WAG Leotard Preferences.

[Gymnastisism]

The girls from my gym have to bring out the leos when they go to National, State and IDP clinics to look more professional, as well as the fact everyone else wears leotards there. Maybe it's also a trend thing with the older girls? Like if one or two girls started wearing leotards to practice it might catch on and the rest of the girls will wear their leotards. hahaha
We also have team practice leos, but no one ever wears them.

 

[juststartingout]

At my daughters gym a leo is required for team and they are not allowed to wear bar shorts with them. They do not have team training leos so they wear whatever leo they want. They are not even allowed to wear the ones with the shorts attached. Even when a girl is injured and just conditioning she must be in a leo to come onto the floor. This is the requirement for all team kids whether they are 5 or 18. For rec only the lowest level, the beginner groups are allowed tank and shorts. Most however wear dance leos or the ones with the shorts attached (can't remember what they are called). Ones who have hopes of team seem to dress in gym leos from the start. Once you move to the more advanced rec groups a gym leo is a requirement. The owner of the gym says it's for safety and so that they can see and correct form. Only girls that come in for cheer tumbling wear the sports bras and shorts. I would think bars would hurt more in a sports bra also although at open gym my daughter will most of the time wear the sports bra and shorts and still does bar work.

 

[seoulmama]

Hi, I am new to the forum but thought I'd chime in. At my dd's gym all the team girls must wear leos-and aren't allowed to wear shorts over their leos. Every year, they have at least one team leo that everyone must purchase and wear one day a week. It's usually the leo they wear to the big gym show at the end of the year for the rec kids. The rec classes can wear shorts/t-shirt.

 

[Uglybetty]

All our girls wear a proper leotard and usually a pair of fitted gymnastic shorts over the top. However, they are made to ditch the shorts in the run up to competitions so they get used to the different feel on bars. They're also fussy about how their hair is styled for the same reason....they try to practice as it will be styled for competition to weed out any issues. In terms of brands they mostly wear Milano Pro Sport...expensive but worth it!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

same here, leos compulsory ( after your two taster sessions) and club leo until you have entered a county 4 piece comp. Shorts are allowed in training but not in comps.

 

[GymSurvivor]

just to clarify..... you were talking about the shorts being loose, right? When I first read this, I thought you were saying kids who wore shorts are losers! Lol

Ops!! Yes! Loose shorts not loser shorts!!

 

[Deleted member 15064]

speaking of "loser" shorts, does anyone else get those booty style athletic ones in loot bags @ competitions?

i managed to raise one daughter without her wearing words on her butt, but here come these athletic shorts with stuff plastered on the back for dd2 in the guise of gymnastic competition freebies.

she loves them!

thank goodness she is young, innocent & slenderish - maybe that helps pull off the look...

 

[coachmolly]

The high school girls I coach are required to wear leos, shorts are allowed and I think all opt to wear them. They can wear t-shirts and sweats over top for warm-ups and stretching, but those need to come off once they start working skills. It helps the coaches see their shapes/lines better and spot better (no worry about getting hands tangled), and we don't have to worry about "wardrobe malfunctions."

 

[kaloss]

Over the summer our team girls got bright pink and bright green fitted racer back tanks, and had the gym name embroidered on them. They had designated days for each color, worn with black bar shorts. Now that we're gearing up for comp. season, everyone is back in leotards. Some wear shorts and some don't.

 

[flips123]

For team girls just leos with no shorts. Rec kids can wear athletic clothing.

 

[livelifetumble8dx]

At my gym most of the 7th grade through highschool aged girls wear a sports bra with a leotard pulled down with GK shorts. It doesn't hurt on bars haha but our leotard is usually pulled down to our belly buttoms.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Another vote here for leotards.... whether the girls are 5 or 15. Shorts (fitted) are allowed, no strings, baggies, tees, leggings, etc. allowed. Even the little ones aren't allowed the two piece sort of athletic shirt with shorts that are popular - no good for spotting. There is no preferred brand, or style cut - and some girls have the craziest of pattern combos going!

