Do you let your gymnast tumble outside the gym?

[mariposa]

If you are a parent, do you let your kid tumble outside of the gym? If so, why?

If you are a coach, would you want your gymnasts tumbling outside the gym? If not, do you talk to them about this at the gym?

 

[slkbeambabe07]

As a coach, I don't mind my gymnasts tumbling outside of the gym as LONG as they are skills they have already learned PROPERLY, and have done WITHOUT spot SAFELY in the gym, and if they are in an appropriate area (grass for light tumbling, monkey bar kips, maybe on a panel at home, trampoline).. It's those that just chuck skills and learn bad habits with skills that they have not trained is where problems arise. We discuss this at the gym with them as well!

 

[mariposa]

My answer is NO. My daughter hates that I have this rule, but it is strictly enforced. She has 2 close friends (both gymnasts) that are allowed to tumble anywhere and everywhere. Grass, concrete, wherever. She loves to have playdates with them, but it is hard because they want to do gym stuff sometimes and they get to do the "fun stuff" as my DD says and she can't. She says I am a "meany".

I have a few reasons for saying no. First of all, the danger of getting hurt is dramatically increased because the surface is not soft or springy, a fall on concrete or grass is probably going to be worse than a fall on a mat or spring floor. Secondly, I worry about the repeated pounding on hard surfaces and that it can contribute to stress fractures. Regardless of whether she has a skill solid or not, she can't do any tumbling. Cartwheels and handstands are okay, walkovers I discourage outside of the gym because I think she puts enough stress on her back with the hours spent at the gym.

What bugs me the most though is when I tell a parent that I don't allow mine to tumble outside the gym and they say "Well, I can't stop her. I have tried." REALLY? Who is the parent? Mine knows that if I catch her doing it she is out of gym for one practice. Period. If there was a repeat offense, it would be a week. No questions asked. It is not negotiable. I am the parent and I make the rules. Plain and simple.

I have wished one of her coaches would talk to them about not doing this. It would lend support to my rules. LOL.

 

[Mariainlv]

I allow Jasmine to tumble and have no problem with it, as long as she is being safe.

Maybe think about it this way: Not everyone feels this way and perhaps there are rules you do not enfore that they find maddening? I don't think its fair to expect other parents to enforce the same rules as you (within reason)

Some parents homeschool, some don't. Personally, I find it irresponsible. But guess what? What I think matters less than a hill of beans. Not my call and I would never tell them this, not my place. Works for them and their kids..

Some allow peirced ears, some don't. As a parent, I don't get to dictate to others how to raise their children (sometimes I sure wish I did)

ETA: For the record, Jasmine's coaches have no heartburn with her tumbling outside of gym. They are just being kids, doing what kids do.

 

[CoachGoofy]

I would prefer my gymnasts didn't tumble outside the gym. Grass is deceptive...it can be an inconsistent surface, & it can hide holes in which one can hurt their ankle or wrist.

But if someone pulls out real mats in gym class and they want to show off there, more power to them, as long as they've done it in the gym.

I dislike round trampolines pretty strongly, & if they start talking about their cool new skill they taught themselves on their trampoline I start asking about new socks.

We talk about what is and isn't safe outside the gym, especially as the sunny season comes around.

 

[mariposa]

Maybe think about it this way: Not everyone feels this way and perhaps there are rules you do not enfore that they find maddening? I don't think its fair to expect other parents to enforce the same rules as you (within reason)

That was not the reason I posted this thread. I was just wondering what other parents and coaches felt about tumbling outside of the gym. If coaches educated their kids on it, etc. Or even mentioned it in Parent Handbook, etc.

I don't expect anyone to enforce the same rules I do. What I said irritated me is when their excuse for letting them tumble is that "They can't stop them." Very different than saying, "I don't mind her tumbling outside. She is just being a kid." I have heard on many occasions complaints about their kids doing tricks everywhere, in supermarkets (BWOs/FWOs down the aisles), at school, etc, etc, but then to say that they can't control their own child.

I definitely think everyone makes their own choices. I don't expect them to ask their kid not to tumble around mine. Mine obeys my rules regardless of what the rest of the kids are doing.

I have come to my decision over time. Abby had a mat and used to do tumbling stuff at home before. After reading about overuse injuries, stress fractures, etc, though I changed my mind.

