WAG Train 3 days in a row and then take 4 off! Why this won't work!

[herrmannt]

I run a gymnastic program through a YMCA. We are a very small program. I only have classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We share the gym with a cheerleading program. They are wanting to change days so we can only have practices on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Can someone please give me some scientific facts on why this will not work for team girls and possibly some links to articles that I can show to my bosses? I know going to this schedule will be detrimental to my program. I just need to show people who do not have any knowledge of gymnastics that this is not just me being stubborn. We compete USAG and only practice 9 hrs per week. The highest levels I have right now are working level 7 skills. We have been competing USAG for 2 years. So far we have been very competitive while training very few hours. I want to keep it that way! Please Help!

 

[3gymgirls]

I don't have any scientific facts or sources specifically, but I would be concerned about muscle memory and loss of skills from Saturday to Thursday as the fatigue on Saturday from the changes in workout patterns early in the week versus later in the week.

 

[dmytv]

your program seems similar to the program that I coach at. We are a city program and we do share with cheer and we only started USAG this year with limited hours. I do think it will affect fatigue. Can you appeal on a participation basis. Say if you switch schedules the parents will find it hard to bring them. Also, can't you share with cheer. Our cheer program comes in on Weds. I just take them to beam or bars. Cheer only comes on floor so there is still plenty of room to get in training.

 

[Committed]

No facts, but that's how my DDs team operated. Artistic team was low on the totem pole and even had to share apparatus with rec girls at the same time.
By the last hour of the 3rd day, the girls were spent and obviously slacking off.

 

[Natasha]

For any gymnasts dealing with fear issues, it will be very difficult. I can tell you if my dd goes more than 3 days without doing her series on beam, she has to work her way back to doing it on high Beam. I would hate for her to have to do this every week!

 

[herrmannt]

Thank you all for the input. We meet tomorrow so we will see what happens. I do think I will lose at of kids if we switch days.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Good luck at the meeting today. I would hate this schedule as a parent--especially since meets are on the weekends so you'd be missing a lot of practice time during meet season. If you have to do three days in a row, Tue, Wed, Thur would be much better or even Wed/thu/fri. But that's still a LOT of time off before the next practice. Would they be willing to do one day then two days?? Like Monday, Thur, Fri?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[3rd_time_around]

It's not the 3 days in a row that bothers me, because our gym has levels doing that now. Its the 4 days in a row off. That is too many. Some girls can't maintain their strength and skill level with that many days off. Can't they do 2 days then a day off then one day? That is pretty normal for team. Our teams practice T-F; W-Sa; W-F-Sa; M-W-Sa; T-Th-F-Sa; and M-T-W-F-Sa. ( each of those is one level's times, increasing by level).