WAG Conditioning for Rec kids?

[Somekiwichic]

For our 5-7 year old classes there isn't too much conditioning per say (there's usually a bit at a station) but correct shapes is emphasised a lot. We always practice shapes; tuck, L, V, star shapes. Usually warm up is a tag game and if tug then they have to go into front support shape to be freed. We have badge testing here too so shapes etc come into that as well.
Our 8-12 year old classes are a bit different, we still have badges but we each have our own group for the term. As they're older we don't really have to go through shapes with them as in to learn what they are but we check to make sure they are able to do the shapes correctly. Also, for that class we do have a station dedicated to conditioning but it is part of the badge testing to pass. My group seems to enjoy the conditioning but then again it's not anything too hard.

 

[Ex member]

congratulations to your dd for passing her badge. I have looked at the skills and I think that if she has passed badge 1 at 6 years old she must have some real natural talent. That is quite nuts! I don't understand why they haven't picked her up for a competition squad. Can you get her evaluated at another gym just to see what they think?

Thank you. Either they are nuts or I am (for thinking my dd should be in a more advanced group when she shouldn't). I am not sure why my dd has seemed to be over looked and the only way to find out is have a chat with them.

I would get her evaluated at another gym but there isn't one in reasonable distance that is as good as the one she goes to (she goes to a purpose built gym that has been used as a training base for Olympic teams from other countries), also her older sister also goes to the same gym and is in the Disability Development group. For some reason they haven't chosen my youngest dd yet but like I said they only way I will find out is to speak to them then we will know where we stand. I have told youngest dd that I will either take her out of gym or cut her sessions down (she does 2 1 hour rec classes a week) if things don't progress within the next year and she got really upset - I felt really guilty for saying that but I was just frustrated that things are not moving forward, she has just been moved into a later 1 hour rec class for girls 7 years plus. Dd wants to move out of rec and I least I know by her getting so upset that gym is something she wants to do...

 

[Ex member]

The classes are similar to dd's rec class, they play games like you said like tag and they also do races in teams that involve shapes, they only difference is that they only dedicate 2 weeks per term to badge practice and badge testing, the other lessons are unrelated to badges.

 

[Jenny]

I think you need a conversation! If they don't have your dd on their radar already or be willing to evaluate her I would look around too. She just may not be right for 'their' system. Fair enough. There may be other gyms that don't appear to be as good or have such good facilities but they may be right for your dd. I would think your older dd could stay where she is because Disability gymnastics is a different discipline and there is no conflict having your two girls at different gyms. But I would be much nicer to have them together.

 

[Flossyduck]

Tiny dancer, many (if not most) gyms are purpose built, and just because they have been used to host Olympic teams doesn't mean that it's a good gym for your daughter. Olympic teams will bring their own coaches and training programs and just need somewhere big enough to accommodate them and with decent accommodation and transport. It says very little about the actual classes and coaches in the gym itself.

Please don't get me wrong, I am sure the facilities are great and, in order to have facilities like that, it probably is a good gym. I have a suspicion I know which one it is and it's a good gym. It just doesn't follow that it's the best gym for you.

Your daughter is only young at 6 and I don't think you need worry about her progress, but she does sound as though she picks things up really quickly and works hard and I am surprised that you haven't had any feedback or been offered a development class. I would talk to them if you really like it there, but also have a look at another gym. Have her try out and see what they say. You don't have to move, but it might help you just to get another opinion.

Sorry to hijack the thread, I can just feel the frustration leaping from the page!

 

[Ex member]

Dd is still young, she will be 7 next month, I am not comfortable with the prospect of looking for another gym but might have to consider it if necessary, I haven't got a clue where the nearest gym is apart from the one dd goes to.

Dd is a fast learner, it seems to be that way no matter what she does, she is a good reader (one step away from free readers), she can spell really well and her writing looks like it comes from someone older, dd also does dance and she picks that up really quickly and she emulate older girls dances by just watching, she seems a visual learner.

Dd strength might be an issue as she cannot do a chin up (they don't practise those at the moment but do test on things like that and the splits etc during badge week - testing physical norms, dd hasn't been tested) but she can do a pullover using a wedge block sometimes (she gets stuck upside down lol), dd can also hold her self upside down on the bars with her legs in the air.

I have had positive feedback from dd's rec coaches especially on the beam (she has done a forward roll on it by herself on the high wider training beam), one of dd's coaches told me that dd was very good at gym and she could tell that dd does dance by the way she moves on the beam, the coach told be that she wouldn't be surprised if dd got asked to move up (I didn't ask - the coach just came out with it), but nothing has happened (that was a few months ago), more recently dd was in her rec group with a coach that teaches some of the girls development groups and competition groups and asked dd her age and date of birth as she could do a headstand on her own (that is what dd has told me), that was 1 month or 2 ago and nothing has come out of it.

 

[Jenny]

I think you need to politely ask and say she is keen to try a development group with a view to competing when she is older. No harm in asking - they might think she isn't interested or think she is younger / older than she is etc.

 

[Flossyduck]

Ok. If she's 8 next year then she could be doing level 5 or level 14 in March. I think it's definitely time to ask how she's progressing and let them know she's keen to start competing.

I'm not sure about grade 14, but for level 5 she would need nice controlled chin ups. You could get her a chin up bar and let her practice at home. It's a very useful skill and not going to harm her to work on it, whatever the future outcome. I got one for dd when they told me she needed a chin up and she actually really enjoyed trying and spent hours on it. It saved the rail on her bunk bed! It only took her a couple of weeks to get the first chin up and it's a skill your dd will need for any level of gymnastics.

