honestly don't know if they have even introduced that yet. I guess she would have all summer to practice it though.
From looking at the gym's history, they almost go from level 1 to 3. No idea why they even bother with 1 but I guess its just to get their feet wet competing without the pressure of harder routines for their first year.

 

[jessifrostR]

She would LOVE to go to level 4. She's got the squat on jump to high bar, all that. She definitely has all of the floor skills. She has always been ahead on tumbling. She has the cartwheel on the high beam but doesn't land it every single time just yet. Now that you mention the front handspring vault. I honestly don't know if they have even introduced that yet. I guess she would have all summer to practice it though.
From looking at the gym's history, they almost go from level 1 to 3. No idea why they even bother with 1 but I guess its just to get their feet wet competing without the pressure of harder routines for their first year.

almost all* go to level 3 from level 1.
is what I meant

 

[txgymfan]

At least they are training the skills she will need at higher levels. Even if she competes down, continuously developing progressively more difficult skills and is one of the most important things that they can do.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

Good for her!!! Puma Jr took FOREVER to get a kip...seriously 18 months from first kip to consistent kip then another year until it looked halfway decent...lol Glad the kip fairy came your way

 

[M2Abi]

How old is your daughter? If she won't be 7 by the time she competes, she would have to compete Level 3 instead of 4.

 

[LTB~Mom]

I'm not sure any new gymnastics skill is ever as exciting as getting the kip! In upper levels, it's a big deal when they flip their first vault onto a mat (yurchenko or tsuk). Of course, that's years in the making, but still exciting - and scary! - the first time you see them do it.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I'm not sure any new gymnastics skill is ever as exciting as getting the kip! In upper levels, it's a big deal when they flip their first vault onto a mat (yurchenko or tsuk). Of course, that's years in the making, but still exciting - and scary! - the first time you see them do it.

I think there are a few other "moments"

A giant
A BHS on beam

 

[John]

To me it seems the skills get scarier to watch as the levels progress, maybe the "moment" feelings are suppressed by supreme concentration. DD is preparing to move a few things to floor, RO BHS 1.5 LO Punch LO and Punch FLO Punch FLO Full. Doing them on the rod floor her face shows much pride. My face surely shows anxiety.