WAG Compound break - are straps dangerous?

[katlinchen]

I heard this horror story: A boy did giants over the pit, lost tightness on top of the move, the straps kind of twisted and both his wrists broke. He hung there on the high bar, straps still on.

This is horrible! I guess this is not common, but I actually asked myself many times - aren't straps dangerous? What if I don't make the circle and come down on the other side as I am supposed to? My wrists would be twisted! Isn't that dangerous?

 

[Aussie_coach]

If straps are used correctly they are a much safer way of training skills, but coaches should not assume that straps are a replacement for careful supervision and progressions.

It is important to ensure there is no chalk residue on the bars every time before a gymnast goes and uses the straps otherwise the straps can catch. It's also very important to ensure they are using the correct size. Small enough that they won't slip out and large enough that they can actually turn their wrists. It's also important to check straps for wear and tear before use each time and not use the past the used by date.

Before attempting any skill in straps the coach should make sure the Gymanst is ready to do so. They should have the nessesary strength have the nessesary progressions mastered and they should be spotted at first to get the feel.

 

[wheezy]

A friend of mines son got griplock.....not pretty.

 

[lovemygymnast]

Stupid question...what's grip lock? My DD has been training with the straps for a short while so it's new to me.

 

[wsg13]

I was using a pair at our gym and they snapped! Lucky I was just doing a kip and not a giant!

 

[skschlag]

d was swinging giants on strap one day and one side of the bar went down so the bar was slanted. He was just hanging there, fortunately laughing.

People in the lobby couldn't figure out why he didn't just let go. When I told them he was strapped in and couldn't reach the side because of the slant of the bar, they got it.

Just like any equipment, they have to be checked. The straps, the bar, everything. But if used correctly, I don't think there is any problems.

 

[profmom]

One of our coaches (former gymnast, of course) was messing around on the strap bar when it snapped in half. Fortunately, the outcome was that everyone just teased the heck out of him for the next month or so.

 

[wheezy]

Grip lock happens mostly on high bar, when the grip is too big, or the pocket gets too stretched out. The base of the palm of the grip can touch, or lock the top part of the grip, where the finger bend is. This can result int the leather locking and as the grip rotates on the bar, tightens. It will lock and stop rotating dead in its tracks, this grip lock.

 

[profmom]

I have to say as the parent of a boy that grip lock is one of the scariest things about gymnastics to me.

(Mental note to have that conversation about his grips with the program director when he returns from camp.)

 

[bogwoppit]

I have to say as the parent of a boy that grip lock is one of the scariest things about gymnastics to me.

(Mental note to have that conversation about his grips with the program director when he returns from camp.)

Happens to girls too. I know there was a girl on here that broke both arms on a strap bar. THey are great tools, but as stated above they need to be used with supervision.

 

[profmom]

Very glad we have a dedicated strap bar! No one ever chalks it.

 

[htimcj]

My DD actually came out of the straps doing giants once. Luckily she was on the downward motion and landed on her feet but it scared the dickens out of her. Now she triple checks that they fit right!

 

[Gymsanity]

I heard this horror story: A boy did giants over the pit, lost tightness on top of the move, the straps kind of twisted and both his wrists broke. He hung there on the high bar, straps still on.

This is horrible! I guess this is not common, but I actually asked myself many times - aren't straps dangerous? What if I don't make the circle and come down on the other side as I am supposed to? My wrists would be twisted! Isn't that dangerous?

I'll go out on a limb and say he was using gloves and not PVC on the bar? Is that correct?

 

[catou]

Our strap bar is used exclusively for that use. No one can use it if they have chalk on their gads. We use tubes, without gloves. The only problem we ever had is a coach who broke the bar in two while going downward on a giant. It was an adult men coach, pretty powerful though...

 

[Jenny]

Our kids are taught to clean the bar every time just in case.

 

[BlairBob]

Yeah, straplock/griplock is bad time.

I remember when I was taught how to teach the boys how to use the strap bar and spot giants (besides using it myself) my boss told me a story about straplock and how they have to unwrap the kid's forearms off the bar.

Not a fun mental picture.

Which is also why I like the one size fits all straps. You can slip out of them but they aren't gonna lock.

 

[Aussie_coach]

We use the boys high bar for straps so it does get chalked. But I make I am the one who cleans it before any gymnasts goes anywhere near it with straps. This is one job I don't trust to the kids.

 

[Gymettemom]

DD was on the strap bar working giants. She got stuck at the top of her swing and started to fall down the the wrong side of the bar. Forgetting she was strapped she tried to pirouette/twist out of it. OUCH! Luckily her wrists were ok, but it sure did freak out the coaches and this momma.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Grip lock happens mostly on high bar, when the grip is too big, or the pocket gets too stretched out. The base of the palm of the grip can touch, or lock the top part of the grip, where the finger bend is. This can result int the leather locking and as the grip rotates on the bar, tightens. It will lock and stop rotating dead in its tracks, this grip lock.

to finish what you said...and the body keeps rotating around the bar when the hands don't.

 

[flippin out]

to finish what you said...and the body keeps rotating around the bar when the hands don't.

Yikes! That is a disgusting mental image in my head now.....like a Kevin Ware or Joe Theisman image that won't get out of my head!