Age or level for grips

[gymchick14]

I would suggest level 5 but it really depends on the gymnast. I got mine before I got my kip, because I had just returned from a long break from gymnastics and my hands were severely ripping. I sometimes see (at meets) level 4s wearing grips and it seems to bother the younger ones.

It really depends on the gymnast. If she wants grips for understandable reasons, example: my hands keep ripping, grips are a good idea. If she just wants grips because "the older girls have them" you might want to hold out.

 

[Caligirlzz]

Thanks gymchick, she wants them to have them not for a good reason.

 

[fuzi]

We let our girls get grips when they have a solid kip and are working level 5. Generally, we require them to have grips before they start jumping to the high bar, although sometimes younger and smaller level 5s to not get grips until later, as they have not developed a good grip on the bar without grips.

As for level 4s using grips, mill circles are very awkward with any sort of dowel grip, although it can be done.

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

When we started to learn a kip.

Fuzi... I don't know anyone that even had those little palm guards when they were learning their mill circle!! We even used to do them on the railings in the playground!

 

[gymnut1]

When we started to learn a kip.

Fuzi... I don't know anyone that even had those little palm guards when they were learning their mill circle!! We even used to do them on the railings in the playground!

haha I did that too! and on the top of my swing frame!

 

[kelsey12995]

in our gym we get them once we start working skills on the high bar.

 

[TwistersGymnast]

Ours is dowel grips at evel 5 perferred and level 6 and above required.

 

[gym mom]

typically at our gym unless they came from another gym do not wear grips till L7.

 

[ckpn]

What is the scientific evidence for for this? Almost all children who are going to wear grips have them before they are 12. Surely that many children are not being put at risk. What are junior grips. I haven't heard of them. Why dont they have the same effect as grips. I am interested as all our club have grips as soon as their hands are big enough (about age 6 -7)

Woah!! I typically go by skill over age or level. We want kids to strengthen their arms, hands, and fingers. When you start wearing grips, they act as a crutch so you don’t have to develop those muscles as much bc the dowel grip does it’s job and helps us stay on that bar with less energy and effort, thereby not working those muscles to the same extent as you would with no grips. We don’t even think about grips until jumping to the high bar and actually SWINGING bars. You don’t need them for a pull over, back hip circle, dismount routine

 

[HopefulGymnast]

Woah!! I typically go by skill over age or level. We want kids to strengthen their arms, hands, and fingers. When you start wearing grips, they act as a crutch so you don’t have to develop those muscles as much bc the dowel grip does it’s job and helps us stay on that bar with less energy and effort, thereby not working those muscles to the same extent as you would with no grips. We don’t even think about grips until jumping to the high bar and actually SWINGING bars. You don’t need them for a pull over, back hip circle, dismount routine

Totally agree with the skill thing, though I will say age plays a part when you're getting to larger gymnasts. I'm in adult gymnastics and a friend of mine is... idk, maybe 5 foot 9? She rips when doing basic swings, which I think is a combo of her gripping too tightly and just all that weight on the hands. I think for kids under 12 or so you won't have that issue, but I can imagine with xcel gymnasts you can have a larger gymnast with early growth spurt every now and then? My friend uses beginner grips without dowels now, and I think she's very happy with them.
Personally, I started gymnastics as an adult (5 foot 5) 3 years ago, I got grips after 1 year when I got my kip, because I kept ripping when practising kips and because that's usually a point where they reccomend it. I already had tap swings, jump to high bar and baby giants without grips. I think those work fine without grips. However, I do notice even with grips I rip a lot on my toe shoot catch now.

 

[raenndrops]

The girls are allowed to get dowel grips at Level 4. If they get rips, they can use palm grips before that. We never REQUIRE grips though. One of our former gymnasts got grips in her 2nd year of Level 8. My OG TRIED grips at old L5 ... and Old L6 ... and Xcel Gold ... and L6 (she didn't like dowels, so she got Ten-0 pre-dowel grips, not to be confused with palm grips). YG TRIED them at Xcel Gold and Platinum, but preferred palm grips or no grips. LSS is in Xcel Platinum and hasn't even considered trying grips.

 

[JBS]

https://chalkbucket.com/articles/gymnastics-grips-guide-buying-tips-from-a-coach.3/

 

[Gym4.eva]

Sheesh I say grips around level gold (kips and jumping to high bar)

 

[superNova08]

At my first gym, they were a requirement in L5/Xcel Gold and up. I got mine the summer before my Gold season. I switched gyms in between Silver and Gold and they weren't required at the new gym at any level, and I was even encouraged to learn skills without them and then put them on. The rule was though if you had them, you either wore them or you didn't. There was no off-and-on of the grips during bars. If you were wearing them they went on at the beginning of bars and off at the end (the caveat being if you got a bloody rip you could take them off to deal with it).

I think they should be an option once you get a straight-arm kip and/or are working high bar skills. I had my hip-cast-BHC before grips as well as a squat-on. But overall I would adhere to your gym's policy.