Women switching gyms?

[gymnastics<3]

Hi everyone! I’m at a great gym right now (supportive, safe, etc.), but I‘m not sure if it’s the right gym for me. I’ve been going here for about 2 years, and as I said, I love the gym. My problem is that it‘s a very relaxed gym, not very competitive, which makes practices very fun, and I do enjoy being there, but I feel like they‘re not helping me improve very much or very fast. A little over year ago, I made a list of skills I wanted to get. At the time, I was already pretty close to getting them all. By now, I have gotten all of those skills and then lost them, so now I still don’t have them. I just feel like the gym not pushing me enough. I am at a low level in Xcel. There is another gym in my area that is also Xcel and seems to be more serious. I took classes there as a kid for 6 years and loved it. I got invited to their team near the beginning of covid but we decided to switch gyms and join the one I am at now, only because of the way covid was being handled. I have a couple friends who go to that gym and they love it, and they also seem to be improving much faster than me, despite the fact that I go more days than them. They are better than me, even though I have been doing gymnastics for longer than them. I’m not saying that out of jealousy, but just to point out that their gym seems to be helping them improve much quicker. In the fall, at my current gym, I will be an Xcel gold. If I switch to the other gym, I would be an Xcel silver. I don’t know what to do, because I have lots of friends who go to my gym right now, and I don’t want to leave them. I have great coaches too. The gym is wonderful and I feel bad for leaving it. If I left I would miss it a lot. I’m torn because sometimes I think that I shouldn’t leave and that it’s a great gym, especially when I’m at practice. But afterward, I realize that I don’t think they are challenging me and pushing me as much as I would like. That’s not to say that I’m not challenged at practices, though. It’s difficult to explain. I’m also having some problems with gymnastics right now, and I’m not saying it’s because of my gym at all but I think a change might help. So I’m looking for advice on what to do but mostly just ranting.

 

[Pirouette]

Have you had a conversation with your coaches about your goals? Most coaches will do what they can to help their athletes achieve the goals, as long as they are aware of them. Ask for a quick meeting before or after practice.

 

[curlygirls]

Since it sounds like you are in a supportive environment, I would suggest talking to your current coaches about how you are feeling. I think you can have the conversation without it feeling like you are blaming them or the gym. Let them know that you are getting frustrated because you are not improving as much as you would like. Discuss ways that you can hold yourself accountable, and ways that they can help you with that. You might find that once your coaches know that you want to push yourself more, you may be able to get what you need in the positive and healthy environment that you love.

 

[gymnastics<3]

Have you had a conversation with your coaches about your goals? Most coaches will do what they can to help their athletes achieve the goals, as long as they are aware of them. Ask for a quick meeting before or after practice.

Since it sounds like you are in a supportive environment, I would suggest talking to your current coaches about how you are feeling. I think you can have the conversation without it feeling like you are blaming them or the gym. Let them know that you are getting frustrated because you are not improving as much as you would like. Discuss ways that you can hold yourself accountable, and ways that they can help you with that. You might find that once your coaches know that you want to push yourself more, you may be able to get what you need in the positive and healthy environment that you love.

Thanks for the advice! I think you’re probably right, I should talk to my coaches.

 

[LucyRobinson]

Since it sounds like you are in a supportive environment, I would suggest talking to your current coaches about how you are feeling. I think you can have the conversation without it feeling like you are blaming them or the gym. Let them know that you are getting frustrated because you are not improving as much as you would like. Discuss ways that you can hold yourself accountable, and ways that they can help you with that. You might find that once your coaches know that you want to push yourself more, you may be able to get what you need in the positive and healthy environment that you love.

This for sure.

And then a couple months later, if you aren't seeing progress and changes, I would change gyms. At the end of the day, you can try to work with your gym and adjust to meet your goals, but there's a certain amount you can't change and you may be better suited elsewhere. Even if you have to do Silver the first year, it may be worth it in terms of long term improvement. The point of gymnastics is to improve yourself and get better to the best of your ability. Thank everyone at your old gym for all of their time, make plans to keep in touch with friends, and move on, hopefully with the intent that you are able to come back if needed.

Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

So if you are here you should be at least 13.

Next you listed skills you wanted (awesome), got them (even more awesome)
Lost them, so what happened?

Yes coaching is important/ huge. And you are important too. You have to do the work. And work with your coaches on your plan. It’s not all you and not all them. But it sounds like they are supportive so let them know your goals and work together on a plan to get there. Good luck.

 

[gymnastics<3]

So if you are here you should be at least 13.

I am.

Next you listed skills you wanted (awesome), got them (even more awesome)
Lost them, so what happened?

Yes coaching is important/ huge. And you are important too. You have to do the work. And work with your coaches on your plan. It’s not all you and not all them. But it sounds like they are supportive so let them know your goals and work together on a plan to get there. Good luck.

Thanks so much for the reply! I will take a that all into account.