Early Sunday morning when training starts though, the girls often have socks and hoodies on during warmup to keep from freezing while the heat comes on. Again it is all put away immediately thereafter.

 

[coachmolly]

I was just coaching a tumbling class last night where the girls were wearing shorts and t-shirts, not the fitted athletic type t-shirts either, and I unintentionally came in contact with entirely too many sweaty stomachs while spotting front/back walkovers. Yuck.

 

[dani4]

Slightly OT, but there was a little girl in my daughter's parent & tot class who showed up wearing full party dress ensemble every single week. It was like she had a birthday party or something to go to afterward. I just couldn't understand the mentality that would dress someone like that to a gymnastics class.. and she was not teeny tiny, she was around 3.5 (most kids in the class were <2.5). I don't let my kids dress like that for the playground, or even for school, definitely not gymnastics. I was actually sort of surprised that no one ever said anything to that mom- it was obviously hindering the girl's movement (and she seemed very timid about doing anything athletic- maybe the clothes had an effect). They do have rules about "active clothing" for rec gym classes, but I guess the rules aren't really enforced at the preschool level.

I don't know what the rules are for team clothes, since my kids are still preschoolers. The rec kids seem to mostly wear leos but there are a fair share of shorts/t-shirts on girls (and sometimes leggings too). The party dress girl was an anomaly, though I have seen a few other little girls with tutus (my kids have asked to wear tutus and I say no way). Older DD is in a beginner preteam class and it seems to be the same dress code as rec, though most wear leotards. My kids wear leos and my 2.5 year old is very excited to be allowed to go to gymnastics with no diaper under her leotard- it's the final frontier of potty training, because I was not willing to risk an accident in the foam pit!

 

[cazoon]

All team girls have to wear a leotard and no shorts are allowed. People wear different brands like gk and some adidas and underarmor and garland and snowflake.

 

[Jen H.]

I was just coaching a tumbling class last night where the girls were wearing shorts and t-shirts, not the fitted athletic type t-shirts either, and I unintentionally came in contact with entirely too many sweaty stomachs while spotting front/back walkovers. Yuck.

*shudder*

 

[Bess]

I think our HC would have a heart attack if anyone came to practice in a sports bra and shorts..she doesn't even allow shorts with the Leo let alone no Leo at all

 

[saddlupasb]

Our gym has a rule that this is not allowed, actually. The girls are there for gymnastics, they want them to look like it. I would prefer my daughter wear a leotard over sports bra and shorts...I mean she's 5 right now, but even still I wouldn't let her wear the two pieces to gym.

This is our gym's philosophy also. When they walk through the door they are gymnasts. We don't do shorts for one because you can't see the body line as well. Girls are less likely to feel bad in just their leo if they wear it.

 

[gymdog]

Slightly OT, but there was a little girl in my daughter's parent & tot class who showed up wearing full party dress ensemble every single week. It was like she had a birthday party or something to go to afterward. I just couldn't understand the mentality that would dress someone like that to a gymnastics class.. and she was not teeny tiny, she was around 3.5 (most kids in the class were <2.5). I don't let my kids dress like that for the playground, or even for school, definitely not gymnastics. I was actually sort of surprised that no one ever said anything to that mom- it was obviously hindering the girl's movement (and she seemed very timid about doing anything athletic- maybe the clothes had an effect). They do have rules about "active clothing" for rec gym classes, but I guess the rules aren't really enforced at the preschool level

I inform all the parents of the dress code in writing and verbally on the first day, and they are given a rundown when they sign up. And I STILL have people like this, as well as 50% of kids coming without their hair secured away from their eyes with their vision clearly obscured. It's especially bad at the preschool level, maybe because the kids can't dress themselves and override a clueless parent. It's just baffling though that people would think any kind of skirt would be okay for gymnastics.

 

[Gymnastisism]

I've had a girl (about 4) come to gymnastics in a tiny tots class and jump on the trampoline in just a frilly top and a denim skirt.