 

[Jenny]

Grade 14 is chin ups and leg lifts. Level 5 varies by region to level and also to when in the year it is held. Most level 5 bar routines require an upstart so she might want to start with a lower level first.

 

[Ex member]

Ok. If she's 8 next year then she could be doing level 5 or level 14 in March. I think it's definitely time to ask how she's progressing and let them know she's keen to start competing.

I'm not sure about grade 14, but for level 5 she would need nice controlled chin ups. You could get her a chin up bar and let her practice at home. It's a very useful skill and not going to harm her to work on it, whatever the future outcome. I got one for dd when they told me she needed a chin up and she actually really enjoyed trying and spent hours on it. It saved the rail on her bunk bed! It only took her a couple of weeks to get the first chin up and it's a skill your dd will need for any level of gymnastics.

8 next year... now you have scared me, can believe my youngest dd will be 8 next year !!!! lol. Thanks for your reply you have given me some thing to work with her on, I know she would try this as she is asking for some sort of bar (her favourite apparatus in gym), what sort of exercises would you recommend to start off with to build up strength? dd might be able to do a chin up but as she doesn't work on them in gym I am not sure.

 

[Ex member]

Grade 14 is chin ups and leg lifts. Level 5 varies by region to level and also to when in the year it is held. Most level 5 bar routines require an upstart so she might want to start with a lower level first.

Thanks for your replies and support. What is an upstart? I do not know much technical terms, these are the things dd can do on bar...

Forwards roll ever the bar
Backwards roll over the bar using a wedge but gets stuck coming up to a front support.
Front support
Front support and kick away from bar and back into font support and dismount
Skin the cat
Jump to high bar from low bar with support (don't normally work on the this but had ago when she went for an extra session in the summer holidays)
Various swings and shapes on low bar and high bar
Hang upside down with tummy against the bar with legs straight up.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Upstart is what the Americans call a Kip - if you look in the technical section here you will see training videos for it.

To try and describe it is hard but, Stand back from bar, jump, catch low bar, swing forward, swing back and push arms down on up swing to end in front support ( feet must not touch the mat).

She is still doing basic bar work and to pass Grade 14 she will need to work on her upper body strength. Look on Youtube for Grade 14 Range and conditioning. She will also need all three splits

 

[Ex member]

Thanks I will have a look, dd has her left leg splits and nearly her right leg (she is left leg dominant) and she is not far with her middle splits.

I think I have seen an Upstart, is it where the gymnast jumps to the bar and swing (glide) under and go up half way and glide back and end up in front support? If so then I have seen girls do this before they swing up on low bar to jump to high bar.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

thats it - it took P&F about 6 months of solid work to get hers .

 

[Flossyduck]

Yes that's an upstart. It's not something she can learn at home. It's all about timing and getting the shapes right and she will learn that in the gym

Set the chin up bar so that she can hang free from it and just have her practice chin ups. You can give her a bit of support at first by just putting a hand either side of her hips and helping push up gently. Eventually she'll be able to do it alone and then she needs to try and get more than one!

She could also do leg lifts. Hang on the bar and slowly lift her legs up to the front, while keeping them straight and toes pointed. She should be working towards getting them right up to the bar and also being able to hold them horizontal to the floor, straight, for a few seconds. The slower and more controlled it is, the more her muscles will have to work.

dd does 3 sets of 10 or 20 chin ups, pull ups and legs lifts every training session, like it's no problem BUT her first one was two weeks of frustration and determination and the promise of a pair of gym shorts with her name on!

 

[Jenny]

Most regions compete club grades between Feb and May although I believe Cornwall does theirs in December for some reason. So if she needs to be ready for Feb she needs to be in a training group geared towards it pretty much now.

If you look on youtube there are lots of lovely videos of girls doing grade 14 so you can see the skills she needs.

 

[Ex member]

It does like very impressive when they do it doesn't it. I just had a look at some youtube videos of Grade 14 Range and conditioning and from what I saw (floor exercise and frog type and straddle lever type exercises using a bench) dd can do nearly all the stuff, she has even done a bridge kick over on her own twice - but hasn't done it since (she hasn't tried), she can do the straddle thing and sweep her legs round, dd does need to improve her splits and pike stretch but as she only does 1 hour of rec she doesn't work on them.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Most regions compete club grades between Feb and May although I believe Cornwall does theirs in December for some reason. So if she needs to be ready for Feb she needs to be in a training group geared towards it pretty much now.

If you look on youtube there are lots of lovely videos of girls doing grade 14 so you can see the skills she needs.

Generally we are July, but this year "The Big Club" was busy on that date so they cancelled them and now we have to join in with Devon in December - Plymouth is soooooooo happy !

 

[Ex member]

Don't worry dd will not be doing anything other than chin ups and leg lifts on her bar - I pay for her to go into the Gym for the other stuff. Any exercises that can help her with her pike stretch and splits will be gratefully received and I will discuss it with dd and see what she says about them. As I mentioned before dd also does dance and one of the things her dance teacher wants all the girls to achieve is the splits in all directions, I may ask her for some help as she also teachers ballet in the gym club to some of the higher level groups.

 

[Ex member]

Oldest dd has a comp next month not far from that area - in Bournemouth.