WAG Q for coaches about learning giants

[justkeepswimming]

Ok, for clarification, I have asked around a bit, and the consensus is that a soft foam C collar is definitely ok to be used for this purpose. Our gym is using a hard plastic collar, and this is not recommended.

Oh! My daughter wore a soft one, to remind her. A hard neck brace would make me nervous, too!

 

[LJL07]

Oh! My daughter wore a soft one, to remind her. A hard neck brace would make me nervous, too!

I should have clarified that in my first post! I was surprised everyone chimed in that it was ok, so I asked a reliable source around here. Definitely makes much more sense to me now!

 

[LindyHopper]

Hard neckbrace, and go figure out giants for yourself on the strap bar? Yikes!?!

 

[Mommyo2az]

I thought that you were referring to a soft collar. I have seen that. I wouldn't think that a hard neck brace would be a good idea at all.

Me too! A hard brace didn’t even enter my mind!!!

 

[gymdog]

Yeah I was assuming it was the kind commonly used in gyms which is a padded soft one. I would let the coaches know she was uncomfortable and ask if there are other options. If you have generally been comfortable with their training practices and think this was a "one time" kind of thing then maybe you could offer to buy "a more comfortable" one for your daughter and hopefully they'll get the point. If they aren't receptive then I would take that into account and watch how things will be down the line. Talk to some other parents and see.

 

[LJL07]

That's why I came back to clarify. I was very surprised everyone was so on board with this practice, but I should have specified hard, plastic collar. It just was not sitting right with me. It makes a lot of sense that a soft one could be helpful with form. I am planning to diplomatically recommend that they use a soft one.

 

[Taxidriver]

I’ve never seen a neck brace used so I would find seeing even a soft one a bit alarming but clearly a soft brace is used by some gyms.

 

[mhesport]

We use them a lot and I just ordered more (soft, child size). They are also very useful for the optional girls who twist with their head when tumbling. For whatever reason, my own daughter fights me the most about wearing it while training, and said it was embarrassing? I wrote "FOR TRAINING" with a big black sharpie so everyone knew what it was for. Now they want to add bling to them.

 

[LJL07]

We use them a lot and I just ordered more (soft, child size). They are also very useful for the optional girls who twist with their head when tumbling. For whatever reason, my own daughter fights me the most about wearing it while training, and said it was embarrassing? I wrote "FOR TRAINING" with a big black sharpie so everyone knew what it was for. Now they want to add bling to them.

Right. It does sound like they can be very useful. Just no to hard plastic. That’s too funny about adding bling to them.

 

[Lisbeth]

Curious about these braces used in training- coaches are always telling DD her “head is out” on vault and some tumbling. Anyone have a picture of the neck brace used or a link to the brace used? Thanks

 

[MILgymFAM]

Curious about these braces used in training- coaches are always telling DD her “head is out” on vault and some tumbling. Anyone have a picture of the neck brace used or a link to the brace used? Thanks

Here is my DD wearing one for BHSs a few years ago..it didn’t work.

 

[mignonone]

Interesting. Our gym has never used neck braces. My younger DD taught herself giants 2 days after her state meet last year having not done them on the strap bar. She was really close before state, but in order to avoid her doing a real giant or pushaway at state, the coaches didn't let her work them and then busted them out at the 2nd practice after state with pretty decent form.

 

[Redford]

Ok so I'm thinking this probably won't help at all.
If you're in a collar it will prevent you from throwing your head out but it won't prevent you from using the muscles you would normally use to do that and press against the brace. Thinking about it the resisatnce might actually enforce this just as a piece of foam under the chin will enforce kids to habitually tuck their head in for forward rolls and such.

Am I totally wrong about this?

 

[mhesport]

I agree with Redford. We are a fairly new gym, so our athletes are were trained differently. These girls are all optionals, but missing some of the basics with regards to shape and form which they get nailed on in competition. When we have them use the brace its more of a reminder of what not to do, instead of constantly saying "head in", "ears" the entire time. We mainly use them for clear-hips, giants and holding handstands on floor bar. Tried them for double backs, but as you said they can still pull their head.