Parents so, about USGA training hours recommendations...

[Seeker]

That's great, but my opinion stands. No way would I allow my daughter to attempt L8 skills at only 10 hours a week. It is not enough time and would be the bare minimum of training, no matter how many reps she got in those 10 hours. Would also not allow much time for uptraining or conditioning. It just seems to be setting them up for failure to limit training in a USAG JO program to so few hours. Especially if they have aspirations to move past those levels.

That's just my opinion based on my experience thus far. If my dd didn't want to train so much, then that would be a totally different discussion. But that isn't the case here.

 

[Flyaway]

I think that's what they count on... catching families who are new and naive, competing them for a few years and having a steady flow of unknowing newbies as the ones who have figured out their shortcomings exit…

We were at a gym exactly like this and it drove me crazy!

Honestly, the typo of USAG alone would be enough to make me think twice.

 

[gymbeam]

Any gym that puts "USGA" on an official document doesn't know what the heck they are doing. USGA is a GOLF organization. Gymnastics is USAG. A common mistake for those new to the sport. NOT something I want to see from a professional gym training gymnasts.

I totally agree that those hours are pretty laughable. (Price seems high to me too, but I'm not sure what area of the country you are in). Our L3s train 10.5 hours a week.

Oh wow! I didn't even notice that and I have been writing the same thing! I can sort of see how this happened though- our HC (who is the son of the owners) did go to college on a golf scholarship. I bet the two organizations get mixed up in their heads a lot because of that.

We have L6 and L7 gymnasts that are very proficient at their skills at 7.5 hrs a week.

It sounds like OP comes from a small gym. It isn't necessarily the amount of time in the gym... it's the amount of the time spent working.

In our gym, L6+, being the smallest group, gets the most reps on each event. While they wait, they do conditioning / side stations. They have very little down time (water breaks between rotations and a 10 min munchie break some days).

It is a very small gym. I think your points could probably be valid with strong coaches, but since the few girls who are compulsories at our gym have been stuck at their current levels for a long time and are not actually competing much, I don't think its true in our case.

And, yes- we are paying a significantly higher percentage per hour than others within 20 miles who have national competitors and a few top 100 gymnasts. Crazy, huh?

 

[gymbeam]

Looks like they have lower times but higher $$. We pay $300 for 16 hrs L5 & up. L4 practice 12hrs for $220. Excel is same times but a lot less $$. Our L6/7, L8 have option of practicing 20 hrs for $350.

Wow- just realized that you are getting 12 hours for the cost of FOUR at this gym. WOW.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Here's the actual document.
(FYI: Technique is a ballet class which is something I really like that they do.)

lol! they don't even know WHO our National Governing Body IS...USAG. Golf we're not.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

lol! maybe that's stuck in their head because that's what they do with a lot of their money that they make from gymnastics. LOL

 

[Deleted member D3987]

and of course "if you do not decide" does not mean the same as "if you decide not to do"...oh, boy...lol

 

[juststartingout]

Glad we aren't in this area. Our level 4's pay $50 less and train 4 more hours.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

hey! golf fees are EXPENSIVE!

 

[gymbeam]

LMBO. well, you all are helping reduce the guilt i am feeling for considering a change. i feel loyal to them despite knowing we aren't getting what we're paying for just because i do like them personally and my daughter did have a great first year of gymnastics there...

 

[tooootsie]

Unlimited hours for 340 a month..great deal!! 4 hours a week for 220... wow! Jo 3 trains 9hours a week incl one ballet hour for 250.

 

[gymdog]

It's impossible to compare costs across geographic areas. Those costs for 6-8 hours a week are about right for my area. Never heard of unlimited for $320 though. $320 would be for about 12 hours around here.

 

[gymbeam]

Gym dog, that's very true, but I have compared gyms in close proximity and they are indeed considerably more expensive than all others (we have 4 other gyms within 15-20 miles for comparison. 2 of them are much stronger programs and still cheaper).

The unlimited does seem a good deal, but I don't really like that it allows for those people to come whenever they choose and sometimes takes the coaches attention away from the scheduled group.

 

[Committed]

Gym dog, that's very true, but I have compared gyms in close proximity and they are indeed considerably more expensive than all others (we have 4 other gyms within 15-20 miles for comparison. 2 of them are much stronger programs and still cheaper).

The unlimited does seem a good deal, but I don't really like that it allows for those people to come whenever they choose and sometimes takes the coaches attention away from the scheduled group.

Did I miss something? I've never heard of anything 'unlimited' meaning that you can come in whenever you want. It's usually something like, if you already are paying for 20+ hours (or 10+ classes <like dance>) then anything above that would be at no extra cost.
Then again, we don't have unlimited pricing at our gym. The per hour price just goes down with the more hours you add.

 

[gymbeam]

 

[gymbeam]

I do think they expect gymnasts to keep a somewhat regular schedule, but the upper levels (as shown above) can come anytime the gym is open. We only have one coach there sometimes so there's no guarantee of having a consistent coach:gymnast ratio since unlimiteds get their pick of times any time the gym is open. Does that make sense?

 

[Becauseisaid]

Just. Wow. That's quite a business plan they have there.

So if Upper Levels can come any time the Bronze team is practicing, how are the coaches focusing on their bronze team?

Honestly there are so many red flags regarding this gym. Now is probably a really good time to look around at your options with no guilt.

 

[Committed]

Yep, got it. I guess I didn't look at it very closely. Even if it meant 'open gym' for the older girls, it would take a little attention from the coaches.

 

[Eagleperson]

[/QUOTE]I totally agree that those hours are pretty laughable. (Price seems high to me too, but I'm not sure what area of the country you are in). Our L3s train 10.5 hours a week.[/QUOTE]

I was actually just looking around for average level 3 training hours. My daughter is doing 6 hours at week at level three and I'd say at least 1.5 is conditioning...

 

[gymbeam]

Well, it appears that USAG is making all sorts of new rules for our gym lately! Today, we received an email with this info:

"As you know USA Gymnastics has made a lot of new rules. Beginning today gymnasts and parents who are not attending their registered class are not to be on the floor or equipment."
​

I don't understand the need to put the "blame" for any of these new gym rules on USAG.

Anyway, at least they did get the organization's name correct this time! LOL.