Parents New level updates

[NGL780309]

I thought it would be an interesting to hear from everyone whose DD is in a new level and how it's going so far.

DD is a new Level 5 since February. I'd say it's moving along. Her teammates will need to be ready by August, but DD will have until January to get everything perfected. I feel worried sometimes, but then I remember where she was at last year when she was new to Level 4. In March of last year she didn't have her any of her level 4 skills. She could do a backhip circle on bars and that was about it. She came really, really far in a short period of time.

Vault they don't really vault on the table yet. They just do drills and conditioning. They do run and jump on the table with their feet, which DD can't really do without help. They did let the girls try vaulting the other day and it wasn't good for DD. I think vault will be her biggest struggle in level 5. I'd like to think it's partly her size that makes it hard, but I've seen some little ones vault well so who knows. She only weighs in the mid 30's and is around 41 inches tall. She is short with slight build. I'm hoping she'll really grow in this next year.

Bars is probably the next hardest for her. She's struggling with her kip, but I'm confident she'll get it back and consistent. She can do the low bar section with just a finger spot on her kip with the rest looking good. She jumps off after the squat on rather than jumping to the high bar. Then they work on the high bar section alone. I think bars will end up being a good event for her.

Beam she can do everything, just needs to be more consistent on her cartwheel and get her split jump bigger.

Floor she has the skills, but they aren't pretty yet and she hasn't learned the whole routine dance wise. She always does her 2 BHS, but she can continue to work on her form. Her dive roll doesn't always "dive", but she's getting better at it. Her FHS tends to land ugly right now, so definitely needs more work there.

 

[Azgymmiemom]

Wow...with all the way until Jan, she will be looking top notch by then, I'm sure!! I hope they keep it interesting for her...almost a whole year of nothing but routines would get pretty boring for a little one.

My dd(who just turned 8) is an official 5 now, too. Her gym is big into uptraining right now in the spring, and then over summer they will hit the routines hard for fall comp season.
Bars are her thing, man. She's already got the level 5 routine mechanics and it actually looks really good. She's been practicing fly aways, and can now cast to handstand by herself. She is even doing giants with a small spot (without grips...kinda scary, if you ask me!!)
She can go over the vault table, too. Probably not the greatest looking form yet, but at least she makes it over.
Beam is still not her favorite, even though she has improved so much on it!! She can do all the required elements for level 5, too. and her handstands and leaps are actually kinda pretty.
floor...oh, boy. Back tumbling, no problem. She's even got a ROBHSBT and her ROBHSBHS looks pretty good too. But front handsprings? not yet. Not pretty. At all. I'm sure this has to do with the whole shoulder/back flexibility issue...

Only thing she's bummed about is that her very bestest buddy at the gym (who is a year older than her) was moved to level 6 at the same time Mia was moved to level 5, so they STILL don't get to practice in the same rotations together!!
Oh well...they moved into our neighborhood, so the girls get to have play dates together and carpool, too.

 

[NGL780309]

It sounds like your DD is doing awesome. They aren't working any routines right now either. They do parts on bars some days, others they just do skills. Floor they seem to either tumble or work on dance. Beam is usually the same, lots of handstands, cartwheels, leaps. Vault lots of conditioning and drills. Some of DD's teammates can do their back tuck on the tumble trac, but DD has never even tried. It sounds like your DD gets to do quite a bit of uptraining.

 

[Bajanswife]

DD is in Level 4, but they have been uptraining recently, because the next meet isn't until June. She can jump to the high bar, and she got her kip 3 times yesterday!! It wasn't pretty - her arms were bent and she almost clawed her way back up to front support, but she was the only one in her training group to even come close. Her coach gave her $3! lol

She can also do the RO BHS BHS, and they are working on front handsprings. They haven't really been uptraining vault or beam.

 

[lhmom]

DD is also going to be doing another year of level 4. However, since they finished their last competition (Feb), everyone is getting to do uptraining, including those who will do another year at the same level. DD has been working on cartwheels and back walkovers on beam, kips and baby giants (with straps) on bars and front handsprings, ROBHS/BHS on floor. She shocked me the other day by doing a RO and 3 BHS! This is a kid who last year could barely get around to do one. Uptraining has been such a great motivator for the girls. And I know that the more work DD gets on the kip now, the better off she'll be when she does move up.

 

[lilgymmie7]

I am not used to 'knowing' what level DD will compete in the following year. At her old gym, she started out by always being too young to compete so we just figured she would train a level. Plus her old gym never told the girls if they would move up to the next level until after summer training. She has two more weeks before state comp. so we will see what happens. I heard from both head coaches that they will communicate with me often to let me know what is going on. HC said that until state they would concentrate on level 5 routines, and then after that introduce new skills and see what happens. Either way, I know that they uptrain tons. Yesterday DD said she was doing clear hip to HS. That's big!
Another big tid bit was that DD said her beam coach asked her if she liked being at the gym, and when she said "Yes!" Her coach said, " Good! We like you too!" That is BIG!!

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

DD just started uptraining as her L3 season just ended. The coaches are working on robhsbhs, kips, and front hip circles with the girls- the girls who catch on quick and get the skills will compete Level 5 next season and skip L4 altogether. We will see where DD ends up.

 

[MaryA]

States is in less than 2 weeks and then DD will start hitting the level 6 skills hard. The coaches will determine in August if she gets to move up or not. She's very excited to start working on new skills. She's tickled pink to have her BWO on beam, but I think will be less tickled when they start working hard on the level 6 bar skills. Bars is definitely the hardest event for her and if there's an event that will keep her from advancing to level 6, that will be it!

