Quick question- Is the bar too low?

[fishchimes]

Okay, I am very tall and have long legs, and I'm wondering if the bar we use at our gym is too low for me. My coach says that the sets we have don't go any higher but the ones at meets might. I'm 5'7 and 1/4, the low bar is around my chin. I tend to struggle with kips, and I'm wondering if this is part of the reason why. Is it too low? If so, what is the optimal height of the bar for me? I might be able to take some mats out from under it to make it "higher". For most of the other girls, it is above their heads. Thank you!

 

[gymnastbeth]

That's fine. It is easier for little girls who can tap swing on the low bar, but a bar at chin height is perfectly alright.

On the highschool team, I'm spoiled because I'm shortest on the team, and the bar is set to the highest. BUT, at club gymnastics, I'm one of the tallest, and the bar is like chest height.

On your turn, if there is an 8 inch mat under the bar for dismounts, you could try pulling it out so your feet don't hit it. I had that problem a lot when learning glides.

 

[fishchimes]

There usually isn't an 8-incher, but there a few smaller ones. Thanks!

 

[gymnastbeth]

Yea, on my bars, there is a 4-inch mat that stays there no matter what, and then there are just sometimes other random mats laying around. When I learned my kip, I always tapped my feet on the mat for dismounts, because I couldn't hold my legs up over it.