Parents Cautious brag

[LJL07]

I don't know whether to be impressed or shake my head! My daughter went to cheer gym tonight with some friends, and she did round off back handspring back tuck on the floor. Multiple times. She is ecstatic with herself, and I hate to squash her joy. I am impressed that she is brave enough to do this. She is pretty set on wanting to do gymnastics. She did a rec cheer team in spring and has tumbled on/off at a cheer gym for fun. But...I'm kind of worried after reading various threads that I shouldn't be too excited about this new trick as there are probably huge form issues. I took a video and would sort of love for a coach to watch and just let me know if she should scratch even doing this now due to form/safety (meaning at open gym or gym, not at home!). Or is there a private forum of some kind I could post it on? I'm a little hesitant to be too public on the internet. Her gym coaches are pretty level headed and would probably give good feedback. I don't know what to do with this child bc she seems to have no fear. At least yet!

 

[gymdog]

Well, I'm pretty certain your gym coaches don't want her doing that at this age it's a pretty safe bet.

 

[Quadqueen]

What level is she, and does she have RO-BHS-BHS mastered with good form? If she does not, or if she hasn't worked the RO-BHS-BT with her coach at all, I would be concerned about letting her do a BT on her own. Kids can learn bad habits very quickly if they are not taught properly and if they don't go through the proper progressions.

 

[LJL07]

She just finished competing level one. Seriously. That's why I asked. I mean, I admire the gumption, but she thinks she can do more than she is ready for. I do think her gym coaches are pretty good. I tried to post video in brag forum.

 

[gymdog]

She just finished competing level one. Seriously. That's why I asked. I mean, I admire the gumption, but she thinks she can do more than she is ready for. I do think her gym coaches are pretty good. I tried to post video in brag forum.

Hmm, I didn't find it, but if she wants to work on that stuff maybe she could do a private with a gymnastics coach.

 

[LJL07]

Hmm, I didn't find it, but if she wants to work on that stuff maybe she could do a private with a gymnastics coach.

It's in the brag forum with a link, but I am kind of technologically challenged so it might not work. They may not even want her working on that yet for all I know. In my experience, the cheer gyms seem to get super excited when the kids throw a trick but the gymnastics coaches are much more technically critical.

 

[Amusibus]

What's the brag forum? I couldn't find it either. Well anyway that is great she can do so much. Mine also just finished level 1 and she is nowhere near any of that, being a naturally cautious kid. Even if her form isn't great and even if she does form bad habits, what's great about her doing those things is that she has found the joy in gymnastics! That can't be taught.

 

[LJL07]

She is so enthusiastic and eager! But her form is a real problem, and it seems like it is holding her back, but she wants to do "big skills" so badly. I am trying to balance her enthusiasm, and I certainly don't want her to become fearful. I just really don't know what to do with her!

 

[gymbeam]

brag forum is an opt-in social forum.
you can pm the mod for access.

 

[iwannacoach]

She needs to correct at least two things between her hurdle and the push into the bhs. Until those two things are corrected she won't have the linear speed to make a back tuck work even if she does everything else right. All she'll get is the wrong idea of how to do a tuck and reinforce the notion that she "has it" when she really doesn't.

The good news is that she believes in herself and has the gumption to make that know to you and anybody else who's within hearing distance. Pssst.... tell them to run, and not look back!!

 

[LJL07]

She needs to correct at least two things between her hurdle and the push into the bhs. Until those two things are corrected she won't have the linear speed to make a back tuck work even if she does everything else right. All she'll get is the wrong idea of how to do a tuck and reinforce the notion that she "has it" when she really doesn't.

The good news is that she believes in herself and has the gumption to make that know to you and anybody else who's within hearing distance. Pssst.... tell them to run, and not look back!!

The round off is exactly what I was wondering about. I said this in other thread, but she is working out with level 2's right now. Not sure yet what she will compete.

Her gym coaches definitely do not have her working on this, but rest assured, she will tell them all about it at practice! Lol! They have them practicing round offs in isolation. As a reward for arms by ears and legs straight and together, they let her practice connecting two back handsprings. I have noticed when she tries to connect the round off and back handspring, her legs are apart, and it's not as pretty.

I assume they have her competing down at the lower levels because of her form and issues like the round off, right? Unfortunately, the form is just not clicking well for her. Of course the cheerleaders would love to have her, and I feel like she might do better doing that. It's frustrating because I admire her fearlessness and want her to feel confident and good about her ability, but some of the girls her age look amazing with form (videos on brag forum are super amazing!). As I've mentioned, her other gym wanted her little group repeating level one, but I know that would have crushed her. She doesn't seem to fit neatly into a good gymnastics box, so we want to keep her interest and enthusiasm up, but she has got to perfect the basics.

