WAG your gymnastics story

[haileygymnast]

I would be very interested what kind of gymnast you/your daughter is/are and if you want to share it, I would be very happy bc I think this is really interesting

This is me:

• AGE: I am 21 years old and I have done gymnastics for 4 years now.

• LEVEL: I would be a Level 7 USAG Gymnast, but I do Xcel.

• SHEDULE: I train 3 1/2 hrs a day, 6 days a week.
  My team warms up for about 30 minutes with some running and jumping and some basic strength stuff like hollow rocks, also handstand walks, back extension rolls etc. Then we do each event for about 40 minutes, vault and floor is sometimes done together. Each of us (we are a group of 20 gymnasts between L6-L8) have got a list from our coach with the skills we should work on. We are asked to do 10 reps of each skill.
  
  For example my current floor list for this season is:

10 Front Tucks
10 Front Layouts
10 Front Handspring Front Tucks
10 RO BH
10 standing Tucks
10 RO BH BL
10 Split Leap - Straddle Jumps
10 Full Turns

Same for beam and vault is just some FH and then some tsuk timers.

• CONDITIONING: We sometimes condition all together after warm up for a few minutes, but most of the time we are asked to condition in between stations. So while on bars we do rope climb and leg lifts, for example.

We are asked to complete the following list each training day. For example, if we did 3 rope climbs in warm-up, we do not need to do them anymore etc.

3x5 Chin-Levers
3x12 ft Rope Climb in Pike
10 Leg Lifts on stall bars from L to L
10 Full Leg Lifts on stall bars
10 Stalder Leg Lifts
15 Single Leg Squats
20 Squat Jumps
100 Toe Raises

Additionally, when we switch stations, we are asked to do 10 handstand presses before each rotation, which equals 30 press handstands.

At the end of practice we sit in our oversplits.

• FAVOURITE EVENT: My favourite event is beam, my worst event is floor.
  
  
• FREE TIME: I don't have a lot of free time but if there is a holiday at gym or on my day off, I usually don't do gymnastics at home. I sometimes throw some tricks at the beach or on grass, but no serious training at home except sitting in splits in front of the TV every now and then.

• FUTURE: My "gymnastics future" is doing one more year of competing but then I still want to be training and keep my skills. I want to coach and my children get enrolled in gym as soon as they can walk.

I would love to hear your gym-story

 

[All Chalked Up]

Started at a local gym five-ish years ago. 1st year was pre-team, second and third is comparable to level 5-6, 4th year I competed the equivalent to level 7.

This year, I switched to an incredible gym about 1 1/2-2 hours away. Was slated to compete level 8, and then 9 later on competition results pending, but shredded my knee apart in November, and consequently couldn't compete this year (or jump... squat... run... tumble... dismount... vault) but haven't missed a practice yet.

I've been conditioning, biking, and swinging my tail off sixteen+ hours weekly! Fave event is vault; hardest is beam.

Gym goal next year, if all goes well with my knee, is to compete a strong level nine. Then the year after, I want to qualify National and compete at the Canadian National Championships, keeping my knee healthy all the while!

 

[zoe_the_gymnast_]

I was in pre team when I was 5, after that I decided to quit. I re-started gymnastics in 2012, taking recreational classes at a small gym for fun. After seeing the 2012 Olympics, I got inspired to compete. I was still in recreational gymnastics at the same gym, but it became more of a goal for me to compete.
Two years later, my parents told me that if I wanted to, they had enough money for me to try a new and better gym. I tried out for USAIGC pre team at a local, very good, gym and got in! I was thrilled! After a few months of pre-team training (and some intense summer practices ), I was told that I was ready to compete on the USAIGC Copper team. As of a few weeks ago, I competed for my first time with this team and won a few medals. I have improved so much at my current gym and hope to continue to grow in gymnastics.

 

[raenndrops]

