Anon easier skills, higher scores

[Anonymous (aeaa)]

So I'm an xcel gold, and a junior in high school. I really want to get good scores, though I keep ending up with a mix of high 8s, and low 9s. I started pretty late in gymnastics at a small gym that honestly doesn't progress kids super fast. And I often end up with the highest scores (at least AA) of the gold levels at my gym. But with all of that, I don't usually compete the hardest/most difficult skills that I have. For example, on beam, I do a backward roll instead of a cartwheel because I never fall on my roll (I don't often fall on my cartwheel, but much more frequently than my backward which is basically once a week if ever... also due to a back injury I cant do any of my walkovers on beam). On bars I don't compete my kip because I'm scared I'll get a really bad score because when I compete with my with my pullover I still usually end up with an 8.9, though my kip isn't any . On floor I have my round off tuck, but I'm stuck deciding if I should just compete my round off back handspring because I know I will always make that just fine. I got first often on beam last season competing with my backward roll, but it doesn't always feel fair to me when I see the other gymnasts doing harder skills than me. All that to say, would you compete the harder skills? What would the pros/cons of that be for you? I plan on being platinum next season if I can clean up my free hip/clear hip and vault, so I feel like I should compete harder skills, but I also really want to score/place well this season. Sorry this is long, but if you read through this all, what are your thoughts and opinions? I would love any help/opinions!!

 

[Anonymous (aeaa)]

Another thought I forgot to mention- In this situation would you switch to a better gym or stay at the small one? I'm in Florida, in an area with a lot of different gyms, but not sure about the commitment to changing gyms/if I would fit in with a better gym/better gymnasts. Thanks

 

[Pricess_leia]

I am also an Xcel gold and a junior in high school! And I had a back injury, so I don’t do any walkovers! How crazy is that! With so many things in common I would love to chat with you, you can DM me if you are interested.
I also want to go to platinum next year, so I have decided to try to compete my harder skills. The challenge is more fun for me, and I know that I take longer to get skills so starting to get my platinum skills during competition season seems like a better option, since I really want to move up and I only get one chance. I guess it just depends on how much you want to get to platinum or how confident you are that your coaches will move you up.
I would go for the harder skills, but you should do whatever will make your season feel the best for you. Another possibility is to kind of have both. You could have one or two events that you keep easier so that you can have some higher scores and medals to be proud of, but have the other events have your harder skills in order to give you a challenge and work towards platinum.
As for switching gyms, I think there are too many factors to really weigh in. There are many risks to switching gyms, but also many possible benefits. I would say, only consider switching if you have a specific problem with your current gym. If you do then just make sure to do your research. And maybe feel it out for a few months, since it is competition season anyway.

 

[Anonymous (37fc)]

I would do what's more fun. Do the skills you enjoy doing.

If you just got your RO-BHS-BT for example and throwing it puts you on more of that happy-time-gymnastics-high than your super clean RO-BHS, then do the tuck even though it's a little messier.

 

[Anonymous (f88b)]

So I'm an xcel gold, and a junior in high school. I really want to get good scores, though I keep ending up with a mix of high 8s, and low 9s. I started pretty late in gymnastics at a small gym that honestly doesn't progress kids super fast. And I often end up with the highest scores (at least AA) of the gold levels at my gym. But with all of that, I don't usually compete the hardest/most difficult skills that I have. For example, on beam, I do a backward roll instead of a cartwheel because I never fall on my roll (I don't often fall on my cartwheel, but much more frequently than my backward which is basically once a week if ever... also due to a back injury I cant do any of my walkovers on beam). On bars I don't compete my kip because I'm scared I'll get a really bad score because when I compete with my with my pullover I still usually end up with an 8.9, though my kip isn't any . On floor I have my round off tuck, but I'm stuck deciding if I should just compete my round off back handspring because I know I will always make that just fine. I got first often on beam last season competing with my backward roll, but it doesn't always feel fair to me when I see the other gymnasts doing harder skills than me. All that to say, would you compete the harder skills? What would the pros/cons of that be for you? I plan on being platinum next season if I can clean up my free hip/clear hip and vault, so I feel like I should compete harder skills, but I also really want to score/place well this season. Sorry this is long, but if you read through this all, what are your thoughts and opinions? I would love any help/opinions!!

Honestly this is really up to you and your gym and there is no right or wrong answer. My daughter’s gym does xcel gold instead of levels 2-5. They push all the kids to do the harder skills even if they aren’t perfect since the goal is to move to level 6/7 after gold. With that said they could care less about scores and medals their goal is for kids to have skills to test out of level 5 and get to optionals not getting high gold scores.

Now some gyms keep kids in xcel and don’t really move them to usag and prefer to have a high scoring team so they may want you to do those easier skills to get a good team score.

So as you see it’s really up to you and the gym. I’d talk to your coaches. If your goal is to get to platinum I’d personally do the harder skills at meets so you can gain confidence for the higher xcel level but again this is really your coaches discussion so that’s why I’d talk with them.

 

[Anonymous (ae1d)]

I assume you have several meets?

I would discuss with you coaches about doing an 'upgraded' routine on one or two events at each meet.

This still means you have 2/3 'safe' routines per meet where you can focus on successful execution.

For any crucial qualifying or championship meets you can just do your safe routines unless one of your upgraded routines has been consistently successful during regular meets.

 

[Anonymous (74c6)]

We've been at two gyms, both that used lower levels of xcel in place of compulsory. At one gym, they encouraged the harder skills, even if unclean (but had to be safe). At the other, it was the absolute easiest skills and cleanest routines as possible. Gym 1 was more fun but girls at Gym 2 won everything. Literally everything. And now many are enjoying successful optional careers.