Parents Silver Bar Routine

[gymdaughter77]

My daughter is competing her first year xcel silver at age 9. She “got” her kip this summer and has competed 2 times with it. The first time scoring a 9.3 and the second only a 8.7. She has a meet tomorrow and is questioning her kip. Would it be better to do it even though her arms aren’t exactly straight or is it better to do a pull over. Bars are her favorite event and wants to score well tomorrow.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

It will almost certainly score better without it. DD is dealing with the same issue in Gold. But her coaches prefer her to do her kip anyway. Is this a choice you/your DD get to make? At most gyms it wouldn't really be open to the parent/kid deciding.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

You can’t compare 2 meets with different judges.

An 8.7 could of been a “better” score depending on the judge. How did she place at both meets

 

[gymdaughter77]

She scored 2nd at the 9.3 meet and 4th at the 8.7.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

She scored 2nd at the 9.3 meet and 4th at the 8.7.

Not a huge difference. Some of it is in the judging. Really not a big thing. And 2 meets with a relatively new skill is not a basis to compare.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

And the kip can not be avoided. She should do it if she has it. JMO, as a parent

 

[Curlyfry7]

The girls at our gym often get to choose....as a parent I prefer them to compete with the skill they are better at, because in Xcel at least, they are often competing against other teams that do the lower skill, and do it close to perfectly. And while scores aren’t everything, it can be discouraging to constantly be beaten by kids that are doing less difficult skills. At the same time, the gym ties to concentrate on uptraining during practice, so they are practicing the harder skill for down the road.

My DD is Gold, and recently made the decision to change her beam dismount from BWO back tuck (with the goal of connecting the 2) to a BWO handstand quarter turn. While she can do the first, her back tuck is still a bit wonky-not tucked enough, goes a bit crooked. And quite a few of the Golds in this area compete the handstand quarter turn. But she will continue to practice the back tuck most of the time.

 

[moogacat]

My daughter was a silver last year and was given the choice. She normally competed the kip even though it was not necessary (it's not even necessary until platinum), but if it was a little off in warmups she took it out. Her coach allowed her the flexibility to decide for herself. This year she's skipped up to platinum and does the same with her beam routine and her dismount. She has an extra skill in there anyway and already competes two B skills, so she can scale back her dismount to something safer and score better.

FWIW, the girls who did kips at silver almost always scored lower on average. It is just easier to keep a perfect form on the pullover. My daughter didn't care, but she understood the risk and was willing to take the scoring hit.

 

[John]

I would ask you what is your daughters goal for her gymnastics? If she wants to WIN then maybe she should take it out. If she is about progressing and learning skills and gaining levels then she should leave it in.

 

[Flyaway]

I would ask you what is your daughters goal for her gymnastics? If she wants to WIN then maybe she should take it out. If she is about progressing and learning skills and gaining levels then she should leave it in.

This is exactly it. My dd is facing a similar issue with her bars (typically her best scoring apparatus). Coaches want her to put in a skill that isn't quite perfect yet, but is necessary for continued progress. She's bummed that her scores will take a hit and she likely won't place like she usually does, but in the end it gives her more experience competing the skill which she'll need long term.