MAG Level 7 gymnast

[Gym dad]

If a gymnast is successful at level 7 shouldn't that mean he will be successful at level 8? I have always been told that level 7 is harder than level 8.

 

[skschlag]

So, level 7 seems to judged harder than Level 8, but you can almost do the 7 routines at 8. because they can have upgrades and higher difficulty, it can be different. Not everyone is starting from teh same point as in L7. Some kiddos do not make that transition very easily from compulsary to optionals. But if they have a good foundation going from compulsaries, they can transition that to L8 and have a good year!

The difference in judging, and why people think 7 is harder, is due to everyone doing the same thing, and following a "text." There is more room for errors that are text errors and deductions. At L8, there are more options and flexibility, but the judging remains teh same.

 

[Gymmommy71]

If a gymnast is successful at level 7 shouldn't that mean he will be successful at level 8? I have always been told that level 7 is harder than level 8.

No - not necessarily. Level 8 is a very power-centric level - sometimes the kids who are very good at bars and quickly get the great giants, chs and free hips to hs that are key to doing well in L7, are not necessarily powerful gymnasts (they can be, but don't have to be as bars really doesn't have much to do w/ power). W/o that natural power and bounce in your legs and shoulders you can struggle w/ things like double saltos/higher skills on floor and flipping vaults. I've seen quite a few very talented L7 kids (ones who skipped a lot of levels to get there), who don't have great L8 seasons and need to repeat (or just stay in L7 till ready).

Also, in L7 you can get great scores w/ clean minimum skills, in L8 they will ding you pretty significantly for just doing the minimum - especially when there are a lot of other gymnasts doing what are essentially L9 skills in your session. At least this was my experience in comparing major meets as a L7 one year and then the same meet(s) as L8 the following year.

 

[GymDad23]

I wouldn't say Level 7 is harder than Level 8, but the good thing about optionals is that the gymnast can work with the strengths they have and gear their routines towards the skills they have down or close to it. As long as each required element is met, though a routine may not have the most difficulty, as long as its clean, the score is going to be competitive. I'm not too educated on the elements needed for each apparatus, but I've always thought that clean level 7 routines with bonuses, used in level 8 would compete very well at optional meets. Also, some skills that may be vital in L7 can be worked around in L8 (press handstands, endos, flares, double backs, etc.). Though, in my opinion, if a gymnast is age ready for optionals, I would never make him repeat L7.

 

[Gymmommy71]

No - not necessarily. Level 8 is a very power-centric level - sometimes the kids who are very good at bars and quickly get the great giants, chs and free hips to hs that are key to doing well in L7, are not necessarily powerful gymnasts (they can be, but don't have to be as bars really doesn't have much to do w/ power). W/o that natural power and bounce in your legs and shoulders you can struggle w/ things like double saltos/higher skills on floor and flipping vaults. I've seen quite a few very talented L7 kids (ones who skipped a lot of levels to get there), who don't have great L8 seasons and need to repeat (or just stay in L7 till ready).

Also, in L7 you can get great scores w/ clean minimum skills, in L8 they will ding you pretty significantly for just doing the minimum - especially when there are a lot of other gymnasts doing what are essentially L9 skills in your session. At least this was my experience in comparing major meets as a L7 one year and then the same meet(s) as L8 the following year.

I'm sorry - I was replying as though this was a women's gymnastics question - please ignore :/...

 

[J&A's mom]

Level 8 is different now than in the past. It is more of a combination of the requirements of Level 7 with how Level 9 was in the past. I heard that the reason was because so many kids were skipping Level 7 and they wanted to prevent that a bit by making Level 8 a little harder than Level 7 and easier than Level 9.....you know, as it should be?