 

[gymdog]

Yes, I have told some kids they shouldn't practice at home when I have heard about it and I don't think it is safe. It would be irresponsible not to. I have seen dangerous falls and bad injuries in the gym before and I think it is important to minimize the risk even though it can't be completely eliminated.

I am talking more about actual tumbling...not cartwheel, handstand, etc. As a coach I have to say much of the video I see of kids "doing skills" on backyard trampolines include technique that is fairly horrific. Maybe not dangerous. But let's be honest. A lot of that is not good gymnastics. And sometimes it seems like the parents are encouraging it, in some cases.

But what annoys me more really is when people have complained about kids being told they can't do cartwheels in the school hall or something. Seriously. There's a time and place. I'm not saying they should never do cartwheels anywhere, but we need to have some respect for appropriate boundaries.

 

[MdGymMom01]

I have come to my decision over time. Abby had a mat and used to do tumbling stuff at home before. After reading about overuse injuries, stress fractures, etc, though I changed my mind.

Same here Mariposa. I used to have a trampoline but we got rid of it. A strong summer storm kind of turned it into a kite and it landed upside down in the neighbors yard . The poles were bent so I figured it wasn't safe enough to use and didn't want to take the chance so we junked it. Plus, she was starting to chuck some tricks that I thought were unsafe and her form was terrible. So, I am glad that mother nature took care of that for me!! We also have a low beam and a mat that frankly Dani hardly goes on anymore. She just doesn't have the interest to practice stuff at home now that she is at that "tween age". She would much rather spend time outside riding her bike or rollerblading than doing more gymnastics. Can you blame her???

I totally know what you mean about the overuse injuries as well. I guess I have come to realize all this over time. And I do think it is totally natural for kids who are just starting a sport to be so gungho over it that they want to do it all the time. But then the novelty wears off...and they discover shopping at the mall...and texting their friends...and hanging with the neighborhood kids...and so on and so on...

Adolescence...don't you just love it!!!!

 

[ZJsMom]

I do let my kids tumble, but I tell them it has to be skills that are well within their ability, that they're 100% confident on, and in an appropriate place. That said, my dd just became the poster child for why we don't do gymnastics everywhere when she did a cartwheel in her room, kicked the night stand, and broke her big toe the day before states.

 

[mariposa]

Some parents homeschool, some don't. Personally, I find it irresponsible. But guess what? What I think matters less than a hill of beans. Not my call and I would never tell them this, not my place. Works for them and their kids..

Isn't that what you just did?

Gotta go irresponsibly homeschool my kids! That was definitely the main reason we chose homeschooling. For the irresponsibility factor.

Increasing Number Of Parents Opting To Have Children School-Homed | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

 

[mariposa]

I do let my kids tumble, but I tell them it has to be skills that are well within their ability, that they're 100% confident on, and in an appropriate place. That said, my dd just became the poster child for why we don't do gymnastics everywhere when she did a cartwheel in her room, kicked the night stand, and broke her big toe the day before states.

Sorry about your DDs toe. I have told my daughter to watch out for her dresser many a time. Ouch. Even small skills can be dangerous when a piece of furniture gets in the way.

 

[hannahsmom]

My dd is getting to the level that I won't let her do things at home. Once she hit BHS and things like that, I didn't let her even start them at home. I don't mind her doing the early skills like basic tumbling. Up to that point, I let her do it if she'd been given the approval by her coach. However, my big rule is that if she doesn't do it with good form, she has to stop. I don't want her getting bad habits on the things that she already knows how to do well. But again, I'm talking about basic tumbling. We have a low beam, but it is only used to practice walking, turns, etc.....no skills/dismounts. Her gym has not touched the beam since July, so it's just an opportunity for her to be a little comfortable walking on the beam. As for her gym/coach....they allow it to a certain point and if it's in a safe environment (not outside or the grocery store, etc), but they stress that if they know kids are doing it at home and they start developing bad habits, they put a stop to it. I do know that they asked one mother to not let her dd do anymore "tricks" on the home trampoline for that reason. And, finally, I have to agree with Mariposa.....my dd knows very clearly the rules and I disagree with those that say "I can't stop them." I've said in the past that I will let her do things because she wants to, but if I tell her to stop or tell her it's over, it's over.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

My DD broke her collarbone practicing front tucks in the basement..... 'nuf said. So she doesn't practice that type of thing at home anymore!

