Parents How many hours a week of practice is appropriate for 9 years old level 6

[Xyredpoppy]

Hi, just wondering how many hours your gym practice at level 6, also I’m talking about specifically a 9 years old. Just trying to get some information here. Thanks in advance!

 

[NYCMom]

We’ll be at 20 hours over the summer and 17 hours in the fall. My daughter is also 9 but she’ll turn 10 before the fall season starts.

 

[Gym_momma]

16-20hours for level 6 age 9/10.

 

[3rd_time_around]

Practice hours aren't generally determined by the age of the gymnast, but by the level. 13-year-old silvers practice 6 hours, the same as a 7-year-old silver. Same with level 6; 9-year-olds practice 16 hours, just like the 13+-year-olds.

 

[fuzi]

Having worked at multiple gyms, I’ve seen 12-20 hours a week for level 6. I think it would be exceedingly rare to do less than 12 hours; I’d be concerned with overtraining and burnout if more than 20 hours a week.

 

[Sebastian12]

We do 12-15

 

[4theLoveofGymnastics]

My 9year old training level 6 does 23 hours a week in the summer. 20 a week when school is back in session.

 

[Dahlialover]

Practice hours aren't generally determined by the age of the gymnast,

Gyms set their hours based on the level of the athlete but, as a parent, I set my child’s hours based on a combination of age and level. My 9-year-old son’s training group does 20 hours during the school year and 25 during the summer. But my child is significantly younger than the rest of the training group so he only attends 4 days per week instead of 5 (16 hours during the school year and 20 during the summer). My son’s coach would love to have him 30 hours per week but I’m not raising a pro athlete, I’m raising a child!

 

[3rd_time_around]

Gyms set their hours based on the level of the athlete but, as a parent, I set my child’s hours based on a combination of age and level. My 9-year-old son’s training group does 20 hours during the school year and 25 during the summer. But my child is significantly younger than the rest of the training group so he only attends 4 days per week instead of 5 (16 hours during the school year and 20 during the summer). My son’s coach would love to have him 30 hours per week but I’m not raising a pro athlete, I’m raising a child!

Your tone is a little attacking. I am merely stating how hours are determined: by level, not age. As a parent, you do whatever works for you and whatever the gym allows you to do.

 

[Dahlialover]

Your tone is a little attacking. I am merely stating how hours are determined: by level, not age. As a parent, you do whatever works for you and whatever the gym allows you to do.

I’m not attacking you. I’m not even disagreeing with you! You are absolutely correct. I’m just disagreeing with the notion, commonly held in the gymnastics world, that child development is irrelevant to training hours. I’m also pointing out that it is possible, in some gym settings, to chart a different path. I had to be extremely stubborn to get what I wanted, but I got it. Conveniently, my kid proved my point when he had a stellar season and the boys who trained full hours did not have similar outcomes. The gym is now offering a bit more flexibility to other gymnasts. I encourage parents to advocate for their child’s needs and to always keep in mind that our kids are children first and gymnasts second.