Parents Advice needed - trying to understand training hours

[GymnastPotterhead]

You don't even need a BHS in platinum if your gym allows it! Competed platinum this past season, I did round off layout and front pike or round off layout and round off tuck. On beam, I did round offs. I just cant do back handsprings. The only place I can do them is tumble track, that too only step outs. I've just accepted it tbh.

 

[Flipsrus]

My daughter competed silver for the second time this past season. Did well, mid to high 9s in all events. They trained 12 hours a week for the full year last year.
We just got the training schedule for the summer and hours have dropped to 9. We won't know the fall schedule until end of summer.
I am trying to understand the ins and outs of this. She's obviously not setting the gymnastics world on fire but she does enjoy the sport and wants to progress. She would like to go gold this year but knows there are skills that need serious work.

Why would hours be reduced? Am I meant to read between the lines and take that as these kids have kind of tapped out and won't be progressing? Could it be due to lack of coaches? Was 12 hours just way out of line for Xcel standards?
I have asked the gym but haven't heard back. My daughter doesn't want me to press it but for many reasons I would like to know the answers. I thought this forum might have some insight.

She doesn't want to change gyms so if she doesn't progress this will spell the end of the line for her - she'll get frustrated and want to leave. Which would be a huge shame because the benefits are so numerous.

Thanks for any insight.

12 hours is too much for silver, especially not working BHS. My silvers go 4 hrs and all have their BHS. I would see how the summer plays out first. She will need a roundoff BHS for gold as it is the easiest floor pass imo.

 

[MaryBrooke]

So here's a related question...

If Xcel is meant to be a vehicle that allows kids to test out and into level 6, how will they have the skills necessary with a fraction of the training hours? Are there really any kids that test out?

 

[Lurker]

So here's a related question...

If Xcel is meant to be a vehicle that allows kids to test out and into level 6, how will they have the skills necessary with a fraction of the training hours? Are there really any kids that test out?

I wouldn't say Xcel is "meant to be a vehicle" it's just another path. Hours vary greatly gym to gym. But even if your goal is to get to level 6, my DD as a level 4 will be at 9 hours and her gym does not complete 5 so will go from 4 to 6.

 

[MaryBrooke]

Someday I'm going to get my phD in gymnastics...

She'll have long quit the sport by then, lol

 

[NutterButter]

So here's a related question...

If Xcel is meant to be a vehicle that allows kids to test out and into level 6, how will they have the skills necessary with a fraction of the training hours? Are there really any kids that test out?

Therein lies the secret sauce of training.

Gyms that use Xcel instead of DP compulsories will have training similar to that of DP (steps in skill progression and more emphasis on strength and conditioning).

I know you heard from others that a ROBHS is not required in any level of Xcel but it IS required in DP. She will not be able to score out of L4 w/o it.

 

[Loopy]

Perhaps they are restructuring the training so they can have smaller groups and do less hours. A smaller group means less waiting around for your turn, and the same can be achieved in a smaller amount of time. This could easily be happening over summer where people tend to go on vacations.

And her scores sound fine so don't stress - it sounds like there is probably just that one skill that is holding her back from competing a level up. For a lot of kids it'll be a kip but a back hand spring is often a culprit too. My eldest nearly competed without it last year (she had it, but had a significant knee injury 6 weeks before the first comp and lost it - our club wanted her to drop back a level but she didn't want to have to relearn the old routine after having learned the new one so they let her compete anyway after her knee was healed). She got it back in the warm up for the first comp she did, so just in time.
They can compete without it and do a round off instead but they lose points. Shes not doing Xcel so its not optional what she does though.

 

[raenndrops]

So here's a related question...

If Xcel is meant to be a vehicle that allows kids to test out and into level 6, how will they have the skills necessary with a fraction of the training hours? Are there really any kids that test out?

Xcel is NOT a vehicle that allows kids to test out and into level 6, but some gyms use it that way.
If the gymnast is at least 12 years old and has the skills, USAG says that a gymnast who is a minimum of 12 years of age is eligible to petition by submitting a formal written request to the SAC for entry into Level 7 and below. The petition must be accompanied by a video that demonstrates her skill level.
If she is not at least 12, she would either need to score out of level 4 (with a 34.0 or better) and level 5 (with a 32.0 or better) ... or do 2 score outs at level 4 earning a 36.0 or higher both times.

Pretty much, if a gymnast is ready for Xcel Platinum, then she should have the skills to compete level 6.

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

I know you heard from others that a ROBHS is not required in any level of Xcel but it IS required in DP. She will not be able to score out of L4 w/o it.

Off topic, but what is the score you need to score out of L4?

 

[Sandpapertongue]

Off topic, but what is the score you need to score out of L4?

34

 

[Byram78]

Is it possible they are just downgrading the hours for summer?

In our gym Xcel silver train 9 hours a week, for summer they will do 6 hours a week and only for the month of July they will have a break in August. They would then go back to 9 hours in September or 12 hours if they go up to Gold.