WAG Xcel question -- avoiding shoulder flexibility

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emorymom

Proud Parent
DD age 11 has always had tight shoulders. I know they can be improved but let's say it's simply managed.

She will probably do a couple of years at L4 which I think is manageable with the shoulders. After that is it possible to compete Xcel without having to do BWO on beam and -- what are the other hot issues for shoulder flexibility causing back problems?

She is in a fairly small program and I wonder if it might be practical under the circumstances for her to train the JO routines with the equivalent JO level and just substitute for the beam BWO or whatever else is likely to lead to injury in her situation. They often attend meets with both JO and Xcel competition going on simultaneously.
 
If it is just the BWO that you are worried about, at L5, there is the option of a Back Handspring instead. There seem to be fewer back problems with the BHS.
Her coach could help you figure out what is best for her.

If she were to do Xcel instead though, she probably wouldn't want to be using the JO routines. The whole point is to do your OWN routines... suited to you. There are so many "pointless" things in the L5 beam routine that would only get deductions if not perfect. Gold only requires 6 skills and Platinum only requires 7. Off the top of my head, L5 beam has: leap, full turn, 2 jumps, handstand, BHS, 1/2 turn, dismount (plus grapevine and poses)
 
I don't know that there is an Xcel team close to us for her. I was thinking she could continue to train with her team and just mostly compete the same stuff but in the Xcel division. It wouldn't be like cheating against the Xcel only teams because her program doesn't have a lot of hours.
 
Is there a specific reason why she'd avoid just working on her shoulder flexibility? (Medical etc) Otherwise I don't see the need to avoid it, it can be frustrating I've dealt with the same issue but it's worth it in the end.
 
Well she's never going to be a great gymnast at any level competition-wise, so if there's an alternative to adding work to an already busy day, I'd like to explore it.

She may become the most fantastic coach you'd ever imagine though. A dream gym owner to work for. Etc.
 
I do hear that you are trying to come up with something creative to allow her to progress and possibly avoid the backwalkover on beam. I will say though, that shoulder flexibility is important in a lot of skills and should still be worked on.
 
In Xcel Gold, she could do cw cw, and I think she could do it in Platinum also. But, in Platinum, I think they have to be connected, plus there is one more element in platinum and she could do a handstand. There are also other skills that could be substituted.
 
I'd like to add, given the other (and previous) threads about JO girls getting into Xcel, that my daughter is only getting 6.5 hours/week in L3, and I don't see when that will change. They are done with their season and training L4. So I am not talking about some big cheat so she can win. I'm just trying to avoid injury.
 
I'd like to add, given the other (and previous) threads about JO girls getting into Xcel, that my daughter is only getting 6.5 hours/week in L3, and I don't see when that will change. They are done with their season and training L4. So I am not talking about some big cheat so she can win. I'm just trying to avoid injury.
If you truly want to avoid injury, then she needs to work on her shoulder flexibility. Backwalkovers are not the only issue with this.
 
I definitely encourage her, her coaches encourage her, and it's also possible that even if she stretches her shoulders for 15 minutes a day, they will not be appropriate for repetitive beam BWOs. It's possible she is doing 15 min. or more each day already, but I'm not sure.
 
Also, smaller gyms tend to focus on either JO or Xcel. Not sure the gym would want to have one Xcel gymnast as it opens a whole can of worms for them. Also, am I understanding that you are thinking ahead 2 season? She will compete level 4 next year? Why think so far ahead about something that isn't a current issue?
 
Her coach said something to her the other day. It's really always been an issue since she was small.

What is the can of worms with having one Xcel gymnast?
 
Her coach said something to her the other day. It's really always been an issue since she was small.

What is the can of worms with having one Xcel gymnast?

Just one or two things about adding a single xcel. In our area, xcel would be in a different session and often a different day in competitions. A coach would have to attend meets with her and would have to be paid for that extra session, hotel, etc. And, what if she competed at the same time as the JO girls, but not in their session. How would your gym handle coaching?

Anyway, just a quick thought to answer your question.
 
I'm not sure we regularly do meets requiring hotel or big enough to have two sessions at the same time.

What made me think about it is that we've had several meets this season where Xcel was competing at the same time as the number levels, and sometimes using routines the same as or very close to the compulsory routines.
 
It's possible, but what would be their excuse?

"[Gymnast who will at that point likely be a 13yo L5] is going to be competing mostly the same L5 routines but in the Xcel division most of this season because as probably you all have noticed oh these many years, her shoulder flexibility is horrible and we want her to be able to spot in ten years without back surgery."
9yo L3: "Coach, I want to be in Xcel to pick my own music."
Coach: "No."
 
How about - coach, my own music would be great, but dance isn't tight and I will get 10th'd to death at L5. I want to be like my friend and compete Xcel because I would be more competitive there and can skip that dance element that I have trouble with.
 
10thd to death won't hurt you. I get it, but they shouldn't be in this to win, but to be able to advance and be the best they can with a minimum of long-term injury.
 
I don't think there's any problem with asking. If your entire team can only practice 6.5 hours I'm entirely surprised they don't solely compete Xcel. Are there currently levels 5+ competing on these hours? The coaches might come to this conclusion themselves.
 
I don't know what the L5's hours are. It's more than the L3's and probably changes with the coaches' schedules.
 

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