WAG Training practices/skill improvement

[Muddlethru]

Is it customary and effective practice to have gymnasts do about a 100 split series on beam? For example, my daughter had to do 50 series of switch leap to back tuck and another 50 tuck 3/4 to split jump. She was "punishing" the team because she thinks their splits don't hit 180. 99% of the team do not have their splits down. Yet, they only stretch once a week and they rarely do lines with active and passive flex. Wouldn't it make more sense to do stretches and exercises to improve splits if she wants to improve their splits? The jumping that many times on beam worries me.

I've been worried about our beam coach's way of improving skills. Maybe I am harshly judging her because I know she has no gymnastics experience. This is her first time coaching beam. She was hired to bridge the gap until we get a beam coach. She's been with us for a year now, But I want to give her credit of her hard work and dedication. But I think her lack of experience could cause injury to our girls.

I feel doing that many jumps on beam (hard surface) could cause overuse of muscles, lost concentration, extremely tire the muscles and make the girls more subject to falls. I feel her MO is to make the girls repeat and repeat the skill until they get it right. She kept two girls doing a floor leap series until they could hit 180. They were doing that for over two hours and even after practice ended, they were still doing it because the could not hit it. My daughter was having trouble doing RO fulls dismount off beam. She had my daughter do it for almost 3 hours over and over again. She made no corrections. Did not provide any drills. Three months later, she cannot help my daughter with the skill. My daughter was doing that dismount at her old gym. This year, she is doing a front layout dismount. Another time, she was punishing the girls by having them do repetitions of their tumbling pass until they kept on falling from exhaustion. This was three days before a meet and two girls had to scratch because their knees were bothering them at the meet. No one did well because they were all sore. She likes to do numbers. But that is all she does. No drills, no corrections, just skill after skill and "assignments" that are impossible to finish. My daughter hates getting an X when she does not compete an assignment. But she says the coach gives impossible assignments. An example of the coach's assignment is do 10 beam routines in 10 minutes without falling. Her beam routine is more than a minute!

If this is ok. I am ok with it. I just want to check with the good coaches at this website. I don't want my daughter hurt. Half our L9 and L10 girls are injured.

 

[Quadqueen]

This sounds like a recipe for disaster. If you don't have your splits down, your split leaps aren't going to reach 180. She doesn't understand that?? I don't get the "do it for three hours because you can't do X skill" coaches. That's not the way to help a kid.

 

[Becauseisaid]

Where is the head coach during all of this? I would think if this person has been brought in as an interim coach (and if she's been there a year, I hardly think she's interim) with no gymnastics experience then the HC should be monitoring her coaching. Personally I'd be requesting a meeting with an explanation. That many girls injured and scratching events is worrisome. As it should be to the HC.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Leaps don't hit 180 without stretching, active flexibility work, specific corrections from the coach and regular repetition (not excess). A kid is better off doing 10 every training session and making slight improvements each session than 50 where only one or two show improvement.

Quad queen there are kids who can hit 180 in leaps/jumps without being flat on the floor, but it is because of great active flex.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

That is over the top and beyond. how about 10 of each.... I NEVER EVER ask a parent to question a coach, BUT I strongly urge you to address this with the HC. this will eventually lead to physical problems. Do it on your own and keep it private.
Hope that helps,

 

[Quadqueen]

Yes, my point I guess was more that they should be focusing on the stretching. DD is only L7 but the most I ever hear of her doing a skill or routine is ten...certainly not 100.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

The part that worries me the most is the 50 switch leap to back tuck. I never did a switch leap back tuck but I know I would have been exhausted if I had to do 50 bhs back tucks. A back tuck on the beam isn't something you want to do when you are exhausted!

Please discuss this with the head coach!

 

[CAGymmie]

YIKES!!!!! (Channeling my inner Dunno)

 

[Muddlethru]

My daughter never finished the assignment. She got dizzy and felt her legs were giving in. But she tried and was very upset (in tears when I picked her up. Two other teammates who walked out with her were in tears too) both because she thought it was way too much, her body was hurting and because she got an X in the assignment. Maybe the coach was not really expecting the girls to do it all. But I think she fails to realize, these girls will attempt to complete it.

Thank you coachp. I just needed a coach here to tell me my concerns are valid. Do you think those numbers are still exorbitant on the floor?

The HC said he is still looking for a beam coach but he seems to respect this coach to take care of beam in the interim.

