How many coaches & how much conditioning at your gym?

[Mo's Mom]

Hi,
My daughter is a level 5 gymnast at a small gym. There are 14 girls on the team (and they are currently recruiting more), levels 3-5. My daughter is one of 4 level 5s on the team. There are 2 coaches (although at times there is only 1 at a practice, and only 1 at competitions generally) for all of the girls, and they all practice together 3 nights a week for 2 to 2.5 hours a session. Over the summer two additional girls usually help with the coaching, both had competed at level 7 before quitting several years ago. Since the end of the competition season (end of Feb here) the girls have concentrated solely on strength and conditioning - no new skills yet. Is this how it is routinely done at other gyms?
THanks.

 

[gymgurl]

That's how it is for us, after comp season comes strength season and then after a bit of strength season we do strength and new skills and then comp season comes and we do mainly skills

 

[wallinbl]

It is all conditioning for a fees months after the season for DD's gym as well. The exception is if the girls didn't do as well with up training, they'll mix skills in more often to get more practice on the next level skills.

 

[Mo's Mom]

Ok, what is up training? For dd they don't work on new skills until about 2-3 months before the start of the next competition season, after the coaches decide on competition level. Once they decide someone will move up them they start on skills for that level. Seems a bit backwards, which is why I was wondering

 

[wallinbl]

Ok, what is up training? For dd they don't work on new skills until about 2-3 months before the start of the next competition season, after the coaches decide on competition level. Once they decide someone will move up them they start on skills for that level. Seems a bit backwards, which is why I was wondering

Working on skills for the next level. I assume they're doing it more than I realize and that some of the drills are more forward looking than I recognize. But, there's definitely some work done on the skills for the next level, even during meet season. DD's group is going to be L5 in fall, but they're also working on front tucks, back tucks, free hips, cast to handstand, back walk over on beam, etc, which I don't believe are necessary for L5. I assume these things take a long time to learn and they rotate in drills months in advance to keep the progression slow and manageable.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

1-2 coaches for 14 girls seems about right for compulsories. That's roughly what we had at my gym. It seems weird that they're only doing strength and no skills, but I guess if there are skill-specific drills incorporated into the strength it will help in the long run. Also since they only practice 6-7.5 hrs/week, they don't have a ton of time to catch up if they're not strong enough.

 

[pattymello]

We have one coach to each level at our gym. about 1:8 ratio most of the time. We condition a lot throughout the whole year but it is more of a focus during the non competitive season.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

you gotta break it out more for me to comment.

 

[Granny Smith]

My dd's gym has event coaching, so the girls rotate to their events and the coaches basically stay at the event. Sometimes things get changed up, but the girls never have 1 coach all training session long. At meets, usually all the coaches go or 1 may stay back if there is a level not attending the meet. My dd has Regionals coming up, she is in her session all by herself and she will have 2 coaches attending with her.

As for conditioning, the level of intensity never change, the girls condition everyday as an event rotation and also use videos such as Insanity, Turbo Fire and a whole slew of others ones that I can't remember their names of to warm up every day.

As for uptraining, during meet season the main focus is routines, but if there is say 3 weeks between meets they may uptrain too. Like between States & Regionals, there has been 3 weeks. The 1st week after States, it was a little more relaxed with the main focus on uptraining. This past week has been more skills focused at the beginning of the week, meaning the girls focused on the skills in their routines, but not necessarily doing routines. As the week progressed, they have started to turn the focus to doing routines. If they get their required routines done, then they will work upgrades. Next week, the week leading up to Regionals (if it's anything like the week leading up to States), the girls will do warm up - compete at each rotation. It's interesting how the coach will have them warm up and then they have to sit and wait a few minutes before they compete, like in an actual meet. Most do not warm up and then immediately compete. HC will also bring in Judges, actually think 1 is coming in this morning, and the girls will be judged and critiqued.

 

[momofthreegirls]

DD's L4 team has 20 girls, and they have 3 coaches that typically work with their group. When all the compulsory girls are in the gym together, there are about 60 girls and 9-10 coaches. So I guess about a 7 to 1 ratio for our gym.

Competition season (Nov to March) they mostly work on current-level skills and routines, with a small amount of conditioning before and after practice.

In the Spring, after the meets are done, they really amp up the conditioning - it takes up almost half of their 3-hour practice. The other half of practice is working skills for the next level, and improving current level skills.

Summer practices double in hours, and the time is split between conditioning, uptraining, and learning new routines.

 

[lhmom]

DD is on the compulsory team but her team shares the same coaches as the optionals. So, for the last few months, they have been doing more strength and conditioning than they did during the season. Mainly because the coaches have been focused on the optional team's competitive season, I think. DD and her friends were told that they would be concentrating on the strength and conditioning until around May. They have been working on learning skills though (kips, cartwheels, etc) but very little of the routines (DD will be competiting level 5). If I had to break it down, I'd say they probably spend almost half of their practices doing conditioning right now. Every gym seems to have a different approach to the off-season, it seems.

