adult competitions

[hopeeternal]

i'm looking for information on adult competitions or venues to do routines in front of people....not necessarily aau or professional group certified.
i'm currently in a class with teens all of whom have had a competition already to prep them to go onwards. i see them drastically improve after each attempt at a competition. i am at a relatively low level and need to get out there to work on competition skills that probably can only be done if you compete. also, the coaches only seem to take you seriously if there is a 'competition' coming up soon in your schedule. there must be others like me who are not at a level 7 or 8 but would like to be one of these days. travel is an option with enough notice to make plans for work/coach schedules. i see aau comps out there but limited to under 18 for the lower levels. i saw a notice out there for kentucky but am not sure if lower level adults would even be welcomed. any ideas?

 

[Aussie_coach]

There are not a lot of adult competitions anywhere in the world due to the fact that there are not enough adults to make a lot of money by running them. But adults can compete in most competitions with the kids. Most of the levels will have an older division ie 14 years and over, where the kids are pretty much adult sized anyway. USAG comps for females don't have an age limit to my knowledge.

Don't worry about not being welcomed, I don't think it would be a big issue. Check out any comp and if they don't have an age limit (which they probably won't) then you would be welcome to compete. Every competitor is extra money for the competition, not many of them will refuse to take your money. The only thing to do is to make sure you are not competing at a level below your ability level. If the division is far too easy for you the parents may complain about it being unfair but if its clear that your ability level matches the division you have chosen then you should be fine.

 

[hopeeternal]

i've noticed that the competitions listed on the aau site are mostly all for 18 and under except for the winter national in feb. i've been told that for usag competitions (which are the ones that the gym i frequent, goes to) - there is no option for adults, dollars or not. i've signed up to do an 'exhibition' in december in a local gym. i guess that's the closest i'm going to get unless i hear from some coaches out there that may be doing small scale competitions in their areas that wouldn't mind an outsider joining in for the practice. thanks for your reponse!

 

[nicci1999]

What about prep op or USAIGC? Those are always an option too!

 

[katy]

two years ago we competed the aau jr. olympics. one of the ladies on our team did it just for fun and hadn't done it in 20 years. her bar routine was either a pull over or a kip, back hip, squat on, long hang pull over, back hip circle, sole circle dismount. beam was a cartwheel, split leap, full turn, round off dismount.
have fun and good luck. research the pre op (usag) and the usaigc websites for competitions.
join us in ohio for the aau meet if it isn't too far. our gym has 4 or 5 adults going.

 

[katy]

i forgot, for the aau, you would want to do the ladies division modified optionals. bars, beam, and floor requirements: 4 A skills and 1 B skills. there is a small deduction if you don't have everything. you don't have to do all four events and you can wear biker shorts (form fitting).

 

[jfur]

My gym is the one looking to set up a competition in Northern Ky. As far as you being welcome, we would love to have you! We would like to be able to have a wide range of levels as many of our adults would be competing just one or two events at the most basic level. At this point we are really just deciding if there is enough interest to actually set one up, but keep an eye on the other thread if you are interested in traveling to KY!

 

[teena82]

A lot of adults don't do gymnastics period because of what the insurance companies charge gym owners to allow adults.

I never understood this. When I started we had to sign consent forms. When I broke my foot it's not like the gym was going to pay for my surgery, I filed with my insurance.

 

[nicci1999]

I never understood this. When I started we had to sign consent forms. When I broke my foot it's not like the gym was going to pay for my surgery, I filed with my insurance.

It's not for them to pay for you if you injure yourself, that only is covered at meets by your USAG membership. It's so you don't sue them if you do a yurchenko and break your neck, that is what you would have signed. Like before surgery, you sign a consent form saying your family won't sue if something goes wrong, like you dying

 

[Aussie_coach]

This all seems very unfair. In Australia it costs exactly the same for insurance whether you are an adult or a kid. Virtually every single gym here offers adult classes and there is even one gym that does only adult classes 6 days a week.

 

[BlairBob]

NAIGC works for anyone college aged so long as the host gym will allow due to their insurance.

You can compete as an alumni of ANY college if you are connected to a collegiate club.

Very inexpensive, too.