MAG Private lessons

[Gym dad]

Just curious as to how many kids do private lessons and do you need them to be a more successful gymnast?

 

[Mommyo2az]

At DDs old gym it seemed "everyone" did privates to gain a "competitive edge". This bred a very competitive atmosphere at the gym. New gym - no privates - don't even ask. Head coach will contact you if privates are necessary (extra work in required skill for season or fear issues)

 

[Seeker]

My dd is a L9 and has never had a private. She's done quite well, so it isn't necessarily a determining factor. This can be very different across gyms though. We were at a gym in the past where there was that culture of "whoever-does-the-most-privates-wins", but we still never did them. She spent plenty of time at the gym and that was as the last place she'd want to go on her day off. Current gym doesn't really do them. Any extra work that may be needed is done during practice.

 

[tdoesgymnastics]

Just curious as to how many kids do private lessons and do you need them to be a more successful gymnast?

We've done them twice. One for technique/dance and the other was a handspring private while on hotshots

 

[skschlag]

My ds does them occasionally, usually before a big meet, and if he will have to miss regular practice. They are usuallya chance to refine things, sometimes new skills. He has one this weekend to get ready for states.

 

[MrsAnderson]

None of my kids have ever done them and I don't ever hear of them happening so I'm guessing they aren't a 'thing' here.

 

[Jkacz]

My son does a 1 hour private with the head coach - usually weekly, almost like an additional practice. Most of the other kids on team only do them occasionally to work on specific skills. The reason we do them is because my son started gymnastics at a gym with no boys' team and we didn't move him until he was 8. This caused a very uneven progression of skills and DS did not do L4 until age 9. Now as a 10 yr old L5, he is working on his bonuses which will help him to hopefully do L6 next year. The team also only practices 4 hours at L4 and 8 hours at L5 - light for my 10 year old. Plus we homeschool, so he has the extra time, enjoys doing them, and we can easily afford it - so why not?

 

[gymbeam]

no privates at our gym either and we do really well without. however, if youre in a gym that does privates, then they may be needed if that's just part of their program. i don't know. hard to say.

 

[flipandfly]

No privates EVER.

 

[Popcorn]

No privates here either. Not sure if the girls' program does them. If they do, I've never seen it. I don't think it's a thing at our gym
(Which is good because the regular program is expensive enough!)

 

[OwlGalLiz]

Little guy has had a handful of privates. He works best with one on one attention, so those have helped him figure out the details he needed to focus on. We have one kid on team who started weekly privates during the season last year - and he progressed immensely during the season. Others have one every now and then to help relearn or boost a skill. It depends on the kid and the gym.

 

[GymRays]

We generally do them when there is an issue that needs to be focused on and one on one is best for it. It's usually parents coming to the coaches but we have turned them down if their gymnast shows no need for them.

If they gym has a set number of hours and your gymmie is making all the practices, you shouldn't need privates to do better. The grow should be able to happen within the given hours.

Also, I find the parents often assume or judge others when they seem to be getting privates all the time. Keep in mind, you don't know their situation. Ive seen them for fear or skills issues they are trying to get over. I've also seen weekly lesson done because of a split family and one side refuses to take the child to their practices out of spite so the other parent pays for extra privates to supplement. So some parents would wonder why is Bobbie is getting privates all the time. You can see where drama could grow.

 

[jenjean70]

We do 2 hour privates 1 or 2 times a month to help him with skills that are giving him trouble, work on fears, work new skills or just "play" around with harder skills. We do them because he enjoys them. I also do privates for my son who plays baseball to work on his throwing and batting technique....Although baseball is different because the private coaches are professionals while his baseball team coaches are volunteers so we do it to make sure he is learning to do things correctly.

 

[txgymfan]

2 hours for one private? I've never heard of a gymnastic private that long before the elite one on one coaching.

 

[jenjean70]

2 hours for one private? I've never heard of a gymnastic private that long before the elite one on one coaching.

Some of the boys do 2 or 3 hour privates....we do it because he works on skills he needs to clean the first half and things he wants to learn the second half. There is a lot of "playing" and he has fun but he doesn't want to go every week so 1 or 2 times a month is good with him.

 

[profmom]

Just curious as to how many kids do private lessons and do you need them to be a more successful gymnast?

My son's a L9. I believe that in his entire gymnastics career, he has had one exclusive private and two or three group privates. Once he hits puberty and has the capacity to gain skills more quickly, it may be worthwhile, but right now it really isn't. For most boys, slow and steady is more likely to get them to upper level optionals than pedal to the metal from L4 on.

 

[Popcorn]

My son's coach is very good at working to each boy's level. I can see how someone might need private lessons if the coach isn't able to multitask as well (takes years of experience I think). The boys' groups can range in age and ability much more than the girls. Some days there is a 15-year and 7-level difference between youngest and oldest MAG boys training with one coach.

 

[vbdb]

My DD has only done two privates so far, both shared with another teammate to work on that darned flyaway. The focus she gets in that hour has helped her tremendously but I'd never do them regularly for her.

 

[samsmama]

DS only does the occasional private, and only if the coach requests it. In the past year, he has shared one with a teammate and had one on his own, both to work on specific issues. The coach is great about not asking unless he has a very clear idea of why he wants the extra time, and in both cases I think they were very helpful. In general, though, I'm not in favor of them, in part because I think 16 hours a week in the gym is already enough for a 10-year-old and in part because privates are expensive! A weekly 1-hr. private would double my already expensive gym tuition.

 

[Ms.Pak-Man]

IMO, they should be at coach discretion for a fairly good reason, not to just get ahead (so they should be offered for things like fear/blocks, learning disabilities, atypical talent like TOPs/HOPES/Elite capable). If 50% of the team or more have regular private lessons, that's a red flag that they are being used improperly. I've seen several scenarios: 1.) Coach needs the money and suddenly it's urgent that everyone get their xyz skill and coach tells parent that their child needs a private to work on that skill. Coach has them scheduled back to back all day on Sat, at $50 a pop. 2.) Team size is too large for number of coaches and coach is overwhelmed. Coach or parent may request private b/c there is not enough attention to go around and spotting/equipment time is inadequate. 3.) Competitive parents feed off one another and suddenly everyone wants privates to keep their child up with peers, coach doesn't get on top of the situation (or likes the extra income) and this progresses to complete madness and burns kids, parents, and coaches out. And it breaks apart team spirit, parents feel it's cheating, and kids whose families can't afford them feel they won't be able to keep up.