Bars - Blind Change/Turns/Front Giants

[GymDad57]

My DD competed last season as a 11 yr old Level 8, her bar routine had the basic 2 backward giants into dismount which seemed very strong. During the off season we were expecting to see a progression into maybe a blind change into front giant, or maybe a 1/2 pirouette on HB, etc. However, she has been training for 7 months and has not mastered any of these new skills. Our coaching keeps preaching, "be patient", "small steps", "these are difficult progressions", etc. My questions is, are the above mentioned skills that hard for a young gymnast to perfect, should it take more then 1 offseason of training to get these additional skills on the high bar. Bars have always been her strength, maybe just a frustrated parent who needs to be patient. Please help.

 

[gymch34]

7 months is NOT a long time to be working these skills... to do them well takes time, and the coach is very smart to take their time b/c she is so young. Is she training them w a spot?

Is she competing 9 this season.

 

[GymDad57]

Spotting

The way he is spotting her is by raising low bar to highest setting and standing on blocks, spotting as she performs giants around low bar. Spots her on floor bar-turns. She is not being spotted on high bar because of equipment limitations(spotting stand etc.). For her to get to Level 9 she is still working on her 2nd bar change, which is goint to be a shootover. This is taking a very long time also. He is a great coach and she is a young dedicated gymnast, just trying to get a feel of how long gymnast train before getting these skills? It doesn't look like it happens overnight. Thanks for your comments.

 

[gymch34]

since there are equip limitations, it might take longer. If she has a good giant, she probably be doing most of the blind by herself by this point, the coach helping for technique/ body positions, etc. Its smart to take lots of time on the blind bc if the turn is too late (which many many gymnasts do), the front giant suffers. Fears also play into factor as well, you have to be pretty fearless & have great technique for a good blind change.

I bet the shootover (esp if its to handstand) takes longer than the blind change to prefect. Its great to hear you have such confidence in your coach & daughter!

 

[gymdog]

There's no reason to rush this transition with an 11 year old. This is a key skill and with the focus on handstands, it is difficult to do correctly. I am sure she could probably "throw it" if her coach let her roll over and do it way past handstand, but why do that with a young optional who will presumably continue to progress and eventually need this skill as an entry into front giants, jaegers, or straddle backs? These skills are not used in level 8 as a general rule (they can't be anymore, but when they were allowable it was very rare) and aren't even necessary for level 9, although they're nice, and open up routine options. But when your daughter does level 9, you will see many routines that look like: jump to high bar, cast, shootover, toe on shoot to high bar, free hip/two giants to double back. Or pak salto, half pirouette, or half pirouette on low bar then straddle back, to two giants dismount. Clean routines like this, that hit all the handstands (on the shoot 1/2 and straddle backs too) with good amplitude tend to score pretty well, and many first year level 9s are not yet consistent enough to combine the harder combinations with the releases and two bar change routine. You will see that many girls do two or even three years at level 9, so the routines will upgrade over that time.

Basically, for a JO path and at this level, I don't find it strange the coach is taking about a year to develop this skill. Many higher level optional skills are introduced way before they're mastered. It sounds like it's not a critical skill yet for your daughter's routine progression. Progress in gymnastics tends to slow way down at this level for gymnasts who previously mastered everything in a few months or less. The skills and combinations take more refinement to do independently.

 

[BlairBob]

2 years in L8 is common sometimes. Keep in mind, a lot of girls don't go pass L8. Our HC is having a helluva time teaching release moves to our would be L8. Actually, he is having such a time teaching them anything new.

 

[sportyfam5]

I have felt the same as you. It seems as though our talented young girls should be able to pick these skills up quickly. After all to us they don't look that different or difficult. I sometimes want to blame the coaches for not working hard enough.

Then reality sets in. They are young girls, with averages coaches, in an average gym. I try to remember they are having fun and learning things most kids their age don't get to do. They are going places and experiencing things that others don't get the chance to.

My girls will both be competing L8 this Sunday, ages 11 and 12. I try to put my mind back to reality and just enjoy how amazing they really are!!

Best of luck to your talented young daughter!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

stop being an impatient parent.

 

[gymjoy]

Dunno, you crack me up.

And for comparison, My dd has been working on this skill for over a year. Had it - almost - disappeared. It is coming back oh so slowly. They are important skills though, so whatever.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

why thank you! and as you have found...they need to take as long as it needs to take for the skill to take hold and to become stable. doesn't matter how long it takes.

 

[Gymdad2]

From one gymdad to another, I agree with the others. As your dd progresses the skills get harder and harder and take longer to learn. As a gym parent you have 2 responsibilities; pay all the bills and have patience with your dd's progression. She will get the skills when she is able and what she needs from you is your unquestioned support. My dd was a good L8 and coach started to teach her a blind change with the intent of moving her to L9. She would get it and then it would go away so she did another L8 season. The next year she became more consistant so she did L9. Guess what? It took 2 years at 9 to perfect the blind change and shoot over. She will do 10 this coming season, but the lesson in all this for me was 'have patience'. Good luck to your dd.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

the fact is...you think you know what patience is...until you're involved in gymnastics, diving and figure skating.

learn it right away or you're doomed.