Off Topic Doing track/field in addition to gymnastics?

[Deleted member 17723]

Well as of right now my ankle/shin is doing a little better and pt is optimistic on me healing soon with the treatment we started. Hopefully it stays healthy so we don't need surgery.

Anyways, I am thinking about doing track/field in the spring for my high school. I would try out for pole vault, high jump, long jump, triple jump, 100 and 200m. I know I know, it's a lot. Lol, I wouldn't do all of them. I would try them and see what I like. Everyone makes the team at the high school but not everyone competes. Everyone competes at home meets but away meets you have to fight for a spot. My upperclassmen friend is confident that I will compete and most definitely be allowed to pole vault (criteria: 10 pushups and a handstand).

I'm looking for thoughts on doing track/field in addition to gymnastics. School is 7:30-2, track would be 2:45-4:45 and gymnastics is 5-8. Track is every day Monday-Friday and some Saturday mornings. I currently go to gymnastics Mon, Wed, Thurs, and I have 18 meets starting Nov 7. Track isn't until the spring.

I feel like this is a lot, but I feel like I shouldn't let gymnastics control me. Any ideas?

 

[dmbgymnast]

I would wait until you are absolutely sure that you are healed, then worry about track. You shouldn't be "almost" healed, then go ahead and injure yourself again. I realize track isn't until spring, but I wouldn't set my heart on track until you are healed. Secondly, you're putting alot on your plate. With gymnastics, you're very busy already, and all those meets are quite alot to prepare for. Anyways, you would be quite tired right before practice. However, track will raise your endurance, and you'll be alot stronger, both if which are good. I feel that doing all that will stress you out, as if high school isn't bad enough. There are both pros and cons, but I think track might just be too much.

 

[JBS]

Well as of right now my ankle/shin is doing a little better and pt is optimistic on me healing soon with the treatment we started. Hopefully it stays healthy so we don't need surgery.

Anyways, I am thinking about doing track/field in the spring for my high school. I would try out for pole vault, high jump, long jump, triple jump, 100 and 200m. I know I know, it's a lot. Lol, I wouldn't do all of them. I would try them and see what I like. Everyone makes the team at the high school but not everyone competes. Everyone competes at home meets but away meets you have to fight for a spot. My upperclassmen friend is confident that I will compete and most definitely be allowed to pole vault (criteria: 10 pushups and a handstand).

I'm looking for thoughts on doing track/field in addition to gymnastics. School is 7:30-2, track would be 2:45-4:45 and gymnastics is 5-8. Track is every day Monday-Friday and some Saturday mornings. I currently go to gymnastics Mon, Wed, Thurs, and I have 18 meets starting Nov 7. Track isn't until the spring.

I feel like this is a lot, but I feel like I shouldn't let gymnastics control me. Any ideas?

I played football and pole vaulted in high school in addition to gymnastics. Tough schedule...but that is what I wanted. I did have shin splint issues...but that is a different story.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

I played football and pole vaulted in high school in addition to gymnastics. Tough schedule...but that is what I wanted. I did have shin splint issues...but that is a different story.

I actually had shin splints and quite honestly wouldn't be surprised if they came back if I decide to do track... different surfaces... harder, etc. How was it?

 

[JBS]

I actually had shin splints and quite honestly wouldn't be surprised if they came back if I decide to do track... different surfaces... harder, etc. How was it?

Like I said...whole different story. I pushed through terrible shin pain for a very long time. I had 7 stress fractures in on leg and 8 in the other. If the pain is altering your movements...then it is too much.

 

[Jmrhgymnast]

I run track in addition to doing gymnastics 3 days a week and I love it. It's tiring at first but you get used to it. Defiantly try it. It's great to do another sport.

 

[flippinam]

I also do track in addition to gymnastics. It's taxing at first, but you'll eventually get used to it. I have done all of the events you mentioned in the past, and freshman year I did all of them. My schedule is similar to what you described, except I also compete on four of my school's academic teams. So I get to school at 7:00 for academic practice, school is 8:00-2:48, track is from 2:48-5:00ish, and gymnastics is from 5:00-8:15. So yes, in terms of time I think you can do it as long as you're very good about managing homework! You'll have to spend any free time you have during the day getting your work done.
However, physically you may want to rethink very hard about it. Track is very rough on ankles and shins, especially the jumping events. If you're not at 100%, you will get injured. Triple jump is the hardest on the body of all events, so maybe you should stick to long jump, running, and pole vault for now.

 

[flips123]

I did track in addition to gymnastics for all of high school and let me tell you it wasn't easy, but it was completely worth it. I love gymnastics and track and they worked pretty well together (except for the exhaustion and shin splints) My coaches were both very understanding when I was late to one practice because of the other but some coaches might not be.

It's a taxing 3 months, that's for sure. You have to make sure you really want to do both especially if you plan on doing field events. I would get up at 6:30 and have school from 7:45-2:25, track practice from 2:30-4:45 where I would have to run and work out with the rest of the team before I could hurdle/polevault (that in itself was hard enough as it is). After I finished my workout I'd grab my stuff and dart over to gymnastics eating a second lunch in the car. I normally got to practice 15+ minutes late so I had to warm up on my own and catch up with the rest of my team. I'd be at the gym from 5-8:30 and then drive home (30 min. away from the gym). I'd eat dinner at 9 and work on my homework until 11 or 12. Then I'd get up and do it all again.

During track season I only went to gymnastics 4 days a week because 2 of my days were consumed by track meets. It wasn't a big deal because I was getting extra conditioning in from polevaulting but you need to be sure you/your coach is okay with it.

I was super exhausted all the time, both mentally and physically because of how much I was exerting myself. I had shin splints for years at a time (make sure you stretch and strengthen them!) because apparently the pounding of running and tumbling all the time is too much. I would not recommend doing more than 3 events (in my area you can only compete 3 in one meet anyways) just because of how much time you have to devote to each of them.

All of this aside, once you're healed, I'd say go for it! Gymnastics really complimented polevault and sprinting improved my power. Track is a whole different atmosphere from gymnastics and it's a great experience.

 

[raenndrops]

You only go to gym 3 days a week. We have several girls that do other sports - including track.
As long as you are healed, I would say to go for it... but I would suggest narrowing your event options down first. For your first year of track, focus on just 2-3 events at first.

Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[emilykatherine]

I play soccer and gymnastics, it's a lot of 2 practices a day, and I miss practice for games sometimes, but I love it and I get the team aspect out of it that I don't get from gymnastics since I compete alone. It also helps me wit my endurance which I really needed help with.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

18 meets

 

[Deleted member 17723]

18 meets

And I'm not even doing all of them!! Our meet schedule is insane.... Meets start Nov 7 and end in July....

 

[dmbgymnast]

And I'm not even doing all of them!! Our meet schedule is insane.... Meets start Nov 7 and end in July....

It does mean you're always on your A game, ready for a meet

 

[JMACAZ]

My YDD is trying out for track hopefully this week.

 

[RANDOMTOASTER]

I do track and gymnastics, although I did rank pretty high up in running, gymnastics AND track was a bit to much. I had a hard time juggling the practices for both sports AND school.
right now I run track 3 days a week and gymnastics 5 days a week.