My Story: Mostly Self-taught gymnast. Started with my older siblings thinking I was a pretzel when I was 3... they would bend me and twist me and (my "fav" - NOT) my brother would sit on my back - facing my feet, grab my feet, then lay down (arching his back over my head) to see how far he could get my feet to go... til the day he could finally put them on the ground over my head. I learned right leg splits, cartwheels, roundoffs, back bends, and handstand to bridge all by the age of 6. I could also do this flip around the low playground bar... like a bent knee middle circle, but my arms were under the bar and my hands were hooked over my knee.
In Middle school, my older cousin, a former high school gymnast, agreed to help me. She tried to teach me an aerial on a concrete ledge... I passed on that one. My school had a 12 inch high beam in the gym (on the stage). I was able to do cartwheels, roundoffs, and handstands to bridge on the beam. Of course, to get down, I had to do a little hop and separate my feet so I could land them on the floor. Then I would sit down on the beam and get up from there.
It took until I was almost 14 to be able to do a 1 handed cartwheel (I have to do a back arm one). I could never do a walkover or handspring because I didn't know the mechanics of it and ate mat every time.
OG's Story: Got her into gymnastics in April, 2006, when she was 4y, 5.5m because we were tired of her climbing the door frames and swinging from them. She did preschool gymnastics through June. In July, we got special permission for her to do Gymnastics Summer Camp (ages 5+ normally). She did so well that the HC placed her in the progressive rec level 2 class (ages 5+) for August. She stayed in that class through the following April. In May, she moved to progressive rec level 3 (2 days a week). She continued in the class in June, did Camp in July, rec level 3 August through March and Started Team L4 in April 2008 at the age of 6y, 5.5m. She competed L4 for 2 years (ages 7 & 8), competed L5 at 9 including Y Nationals, competed L6 at 10 (some coaching changes, poor advice, and vestibular issues, and PTSD made for a bad season). She was pressured to quit in August 2012. She told me in November 2012 that it was the "biggest mistake she ever made" and she rejoined the team. She competed Xcel Gold for the remainder of that season (January 2013-March 2013 and Y Nationals in Late June 2013). She also competed the 2013-14 season as an Xcel Gold and did well in our district, even though she suffered through some injuries and family drama set in again. The pressure finally got to her in September and she stopped going to practice. HC refused to let her "quit" so she is still a member of the team. She wants to go back and says she is returning this summer. She will compete Xcel Platinum (like she was GOING to compete this year).
YG's Story: She started the same time as OG, but she is 3 years younger. She began in Baby Gym at 17 months old (SUPPOSED to be 18 months old). She moved to preschool gym at 2y 6m (supposed to be 3). She was moved to progressive rec level 1 in March 2009 (was 4y 4m and supposed to be 5) and did her first Summer Camp at 4y 8m. In November 2009 (age 5), she moved up to progressive rec level 2. She moved up to rec level 3 in May 2010 and onto team in April 2011 (6y 5m). She competed L4 at ages 7 and 8 (but "quit" team from September-November with her sister... although she continued to go once a week or so when she could), New L3 at age 9, and Xcel Gold this season as a 10 year old, but the drama caused her to "quit" from October-November. She didn't start competing until January because she "didn't want to get in trouble." She will compete Xcel Gold next year too.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I don't know where I got the impression, but I thought you could only compete usag until 18- how cool to be able to do so past that age. That's info my DD will be overjoyed to have! You have some pretty intense training for xcel, which is also fantastic. Are you in the US? I assume because of competing usag, but I wasn't sure because your phrasing seems European. If you're in the US, did you find it hard to find a gym that would start training you for competition at 17? I know we had a hard time finding someone for my DD (for JO), at 13, so it's great that you are able to pursue it. I do know in t&t there are more adults that compete- one of the judges at my DDs meets still competes (in a special session before judging the comp) and she is older than I am. I am in awe of her...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My girl is 9, she will tell her story later as in at least 5 yrs from now. Not my story to tell.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

I'm 14, started gym when I was 8 or 9. I had coaches that put big skills in front of safety... I once fell on my head in a robhbt and was forced to get up and do another; despite my complaints of being dizzy and getting a headache. I ended up with a concussion that put me out for 2 months, and even then I could only condition. They made me do a bh on high beam after just getting it on the extender... split the beam and tore ligaments in my foot. I learned to hate gymnastics because of my coaches so I quit for 1 year. I came back, and went to a YMCA when I was 11; I joined in January. I competed as an old l4, didn't do great (high all around was a 35.35). The next year I competed new level 3 and did excellent-average all around was around a 37.6, hitting above 38s multiple times. This year I am competing new l4, and have suffered many injuries..... fractured finger x2, sprained ankle x2, shin splints, stress reactions in my shin and foot, broken toe, chipped knuckle. I've been out a while. My favorite event is floor, my least favorite is beam. Next year I will be switching to an USAG gym and doing xcel gold or platnium depending on the gym I decide on. I will then move on to l6/l7 (i have many upper level skills).

