We know somebody who is training for 7 and still isn't using grips. I'm just wondering how common this is. I know that the vast majority of kids in usag use them but I'm curious to hear how the coaches feel about this topic. Do you insist that all of your gymnasts wear grips by a certain point or are you open to letting kids go without them? What are the benefits/risks of not using them? My dd said she can't imagine working giants or clear hips without grips, so it just got me curious about this topic.