Coaches Station ideas for younger gymnasts?

[Sari]

I'm in need of ideas for side stations that my little ones don't get immediately tired of. They're a group of 14 girls, ages 5-9, probably equivalent to USAG level 2, and most of them very active and strong-willed. They want to be on the move all the time and I've been trying to convert that energy into doing stations alongside events, but unless I actively and constantly supervise them, they seem to be messing around and/or rushing through the exercises.

• Does anyone have ideas on how to keep them busy and interested?
• What kind of stations would you do?

So far I've mostly been focussing on body shapes, so cast holds on a floor bar, half handstand and handstand holds against a block etc. .
I'm thinking of pairing the girls up but am struggling to figure out how I would motivate them to keep an eye on one another. They practice once a week for two hours, if that helps at all.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[gymdog]

I said this in another thread but I think the idea of stations is great in theory but doesn't always work. Is it possible to structure so kids are work all at the same time or with just one person? So they only have a little rest. For example, I have everyone do the same drill in their own space while giving specific cues and pointers. Does this limit what I can do? Somewhat. But stations usually involves a whole lot of mess. I limit stations and try to really think does this exercise need to be in stations or can we do it simultaneously where I can help all the kids progress.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Static holds and conditioning is rarely going to be done properly because the kids find it boring. The key to motivating the. To do the conditioning stations is usually to use equipment. Use little hand weights, medicine balls, therabands, foam rollers, an wheels, fitness balls and all sorts of bits a pieces and the kids will find it more exciting.

For example instead of a static hold on floor, have them do it between two boxes, when they do a front support on a floor bar have them try to hold their feet on a fitness ball (they will have to be tighter to hold it). Instead of sit ups, sits ups passing a medicine ball to their partner.

 

[Redford]

@gymdog: I'm curious, how do you manage bars? I don't know how many bars you have but we usually max out at two kids working at the same time.

 

[coachmolly]

On beam and floor I usually have all the girls doing the same thing at once instead of stations. However, if we are working on something that nearly all of the girls need to be spotted on, I will do stations (1 spotted with me, 2 or 3 others they can do independently). I choose stations I know they can do on their own and position myself so I can keep an eye on them, give corrections/reminders, and tell them to slow down and take their time if needed. For floor those stations might be a round off drill they have done lots of times before, box jumps, bhs drills (jump to flat back or sit back drills), and sometimes dance- but I've found they usually rush through that and it's better to do it as a whole group.
On beam if we are doing a spotted activity, I usually have the girls working on the same thing in different ways. So for handstands, we all start with levers on a line on the floor and the girls stay there until they are ready to move on to handstands on the line, then low beam levers, then low beam handstands. The floor/low beams are in a general area, so while spotting low beam handstands I can still keep an eye on the levers and line handstands.
Vault and bars are a little trickier with limited equipment. On vault we will do things all together- hurdles, running drills, handstands. But when we move to actually vaulting I'll add in a few stations to keep them from standing in line. Usually it's a continuation of a station we did together (wall handstand, some kind of board drill, heel drives) and I'm always giving corrections and reminders.
Bars is where I use stations the most, but I make sure to go through each station with the kids and have them go through each newer movement with me doing hands on shaping to make sure they understand the concept before I let them off on their own. They do often rush, so I am constantly giving them pep talks before getting started to take their time. Sometimes I have them rotate with a partner to help each other out. Some of my more common stations are hollow holds, push up holds, assisted pull ups, tuck/L-hangs, jumping to front support with straight arms, glides, sometimes a singe let shoot-through station, all things I am confident they can do decently by themselves and can fix with verbal reminders.
It's not fool proof, but it works for us, and helps us get in a lot more on bars than we would otherwise. And since we get bars about 1x/week, sometimes only 1 bar, we need to be as efficient as possible.

 

[gymdog]

@gymdog: I'm curious, how do you manage bars? I don't know how many bars you have but we usually max out at two kids working at the same time.

Depends on how many people are at bars. If I have two lines for example then I'll just make them things that can be done fast and have them hold a plank in the line or something. But even if you only have two bars, you could have lines of 3 kids if you have a group of 12 (would be on the bigger side) and make them things two kids can do at once like straight up jump ups, shoulder shrugs, toe holds, candlesticks, glides, no cast back hip circle. I'm not sure what level exactly but if they're higher, I have them make two lines but alternate which one goes as soon as the other person gets off. This keeps them aware and moving. Also I do a lot of exercises which can be done on the floor or a block (use the track edge and everyone can do it at once).