 

[iwannacoach]

I think a lot of her leg form problems are caused by her technical problems and the rush she's in trying to go from the round off to the bhs. Her form will improve when her sense of timing and technique catch up with her enthusiasm.

 

[Amusibus]

OP, Just an aside, but my daughter was highly form-challenged up until this year. She's just turned 8 and something clicked with form this year. I saw her last couple meets and I was amazed (and proud). I can't remember how old you said your daughter is, but maybe her form problems are just an age/body awareness thing. Seeing how much difference age/maturity made for my daughter has made me a believer. So have hope, and be patient, she will most likely be fine.

 

[LJL07]

OP, Just an aside, but my daughter was highly form-challenged up until this year. She's just turned 8 and something clicked with form this year. I saw her last couple meets and I was amazed (and proud). I can't remember how old you said your daughter is, but maybe her form problems are just an age/body awareness thing. Seeing how much difference age/maturity made for my daughter has made me a believer. So have hope, and be patient, she will most likely be fine.

That always makes me feel better hearing that. I do hear from coaches that my DD has "upward potential," but she sure was not winning the level 1 meets! On that very easy level 1 routine, the only thing I can think is that she lost tenths of a point for little form details. She just made 7 about a month ago. I think DD and I might be a lot alike in our patience or lack thereof!

 

[Amusibus]

AandA, mine wasn't winning anything either. Over the season her scores went up from 31 ish in September to 35 ish in April, and she did get a 2nd and a 4th at their championship meet. So surely not incredible but way improved. She loses most of her points on beam, she is a beam chicken. But her vault and her run up to it are amazing.

 

[LJL07]

That is great, and what a big improvement!! I love hearing stories like that.

 

[LJL07]

Well, I'm pretty certain your gym coaches don't want her doing that at this age it's a pretty safe bet.

One more quick question: she is a young 7, but she is small. Apparently there are 7 yr olds working on this skill. Is there a reason a 7 yr old should not be working this? I was more worried that her basic skills weren't solid enough yet to do a back tuck, not the age issue.

 

[iwannacoach]

A 7yo can work on and learn a back tuck if they have a coach who teaches them the basics of the round off bhs and then lets that combination bake long enough to turn out "just right." The video you posted shows the results of letting her go to cheer and work with an instructor who "discovered" her and then hastily combined tumbling ingredients........

 

[LJL07]

A 7yo can work on and learn a back tuck if they have a coach who teaches them the basics of the round off bhs and then lets that combination bake long enough to turn out "just right." The video you posted shows the results of letting her go to cheer and work with an instructor who "discovered" her and then hastily combined tumbling ingredients........

Isn't that how they teach tumbling in cheer? . Seriously, it's not the cheer coach's fault. If anything, it's mine. She doesn't do competitive cheer, and the coach didn't push that. It's mostly from open gym, holiday tumbling camp, and trampoline (running away to hide!). She doesn't have the greatest impulse control. Most kids her age don't seem to be chucking that kind of stuff. There is no way I would have!!

I'm really no expert, but she seems to have talent of some kind. It has been a very frustrating gymnastics year. I don't think she was enjoying or learning much just drilling level 1 routines with no uptraining all year. She was really wanting to learn more on bars, and that wasn't happening either. Very minimal conditioning and strength training too. I wanted her to stick with gymnastics since there is more time spent on technique and form. I thought giving her "fun" time through open gym and tumbling would keep her engaged while we made it through the year. If that makes sense. Thanks for responding!

 

[mimi]

Isn't that how they teach tumbling in cheer? . Seriously, it's not the cheer coach's fault. If anything, it's mine. She doesn't do competitive cheer, and the coach didn't push that. It's mostly from open gym, holiday tumbling camp, and trampoline (running away to hide!). She doesn't have the greatest impulse control. Most kids her age don't seem to be chucking that kind of stuff. There is no way I would have!!

I'm really no expert, but she seems to have talent of some kind. It has been a very frustrating gymnastics year. I don't think she was enjoying or learning much just drilling level 1 routines with no uptraining all year. She was really wanting to learn more on bars, and that wasn't happening either. Very minimal conditioning and strength training too. I wanted her to stick with gymnastics since there is more time spent on technique and form. I thought giving her "fun" time through open gym and tumbling would keep her engaged while we made it through the year. If that makes sense. Thanks for responding!

Gymnastics is a marathon, not a sprint.