Parents Camp Day 1 down...and a few questions...

[Sydsmom]

DD called last night...I honestly find I can't sleep till I hear from her!! They learned half on half off of the vault table!! They wouldn't even let them valut off the table at her gym so I am so proud of her.
This leads me to a couple of questions maybe someone can answer.
1) It seems like DD gym only lets the girls do whatever the next level is of elements...is that typical? Why don't they see what they can do over the summer?

2) DD is learning her kip...yes the dreaded kip. Her gym makes them learn in the pike position...but at camp they mentioned that because she is so much taller (she is 5'4, she grew 6 inches over the school year!!) that it would be better for her to learn in the straddle position. Does that make sense to anyone? It makes sense to me, but why would the gym make them learn as a pike knowing how tall she is?

Now I anticipate tonight call!!!

 

[cher062]

The best wasy to answer this is that every coach is different and every coache's approach to how they teach skills or the method they use will vary.

Just going from gym to gym you will find different philosophies and methods of teaching the same skills.
What one gym thinks is the best way another may not. I usually find in the gym over the summer the girls work on the levels they are hoping to move into for the competition season while still practicing the skills they already have (just in case they don't move up). the summer is the time to get ready and learn the skills they will use for the upcoming season and perfect the ones they know. That seems typical from my experience (of course I'm just a gym mom)

I have found that my kids have always come back from camp with something new learned or a new approach for a skill helped them "get it" and it finally clicks with the new approach. Also at camp they try to introduce the kids to all types of skills and moves and methods for learning or improving the skill. Again every coach is different and what might work for one coach to teach a skill might not work for another. At camp the kids will work on the ones they are ready for and the coaches always make sure they aren't trying something they aren't ready for. You could have many levels in a group at camp depending on attendance at camp so you have to make sure the kids have fun and a challenge.

 

[Dezi]

I cannot answer the kip question my dd is also trying to get the dreaded kip! I can answer the gym question. My dd's gym up-trains on every event. She is training level 5 but she is working on her bwo on beam, back tuck on floor, front punch on floor, something on vault not sure of name and some other things. After state meet in December our girls start working on skills and whatever they can learn till August they teach them. Then in August they start really emphasizing routines for the level they are to compete. Our old gym did not learn more then the next level and my dd would get bored but new gym keeps them always learning new things! I guess it is a gym philosophy.

I will also say my dd went to camp for the first time this summer and they even let her do more then her gym. I do think part of camp is working on skills that you do not work at home. My dd came home from camp with a ton of level 6 skills and a few level 7 but still no kip

 

[Sydsmom]

Dezi, I think that's great that they start teaching the level up...I can see my DD get so bored around January/Feb with the current level stuff. I wish our gym would do that.
I was hoping you would say she got her kip @ camp...I'll have to wait to see if mine gets it there or not. I hope she does but I know it's the hardest element at her level.
Thanks for all your commetnts...just gives me perspective on different gyms. This is my first time at this, I did gymnastics in college, so this rec stuff is so confusing and frustrating at the same time!!!

 

[gymnastbeth]

I'm taller than most gymnasts, and learning the kip straddled was SO much easier than learning it piked. A gymnast has to be so much stronger to keep their legs up in the kip if their legs are longer. It can be tough!

 

[eme777]

My DD is also tall & started to learn her kip straddled. It was much easier for her, but then the HC made her change back to piked. Her reason is that it leaves them open to more deductions. Honestly, I disagree b/c if my daughter has better form overall w/ her legs straddled (from beginning to end), that's few OVERALL deductions than just the chance of deductions for uneven leg height on the the glide. I'm not an expert, though, so I just stayed out of it.

I guess it wouldn't hurt if your daughter wanted to ask, but it is the coaches' decision.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

DD's gym always uptrains 1-2 levels as the girls are able. All of our L5's have most of their L6 skills ( not competiton ready or anything, but getting more & more comfortable) those the HC feels are ready are working some L7 skills.

my DD has long legs and HC had her straddle kip. she still works on pike sometimes

 

[MdGymMom01]

My dd, while not too tall (4' 8"), learned the kip with straddled legs--she does have very longs legs, though. It was easier for her to make the kip this way, but by the end of the season her coach was having her pike them. So, maybe it is just a way of coaches to teach the skill to certain kids.

 

[gymgal]

All camps and coaches are different. So camps are known for "teaching" much higher level skills but in reality there is very heavy spotting going on and the gymnasts really aren't ready for the skills. Still, I think there is merit in doing it this anyway because it builds confidence and decreases the fear factor a bit. That's one of the reasons many gyms uptrain their really young girls into optional level skills. They may not be ready to compete them but the younger they train them, the less fear they will have (in general).

 

[gymmom14]

I agree with gymgal. I would bet the skills are heavily spotted. If they have not gone over the table on vault in her gym, I bet they are heavily spotting them at camp. Half ons before the front handspring??? seems odd.

As far as the kip goes, if her gym wants her kipping pike, ask why? Maybe they have a good reason. My dd straddles in her glide, the kip was a real challenge for her.

Our gym is not a fan of kids going away to camp. I think the different methodologies and teaching techniques confuse parents and kids alike.

Good Luck!!

 

[gymgal]

Our gym is not a fan of kids going away to camp. I think the different methodologies and teaching techniques confuse parents and kids alike.

Good Luck!!

I've heard this from several places. Our team coaches go to camp with the girls. The girls work with other coaches but it is helpful to have ours there overseeing their training. I don't know for sure but I'm thinking they would have no problem speaking up if they see something they don't want our girls doing.

 

[vagymmomma]

A couple thoughts. DD has always learned new skills at camp and I like she has the opportunity to get a headstart on uptraining. However, our HC is not a fan of some of the camps because she feels like they let some girls try things their not ready for and injuries are the result.

On the kip -- I think your gym's response is kind of funny because DD learned the kip in the pike position and now her coach is encouraging her to try the straddle (and she has a really nice kip and bars overall). Not sure why, but I assume it's because it should be easier as she grows.