Now, I DO need to backtrack a bit here as well....... I think everyone who has posted here already knows about DD's fear issues that developed after a season of competing her RO BHS BT, so I won't go into that again... .BUT after her first prep-optional meet, she felt great about herself, had developed some well deserved confidence, and WITHOUT my knowledge, had gone down in the basement, pulled out all the mats, and practiced that skill over and over until she had it back, and THEN called me down to "show me something!" Well, what could I say except "great job" on getting over the fear? She wanted me to tape it, which I did twice and then told her "NO MORE GYMNASTICS IN THE BASEMENT!!!"

To my knowledge (she IS 15 now), she has NOT been doing gymnastics at any place other than the gym.... and I sure do hope she continues to only do it in the gym!

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

I do gymnastics outside but not anything more than a handstand inside the house. We do standing back tucks and front tucks and aerials outside and at parks and places like that, but nothing more than that. I don't start twisting or anything. I usually just do handstands on cool places. My coaches don't really say not too, one of my teammates was doing giants on her swingset so the coaches discouraged that after they heard!

 

[gym law mom]

My gymmie used to work the neighborhood looking for other kids to do skills with. She came home proudly telling me a boy(who had a gym and dance background) had taught her an aerial in his front yard. Ok, she then told her coach who gave her the lecture of her life about NOT doing any acro skills outside. They had found kids developed shin splints from tumbling on lawns, grassy surfaces can be uneven causing injury and the grass doesn't have to be dripping wet to be slippery--another way to get hurt. That ended the adventures in tumbling outside for her.

We have a tramp, but now she almost never uses it and I wouldn't let her out there trying double fulls---thats why we pay a steep amount to the gym.

 

[Bobby]

There are so many reasons I hate DD doing gym at home. Worries about her safety are just the beginning. My biggest fret the last few months is 'copycatting'. Eg: DD was arranging mattresses and pieces of carpet before somersaulting off the couch. Apparently younger sibling paid little attention to that bit before deciding to follow suit onto wooden floorboards. I caught jr so averted spinal damage but it certainly gave me a fright.
I assume it's much easier to insist that children keep gymnastics in the gym when they are going frequently enough to satisfy them.
I'm planning on discussing this with DD's coaches very soon, and am really hoping they'll be supportive. I frankly don't care if she's "ready" for increased training. She (and we) need it to happen for safety (and frustrations') sake.

 

[Bobby]

..., finally, I have to agree with Mariposa.....my dd knows very clearly the rules and I disagree with those that say "I can't stop them." I've said in the past that I will let her do things because she wants to, but if I tell her to stop or tell her it's over, it's over.

I think the point is that you can stop them doing "anything" but you can't (or shouldn't) stop them from doing "everything". It's important to pick your battles about the issues you believe are most important - or else home just becomes a battle ground.
Yes the other parents could stop it if they wanted to. They've just decided to prioritise other behavioural concerns. Things you choose to ignore probably drive them just as nuts.

 

[MamaofEnS]

As I was reading this thread, I looked to the side and saw my dd doing a hs on the couch. So, yes, I allow my dd's to do a limited amount of stuff outside of gym. We don't have a trampoline, so that's not an issue. Occasionally my dd's will do walkovers on the grass, but my dd doesn't like to do bhs on grass. However, there is a special grass area at the beach with gymnastic equipment (bars, rings, p-bars, ub, ropes, etc) that I do allow my kids to "show off" on since it is there for that reason.

MamaofEnS

 

[Shelovesthebars]

I am afraid I am guilty of letting my teenage girls tumble on the football field and on the basketball court during football and basketball games. That is the nature of being a cheerleader. My daughter was in a gym 2 years ago giving a mandatory cheer clinic for her school. The gym had a spring floor and my daugter did a beautiful tumbling pass on it. No one told the school that is was not regulation size so of course my power tumbler landed on concrete and crushed her ankle. At this point I would not let my 4 year old tumble in the grass. I don't see the point. She does tumble on the trampoline but there are clear rules and if you break them you lose your trampoline privledge. We have been injury free on our trampoline with 5 kids and we have had one for 11years.

 

[AbbyGirl]

you homeschool

Wow i wish that i was homescoold that would be cool

Isn't that what you just did?

Gotta go irresponsibly homeschool my kids! That was definitely the main reason we chose homeschooling. For the irresponsibility factor.

Increasing Number Of Parents Opting To Have Children School-Homed | The Onion - America's Finest News Source