WAG walking in bridge?

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mommyof1

Proud Parent
Yesterday my daughter's coach had the girls try to "walk" in a bridge position. Just for fun, I tried it myself at home after practice. It felt like it transferred the stress of the bridge from the shoulders to the lower back. Is this exercise dangerous, or was I just doing it wrong?
 
I HATE when my daughter does this! That scene from Exorcist is one of the scariest things I've ever seen.

It doesn't seem to cause my kid any pain. She does it frequently, even "climbs" over her floor beam, walks down the hall and turns corners, etc. Now she does have good shoulder flexibility where maybe as adults, we wouldn't????
 
I HATE when my daughter does this! That scene from Exorcist is one of the scariest things I've ever seen.

It doesn't seem to cause my kid any pain. She does it frequently, even "climbs" over her floor beam, walks down the hall and turns corners, etc. Now she does have good shoulder flexibility where maybe as adults, we wouldn't????

I should clarify--I mean is this exercise dangerous for a flexible kid to do because it puts stress on the lower back? I am quite sure it was not a good idea for me to do it. ;)
 
How old is your dd? I know that kids are not supposed to be bridging before a certain age - can't remember whether it's 5 or 6? That said, when my dd was in preteam they did bridge walks all the time - backward/forward/sideways, all around the gym, had races, etc. It never seemed to bother her and she has a very flexible back.
 
How old is your dd? I know that kids are not supposed to be bridging before a certain age - can't remember whether it's 5 or 6? That said, when my dd was in preteam they did bridge walks all the time - backward/forward/sideways, all around the gym, had races, etc. It never seemed to bother her and she has a very flexible back.

She is almost 6 and her coach assures me that she uses correct form in bridges, so I have not been too concerned until now. I am mainly worried that the walking distorts the shape of the bridge.
 
If it's not a prolonged period of time it shouldn't really be dangerous. It is generally hard for adults to do these exercises unless they frequently stretch or have the physical preparation. Generally they shouldn't do the exercise too long.
 
My daughter did this once in a relay race and her lower back hurt a lot - to the point she had difficulty doing backwalkovers and front walkovers afterward. I finally had her go to a physical therapist and it worked wonders and she can do this now without pain - but she hasn't tried to "race" while doing it again.
 
I consider this exercise as flexibility being worked with out the benifits of a controlled environment. Better exercises can be used to to get the same results that don't carry as much potential for short term injury.

This stuff may be a fun way of incorporating flexibility into practices, but I'd rather find some other gym activity to have fun with.
 
How old is your dd? I know that kids are not supposed to be bridging before a certain age - can't remember whether it's 5 or 6? That said, when my dd was in preteam they did bridge walks all the time - backward/forward/sideways, all around the gym, had races, etc. It never seemed to bother her and she has a very flexible back.

I know this has been discussed before, but it just occurred to me... don't they do bridges as part of TOPS? I know that our province's equivalent to tops does, and they begin this at age 5. I know TOPS testing starts at age 7, so all these girls never even tried a bridge until they turned 7?
 
I know this has been discussed before, but it just occurred to me... don't they do bridges as part of TOPS? I know that our province's equivalent to tops does, and they begin this at age 5. I know TOPS testing starts at age 7, so all these girls never even tried a bridge until they turned 7?

Bridge testing for TOPS has been removed as of this year.
 
Bridge testing for TOPS has been removed as of this year.

Interesting. My dd would love that. She scored gold on everything but those darned bridges.

Since our competitive system is moving to align with the JO program, I wonder if we will be making our Developmental Program similar to the TOPS program as well?

I still see little 4-6 year olds doing bridges at each club I have visited.
 
There seems to have been a contradiction in usag with the bridge thing because on the one hand is was a bad idea to teach it but go ahead and compete it at 5 yrs old and level 3. I guess it has been removed from the JO in the next cycle. Now if they could deal with the beam height for 4 and 5 year olds.
 
they already have. the beams can be lowered to their lowest setting. regretfully, coaches don't want to interrupt the flow of a warm up and competition and use up time lowering and then raising the beam for the next group if need be. some coaches insist on keeping the beam at 120 or 125.:)
 
well that is good to here but, I never see anyone adjust a beam at a competiton. The bars, yes,(some coaches go crazy with the bars) but never a beam. Our girls don't compete til 6yrs old, but when we go to competitons and I see little 4 yr olds with beam clearly above head height I cringe.
 
i should also throw in that adjusting the beams is a real b*&^%. not easy at all.:)
 
i should also throw in that adjusting the beams is a real b*&^%. not easy at all.:)

Ah, not with a gymnova beam - I was so pleased when ours arrived - it has proper adjusters and each height is embossed on the leg so there is no confusion! Our other beams never get adjusted, just too difficult!
 
4-6 year olds should not be doing them.:)

What is the magical thing that happens between age 6 and 7 that makes bridges safe at that point? And I know it's not something that happens overnight on the eve of your 7th birthday, lol.

Does it have to do with bones, tendons, muscles, something in the back itself or the shoulders, or...? Just curious...
 
4-6 year olds should not be doing them.:)

So no bridges until age 7? I had thought it was okay at age 5 as long as she was doing them right and didn't do too many (we banned bridges at home). I am getting very discouraged about safety. There are not too many gym options in our area, and I think they all teach bridges by the age of 5.
 

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