WAG Any tips for getting used to grips?

[LizzieLac]

Hi,

My 12-year old DD training level 6-7 skills just got grips - yikes! She hasn't started training giants yet, just cast to handstand. So, I think the timing is good, but she is sort of re-learning all of the bars skills she has. She actually missed her kip a couple of times the other night using the grips. I am sure she is going to get this figured out pretty quickly, but for anyone with experience training with grips I would appreciate tips.

Thanks!

 

[wallinbl]

The coaches will likely have a better response, but having just watched DD and her teammates get them this past January, I'd say the answer is give it time.

 

[sglemon]

Did she spend time breaking them in when she first recieved them? Rolling them up and down, bending them, etc... We spent an hour in front of the TV one evening just rolling her grips back and forth, softening the leather. That makes a big difference. It is normal to lose some skills in the beginning, but she should be right back where she started in about 2 weeks. The girls spent a lot of time just swinging on the bars at first, before doing basic skills. They wouldn't let them go to the high bar until the coaches felt the grips were broken in enough.

 

[Jabba]

Time and determination. A lot of it is just attitude. My girls started using grips this year (L5). We went from all excited (while looking through catalogs, anticipation of them arriving, etc.) to not so fond of them once we had them. At first, I heard a lot of "can i just try one without my grips?" (to which my answer was nope!). I explained to them that they need grips for the harder skills they are going to learn, they have to use them and they are their responsibility. I also made a rule that they can't talk about them on bars. no excuses, no i could do this if it werent for the grips. That pretty much did it. After a few days they accepted them and were all fine.

It takes some getting used to at first, but the biggest thing is that no matter what they did before, they have to accept that they use grips now. They have to lose the thought that "this would be easier without my grips." She'll be fine and get used to them as long as she has that attitude.

 

[LizzieLac]

She knows she needs to try to soften the leather by rolling them, but I swear she hasn't had time. Off days from gym are packed with dostor appointments and homework!! I'll have to remind her to try to break them in some as soon as she some free time. I think she has a positive attitude about, so I am sure she will be fine.

What about water? She was a big believer in water with chalk before the grips, and I have seen some girls try to spray a little water against their palms, but I am guessing it isn't great for the leather.

 

[BlairBob]

I do not like the girls softening up their grips with water. Ever.

However, it often becomes an accepted ritual and tradition in gyms. To me, it's just dumb. I have never seen a men's gymnast do this at any level nor heard of it.

 

[cbifoja]

If your child is stubborn as mine is, reverse psychology might be an option.

Our HC told Bella that she would hate grips and that she wouldn't want to wear them. Bella is hard headed enough that she wasn't about to let her coach be right. She never complained about them once and was flat out determined to break them in. Stayed late after practice working bars for about a week. Had her kip back in two days. Now of course, like all the others, she can't stand to do bars without them.

 

[gym law mom]

It just takes time. Are the coaches letting her do extra tap swings etc. My gymmie completely lost her kip(was between her L6 and 7 seasons) when she got the grips. Some of it was her just thinking about how she didn't like the grips. Most of the grips should break in by doing some extra bar work(just the basics) in 1-2 weeks.

 

[gardenia01]

I agree with gym law mom - it just takes time and lots of swings on bars. My dd also got them between her Level 6 and Level 7 season and it was not easy getting her skills back, especially circling skills like the free hip, but they did all come back in about two weeks. It's a pain every time she has to break in a new pair - something we've gone through twice now.