My daughter could not vault/run today complaining pain in her knees. We have a meet tomorrow. I just don't get doing crazy numbers a couple days before the meet.

The HC is quite protective of his coaches and seems to get easily offended. Can anyone suggest a "good" way to address the issue? How do I "question" the training. I feel no matter what I say, they will not like it.

 

[Muddlethru]

Lastly, am I correct in suggesting stretching and active and passive flex exercises are more beneficial in improving splits, split jumps, switch splits. And if she wants numbers, it maybe safer to do them on the floor? Will suggesting this make me sound like I am claiming to know more?

 

[txgymfan]

These practices are unsafe. Based on what you wrote, yes the beam assignment was too much and yes they need to stretch more to achieve split leaps. I would talk to the head coach. If it punishments like this continue I would look for options with more appropriate coaching techniques.

 

[Gymishome]

She got dizzy and felt her legs were giving in.

...

My daughter could not vault/run today complaining pain in her knees.

Very unsafe. How many years of experience has this coach had? They don't seem to be very educated and it's causing problems for your dd and the other girls. HC has to be made fully aware of the problems that could come of this if continued. And if HC will not listen, I think you should rethink going to this place...

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Hi reps of anything in life are not good. The following problems will arise if the 50 back tucks continue, like.... Severs in a large amount of kids all of the sudden, and or osgood slaughter. The multiple leaps will result in hamstring and hip flexor wear and tear. osgood slaughter and god forbid a labral tear... If these numbers are accurate and not exaggerated then she needs to be educated on this (remember 15 to a kid can turn into 50). I am certain that she doesn't mean harm, just let the HC know so he can give her a better assignment.

 

[iwannacoach]

Five reps with somebody climbing your tree is bad enough. I'll work kids pretty hard, and could probably coax them to do numbers like that for fun and pride, but the example is completely contrary to fun or pride. Being a hard nosed coach while providing cues and praise is fine with me, but beating down kids with high reps is nuts. This coach needs to be told to grow up and understand that the kids just possibly want to be there, and do it right, more than she does.

Numbers will never motivate a kid on a long term basis. If that's this coach's model, it isn't going to work.

 

[Aussie_coach]

That is both dangerous and stupid.

For starters it will not make the skills, better it will make them worse. If they do too many,of the same thing the quality will go down of course and then they will be practising lots and lots of bad ones, then they will get very good at doing it very badly.

Secondly that is very dangerous, as the gymnasts fatigue their feet will start to miss and their balance will go off and they won't hit the skills with the same energy and so done is going to be severely injured.

 

[LIGYMMOM]

You seem to have moved us all with your above words, could you maybe send a version of your post to HC via email? This way you won't be in his face and maybe he won't get as defensive but will have time to reflect and respond in a more thoughtful way. I would not want my dd in this situation and I truly hope it gets better for yours! We want this sport that they love so much to build them up, not tear them down!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Hi reps of anything in life are not good. The following problems will arise if the 50 back tucks continue, like.... Severs in a large amount of kids all of the sudden, and or osgood slaughter. The multiple leaps will result in hamstring and hip flexor wear and tear. osgood slaughter and god forbid a labral tear... If these numbers are accurate and not exaggerated then she needs to be educated on this (remember 15 to a kid can turn into 50). I am certain that she doesn't mean harm, just let the HC know so he can give her a better assignment.

trust me... the above is not misspelled. it is the movie playing described in the post that was playing thru Coachp's mind as to what is taking placing at beam with Fortheloveofsports child. YIKES!

 

[Becauseisaid]

Protective or not the HC is ultimately responsible for the coaching happening to his/her team. It doesn't have to be confrontational, but there is nothing wrong with telling the coach "I have concerns about the beam training. Perhaps you can ease my worries over the girls safety but explaining the training regime.". Then SHUT UP. Let the HC talk. Either he/she knows what's going on or he/she doesn't.

After the HC explains the program, you can express concern about repeated reps with no instruction and girls too hurt to compete. If HC won't listen, then run, don't walk, to another gym. Before your daughter is irreparably hurt.

 

[gymmomtoo]

if coachp is suggesting you talk to a coach about something, then it must really be time to talk to the coach!

 

[iwannacoach]

trust me... the above is not misspelled. it is the movie playing described in the post that was playing thru Coachp's mind as to what is taking placing at beam with Fortheloveofsports child. YIKES!

I got it, and the subtle sleight is superb. Well done to coachp for a superb set up and dunno for brilliant execution.