WAG Routine Boredom

[luvmygymdtr]

Boredom has already set in for my daughter having to practice her level 7 bar routine over and over and over again, and her first meet is 2 months away. She can already do her level 8 bar routine but will be competing 7 this year. She told me last night she is bored and wants to move on to bigger skills. I'm afraid she's going to get bored, peak at the beginning of the season, and it will go down hill from there. Also, the routine is not perfect, there is room for improvement.
Would I be over stepping to ask her coach to allow her to work on bigger skills? Should I be concerned and get involved or just let it go? In the past we have paid for privates to help with this type of boredom, but we have had to give those up.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Working on routines and perfecting them is a big part of gymnastics. I think that your daughter has to learn to adjust - all kids would like to spend more time learning newer, bigger things. I'm not a coach but I can imagine how out of sync that would put their program...... Trying to adjust to ensure that she and everyone else aren't bored at whatever stage that may occur. If they wanted her working on higher skills, they likely would already have her doing it.

Respectfully, I think you need to stay out of it and she has to find a way to enjoy it.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

being bored is part of the process. us coaches and privates will not teach self determination. it is in that boredom where athletes learn this characteristic. an athlete will never learn about themselves or what they're capable of if they don't experience and work thru boredom.

 

[luvmygymdtr]

Okay okay - I hear you both loud and clear. Thank you, it's never been explained to me like that before. And it makes perfect sense. You both prevented at least one eye rolling of a coach this week.

 

[iwannacoach]

Just to pile on to what's already been said.......

I know how fun working on new skills can be, so I get it when a child says they're bored. What I like to point out to them is the feeling of accomplishment that comes about when they are close enough to a flawless routine that they just can't wait to do it even better. It really is an amazing experience...... uhmm, errr, uuuugh not that I would know from personal experience..... well maybe in a kinda sorta way.

 

[Natasha]

I'm willing to bet almost all her skills in her L7 bar routine are also in her L8 routine? Working to perfect those skills are going to be a great basis for all future bar work...It's not like she's having to perfect a mill circle that she will never do again. My L8/9 dd spends part of bar work everyday working on giants- getting the tap just right so the giants are more powerful and faster so that she can easily do her double back out of giants with enough height. Cast HS, giants, Clear Hip HS....all essential elements for bar work throughout optionals....

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

While I understand that part of gymnastics is boring and repetitive, but as a coach I can't see what it is necessary to have an athlete do a routine for a whole rotation (I am going to guess 45-60 minutes) on something they have mastered. I always just say they have to do 5 good routines that they would be happy about doing at a big meet, if they get them done right away they move onto new skills. If they don't they keep working towards it. Not really any advice just saying that coaches can make it not so repetitive.

 

[luvmygymdtr]

I'm willing to bet almost all her skills in her L7 bar routine are also in her L8 routine?

Yes, the only difference between her 7 and 8 bar routine is the pirouette. And you are absolutely right, these skills are the basis for all routines going forward. I consider myself a smart person, but I had never even thought of that. How important it is to really master them. Just like the kip.

But "getting the tap" just right. I've heard of the "tap" in giants but I'm unclear what that is. Is that the hands shifting in the rotation of the giant?

 

[Natasha]

Yes, it is the hand shift. I don't understand the specific mechanics of it, other than that my dd (who has been doing giants for almost 2 years) came home all excited this week because she said she tapped just right and said she had a lot more power in her giants.
But, as far as routine boredom, I do have to say my dd's new coach does not have them working routines yet on bars- they are still working lots of skills...and they are only doing routines about 1-2 times a week on the other events right now.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

But, as far as routine boredom, I do have to say my dd's new coach does not have them working routines yet on bars- they are still working lots of skills...and they are only doing routines about 1-2 times a week on the other events right now.

That is true.... DD's first meet is in 7 weeks and they haven't started putting together either her beam or floor routines, although she knows what her tumble lines will be and the skills for beam. Certainly helps pushing off any potential boredom.

 

[vagymmomma]

Yes, it is the hand shift. I don't understand the specific mechanics of it, other than that my dd (who has been doing giants for almost 2 years) came home all excited this week because she said she tapped just right and said she had a lot more power in her giants.

This is an interesting comment and probably serves to further demonstrate my lack of knowledge of the sport. I thought the 'tap' was the body motion (the slight arch/hollow movement) near the bottom of the swing. Can anyone confirm or clarify what a tap is? My DD is trying to get more power in her tap because the speed is really, really important for the DB dismount. I might be completely misunderstanding what she's working on, but I'm trying to understand how you can get more power from a hand shift.

 

[lovegymnastics]

I also thought the 'tap' was the fast transition between arch and hollow. Like a 'tap'swing
But English is not my first language so maby I got this wrong??

 

[iwannacoach]

This is an interesting comment and probably serves to further demonstrate my lack of knowledge of the sport. I thought the 'tap' was the body motion (the slight arch/hollow movement) near the bottom of the swing. Can anyone confirm or clarify what a tap is? My DD is trying to get more power in her tap because the speed is really, really important for the DB dismount. I might be completely misunderstanding what she's working on, but I'm trying to understand how you can get more power from a hand shift.

You got it.

A good tap will have a positive effect on the hand shift because it helps shorten the gymnasts body just after dead bottom of the swing. If done correctly it also makes it easier to turn upside....... I call it turnover, and others call it a scoop........ with out using energy from the upswing to make that happen. The swing energy save by the tap and the turn over provided them with a more pronounced "weightless" moment that allows them the relief they need to shift their hands.......

