Parents Artistic and Rhythmic

[Tess18]

Anyone's child practised both rhythmic and artistic gymnastics? Would love to hear opinions/ experiences

 

[Coach Kate]

We have had a couple on our teams in recent years but they only did low levels in each and then fizzled out in both, so that's my only experience. One was very talented in rhythmic but she didn't like how strict the training was.

 

[Pfiga]

My younger daughter (11) does both, on Xcel teams. As background, both she and her older sister (13) started artistic around age 2, in mommy-and-me classes, and then progressed through recreational classes. They also both did ballet since age 3 or 4, until 9 or 10. When my older daughter was 9 and right after she started Intermediate 2 (second highest rec class level in our gym), she broke her elbow (fell from bars) and had a long and painful recovery. She did not want to go back, so we found a rhythmic gym and she loved it - took two rec classes at the same time for two years. A year later younger daughter started rhythmic as well, while also in Intermediate 2 in artistic. This past year they both joined an Xcel team in rhythmic, at level B/C (I think that's around silver). Younger daughter was also invited to try out for Xcel in artistic and was on the Bronze team this past year. (She decided to drop ballet due to the increased time commitments of both gymnastics.)
She really loves doing both - her preference for which she likes better changes approximately weekly, depending on her mood, results of recent meets, and where she feels she has better friends! She was invited to join Level 5 in rhythmic, and she really wanted to do it, but the time commitment was much greater compared to Xcel, so she knew she would have to drop artistic and did not want to do that.
My view is that the two are really good complements to each other, for a girl who wants to stay in Xcel teams but wants to do more gymnastics than the ~4-6 hours that each Xcel team trains. Rhythmic focuses on developing her flexibility much more than artistic, while artistic works more on strength. Rhythmic training allows her to do better in her FX routine, and artistic training gives her better acro skills for rhythmic routines.
The main downside is that at times practice times clash, or she has to skip a practice in one to go to a competition in another.

 

[Blindside]

My youngest (just turned 8 yo) competed DP level 3 artistic and Xcel Bronze rhythmic this past season. She is scared of RO BHS so she has decided to drop artistic and focus on rhythmic starting next week. She will compete level 5 rhythmic next season. Her main complain is the flexibility training She has done a lot of progress but she is still behind her peers. I am being told she is very skillful with apparatuses and that she will be fine. Your daughter could probably compete Xcel in both disciplines but DP probably not possible due to overlap in training hours/meets.

 

[Coach Kate]

My youngest (just turned 8 yo) competed DP level 3 artistic and Xcel Bronze rhythmic this past season. She is scared of RO BHS so she has decided to drop artistic and focus on rhythmic starting next week. She will compete level 5 rhythmic next season. Her main complain is the flexibility training She has done a lot of progress but she is still behind her peers. I am being told she is very skillful with apparatuses and that she will be fine. Your daughter could probably compete Xcel in both disciplines but DP probably not possible due to overlap in training hours/meets.

I trained contortion for a few years in my mid 20s and my coach used a lot of the same drills and techniques they use in rhythmic. I think rhythmic gymnastics is so underrated. The thing that most surprised me was how much of that extreme flexibility is because of the ability to control each tiny muscle. It really is so strong! I stopped training and performing for a lot of reasons and that season has passed for me, but it was so fun and such an incredible journey. I loved the exploration and development so much and hope your daughter enjoys it as well.

I also think learning how to sit with and breathe through the discomfort - like holding chest stands or backbend handstand positions for 2 minutes at a time - helped me with my labor for our daughter! I had an extremely fast and easy unmedicated delivery and actually almost had a home or car birth because I didn't think I could possibly be far enough along. My midwife urged us to come in though after talking to me on the phone at one point so we did and our daughter was born that hour, luckily we did make it to the tub at our birth center, although I was pushing in the parking lot and hallway!

So lots of potential benefits!

 

[Blindside]

I think rhythmic gymnastics is so underrated.

100% agree! Rhythmic gymnasts train extremely hard and they do not get as much recognition as they would deserve.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

100% agree! Rhythmic gymnasts train extremely hard and they do not get as much recognition as they would deserve.

I think this comes from the issues of politics and corruption and that most of the community hale from one country - where it is more popular than artistic.