 

[momofthreegirls]

My DD will be moving to level 4 soon. Competition season is over at our gym, but they don't "move up" until summer. DD's class is hitting level 4 skills hard, though. They are learning new skills on all the events, and learning bits and pieces of the floor and beam routines. DD is loving the uptraining.

 

[Empowered]

My daughter just found out she'll be moving into the L6 workout group in a month. She is so excited she hasn't been quiet for a minute since. Normally girls move up when summer starts so she just gets a little jump with a few of her teammates who will move too. This new gym is so good and they have so many talented gymnasts I was really worried that with their standards she might have to repeat 5, but she's doing well.

She's vaulting at a higher height now (120), got the bhs on high beam and got front pike, front pike on floor. She's just working hard at cleaning up her form and some body position issues. She's got her clear hip, but not to above horizontal, and she's done her flyaway into the pit, but not landed it to the ground. Those are the only L6 skills she's missing.

 

[Kiwi]

My DD is now 8 and did level 1 last year. This year the system has changed from levels to 'steps'. Some of her class went to step 2 and others went to step 3. She is in the step 3 group. Competitions start in May and they have only just got the choreography for the beam and bar routines, so lots of practice needed to put those routines together. The coach has got the floor music, but they haven't practiced the routine with the music yet. They are still fitting in some uptraining as they did some drills for learning kips the other day.

 

[2gymmies]

My oldest dd (10) just finished Level 7 and has started working on her 2 salto and full on floor - she has done the 2 salto on the tumble tramp and maybe even the rod floor, but just did her full for the first time into the pit last night (yippee)! She she is working roundoff dismount on beam and switch leaps and side aerials and standing back tucks on beam for fun. She won't compete all of that as an 8 but it is just for fun. On bars they are working 1/2 pirouettes, clear to handstand and giants - she compete two clear hips as a 7 so the giant is important! Vault is the tough one - the flipping vault - so far just drill conditioning and trampoline vaulting but she has flipped her yurchenko on the tramp vault - scary stuff for the watching mom!!!

My younger dd (6) will be Level 4 and she is has alot to learn - she loves it though and learns something new almost every practice, so I think it will come - she's tiny, so I think it will be tough for her, but we'll see! Her most recent accomplishments are her backward roll to push up with straight arms and her handstand on the low beam.

Good luck to eveyone

 

[Midget's Dad]

Midget is training for level 5 and at this point has most of her skills. She has not gone over the vault table without a spot, but she is getting there. Her kip is coming along, basically she just needs a small push to get up on the bar. And she needs to connect the 2nd BHS.

In the last few months she has gotten her cartwheel on beam, full handstand on beam, FHS, back extension roll, and squat on.

I have to admit she has been blowing me away with how hard she has been working on it all.

 

[sportsmom22]

Our level 4 state fun meet is over so uptraining will begin soon. They uptrain very little during the competition season--except for those that are asked to work out with the level 5 girls one night a week. Our gym has about 5-7 girls who have worked out all year with the level 5 group and the gym added a few more about a month ago. At this point, I think about 1/2 of the level four teams works out an extra night. It's not a secret or anything, but it's not really talked about either. This is hard for my little gymmie who does not give a flip about scores (and it shows). She has had all of her level 4 skills for 2 years now (struggling on vault), but I don't think she will get to move up because of her form. She has really pretty form in some areas, and then could care less if her feet are pointed in others. I am excited to see how she will do these next 2 months, until the official word comes for move up. She really wants to move up, and I am indifferent. I want it for her because she wants it, but on the other hand, it's an extra night on the road.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

Daughter started to do uptraining a few months ago but since they have States next month they are working on their current routines. They were uptraining on doing giants with a spot and strapbar and backhandsprings on the beam. Our gym also does not let you know what level they are going to be untill they see how the summer is going. They have also been working on a dance which they perform during the meet our gym is hosting, she seems to really be enjoying the dance. I am hoping that she will get her own floor routine next year whether she does 7 or prep op and that she will like floor better. I was happy to hear daughter tell me that the one girls from her work up group is getting to do uptraining the next level skills since she is not going to States, I thought this was great that the coaches were doing this with her.

 

[Deanna]

Kadee says that they are training her L3 skills (just finished her season this year as a L2). But that the coach told them that they wont know till June/July exactly where everyone will be for next comp season. They are using this time between seasons persay to uptrain and see if they are ready for it or not. So she is training L3 now, but nothing is set in stone. We shall wait and see.

 

[cher062]

We still have states on April 9th so the gym won't say anthing definite until after that time however they have been uptraining her for L8 since January and I did ask her coach if it was their plan for her to move up or not so I could prepare for the girl drama if she doesn't move up and get her thinking that there is a chance she won't move up. Coach said if she works over the summer they see no reason why she can't get her skills and move up. Personaly I would say its on the fence at this point. We will see.

 

[Mom2Gymgirls]

No idea yet. The girls finished L5 state a couple weeks ago and are working L6+ skills. Move-ups at dd's gym don't take place until May. It's going pretty well so far though. Within the last 2 weeks, dd has FHS,FT on floor and several new skills on beam including double BWO's. Her gym doesn't compete L6 anymore, so I'm guessing Prep-opt for her next year, but we'll see.

 

[Coacharella]

My daughter training Level 6 In Canada (she is 9 years old)

My gymnasts that I coach are training level 4/5.

 

[clrmom]

My dd has started working on L3 skills (she is just finishing her Spring L2 season). She is really doing well and says she loves bars. She also says the L3 vault is way more fun. It is nice to see her so excited about all the new skills.