Taps vary from one skill to another because many skills require specific conditions to be met. For giants, a well timed and properly tensioned tap-turn over-wait allows for a hand shift that happens closer to, or past the handstand, and that's means more speed going through the top of the circle and having some momentum for the next tap. So that's what your dear daughter is talking about. Just don't tell her you know more than she does, because she just may try to persuade you into a leotard and a few spins 'round that bar...... just to prove how much you know. ...

 

[Gymdaddio]

I saw bars workout for first time in forever. I saw the girls doing giants that seemed effortless. Everything IWC was explaining. My question is: Could they just keep going? I saw them doing between 6 - 10 at a time. Once you "get it" is it easy?

 

[iwannacoach]

Once they really understand what to do, which means forgetting what they thought they were supposed to do, and have physically done the correct movement sequence with the right timing....... they become a piece of cake...... a cake that can take a long time to bake, but still a piece of cake.

6-10 is a number that says they're on the right track and doing well, or are very good at doing them wrong. How many they do is a matter of grip strength, muscle endurance, and the amount of blood being pressured into their lower body from the slight "G" force of each giant. It's unusual for that to happen, but it's a good idea to let the kids build their numbers up slowly so they learn to cope with that effect by keeping their legs tight, which squeezes the blood out of the muscle tissue and sends it back to the heart, lungs, and head.

Good form...... it's not just for looking pretty!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Yes, it is the hand shift. I don't understand the specific mechanics of it, other than that my dd (who has been doing giants for almost 2 years) came home all excited this week because she said she tapped just right and said she had a lot more power in her giants.
But, as far as routine boredom, I do have to say my dd's new coach does not have them working routines yet on bars- they are still working lots of skills...and they are only doing routines about 1-2 times a week on the other events right now.

the hand shift is absolutely NOT the tap. don't opine on stuff you don't know or it will confuse the general audience.

there 2 taps in a giant. the arch at or under the low bar, and then the kick phase to round shape that follows. it is an articulation of the body exacting 1 shape at the low bar and then another following to shorten the axis of the body allowing it to pass thru a handstand at the completion of the giant swing.

then hand shift is along for the ride. it is NOT the ride in and of itself.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

You got it.

A good tap will have a positive effect on the hand shift because it helps shorten the gymnasts body just after dead bottom of the swing. If done correctly it also makes it easier to turn upside....... I call it turnover, and others call it a scoop........ with out using energy from the upswing to make that happen. The swing energy save by the tap and the turn over provided them with a more pronounced "weightless" moment that allows them the relief they need to shift their hands.......

Taps vary from one skill to another because many skills require specific conditions to be met. For giants, a well timed and properly tensioned tap-turn over-wait allows for a hand shift that happens closer to, or past the handstand, and that's means more speed going through the top of the circle and having some momentum for the next tap. So that's what your dear daughter is talking about. Just don't tell her you know more than she does, because she just may try to persuade you into a leotard and a few spins 'round that bar...... just to prove how much you know. ...

and then there is a a straddle tap, and a pike leg together tap, a power flexion tap and a tap for a double lay. and different taps and timings for the 3 body types when performing different dismounts and releases. so, lets not expound to much on all of this because kids should not be told any of this by their parents reading this stuff cause what's in the interpretation of this tap stuff could get someone hurt innocently. okay, i'm done now.

 

[vagymmomma]

Once you "get it" is it easy?

I think once you get them with good form, they're 'easy' (or so my gymmie would say - I would never dare to say anything the optionals are doing are easy). We have some level 8s that still aren't making their giants every time and they've been doing them for over a year. Their form needs work though (mix of tendancy to arch, head out or bend knees for power).

And as Dunno noted, I would never, ever tell any of this to my gymnast because I most certainly would get it wrong. I'm just trying to understand a bit what she's talking about so my eyes don't completely glaze over while listening.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Once they really understand what to do, which means forgetting what they thought they were supposed to do, and have physically done the correct movement sequence with the right timing....... they become a piece of cake...... a cake that can take a long time to bake, but still a piece of cake.

6-10 is a number that says they're on the right track and doing well, or are very good at doing them wrong. How many they do is a matter of grip strength, muscle endurance, and the amount of blood being pressured into their lower body from the slight "G" force of each giant. It's unusual for that to happen, but it's a good idea to let the kids build their numbers up slowly so they learn to cope with that effect by keeping their legs tight, which squeezes the blood out of the muscle tissue and sends it back to the heart, lungs, and head.

Good form...... it's not just for looking pretty!

IWC, i dunno about that "slight" G force reference. at the bottom of the swing, the G force is upwards of 10 times or more their body mass. it sure ain't a demi-plie.

 

[iwannacoach]

I thought it was closer to 8-9 G's, but must admit I haven't been paying attention the way I used to. Geez.... was that your great aunt I used to coach? My reference to slight, was just a recognition that the g's load up so briefly it takes a number of them (giants) to get the swirleys. What, if you know.... and I bet you do, are the typical impact forces experienced by tumblers getting up and down during typical L10 skills. I muse over it from time to time but haven't calculated it out (maybe I know how to do that) to include the horizontal component's conversion to vertical and axis rotation. Can it just be simplified to airtime X acceleration (due to gravity) x body weight?

the G force is upwards of 10 times or more their body mass. it sure ain't a demi-plie.

Yeah, but the releve' is quite a trip.