Time and skill!

[gymstaryaya]

I was wondering, if your DD has the ability to pick up skills easily in a level(she's currently 7), is 12 hours a week enough training for her?

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

That seems on the low side for level 7. Our level 7s practice 20 hrs a week during the school year and 25-30 during the summer. But if the coaches and gymnasts are very efficient in their practices, it's possible to get a lot done during fewer hours. Still, you're going to hit a point where it's impossible to learn and maintain a wide variety of skills that are useful in optionals with a low number of practice hours. Maybe your DD is at that point right now? I couldn't say.

 

[Natasha]

It also depends on the age of your daughter. If she is still young, 12 hours may be more appropriate to avoid burnout and overuse injuries. And yes, the higher the levels, the longer it takes to get skills. Sometimes more hours will help get the skills more quickly, but other times the skills will come when the gymnast is ready, regardless of say 12 or 16 hours a week.

 

[gym law mom]

If she's doing quality 12 hour practices that trumps 20 hours of fooling around.

 

[B&M's mom]

My daughter did the same amount of training at level 7. What we found out was that she could pick up the big skills but didn't have enough time to polish her routines to where she should have been. That being said, she did extremely well with the limited amount of practice time. She also avoided repetitive stress injuries which she is now experiencing after changing gyms and uping her practice time significantly.

 

[iwannacoach]

If she's doing quality 12 hour practices that trumps 20 hours of fooling around.

That's really the way to "play the game". While it isn't entirely about quality time, the hours can be kept down by having fresh, enthusiastic, attentive kids walk through door when it's time to practice. I think twelve good hours, at level 7, is enough for a motivated child working with knowlegable coaches.

A reasonably capable child with a 36.00 AA at level 6, barring any physical/emotional challenges, should be able to start level 7 training in mid December, and have at least the minimums by the following October. It may be a "stretch" to reliably put kids on the podium, but that's always an issue, especially if your dd is competing with kids from gyms that provide 20 hours with knowlegable coaches.

The 12 hours a week can also be enhanced by using "home time" to get and stay prepared. Family time, ok mom time, saved by driving fewer days can be spent planning healthy meals. DD may want to spend some of her "saved time" to work on specific flexibility or strength exercises. And of course, fewer hours at the gym can pave the way for more family support, or sibling tolerance.

Certainly, there's nothing wrong with more quality hours beyond 12 per week. They should, however, be quality hours in a big picture sense, that leave the child and family the energy to continue their support of the child's sport.

 

[gymstaryaya]

Well, gymtigermom, she's 8 years old and in 3 years went from beginner to level 7! I was thinking the same as you, I don't want to burn her out and she just started training the level 1 month ago, but already at those hours, she has 9 of the skills to test.

 

[gymstaryaya]

Thank you, gym law mom, because she does work hard!

 

[gymstaryaya]

iwannacoach, that was good! She actually scored a 36.10 all around in 1 level 6 meet and went straight to 7! At home she practices, mostly on beam, because she needs to try stuff at home before she will try it or show it at the gym. She's just not afraid to try anything and when she does, her coaches will see and help her do things correctly!

 

[Natasha]

Well, gymtigermom, she's 8 years old and in 3 years went from beginner to level 7! I was thinking the same as you, I don't want to burn her out and she just started training the level 1 month ago, but already at those hours, she has 9 of the skills to test.

She sounds very talented. I think you are wise to limit the hours as she is obviously getting what she needs in the 12 hours. At age 8 she has plenty of time to master the optional levels. It makes me sad to see 8 and 9 year olds doing perfectly polished L7 routines (because of mega hours) and then dropping out of the sport by age 12 due to burnout and injuries.

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

I also think that's on the low side. I'm going into level 8 and I trained 30 hours in summer, and 20 during the school year.

 

[LizzieLac]

Our level 7s do 12.5 hours during the school year and 15 during the summer. I think is ok as we have a pretty big jump in hours at level 8 - during the school year 18 hours and 20 in the summer. There is a balance to working out smart and efficiently to maximixe results and avoid injury and burnout.