 

[emilykatherine]

I started when I was around 2-3 in a ballet/gymnastics class. Went to an actual gym around 4 and was in rec? I think... My brother broke his arm because a coach told him to try a back tuck... We left. 5 was a level 2... Didn't like he coach of level 2 tried level 3... LOVE IT! And was better at it than level 2

2 years or that then level 4... Quit when I was 10 and we moved states (that's why I quit), 11 started again in prep silver, 12 prep gold but broke my ankle and didn't compete, 13 gold again, 14 prep platinum.

In August of 2013 decided to stop competing bars, and compete level 7 and 8. This year 16 level 9. Next year I'll be a 9 again and hopefully a 10 senior year.

I train 4 days a week but I'm at the gym everyday cause I team pre team and Rec.

I sleep in my free time, I don't much during the week. I also hang out with my best friend she has a bed at my house, I have no one in the team my age the next closest is 2 years younger than me so it's nice to have some one I can talk to. We don't see each other much anymore sense I changed schools.

I love to watch Netflix too, specifically Greys anatomy. And last man standing.

 

[catou]

I started gymnastics at age 5, because they didn't offer class for younger kids. I was an active kid from a young age (I climbed on the top of the fridge at 2 years old and rode my bike at 4).

I did one year of rec, then pre-team and team. I trained 4 times a week, between 12 to 16 hours a week. I was the equivalent of a provincial 3 gymnast. I sopped at 15, because of injuries. In my career, from the age of 11, I broke 3 bones, had at least 2 ankle sprains, finger and toe sprains, psoas strain, tendonitis, osteochondritis... I almost had a private parking at the physical therapy clinic. The good thing is, everything is going well today. We'll see if it stays the same in a couple of years

I've been a coach since 14 years old. I'm happy to say that none of my gymnasts has had an injury as serious as the ones I've had.

 

[flippinam]

I started gymnastics just a few weeks before I turned 12 (2009) at a gym that had no team & very unstructured rec programs. After I had been there for three months, the gym decided to create a team. They invited me to be onto the old level 4 team. However, we didn't start team practices until May & competition season starts in August. So, for the first 5 months, I went for 1 hr/week. Then, once we started team practices, we still only practiced 3 hrs/week. Despite this I had a good level 4 season, consistently scoring in the 36 range & placing on all events except vault (which is quite ironic, considering the rest of my story).
Two months later, I scored out of old level 5.
That spring/summer I trained for old level 6 & our hours went up to 5 hrs/week, which is still very low. I competed level 6 in the fall (2011) and had a very rough season, scoring 31-32 AA & rarely placing. Also, the week before the first meet, I peeled off the high bar & sprained both elbows. I missed qualifying for state by one place.
I repeated level 6 the next fall (2012) & had a little bit better season (33-34 AA), but still not great. I consistently placed on vault, but I had a very rough time on bars & beam due to the BWO. I was out of the gym for 4 weeks with a disc torsion right before the season started, so I struggled with back issues all year. At south state I had my worst meet of the season & missed qualifying for state by one place & .05.
The next fall (2013), I repeated that level AGAIN, except it was new level 5. I had a great season! I consistently scored 36+ & was on the podium at every meet. I finally qualified for state & was state champion on vault & 2nd on FX & AA! This was also my first season without a certain coach who hated me. She constantly berated me & was the cause of my back injury the previous year. I came very close to quitting because of her as there are no other gym options where I live. The summer before, our hours had increased to 12 hrs/week.
That spring (2014), I competed a very brief new level 6 season & did very well! I scored 37 AAs & got 3rd on vault & beam at state. That summer, our hours increased to 20 hrs/week but dropped back to 12 hrs/week when school started.
This year, I am competing level 7 & having a good season. I've gotten some 36 AAs & have been on the podium at several meets. I've also been consistently scoring 9.6+ on vault. State is this weekend!! The whole year, I've been struggling with a shoulder injury & recently I've had severe dizziness & balance issues, so I'm not sure if I'll even be able to compete AA at state.
So, in my 5 year career, I have always been the "guinea pig" of my club. I was on the first team, was one of the first to compete level 6, one of the first to compete optionals, one of the first to compete level 7, & the first & so far only state champion (hopefully this will change)!
It isn't possible for us to practice more that 12 hrs/week during the school year because we are part of an athletic facility that only allows us to use the gym at certain times (they prioritize birthday parties...).
I will judge compulsory next season & I coach developmental preschoolers during summer.

 

[GYM0M]

I love all these stories! Very inspirational & uplifting!

 

[xxStumpyxx]

My girl is 9, she will tell her story later as in at least 5 yrs from now. Not my story to tell.

