WAG Going on Vacation for Two Weeks

[kecks]

any other sport has their elites athletes resting in between seasons for around three weeks (active recovery moving a little having fun but no specific training). there is no rational point why gymastics should be any different.

 

[CoachAlex]

Personally, I would not want any of my athletes to train at another gym with coaches they don’t know and who don’t know them, and as I mentioned before, vacation time is not always a bad thing.

In every other high level sport, athletes take time off after their season has ended. For whatever reason, in gymnastics this seems to be frowned upon. Your body needs the break, your brain needs a break.

If she feels like she “needs” to do something have her ask her coaches for a conditioning/stretching list. But if not, then just let her be a kid and have a vacation.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

any other sport has their elites athletes resting in between seasons for around three weeks (active recovery moving a little having fun but no specific training). there is no rational point why gymastics should be any different.

Gymnastics is a bucket of water with a hole in it. It drains when you don't pour water in it. In other words it's the hardest sport in the world and the skills deteriorate quickly for the average gymnast. This is factual

 

[raenndrops]

Gymnastics is a bucket of water with a hole in it. It drains when you don't pour water in it. In other words it's the hardest sport in the world and the skills deteriorate quickly for the average gymnast. This is factual

So my OG... who isn't AMAZING by any means must, in reality be INCREDIBLE.
In addition to the time off the gym has (10 weeks a year):
She took 4 months off at 10.5-11 years old. She came back with all the skills she had when she left.
She took 2 YEARS off and came back having all the skills she had when she left and even moved up. Her clear hip was actually better than ever and in less than 1 month back, she got 3 new skills.
Since she got her kip at 9 years old, she has NEVER lost it.

 

[Seeker]

So my OG... who isn't AMAZING by any means must, in reality be INCREDIBLE.
In addition to the time off the gym has (10 weeks a year):
She took 4 months off at 10.5-11 years old. She came back with all the skills she had when she left.
She took 2 YEARS off and came back having all the skills she had when she left and even moved up. Her clear hip was actually better than ever and in less than 1 month back, she got 3 new skills.
Since she got her kip at 9 years old, she has NEVER lost it.

My sense is Level matters here a lot. A break at L3-5 is in no way the same as a break at L9-10. Getting back a RO-BHS or a kip isn’t the same as giants, release moves and Yurchenko fulls.

 

[raenndrops]

My sense is Level matters here a lot. A break at L3-5 is in no way the same as a break at L9-10. Getting back a RO-BHS or a kip isn’t the same as giants, release moves and Yurchenko fulls.

i agree, but she was Xcel Gold / Platinum before 2 years off and came back as a L6.
OP's DD is hoping to move to L7 for the next season. In that case, 2 weeks shouldnt cause her skills to "deteriorate quickly" as suggested.

 

[sce]

i agree, but she was Xcel Gold / Platinum before 2 years off and came back as a L6.
OP's DD is hoping to move to L7 for the next season. In that case, 2 weeks shouldn't cause her skills to "deteriorate quickly" as suggested.

It shouldn't but she may find her strength and endurance a bit lacking at first. it may take time to get back to full strength and she may not get new skills as quickly. On the other hand, any little issues may heal while she is on vacation, making her body more able to handle training.

 

[raenndrops]

It shouldn't but she may find her strength and endurance a bit lacking at first. it may take time to get back to full strength and she may not get new skills as quickly. On the other hand, any little issues may heal while she is on vacation, making her body more able to handle training.

Most gymnasts that I know are extremely active on vacations (especially summer vacations) even without visiting a gym.
Swimming, walking, biking, hiking, etc.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

i agree, but she was Xcel Gold / Platinum before 2 years off and came back as a L6.
OP's DD is hoping to move to L7 for the next season. In that case, 2 weeks shouldnt cause her skills to "deteriorate quickly" as suggested.

All kids are different. I Have kids who can miss and be fine but I also have many kids who lose a lot. I have also lost kids after extended vacations , they came back and lost skills and developed fear issues etc....

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Wholeheartedly agree with CoachP. It totally depends on the kid. I have seen kids take several vacations during the same summer and come back like nothing happened (at L5/6/7) and I have seen kids take 10days off and have to really work for several weeks at getting back to speed. Most fall somewhere in between, where taking 2wks off will leave them a little rusty (either mentally or physically) for a few practices and then they are fine. Level definitely matters as well!
I wouldn’t worry too much about it, enjoy your vacation but have her stretch. If she IS one of those kids that end up taking a while to get back into things, then better to find out now than later, and she will learn how to work through it!

