Parents Team + Running (or other sports)

[Fliptwisttumble]

Oh well, they'll be sorry when they are over 40 and they have to start learning how to run for the first time.

You must have been on the treadmill next to me the other day... I feel like I'm the example to which you refer

 

[3LittleGymmies]

@dunno, can you elaborate?

I am really amazed at how many of her gymnast friends do other sports. Many of them also play competitive softball, travel soccer, dance/ballroom dance, volleyball, etc. We just can't have another big commitment like that. I kind of thought this was an okay idea because we can totally limit or adjust how often she practices based on her gym schedule and how she feels and it is so short-term. They were only running for about 40 minutes of the hour and a half (on grass mostly). The rest was mostly stretching.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I would worry about over-use injuries - tendonitis and such. Suddenly your gymnast will not have any days off and running just a few miles a day adds a ton of pounding on the body. Fine if they do nothing else - but on top of gym could easily be too much.

 

[Uglybetty]

I've run on and off with a club for years. The best advice I can give is to purchase special running shoes. Her running type must be assessed by a specialist running store (they'll have a treadmill for this...if not look elsewhere) and they will recommend the shoes she needs. An adult pair rarely cost less than £80 in the Uk although once you know her 'type' you can often pick them up cheaper in the sales. She'll need a totally different pair (trail running shoes) for any trail running or she will risk ankle twists etc.

I once made the mistake of running in a cheap pair....one single run put me out of running for over a year due to injury.

If it's her fitness you're seeking to improve (to stop the breathless floor routines) she needs to do interval training (run very quickly for a specified time followed by a jog followed by another quick burst). Longer runs improve stamina.

 

[txgymfan]

I love it when gymnasts find something else they can enjoy as a long term sport/activity. Gymnastics isn't going to last forever and when they are no longer "gymnasts" they needs something to fall back on as an activity they enjoy. Its good for people (kids included) to have a variety of friends and activities so if one area has problems they can rely on the others for a boost. When family is being a pain its great to turn to friends, when church friends are distant, I might turn to book club friends. If I miss book club then I may call a long distance friend.

If she were preparing for Olympic trials I might agree that another physical activity isn't the best idea but she's not. She's a young lady that needs to find things she enjoys and this sounds like a great bonding activity with her brother.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

ride a bike! between Sever's and jumpers knee (patellar tendonitis) the gymnast doesn't need 1 more thing piled on their joints. ride a bike!

 

[sevenatenine2]

Dunno....would you say the same thing for low level (2, 3, and 4) kids?

We only work out 8 hours a week so overuse injuries are uncommon and I encourage mine to take part in the summer track program our university hosts. It's twice a week for an hour and a half or two hours.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

okay until they hit level 7.

 

[Taximother]

My dd runs with us as a family and has done 5Ks but no concerted running training program. She plays soccer as well. We know she's going to have to choose one or the other soon but so far we've been able to make the schedule work for both.

 

[gracyomalley]

On the one had running is a life long activity for some, and running with family members great bonding, but depending upon the kid, I agree with Dunno about the risk of injury/impact overuse - especially in higher level girls and girls once they hit puberty (lots of girls at risk for patellofemoral syndrome, etc, and the flexibility that makes some girls good at gym may mean their running stride risks their knees...).

DD already has some knee pain off and on with 20 hours a week - and I trashed my knees between dancing and running - probably depends upon the kid, their hours and their build - and I would expect most gymnasts to be fairly "good" at running distance at least due to their fitness level and natural ability to push through things....

I'd be much less worried about boys due to their natural build...

 

[skschlag]

D just ran a race this morning. Just a little one mile fun run. He will do the district track meet too, but that is it. That is a lot of pounding on knees and heels.

 

[profmom]

You must have been on the treadmill next to me the other day... I feel like I'm the example to which you refer

I started running at age 44. I ran my first half marathon last year. I guess the one thing I can say is that my joints are in decent shape, having never faced such abuse in the past. Puff, huff, puff, treadmill . . .

My two gymnasts are pretty good for about a mile, which they do every year for about four weeks in gym class as part of the rotation of sports. That's fine, though it would be nice if they would run with me once in a blue moon (certainly no more often for DD, who's had Severs issues on and off). I'm somewhat more irritated by the soccer player who refuses to run 5Ks with Mom. Really, dude?

 

[my4buffaloes]

Running is something that can be picked up at any age - gymnastics not so much. No need to rush the running.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

I really appreciate all of this great advice. Lots to consider. Since we already signed her up, we are going to let her finish it out. It is super short term (ends mid-June) and they started late because we didn't know about the program until after it had already begun. But she will not be running on practice days, which only leaves two days. Of those, I am sure there will be many weeks when she makes it there just once. They actually do this again in the Fall, but we are not going to allow her to do it then since it will be the start of the gymnastics season. She is really enjoying doing something a little different and she and her brother are having fun together. She is not going through puberty, nor is she at a high level in gymnastics yet. We did get her some good shoes .