Parents Making conditioning more fun for younger kids?

[jjt19]

Hi there! My 5yo rec gymnast is dreaming of being on team. She just had a tryout and the team coach said her flexibility is there (splits, bridges, kickovers, etc), but to make pre-team or Excel Bronze she needs to be able to do 5 chin-ups & 5 leg lifts. I’d love to support her in her goal of making team, don’t want to pressure her or be a crazy parent. They don’t do much conditioning in the rec classes, and we do have a pull-up bar at home (my husband’s). If she wants to practice at home, is there a way I can make it more fun, turn it into a game, etc? Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[jjt19]

Quick follow-up: I’m actually not sure how many chin-ups or leg lifts she can do already or if she using doing them properly. I will follow up with the coach, but meanwhile, are there any resources (e.g., videos, checklists) for how kids can work their way up into these skills if they don’t yet have them? (One conceptual thing I’ve come to really appreciate about gymnastics is the thoughtful progressions. That seems like a great skill for life!)

 

[JBS]

The easiest way is to spot her through the full range of motion and then give her a high 5 when she is done. You just have to teach her about getting stronger and soreness and such.

When spotting... spot just enough that she can do it... her body will most likely be shaking if she is working hard... don't just lift her.

Assuming she is eating enough protein she should get those numbers within a month or so if you spot her through them every other day.

Make a sticker chart of something so she can get her pull-up sticker and leg lift sticker each time.

I wouldn't do tons of random stuff if that is what she needs... I would just do those and teach her that she is capable of getting stronger... then she will be able to get other strength exercises more easily in the future.

Don't just hang her on the bar and watch her fail... spot her... every time until she can do them.

You could also do something fun like... at the end of each week... do as many as possible with a spot. The concept here isn't to lift her as many times as possible... it's to help her keep going to push her mental abilities. You should notice that each week she will try to get more. Eventually... she will graduate to doing them by herself.

Instead of making it "fun"... make it "purposeful" too... teach her that this is what competitive gymnasts do. The stronger you are... the more you can do!

 

[JBS]

Check out this thread too for protein...

Parents Picky Eaters & Milk Drinkers Vs. Muscle Mass

Feb 26, 2025

​

As a Head Coach for many years now... I just wanted to start a conversation about one of the largest things that we see impact the ability of kids to move forwards into upper level gymnastics... eating habits.

I've been playing with ChatGPT a bit and decided to ask it a few questions about muscle mass and the way some kids eat.

Here is what I asked ChatGPT...

Are there any studies showing that picky eaters and people that don't drink milk struggle to build muscle mass?​

Here is the response from ChatGPT...

Picky Eating and Muscle Mass: What Do the...

• JBS
• nutrition
• Replies: 29
• Forum: Gym Parent Forum

• 

 

[raenndrops]

In addition to spotting the pull ups, I would add having her hold the end position. when she gets to the "top" of the pull up, make a game of seeing how long she can hold the position by herself.
This is not done as she is doing the pull-ups. Spot one pull-up.
See how long she can hold the position.
Count out loud: 1 gymnastic, 2 gymnastic, 3 gymnastic ... (count at the same pace every time)
The first time you do this is her baseline.
I would recheck it once every week or 2. As she gets stronger, she will be able to hold it longer.

 

[Dahlialover]

For a kid this young, I’d get a kip bar (tumbl trak Jr pro used) and let her play. When little kids have access to a thing to climb on, they do and that builds strength without it having to be a parent-directed activity.

 

[JBS]

don’t want to pressure her

This can lead to bad things... nothing wrong with a little bit though.

or be a crazy parent

Not sure about this one. I started spotting all of my kids on pull-ups around age 2. I am probably a certified crazy parent (head coach too)... however... I'm not sure making your kids strong would really classify you as a crazy parent.