MAG A spin off post on re: skipping levels

[Ceetee]

I have a 9 year old level 5 who had a good year...64/65 AA score... Plan right now is for L6 next year and skip to 8 the following, although there was also some talk about skipping 6 and going to 7 at one point. What is a typical progression...are there advantages to skipping 6 vs 7?

 

[skschlag]

IMO, it makes more sense to skip 7 than 6. 6 has quite a few basic skills that will help in the future. 7 is a tougher level, and many of the skills can be worked on while a 6 or training for 8.

That being said, my ds did all the levels, and I do think doing 6 and 7, then 8, prepared him well to be a level 8,, and hopefully next year, a 9.

 

[profmom]

Agreed 100%. If there is to be skipping. 7 is a better level to skip than 6. L6 has a lot of very important foundational skills in the routines and bonuses that it's worth taking the time to master. Full bonus L7 routines are pretty much good enough for L8 anyway in most regards, so there's not a big difference for an 11 year old to do 7 or 8 if the skills are well in hand. But regardless of what levels are competed or skipped, the foundational skills should be mastered before bigger optional skills are on the table.

 

[ZJsMom]

I agree with the consensus that 7 is the one to skip.

 

[sce]

Wow, that is a great level 5 year! Congrats to him. I've seen gyms choose either path. Some do 6 and skip 7, some skip 6 and do 7. Either way, getting good training on skills like giants is what matters.

 

[gracyomalley]

Although my oldest skipped 6, I would say that for most kids doing 6 then skipping 7 makes more sense (or doing both). Level 7 with bonuses really could be level 8, and level 6 with bonuses teaches a kid almost everything level 7 does - IF the kid is a strong tumbler and on vault....full bonus L6 has many of the support event skills needed for 7/progression to 8, but L6 floor and vault are very easy compared to L8 options....and my son spent most of this year focusing on progression, not routines - so he's really ready to build many of his L8 routines already - doing L7 this year was a "building year" - he did well overall but didn't spend time perfecting a twisting yami, for instance, but worked on his Tsuk and his FHS-FT vaults....

My older boy really just needed to "get a move on" things - and hasn't gotten full bonuses at L7, but in retrospect L6 would have been super easy and boring for him....plus he's "old" - at 14, and a late starter, but has good form in everything he does and his weaker events (pommel primarily, but also Pbars and some rings skills in past) have come a huge way this year with strength and additional training - and at L8 he'll be fine....he actually placed in pommel at states! (small group, but still)....

Our team has far more kids repeat than skip - and some even do 3 years a level - taking the time to get form and strength at some point is key - my younger boy is really starting to put those together (finally) - and a second year of L6 will do him wonders if he continues to like gym and work hard...

 

[2G1B]

Our gym skips 7. It is my understanding that generally if the boys aren't ready for 8 after level 6 then they repeat 6. I think that we do have one boy who did level 7 this year; but that was because he wasn't old enough for level 8.

 

[Gymmomofeach]

I understood from talk at the gym from more advanced parents that level 7 important to compete. Level 7 gymnasts MUST compete compulsory skills and can build their routines with MANY bonuses immolating an optional routine. I was told that skipping level 7 to do level 8 was an easy out for an older gymnast to not have to do skills that weren't mastered. I could have gotten bad information, so would like to hear comments as well. I was told that it's best to do all compulsory levels, if your gymnast's goal is to reach the national team...that skipping to level 8 sometimes meant the gymnast may retire soon or compete for fun and exercise versus aspiring to be at the elite level...

 

[sce]

I understood from talk at the gym from more advanced parents that level 7 important to compete. Level 7 gymnasts MUST compete compulsory skills and can build their routines with MANY bonuses immolating an optional routine. I was told that skipping level 7 to do level 8 was an easy out for an older gymnast to not have to do skills that weren't mastered. I could have gotten bad information, so would like to hear comments as well. I was told that it's best to do all compulsory levels, if your gymnast's goal is to reach the national team...that skipping to level 8 sometimes meant the gymnast may retire soon or compete for fun and exercise versus aspiring to be at the elite level...

That does not seem to be be the prevailing sentiment of the many gyms in my area. Many skip either 6 or 7. The number of boys competing at level 7 is very small. With the older athletes, it seems skipping is in part to get them in age in the upper levels.

 

[gracyomalley]

A year ago I secretly hoped DS would skip from L5 to L8 - so he could avoid the skills he struggled with on a few events. He will be in high school next year, and started gym rather late (almost 11) so not much time. However, after a year of L7 (skipped L6) he has really improved on those difficult skills/events and now can see himself truely as an all around L10 someday. (before event specialist was his highest dream). It was a lot to learn, going from 5-7, and had he expected to score well (his highest L5 score was about 60) he would've been unhappy - as he had so much to learn it took until regionals to really get to mastery of L7 - he did always place and often win multiple events, but he was in the old age group...your son will be in a competitive age group in either level.