Why reply to this thread then?

Just asking...

My youngest daughter does also not have much of a story to tell as she is young - if that is what you meant Idw4mlo

Story so far
Pre school gym until starting school
Rec for a year or 2
Development group at the moment, changing groups and increasing days and hours.

Oldest daughter doing very well, lots of success at competitions, big things planned for this year for her that I don't feel I can put on an open forum as the UK is a small place....

 

[Ali'sMom]

I don't know where I got the impression, but I thought you could only compete usag until 18- how cool to be able to do so past that age. That's info my DD will be overjoyed to have!

At a meet in December, there was a 32 year old XP
Age groups aside, she came in 2nd out of 4.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Why reply to this thread then?

Just asking...

My point was I don't have a gymnast story. Even 10 years from now I won't have a gymnast story. My story is a parent of gymnast. My daughter in 5 years will be old enough to join if she wants and share.

Would rather hear from the gymnasts. I enjoy hearing from the gymnasts.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

My point was I don't have a gymnast story. Even 10 years from now I won't have a gymnast story. My story is a parent of gymnast. My daughter in 5 years will be old enough to join if she wants and share.

Would rather hear from the gymnasts. I enjoy hearing from the gymnasts.

I get what you mean now, sorry if I caused any offence by asking.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I get what you mean now, sorry if I caused any offence by asking.

No biggie you asked, I answered.

 

[Vivianflips]

My first gymnastics experience was in preschool, it was my current coach actually that would come into my preschool and teach a class once a month. Fast forward to me at 12 years old (2013 almost 13 yo), I decided I wanted to do gymnastics again! After begging my mom for months she allowed me to sign up for level 1 rec classes at a local gym in my hometown (I spend my summers there). I loved it! Especially vault which is where I excelled! I was by far the oldest person in the class and most everyone was a foot shorter than me but I didn't care. That summer I quickly learned how to do a backbend, bridge, and more! Then the mental blocks hit when I started gymnastics in FL (where I live). I struggled with mental blocks all over the place and spent about a year conditioning to build my strength for other skills. In spring 2014 I went to a gymnastics camp at my current gym and finally started learning skills again! My new coach helped me work through my mental blocks and learn skills that I could have easily done if it wasn't for some slight issue (straight arms in pullovers etc). I am now very happy at my current gym which is rec only. I hope to compete this year at the gym I first started at in FL, I left because I couldn't learn under their coaches. Now they're getting new owners so I'm hopeful things will be much better! I'm a level 3 in USAG standards. I currently only train 2 1/2 hours a week.

 

[juststartingout]

My daughters story is a short one too since she is 9. She started at almost 6yo at what I would consider a preschool gym. It had 1 floor beam, they would put mats under each end to raise it up for them. They had 2 single low bars (no high bar), 1 vault but they only had a 3rd of a regular runway and just a small square for floor. Origionally I went to sign my 2yo up and my gymnast was just coming with her to watch. She was so shy she would not do any activity although I continued to try. She watched my 2yos class sitting in splits. So when it was over the coaches asked if she wanted to try a class and to my surprise she said yes. They started her in an advanced class because she had so many floor skills from her older sister who was a cheerleader. She stayed there for about 6 months and loved it. They kept saying during this time that they were getting a full sized gym but it just kept falling through so we left since dd wanted to compete. We went to their other location which had a USAIGC team. This gym was bigger and she cried the first 3 months about going out on the floor but once she was out there she would have a blast. I almost switched her back to the old gym but she finally got used to it and stopped. Her first year at the new gym she competed copper novice, the next year she competed copper. She had all her bronze skills but could not get over that darn vault table. Towards the end of her second season I was seeing a lot of safety issues and half the girls on her team had on some kind of brace due to injury. At that point I decided to pull her and we found a USAG gym. They started her at level 4 but she struggled all season due to lack of conditioning at her old gym. She almost had her kip at her old gym but they didn't use grips there. Changing to grips provided a real struggle for her. She also continued to struggle on vault. I expected she would do 4 this next season again but it seems now that the season is over she is doing well on the kip and better on vault. She is having a much easier time learning her level 5 skills too. The coach said she plans to have her do 1 or 2 level 4 meets then compete 5 next season. If she continues to do really well they want to score her out of 4 before the season even starts so we'll see. My daughter has gained so much confidence through gymnastics. I thought for sure she would never go on the floor to compete considering she would cry just going on the floor for class but she strangely loves to compete.

