Talk to me about TOPs

[k2bdeutmeyer]

DD is 4yr (just turned 4 in Jan), and just started a TAG class (accelerated) with a TOPs component about a month ago. The coach approached me tonight to tell me that when the 3 veterans of the class move up in June DD will be the only one of the remaining 4 girls in the class to work on TOPs skills, because she is the only one that has the flexibility AND strength. I understand the idea behind TOPs and how the testing works, but I really don't know much beyond that. The gym I coached at never got involved with TOPs.

Her coach told me tonight that she'd like to have her ready to test as an 8yr old by the time she's 7yr and ready to test at the 9yr old level by the time she's 8yr. So, I know DD will be doing more strength and will be pushed a little harder than her classmates, but beyond that I'm not really sure what to expect. Her gym does not have a strictly TOPs track, but works TOPs with girls that show potential in it while also working through their normal track to team. So, DD will be working her way to level 4 and working TOPs in addition to that.

Those of you with kids in TOPs, when did they start? Are they in a strictly TOPs program? What were they able to do when they started? How quickly did you see progress? What kinds of things did you and/or do you do at home to help them along (if anything)? How many hours a week were they in the gym when they first started?

And well......anything else I should know!

Thanks!

 

[2gymmies]

Sounds like you have a very promising young gymmie! Our gym doesn't do TOPS, but I do know that the USAG website has all of the tops skills that your dd will need to work on for national testing if she qualifies. The rope, splits, presses, handstand holds, bridges, leg lifts, casts, etc. are all done at the state level which qualifies them for national testing - they redo those physicial abilities and add the skill testing at national testing. They are always changing the program - last year they added 8 year olds to national testing and this year they removed 11 year olds altogether. Does your gym have current Elites or national team members? If so, I wouldn't think TOPS is as big of deal because the coaching is probably incorporating most of that stuff. Enjoy!

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Funny thing is.....she doesn't strike me as that strong, but maybe it's just lack of body awareness and what muscles to use. As of right now, she can't even do 1 leg lift, or 1 pull on the rope. She can however, hold a hollow forever!! And her chin hang on bar pretty much rocks too.

I should've also mentioned that I've done a little research and am pretty familiar with the requirements for TOPs as well.

 

[UnoMas]

My younger DD is in TOPs. She started when she was 4, almost 5. She started out with 1 hour of TOPs and 4.5 hrs of regular training (she started USAG L2). She could do absolutely NOTHING when she started except the bridges and splits over the springboards (she's very flexible). Now she is 7 and will be doing state testing this summer. She now does TOPs about 4 hrs a week and regular practice about 11 (she is USAG L4 now). She can now do 20 leg lifts and rope climb without legs. Both of these took awhile to come along. She had the leg lifts maybe after a year? She has about half a straddle press (LOL) and about half a cast handstand (LOL again). Her handstand hold comes and goes. My daughter is probably not your typical TOPs kid but the conditioning has really helped her and it's one of her favorite parts of gym. We haven't really done anything for her at home, she just keeps on going to practice everyday and trying and trying! I don't expect her to do well at testing, but that's not why she's in the program. She really needs help with her strength. And like I said she loves it so she keeps doing it. Your DD will likely progress very quickly on her own! Good luck to her!

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

DD trains TOPS but will not test it- her choice. She went in at age 5 with most of the strength and flexibility already- just had to increase her leg lifts, learn how to hold her handstand longer, and get her splits oversplit, and climb the rope further/faster with no legs, she already had the cast.

The only skill she didn't go into it with is the straddle press handstand. That took a year for her to perfect.

Her gym only sends the girls interested in testing and those who have the potential to do well at the testing to the testing (often as few as 2 or 3 girls total). But, her gym trains a lot of the girls the TOPS strength and flexibility training- most of the L3, L4, L5 girls do it.

It's an extra add-on class that meets twice a week after practice for 1 hour each time. With more time added to the girls who are testing as testing draws near.

Why does DD do it if not testing? Because there is great value to being strong in gymnastics- the skills come so easily to them if they are strong.

I saw results within 2 or 3 months- more leglifts, longer handstand hold, higher jump, great oversplits. But, that said, she went in already pretty strong and flexible and with a good base in those skills already. She started at age 5 and training Level 3- 7 hours a week class time- 2 hours a week specifically TOPS-- total 9 hours a week in the gym.

I did nothing with her at home as far as TOPS and gymnastics goes. She will often just practice her splits while watching TV, do chin ups on the chin up bar, and pop out a straddle press handstand "just for fun" but never b/c she feels like she needs to train at home- all self motivated.

She is 7 now and could test this year. I don't know how she'd do in the testing and it's not important to me or her that she make it to Karolyi camp or the national team. Her gymnastics is not as strong as her strength and flexibility and she is not interested in "fast tracking" and moving as fast as she can to Elite (or even going Elite at all)-- which I think is the ultimate goal of the TOPS testing, making the TOPS A team and training camps-- she likes the strength and flexibilty stuff--- not the learning high level skills at a young age. At a certain age not only is doing well at the strength and flexibility portion of the testing important but also doing well at the skills part (and the skills are pretty accelerated)-- DD is not interested in the skills part as much-- would rather move slow and steady than accelerated as far as skills go.

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

DD's gym is similar in only those girls that they feel have potential in TOPs even train for it, and of those girls only those who meet the gym's standards are taken to testing. They do that, because they want to make sure that those who go have a positive experience, so the standards are pretty high.

I'm a little unclear about the path DD is set to follow. I know that at just turned 4yr she is in an accelerated program with the ultimate goal of being ready for L4 by the time they're 6yr. She, however, will be the only girl in her class working TOPs. I don't know if they really have a fast track type track set up or if DD will progress through the levels, but just add in TOPs. Obviously at just 4yr old I have no idea her dreams or desires as far as gymnastics goes, so whether elite is even on the radar is yet to be seen. I DO know that DD's gym does not train TOPs for the sole purpose of fast tracking kids to elite. And that kids who have followed a similar path to DD are now 9yr old level 8's.

At this point, DD doesn't have ANY of the required strength, flexibility, or skills for TOPs.....but clearly they must see some sort of potential in her if she's the only one they will be working TOPs with. It's all very interesting to me.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

 

[gym law mom]

To me it comes down to how the program is structured. I don't believe 4 yos should be in the gym for more than 4-5 hours per week. Fine to introduce some of the basic TOPs requirments, but doing hours of TOPs training plus her regular class can lead to early burnout. Physically she is also not really ready for hours of serious training. At this age the focus(and just my opinion) should be on getting the basics of gymnastics. Maybe an extra hour of intro TOPs, but thats all I would ever let a little one do.

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

To me it comes down to how the program is structured. I don't believe 4 yos should be in the gym for more than 4-5 hours per week. Fine to introduce some of the basic TOPs requirments, but doing hours of TOPs training plus her regular class can lead to early burnout. Physically she is also not really ready for hours of serious training. At this age the focus(and just my opinion) should be on getting the basics of gymnastics. Maybe an extra hour of intro TOPs, but thats all I would ever let a little one do.

Oh, I completely agree!!

DD is in the gym for 3hr a week right now.....during the summer this is supposed to drop down to only 2hr, but they are pushing to keep it at 3hr, so we'll see what happens with that. I would imagine that there will be very little TOPs done with her for the next year, only because she is the only one of the 4 working on it and they can't focus on just her. At this point they aren't asking her to come in outside of class time to work on TOPs, which is fine with me!