 

[jsfofec]

At our gym, they do conditioning year round, although it tapers off dramatically during season. At that time, it's more of doing conditioning to maintain your strength. After season, the intense conditioning begins again. They may spend 2-3 hours a day on conditioning and basics...lots of basics. They work skills all the time, lots of uptraining, even during season.

 

[thefellowsmom]

It really depends on the day at the gym for us. Generally the coaches have events that they concentrate on, but sometimes they mix it up. All the coaches are capable of coaching all events, but seem to have their specialty.

The compulsory team is large so they have different groups working on different schedules. These overlap some days and so sometimes they will mix things up a bit. I think that having new eyes and new words now and then is crucial. I have seen girls push through a stuck spot simply because another coach gave them a correction that for some reason connected better with them.

They have brought in a couple of new coaches to make the ratios smaller(?) and talk is that they are trying to bring in two more for next year. Generally ratios are about 7-8 to 1 right now. The caliber of our coaching staff has also improved dramatically in the last several years.

Conditioning and basics are always a big focus for them. Things are evolving at our gym so things change a bit every year and this year won't be any different so really who knows what will happen, but...

There is a big conditioning focus in the spring and summer and big uptraining then as well. In the fall they start learning routines (or refreshing them) and during competition season the focus is on skills and routines. The philosophy where we are is that they work skills one to two levels up as their regular practice and compete wherever they can be successful.

It really isn't about levels at our gym, it is very much downplayed (except first year level 4, they all come in together and work the same program). There may even be girls competing different levels in the same work group. They move to the next level when they are ready. There is often scoring out or moving mid season if that is what is best for the gymnast. Everything is individual to the girl. Technique, form and fundamentals are highly emphasized, often to the point of many the frustrated parent. I, personally, think the system is great.

 

[ajcrr0585]

My daughter is a Level 4 finished with her season and is going to be moving up. She works out 3 nights a week from 4-8pm. She is now joining the Top's program and will be working out on Saturday as well. They are always working on skill for the next level. My daughter was working on level Five skills during her level four season. It is important to have the time each night to hit all four events and still have time to do nightly strength and flexability. The girls should always be working on new skill becasue some come fast and others like Kips and clear hips come slow.

Hi,
My daughter is a level 5 gymnast at a small gym. There are 14 girls on the team (and they are currently recruiting more), levels 3-5. My daughter is one of 4 level 5s on the team. There are 2 coaches (although at times there is only 1 at a practice, and only 1 at competitions generally) for all of the girls, and they all practice together 3 nights a week for 2 to 2.5 hours a session. Over the summer two additional girls usually help with the coaching, both had competed at level 7 before quitting several years ago. Since the end of the competition season (end of Feb here) the girls have concentrated solely on strength and conditioning - no new skills yet. Is this how it is routinely done at other gyms?
THanks.

 

[Muddlethru]

We have upwards of 25 gymnasts from level 5 through 8. We currently, don't have a level 9 and only 1 level 10. At any given time, we have 1 to 3 coaches on the floor. Typically, there are two coaches and often times there is only 1 coach that knows what she is doing. The other 'coaches' are just really bodies, never even done gymnastics. My biggest gripe is we do very little conditioning. The focus is on skills.

I read somewhere or in an interview with Nastia Luikin while preparing for the 2012 Olympic trials, she said her focus is on conditioning because once she is shape, skills come easier. I think this is true. The girls at my daughter's gym can do the skills, albeit poorly and it is evident they lack the conditioning to execute the skills properly, developing bad habits. My daughter is the only one that does a free hip to handstand, but since she never gets spotted (you'd have to get private lessons at our gym to get individualized spotting) and lacks conditioing, form is not that good and it does not look strong. Sad really, and I wish I could switch gyms but it is just not feasible for us right now. To the op, I think concentrating on conditioning first and then skills later is a good way to go and I would not be concerned. As parents new to gymnastics, we'd like to see the skills. But after due time, we will realize conditioning is a huge and vital part.

 

[Galadriel]

my dd and sons old gym both had mixed levels to am extent in training. they get to work what they NEED but also can uptrain to their 'strengths' if you see what i mean!
there are younger gymnasts training skill at dd comp level that she has not aptitude for but younger girl does and she can gradually work it until appropriate and ready to compete. things change though! dd was not great bt jumps but excellent static strength. after puberty the opposite!

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[Mo's Mom]

Thank you all for posting your experiences. I really appreciate hearing how other teams work!

 

[cazoon]

We have about 20 level 3&4s with2-3 coaches and 17 level 5&6& prepops with 2 coaches. 6 optionally with one coach