 

[GymCMLA]

My Gymnastics story - I got to do some little community center gymnastics when I was in elementary school, never consistently as I was "a baton twirler". But I liked classes and asked to sign up when ever they offered and we could afford it. I remember the wooden gym floor with panel mats, a "slippery" vault, the metal single low bar and a beam that was raised but not tall. I don't think I went after I was about 10 (but let's face it, I am getting old and may not remember the timeline well) I know I didn't go once in middle school.
I got to high school and we had a no cut freshman policy for all sports, so I "tried out" for gymnastics. It was a wonderful place for me. I was awful, but I loved it and since I wasn't very good, there were no expectations from me (I had a lot of pressure in music and academics and at home) But the gym was my sanctuary. Now we had a PE teacher and a Spanish teacher as coaches. We had a vault, springboard, 2 sets of bars (and it was a huge deal to the USAG kids when we got "extenders" for the bars in 1990), 2 beams and a ectofoam floor. Oh and one resi I got hardest worker award all 4 years. I made varsity vault doing a 1/2 1/2 my senior year, but I didn't get to compete b/c I broke my patella (the injury didn't occur in the gym). IL was a strong gym state for high school and the varisty kids on our team were mostly the equivalent of level 8-9's. I remember all the rules about only 2 girls form any one HS team could train at the same private gym. By the time I was a Sophomore, there was a "real gym" in my town and I would ride my bike there and use my babysitting money to go to open gym.
I did get brave and show my gymmie the one and only video of me doing gymnastics last summer, bent knees and falls on my cartwheel on beam and my "stop" before each BHS. But I credit gym as being my rock in the world of high school.
I did take an adult tumble fit class about 6 years ago, it was fun and I got my BHS back on the wedge It's the little things. (PS. it is hard to do trampoline after 4 babies )

 

[Lizzy Brennan]

A little info: The only gym within a 45 mile radius is our YMCA gym that operates under USAG. This is the only gym I've ever attended.
It all started when I was about 7-8ish. I was an active (read as extremely energetic) child who had zero fear. I was introduced to the sport by my summer day care provider whose husband is a coach, and by her daughter, who used to compete. One of the fellow daycare girls was on the gymnastics team (old level 3), and, during the summer, would show off her skills. I thought that that was the coolest thing ever, so I tried. Turns out, I was actually ok! I can always remember being able to do a cartwheel and bridge, so being able to try new things was awesome. My babysitter recommended to my mom that I get in the gym, and learn in a structured environment.
So, my mom called to have me tested for a progressive class because she had no idea what progressive level I needed to start at. I ended up starting in the level three hot shots class at age 8ish! I think that I did this for about a year, consistently staying in the top progressive class, and was invited onto team in April. Little me, though, didn't want to join team because of issues with snotty girls that were also in progressive classes with me, so I took some time off.
Fast forward to age 11-12ish. I was getting the itch. Gymnastics was definitely calling my name again, so, I went back to the progressive level 3 class. I continued these classes again, until the early spring, right around when team invites went out. Then I got sick, and had to have my tonsils and adenoids out, putting me out of the gym. By the end of those couple of weeks I was so ready to be back in the gym! Turns out that my mom had completely forgotten to sign me back up as a new session had started when I was out. I was heartbroken, and my mom felt horrible. I have an amazing coach though, who had no issue with allowing me to start practicing with the level 2 and 3 team girls, and other new team girls.
My first competitive season was in 2013 as a 13 yr old level 3. That was a fun/easy season. I won first all around at every meet I went to, and was even the state champ!
The next year I competed new level 4 as a 14 yr old. That was not my best season. I barely placed, and didn't place at state, but I was not discouraged. September of this year I also started coaching the progressive kids, and younger team girls! I have a lot of fun with coaching the team girls, and thrive on seeing them excel.
This year I competed as an excel platinum as a 15 yr old. I had a lot of fun with my routines, and am excited to compete at nationals this summer! Although I am not a consistent placer, I have learned to have fun with it and do what I can to help the team score!
Right now, I am a mess. I also play JV high school softball, so it is very hard for me to make it to our two gymnastics practices a week. I intend to start going in to the gym on my free time and just keep up with conditioning and maintaining the skills that I already have. It is so hard to try and get back in the groove of things after a break, and my bars tonight really showed that... Mental blocks have suddenly hit me hard, which is strange because I am pretty fearless.
This summer, I am going to work extremely hard to hopefully pass through level 5 and compete as a level 7 next season.
In the future, I intend to continue coaching the younger team girls at my current gym, and, someday, become a head coach either here or somewhere else!