Talent Vs. Work Ethic

[jenniffir]

Ok so i'm a level 6/7 and since it is summer i'm going 19 hours i work hard like crazy and push myself like no other coach (because our coach doesn't like to coach ) but no matter what i do or how long i work on a skill there is this one girl that can just jump up give it one try and have the skill or drill, then when she walks off to talk for 15 mins i keep working and get a less satifying result. its very frustrating. So which are you? are you talented and don't have to work for skills, not very talented but make up for that in work ethic, or a combination of both?

P.S. does your coach favor the more raw talent over work ethic?

 

[gymnastgets10]

My coach just talked to us about this! She said that in our group there is one girl that is super talented and works hard, some that are talented but don't work as hard as they should, and some that work hard but don't get the skills as easily (I'm one of those ). She wanted us to all work as hard as the talented girl so our group progresses faster. I think she likes work ethic better, but of course it's always nice to have a really talented girl on the team.

 

[gymnastbeth]

Definitely work ethic. I'm training level 9, and it took a LOT of effort to get here. I'm taller than most girls on my team, and it always takes me longer than them to get a skill. But, I'm used to it, and I get it now. When I was younger I would get so frustrated when I couldn't do a skill. Then, I realized that if I just worked harder, I would get it.

As for my coach, she likes everyone to work super hard, regardless of their talent!

 

[gymster]

Dont Frett! It will all catch up to her! Talent will only take you so far! There comes a time when you have to quit playing gymnastics at really work for it! Inspiration for you! One of the Elites at are gym is the hardest worker I know. She has not always been at the top but she never quit giving her all. She is 13 and an international elite that placed 6th at visa's last year!Her name is Madison Kocian! No doubt you will continue to see her! Remember Talent is great but we like to say Level 9 and 10 seperates the workers from the players and workers always land on top!

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

I have some talent in that I have natural upper body strength so bars has not been as big a challenge for me as it is for other girls - a lot of kids struggle with bars a lot, but I have a little bit of a "feel" for swinging...except when I have to cast to handstand. UGH!

There were three really talented girls in my group last year, one 9, one 10, one 11, but this year it's only the 11-year-old with me, which is good since she's really sweet and not stuck up. The 9-year-old has been advanced further and the 10-year-old got bored and quit. It's often very frusturating for me when this talented girl in my group pops out a perfect skill after I've worked for hours to just barely make it. However I feel the playing field is being leveled a bit as we enter optionals. Also we have a new coach in optionals who doesn't play favorites and always focuses on having you do the best you can do, no matter how much help you need to get there.

 

[jenniffir]

yeah i'm with you on the natural strength, i also have a lot of power in my tumbling but when i go to connect things i give myself no power, its very frustrating. I'm ok on bars and beam but floor just likes to kick me in my butt!

 

[nicci1999]

I personally wouldn't call myself super talented..maybe a little bit but I am super relentless so I have t go mainly work ethic. I just keep coming back for more even though I get really frustrated.

 

[fishchimes]

Something makes me think that if you were all play and no work, you wouldn't have found Chalk Bucket.

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

I consider myself to have some natural talent just with finding some things come easy to me, but i think that they come easy because i talk really small steps to achieving something that once it gets to actually doing it, it is easy. I work very hard in class because there are always new things to learn.

Some people can do it the first try, which isn't me but it comes close because i work hard.

Sorry that might have been confusing

 

[All Chalked Up]

We have a girl who is talented but has ZERO work ethic. When she was littler she worked very hard, she would come into the gym and say "I'm going to do back walkovers today and get them" and get it in 3 tries. She's lost her work ethic, so skills are very sloppy and it's hard for her to get them because she just doesn't try.

There's also a girl who doesn't have a lot natural talent but she's one of the hardest workers. She never gives up!

Myself, I have some natural talent since I'm very naturally strong and flexible, and that paired with my work ethic makes skills come a bit easier. I have to work my butt off for them, but hey, isn't that what gymnastics is about?

 

[gymgurl]

I am naturally talented when picking up skills but have to work like crazy when it comes to form. So i guess i am a combination of both.

My Motto

If you train hard, you will not only be hard but hard to beat