WAG Level 6/7 training question

[wgymmom]

If you had a group of girls who were training for "6/7," but no time was being spent on giants or even flyaways, would you think that they're being steered only to L6? They have been uptraining since Jan. and won't compete until Jan. 2016. They have only done giants on strap bar and only one girl has them unspotted even there.

 

[gymmutti]

Do all the girls have their cast handstands from a kip? I remember that was a prerequisite at my DD's gym before any giants. Plus, Giants on strap is certainly working Giants. My oldest was on strap for months before moving to pit bar but she quickly moved from there to regular bars. If she moves to a pit bar by May, she could certainly have solid giants by August. I would think it is still too soon to tell. How are her other L7 skills (layout flyaways, BHS and series on beam, tumbling on floor)?

 

[wgymmom]

1 girl has a KCHS, the rest including DD just have CHS. DD has a piky layout flyaway and a slightly piky layout on floor. FHSFT is decent, and she competed the single BHS in 5. She is working BHSBHS on beam right now, though she had a setback after missing almost a week in gym due to ice/snow.

 

[l.c.o]

Are there any other groups training 6 and/or 7? I think that would be the easiest way to tell. Well, next to asking a coach.

With my limited knowledge, I'd say 7 is not impossible. DD's teammate started working spotted giants on pit bar (after months of big tap swings) last May-ish and did her first unassisted giant in June. Her skills probably weren't consistent "enough" until the end of the year, and she was just switched mid-season to level 7. She's doing pretty well.

How are practices spent? Is she doing more "old" skills or newer stuff? Is she strong?Does she usually pick up bars easily?

I think that by the end of the school year you'll have a better idea of where's she's going, and I agree with gymmutti that you'll have a pretty clear picture by August. I have to say the same to myself about my own DD (she's also in the "6 or 7?" camp).

 

[wgymmom]

They're the only 6/7 group. It's a small gym.

They seem to be working decent skills otherwise. I'll have to ask her what a typical practice entails now.

She is decent on bars. She actually won state champ at L5.

Ask a coach? Haha!

 

[l.c.o]

They're the only 6/7 group. She is decent on bars. She actually won state champ at L5.

Ask a coach? Haha!

If it's the only group, then I wouldn't really worry - she'll probably get where she needs to be! And yes - maybe asking about practice in general would give you a better idea. My DD usually shares highlights afterwards - I probably couldn't stop her if I tried. Must be the adrenaline.

DD's gym has two groups of girls who just had their first season of level 4, with a couple of level 3s sprinkled in. I've seen snippets of both groups practicing (other group practices when DS is there) and there's an obvious difference in how they're tracking. And I'm aware that parents from the "other" group are noticing, too.

And LOL. I know. No way am I asking a coach. And they all hide pretty well anyway (I do have emails, but... nope). We'll reportedly have individual meetings sometime before summer schedule. I imagine I'll be told a tentative plan then?! Maybe?

I get that there's much left to chance, and it's better to not speculate.

 

[wgymmom]

I forgot to mention that they were doing strap bar giants, but DD says right now it's just free hip to HS and she is working step ins to HS (like a toe circle, but it starts with 1 foot on the bar).

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I would not work giants until a girl has them solid on the strap bar for a few months. So if only one girl has giants on strap bar it makes sense to me that they are not working them on the set. Also a good baby giant is the lead up to a giant, do they work those? If so then you need to relax.

 

[wallinbl]

Giants are a long road; they're probably working them in ways that aren't apparent - baby giants, strap bar, etc. If you watch this pot, you'll think it's never going to boil, and when it does boil, it'll stop boiling a few times before really getting going.

 

[Muddlethru]

They may not be ready to do giants just yet. Jan. 2016 is 9 months away, plenty of time to get the giants. I don't think not doing them right now is an indication that the girls are just being trained to go to Level 6. My experience is coaches typically progress kids when they are ready. So I think when the coaches reaches a time frame where they think a gymnast must have their giants to compete it safely, a determination will be made as to who will be Level 6 and who will be Level 7. Strap bar is the first step to learning giants. So, it seems they are all being trained to do them eventually.

 

[wgymmom]

I would not work giants until a girl has them solid on the strap bar for a few months. So if only one girl has giants on strap bar it makes sense to me that they are not working them on the set. Also a good baby giant is the lead up to a giant, do they work those? If so then you need to relax.

So they would not work with the girl who does have them, and wait for the rest of the group?

 

[Deleted member 14190]

So they would not work with the girl who does have them, and wait for the rest of the group?

Well, having them and a coaches standard may be different. And the girl who has them probably is working giants in the form of a baby giant. You don't just fleet up and start theories g giants without lead ups or you end up with a giant that needs repair.

 

[wgymmom]

So, DD says they haven't even really worked baby giants in a while. Just free hips and toe circles (step ins).

 

[Natasha]

A good Free Hip is required for L7, while giants are not actually required. It is still a long way aways from January. As long as they are getting the right strength and conditioning and are progressing in bar skills and drills, then they are on the right track.

 

[Quadqueen]

It sounds like they are on track. Like gymtigermom said, you need a good free hip meeting angle requirements for L7.

Good consistent strap bar giants are necessary before they go on the regular bars. Can she do many in a row? I know DD's gym had a number requirement before they allowed them on the regular bars. I think they had to be able to do 10 in a row on strap.

 

[SignHere]

I know my DD " had" giants.... Then we changed gyms and she had a lot of work to do fixing her Giants - they didn't work them for a good long time at the new gym. Lots of drills.

DD would say, " but I don't need to do drills, I can do Giants!" New bar coach would say to her " Just humor me, and do the drills, ok?"

I would have to turn my face so she wouldn't see me smiling when she relayed this conversation to me!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

So, DD says they haven't even really worked baby giants in a while. Just free hips and toe circles (step ins).

Hard to say , if they are good coaches the giant won't be the problem. I would be more concerned if they wernt doing flyaways. And the free hip toe shoot are very important as well and harder than a giant . If A child has a strong tap into a baby giant and strong giants on strap they will get them on regular bars. Free hips and flyaways are a different story. Unless your dd is under 4 feet tall I wouldn't worry about the giant yet.

 

[gracyomalley]

so I should try to stop panicking about our new building not having a pit bar yet and DD doing 10s of gorgeous strap bar giants a day but not having them back on real bar yet after being off for a few months?

She does have her KCHS back very nicely, and B-occaisionally C level free hips....tuck fly aways back but no chance to work the layouts....lots of pirouette drills and bar strength training....those stupid giants were what got her stuck last summer at the new gym, and even though she had all her other L8 skills beautifully, she lost so much confidence being sent to pitbar with the girls training for L6 and very little coaching all summer - she got them before she quit, mind you, but never competed them...

And yes, I know the answer is they are not my giants, they are hers!!!