My daughter started competitive gymnastics in the USAIGC division as a Copper 2. She moved up to Bronze the next year and placed 1st AA at most of the meets, including Regionals.
She was asked by the gym owners to move to USAG Level 6 at the start of summer 2025 at 10 years old. I had some concerns that she would have a not so great season due to the switch from the USAIGC program to USAG, where girls who have started in USAG have had many more practice hours and more rigorous training on form, technique, etc.
My concerns were valid, as she has struggled so much this season at the meets. Her AA scores have ranged from 32.95 to mid 35s. Clearly, not enough to be placing aside from an occasional medal on one event or a a low placement AA.
Obviously, she will be repeating Level 6. But my concern is that her issues are all form-related. Her split jumps aren't 180; her BHS on beam has bent arms and knees; her tuck jump on floor is low on the landing, etc., etc.
Some of the Level 6 skills she had way before making the switch to USAG, which I am sure is part of the problem (muscle memory performing skills incorrectly.)
My question is,
Is it even possible for her to undo any of the muscle memory and bad habits she formed while in the USAIGC program? She practices 17.5 hours a week. She just went through a major growth spurt, growing about 4 inches and gaining 15 lbs since she started Level 6. (She is solid muscle and very strong) I have her in PT once a week with a physical therapist in the gym to work on building a better mind/body connection and to strengthen her core and her hip flexors.
I already pay a TON of money for gymnastics and don't want to pay for weekly private lessons on top of everything else, although I do have her do them here and there when she needs extra help getting a skill. I feel like the coaches should be focusing on form and technique, but I see a lot of repetitive skill training, routines, etc., and it concerns me that practicing the skill over and over with bent knees or arms is just reinforcing bad muscle memory.
My daughter is dedicated and hard-working and sacrifices a lot of social life and school events with friends for gymnastics, all at her own will. I always tell her she can skip a day, but she rarely will (only if it's a bestie's birthday during a non comp week once in a blue moon).
Last year, she would've been devastated with her scores and placements if she had results like she is getting now. She cried hysterically at home after missing 1st at States by a tenth of a point. This year, she says things like "at least I didn't come in last," when placing second to last, or "I did so good," when in reality she didn't do that great. I am glad that she has a good attitude and is loving gymnastics regardless of her scores. However, I don't want her to become okay with mediocre. She has always been a very competitive kid who wants to "be the best at being the best" (direct quote from her LOL). I don't want her settling for less than that, and quite frankly, I don't want her to have mediocre results either. She works too hard for that.
I have expressed my concern with her coaches on occasion, and I get told that she needs time and strength to perform her skills with correct form.
Am I expecting too much too soon? Can she actually fix her form over the next year?
Sorry for the long-winded post!
She was asked by the gym owners to move to USAG Level 6 at the start of summer 2025 at 10 years old. I had some concerns that she would have a not so great season due to the switch from the USAIGC program to USAG, where girls who have started in USAG have had many more practice hours and more rigorous training on form, technique, etc.
My concerns were valid, as she has struggled so much this season at the meets. Her AA scores have ranged from 32.95 to mid 35s. Clearly, not enough to be placing aside from an occasional medal on one event or a a low placement AA.
Obviously, she will be repeating Level 6. But my concern is that her issues are all form-related. Her split jumps aren't 180; her BHS on beam has bent arms and knees; her tuck jump on floor is low on the landing, etc., etc.
Some of the Level 6 skills she had way before making the switch to USAG, which I am sure is part of the problem (muscle memory performing skills incorrectly.)
My question is,
Is it even possible for her to undo any of the muscle memory and bad habits she formed while in the USAIGC program? She practices 17.5 hours a week. She just went through a major growth spurt, growing about 4 inches and gaining 15 lbs since she started Level 6. (She is solid muscle and very strong) I have her in PT once a week with a physical therapist in the gym to work on building a better mind/body connection and to strengthen her core and her hip flexors.
I already pay a TON of money for gymnastics and don't want to pay for weekly private lessons on top of everything else, although I do have her do them here and there when she needs extra help getting a skill. I feel like the coaches should be focusing on form and technique, but I see a lot of repetitive skill training, routines, etc., and it concerns me that practicing the skill over and over with bent knees or arms is just reinforcing bad muscle memory.
My daughter is dedicated and hard-working and sacrifices a lot of social life and school events with friends for gymnastics, all at her own will. I always tell her she can skip a day, but she rarely will (only if it's a bestie's birthday during a non comp week once in a blue moon).
Last year, she would've been devastated with her scores and placements if she had results like she is getting now. She cried hysterically at home after missing 1st at States by a tenth of a point. This year, she says things like "at least I didn't come in last," when placing second to last, or "I did so good," when in reality she didn't do that great. I am glad that she has a good attitude and is loving gymnastics regardless of her scores. However, I don't want her to become okay with mediocre. She has always been a very competitive kid who wants to "be the best at being the best" (direct quote from her LOL). I don't want her settling for less than that, and quite frankly, I don't want her to have mediocre results either. She works too hard for that.
I have expressed my concern with her coaches on occasion, and I get told that she needs time and strength to perform her skills with correct form.
Am I expecting too much too soon? Can she actually fix her form over the next year?
Sorry for the long-winded post!
