WAG Weekly Practice Limits - 16 Hours

[CrazyTrain]

My dd is a 10 Yr old finishing up lvl 8 and training for lvl 9 and Hopes.

Her gym just posted a notice that no gymnasts will be allowed to train more than 16 hours per week.

Is there any research out there supporting a limit like this? I just can’t see how an athlete can acquire the more difficult skills training no more than 16 hours per week.

Am I “old school” and out of touch? What is an appropriate amount of training for a 10 Yr old with Hopes/ Jr. Elite aspirations?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

We‘ve trained up to L9 on 12 hours a week.

 

[Whyhellothere]

I’d say that is good… she’s 10. Even if she wants to go elite. Is she in school too?

You don’t want her to burn out. Just my opinion. It happens a lot. Maybe around 13 up the hours.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

Our level 3s train 16 hours a week. Hopes/Elites just double it

 

[gymjunkie]

My dd is a 10 Yr old finishing up lvl 8 and training for lvl 9 and Hopes.

Her gym just posted a notice that no gymnasts will be allowed to train more than 16 hours per week.

Is there any research out there supporting a limit like this? I just can’t see how an athlete can acquire the more difficult skills training no more than 16 hours per week.

Am I “old school” and out of touch? What is an appropriate amount of training for a 10 Yr old with Hopes/ Jr. Elite aspirations?

I worked at a gym where the 8-10s only did 16 hours/week. They were a highly competitive team and one of the 10s did test elite. Once she qualified to do elite, she left for another gym where they did higher hours. So yes it can be done. Workouts must be very efficiently run and the girls need to have ample turns on the equipment.

As far as your research question, a sports med doctor that my daughter sees who is a former NCAA gymnast feels that there is shamefully no published research on the ideal number of training hours because it would open up USAG to liabilities they do not want to assume.

 

[Aussie_coach]

A good couch can do level 9 easily in 16 hours a week. Especially if it’s ensured they have the right sized group, and access to the equipment needed.

 

[WV Gym Mom]

I think that is awesome! Some of the most competitive gyms in my area are the ones the train less...quality training can ABSOLUTELY be done in under 16hrs a week. I would say there is much more evidence saying gymnasts are overtraining themselves into burnout, injury, and exhaustion.

 

[Jenny]

Our level 3s train 16 hours a week. Hopes/Elites just double it

not trying to be rude but 16 hours for level 3 is really very high for the skills on Level 3. That smacks of money making. Level 3 can easly be done very well on way less than that. And no kid that is Hopes age should be doing 32 hours. That's not an efficient gym.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I don’t think the motivation for having younger kids train 16 hours a week is money.

As a gym the more hours a kid does the less money you make. The gym would make a lot more money using the time a coaches to do 16 x 1 hour rec classes, that one 16 hour group.

It could be a sign of many things, such as trying to put do other gyms to win at the lower levels, a coach who moves at a slower pace, having less equipment so longer waits between turns etc.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

not trying to be rude but 16 hours for level 3 is really very high for the skills on Level 3. That smacks of money making. Level 3 can easly be done very well on way less than that. And no kid that is Hopes age should be doing 32 hours. That's not an efficient gym.

Lol ok

 

[Jenny]

I don’t think the motivation for having younger kids train 16 hours a week is money.

As a gym the more hours a kid does the less money you make. The gym would make a lot more money using the time a coaches to do 16 x 1 hour rec classes, that one 16 hour group.

It could be a sign of many things, such as trying to put do other gyms to win at the lower levels, a coach who moves at a slower pace, having less equipment so longer waits between turns etc.

 

[JBS]

My dd is a 10 Yr old finishing up lvl 8 and training for lvl 9 and Hopes.

Her gym just posted a notice that no gymnasts will be allowed to train more than 16 hours per week.

I can see the 16 hours as long as Hopes is not connected to it. That would be considered low for Hopes.

Personally… I would be looking for 20+. The + would depend on many factors… but I probably wouldn’t be over 22 for that level and age.

 

[Dahlialover]

I have heard that a good a rule of thumb for appropriate gymnastics training hours is the athlete’s age + 3. So 16 hours would be the top for gymnasts 13 and under. You can cross-train with dance, swimming or a home conditioning program. I think once you are talking about teens in levels 9 & 10, it’s a different story but you have a few years before then.

 

[JBS]

I have heard that a good a rule of thumb for appropriate gymnastics training hours is the athlete’s age + 3. So 16 hours would be the top for gymnasts 13 and under. You can cross-train with dance, swimming or a home conditioning program. I think once you are talking about teens in levels 9 & 10, it’s a different story but you have a few years before then.

So 13 hours for a 10 year old training Level 9? Then you can add dance... swimming... baseball... karate... and more??? Makes absolutely no sense to me.

 

[Dahlialover]

So 13 hours for a 10 year old training Level 9? Then you can add dance... swimming... baseball... karate... and more??? Makes absolutely no sense to me.

You are right. My answer didn’t make a lot of sense. The rule of thumb I heard was max hours of training in a single sport should be “age + 3” but I agree that a 10-year-old in level 9 is an exceptional situation that doesn’t really follow conventional rules. Even at 16 hours, I would worry about ensuring adequate time for conditioning to prevent injury. I was suggesting cross-training as a way to compensate for the relatively low hours that her gym is offering. But that kind of peacemeal approach makes more sense for lower level gymnasts. A 10-year-old level 9 is on a whole different level and I’m not qualified to have opinions on that topic.

 

[CrazyTrain]

I just wanted to send a thank you out to all who have replied. I appreciate your time and feedback!

 

[CuriousCate]

A bit off from the original question, but I think regulations should be made based on max # reps allowed for each skill by age of the child. This is the best way to prevent overuse injuries that have long-term sequela. Similar to pitch counts for little league. The hours don't matter as much if the reps are regulated. I do obviously realize that this will never actually happen.

 

[catchingupmom]

That is an interesting perspective CuriousCate! I actually think that would make more sense than capping the total hours in program, since every gym has their own formulas on conditioning, stretching, warm up, drills, etc. I have a HS nephew who nearly pitched out his full pitch count in an entire game on the weekend and you could see the pitch quality go down in the last inning, he'd barely made it he was so exhausted (he's not the type to tell the coach he's done). I've heard of some not so great gyms/coaches out there who are similarly not letting a gymnast move on until they've done X skill five times in a row successfully. With each rep they get fatigued and frustrated and less capable of achieving a satisfactory skill. Food for thought!

 

[Coach Kate]

A bit off from the original question, but I think regulations should be made based on max # reps allowed for each skill by age of the child. This is the best way to prevent overuse injuries that have long-term sequela. Similar to pitch counts for little league. The hours don't matter as much if the reps are regulated. I do obviously realize that this will never actually happen.

My coworker and I were really inspired by watching Chellsie Memmel train during her come back. She did very few skill reps but a lot of conditioning and good basics.

 

[JBS]

I have split this fantastic new conversation off into it's own thread... please use it if your conversation is in regards to limiting "max # reps allowed" as posted by @CuriousCate above...

WAG - Limiting Skill Repetitions vs. Limiting Workout Hours

This is just a conversation that I am splitting off from a different thread as there is so much more to think about than just limiting hours. This discussion is exactly what the title sounds like... Limiting Skill Repetitions vs. Limiting Workout Hours The second post in this thread by...

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