Very few boys will do elite or college gym...so for most that's not in the equation. For the few that it is I'd think the more important question would be are they doing future stars, are they with good coaches with experience training upper level superstars? etc. Our L10 who did future stars and went to nationals repeatedly as a youngster still hit the "teen slump" and keeping him in the gym has been the challenge - but that may be coaching related.

Lastly, if the coaches have good experience, then trusting them really does make the most sense. What works for one kid may not for another. There was a kid in our state who did 3 years at L5, winning regionals a few times and scoring like your son. He skipped 6 and is now an 8 (I don't remember if he did L7). He really struggled as a 12 year old L8 this year. I thought it was crazy that they kept him in L5 so long - but I suspect his coaches knew something about him...in any case each kid is different.

 

[skschlag]

I like that D did a year of 7. I do think it prepared him for optionals.

 

[ZJsMom]

I understood from talk at the gym from more advanced parents that level 7 important to compete. Level 7 gymnasts MUST compete compulsory skills and can build their routines with MANY bonuses immolating an optional routine. I was told that skipping level 7 to do level 8 was an easy out for an older gymnast to not have to do skills that weren't mastered. I could have gotten bad information, so would like to hear comments as well. I was told that it's best to do all compulsory levels, if your gymnast's goal is to reach the national team...that skipping to level 8 sometimes meant the gymnast may retire soon or compete for fun and exercise versus aspiring to be at the elite level...

I agree that someone heading for the national team is not likely to skip 7. I think there's a middle ground, really a big middle ground, between aspiring to the national team and doing gym for the short run for fun. My DS aspires to JO Nationals and potentially NCAA, but definitely isn't national team material. He skipped 7 and I think plenty of the middling guys do.

 

[samuel310]

My DS went from a 9 yo level 5 who scored 65 at regionals to level 7 this past year. The reason being so he could keep up with elite and future stars kids. It was very difficult early, especially high bar but by the end of the season he was very successful (5th at regionals). I think if your goal is the same as my ds' coach then you should skip 6 but if you are not planning FS and are ok with optionals starting a bit later (12 instead of 11) then I wouldn't skip the level. There is no doubt in my mind that DS would have been in mid to high 60s if he didn't skip 6 but with success at the end we are happy with the decision.

 

[2G1B]

Really, I think that there are so many roads that can lead to so many places. Each kid might take a different route and might change his mind about where he is going. My DS used to have a team mate who skipped level 7 (they are at different gyms now). His first year at level 8 he made nationals, though I don't remember how he did. This year he is a 14 yo level JE 9 and he finished very well at nationals this year. Honestly, I think that national team is his goal and I think that he has a decent chance at it.

 

[profmom]

DS is another one who's hoping to skip 7 and go to 8. He had strong years at L5 in 2013-14 and L6 in 2014-15. He could have gone to L6 in 2013-14 after only one year of L5, but the coaches decided that an extra year for building foundations would be good for everyone. I'm still waiting to see how that decision will play out for him and expect we won't know until he's L9.

His coach's plan for playing catch up is that, starting tomorrow, the Future Stars crazy train will be leaving the station. As I understand it, there are two regularized ways to walk into L8 ready to go -- one is to have mostly full bonus L7 routines the previous season, and the other is to make it to FS nationals as an 11 year old and use those routines as a base. They usually correlate, but don't have to. I don't think DS will make nationals, but if he trains hard all summer, he should have some good stuff with which to work.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

I have an 8 year old L6 who did middle of the road L6, but that is misleading. He did really well on 3 events and not so well on 3 events. He also switched from a small, rural gym to a large city gym in the middle of the season. He is not old enough to skip any level, but we are debating holding him to L6 with uptraining. The coach wants him L7, but I wonder why. He would have to repeat L7 2 years anyway due to age. Which is better? Going L6 again and hoping those 3 events improve, or doing L7 for 2 years? FS is not offered at him gym, as they feel it's tedious and takes away from base routines, although my son would love to do FS. I am still learning this sport.

In your son's case, I would probably have him do 7, since his L5 year was so good. If he can do HB giants, I don't know what else could hold him back.

 

[Byrd_USA]

My 11 yr old skipped 6. Won at States, went to Regionals. Another boy lvl 6, is skipping 7 because he is older.
So let the coaches coach.

Couple of notes I would like to share.
First injurys. Whether to chance or increase in skills difficulty. DS had a tough year.
The other concern is teammates.
Felt that his old team pushed themselves and gelled more than the boys on his lvl 7 team. That will change this summer though since a Nationals winner will stay lvl 8 because of his age,12.