 

[profmom]

Yep. One of my kids looks a tiny bit better than prior to vacation after a few days back in the gym. The other takes around 1.5 X the vacation time to get back to ground zero.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I would also be very uncomfortable with the idea of any of my gymnasts training at another gym. Unless it was a program I knew very well. There are lots of coaches out there that don’t stay up to date with the latest understandings about sports science ad human body and they can do a lot of damage even if a few sessions.

Coaches usually have a clear plan and pathway for each gymnast. Throwing them into to doing different skills at another gym can be quite detrimental.

I also agree that level will,play a big role here. For elite level gymnasts or even level 10’s even a break of a few days can make things harder. Lower level optional scan safely take a week or so off, and do some conditioning and flex work and still be okay. Compulsories can usually take the time off with no work out and still be fine.

 

[Muddlethru]

She's hoping she will be able to move to L7 next year even with the 2 weeks off. Her gym doesn't do full day practice only 3 to 4 hours a day.

Then she likely will be fine. Caveat: Many variables here. Her age, her aspirations as a gymnast (i.e., is she planning to do elite); her ability as a gymnast, mental strength etc. Generally speaking, at Level 6 or 7, I don't think a two week vacation will set her back considerably. My guess is after 2 weeks back, she'll be back on track. Additionally, she has all summer and several months thereafter before comp season to train. A lot of time to get skills back, perfected and even get upgrades. But if she is already currently struggling getting skills, it may affect her progress more. Your best bet if you are uncertain is to speak with your daughter's coach. The HC knows your daughter best and if he/she is any good, he/she will be able to advise you accordingly.

 

[gymnastmom05]

We took a long vacation the summer after my Dd’s Level 5 season. She firmly believes the extended time off was the reason she competed level 6 vs 7 the next year. (Between going to Camp, 4th of July and our long vacation she basically missed all of July and our program at the time decided placement August 1) BUT she would chose Hawaii for two weeks again if she ever had to make the choice. While she is serious about her Gymnastics and is committed, we know in reality it’s what she does to fill her time and be happy, nothing more. Vacations are important family moments and I’m glad we didn’t stress over missing gym. 18 months later, she’s still at gym and still happy.

 

[kecks]

...gymnastics is a very hard sport for sure. still the coordination aspect is (for which perhaps no weeks off makes some sense) just one aspect making a great performance great even in gymnastics. strength, speed and endurance are important too, and these would be much better of in any athlete if the said athlete got a longer pause somewehre in the periodisation scheme for the whole year. like at least two weeks off, better three weeks, doing only active recovery. these can be gymnastics related but nothing serious, no serious work at all. i figure the missing of active recovery periods in gymnastics is one huge factor in the very high overuse injury rate seen in young athletes in this sport. too much without proper recovery in between. at least it looks like it from the outside if you started out in any other elite sport.

 

[cassafrass]

When my gymmie came back after 2 weeks off, she was super sore because it was a big conditioning day. Her skills were all fine but we still laugh about it because we went camping the next weekend and she couldn't even ride her bike and was walking like a cowboy. The next practice coach said "sorry, today is legs day" Now she is sure to do a few lunges, crunches and push ups each day of vacation!

 

[kecks]

in any sport you learn that after weeks off you restart with adding no more than 10 percent increase in reps every week of training starting at a sensible base line (depending on the athletes traicning age and history). you do not go back and jump in a superhard conditioning day. this is injury waiting to happen.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

When my gymmie came back after 2 weeks off, she was super sore because it was a big conditioning day. Her skills were all fine but we still laugh about it because we went camping the next weekend and she couldn't even ride her bike and was walking like a cowboy. The next practice coach said "sorry, today is legs day" Now she is sure to do a few lunges, crunches and push ups each day of vacation!

I was going to say something similar. Dd's gym had modified practices over Christmas. She just finished 5 and is training for 7, but for next season, so she won't compete for another year. Therefore her level had the most time off compared to the optionals that have their first meet in 2 weeks and needed more practice time. They had 12 days off for the Christmas break. The girls came back refreshed and happy. The parents were even more refreshed and happy! lol. But boy were the girls all sore the next day. My daughter said everything hurt and she was walking funny for several days after. They might have seemed a little rusty the first practice back, but by the next practice they all were right back where they were before the holidays.

 

[munchkin3]

Instead of focusing how to get more gymnastics time, while on vacation.....Can you bring in a new activity? Broaden her horizons and take the time to enjoy other sports?
Ive always found vacations great for hiking, jogging, biking, swimming, rock climbing, horsback riding, skiing, ropes courses, walking through a museum.....etc.

Why keep bringing it back to gymnastics?

You can always stretch.....and do some fun conditioning......But vacation is for just that reason, to get away and recharge.....

 

[kimute]

My DD has taken active (non-gym) vacations for 3 weeks each summer. She may have done better without it, but has moved up a level or more per year. Generally the vacations have helped her heal from her constant injuries.