Parents Trouble with basic bar skills after major injury

[Tiffany]

Advice please?! My 13 yr old dd was training level 9 one and a half years ago right when coming back from Covid shutdowns, but then had a pretty serious injury(huge tear in OCD cartilage in the knee). Had surgery and got screws. After over a year she’s finally cleared for all events again and can’t do her kip (yes you read that right) without putting her feet down in the middle to help her get up. She’s done upper body conditioning and strap bar for nearly this whole time so she’s still strong. Weird thing is she said 3 weeks ago when she went full out on bars she got everything back, but then is beside herself this week because she couldn’t even do her kip??!! Bars have always come so natural and been her best event. Any advice/help is much appreciated!

 

[JBS]

Was she doing kips in straps too? Did she lose the kip as she was coming back into skills?

 

[Tiffany]

Yes she lost is as coming back into skills but got it back, then lost it again. She said they’ve been really hard. She just said that no she didn’t really do them when she was doing straps

 

[JBS]

She just said that no she didn’t really do them when she was doing straps

Ok... no big deal... she just lost her core strength. Just needs strength and she will be fine. That's my guess.

 

[Tiffany]

Ok... no big deal... she just lost her core strength. Just needs strength and she will be fine. That's my guess.

That makes sense. Makes me feel so much better! Thank you!!

 

[Tiffany]

@JBS Would love your input again. So it’s now been about 4 months of being back in the gym and she has a major meltdown after practice today. She said she learned all this bar stuff 4 years ago and now can’t do anything on bars. Is it normal to take this long to get the feel of her bars again? It was such a natural event for her before injury 1.5 years ago…

 

[B&M's mom]

Just remember she's probably grown in that year and a half so her body isn't reacting the same way it used to. Give her time and space, she'll find her way back. It may not be exactly the same but she'll figure it out.

 

[Tiffany]

Just remember she's probably grown in that year and a half so her body isn't reacting the same way it used to. Give her time and space, she'll find her way back. It may not be exactly the same but she'll figure it out.

Thank you!

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

@B&M's mom hit the nail right on the head. She's in the prime age range for massive growth spurts. So not only did she likely lose quite a bit of core strength while she was out, but she's also probably grown significantly.

Growth spurts do two things: first, they tend to come with a drop in strength-to-weight ratio even in ideal circumstances; second, they change the mechanics of skills (especially on bars) enough to throw off the timing and angles and so on that the athlete has gotten used to. So your DD is getting the triple-whammy here:

1) The 11-13 year old growth spurt tends to cause significant setbacks even in kids who are training normally in ideal circumstances

2) The injury means she hasn't been training normally

3) The last year and a half has been in almost every possible way the opposite of ideal circumstances.

 

[Tiffany]

@B&M's mom hit the nail right on the head. She's in the prime age range for massive growth spurts. So not only did she likely lose quite a bit of core strength while she was out, but she's also probably grown significantly.

Growth spurts do two things: first, they tend to come with a drop in strength-to-weight ratio even in ideal circumstances; second, they change the mechanics of skills (especially on bars) enough to throw off the timing and angles and so on that the athlete has gotten used to. So your DD is getting the triple-whammy here:

1) The 11-13 year old growth spurt tends to cause significant setbacks even in kids who are training normally in ideal circumstances

2) The injury means she hasn't been training normally

3) The last year and a half has been in almost every possible way the opposite of ideal circumstances.

Yes, she’s grown a couple inches so this all makes sense. I keep asking her if she wants private lessons etc, but I’m just gonna give her space to figure out…that’s just so hard for me-lol! But it sounds like it’s just going to take some time. Thank you so much!

 

[Mish]

Exactly what @Geoffrey Taucer said, "the triple whammy". My daughter (14) same issues. Bars were always beautiful with great form. Now her cast handstands are not pretty and full of bent legs, and free hips are hard. She says she can't even feel the difference and it's been 2 years now. For reference, there were injuries, of course covid shut downs, and growth over the last 2 1/2 years that has almost doubled her body weight and added 8 1/2 inches (oh and "curves"). Not sure she will ever get through level 8 at this rate (stuck here for 2 years). She keeps plugging away though, but it has been hard (maybe more for me??) to see her go from the top to really struggling.

 

[Tiffany]

Exactly what @Geoffrey Taucer said, "the triple whammy". My daughter (14) same issues. Bars were always beautiful with great form. Now her cast handstands are not pretty and full of bent legs, and free hips are hard. She says she can't even feel the difference and it's been 2 years now. For reference, there were injuries, of course covid shut downs, and growth over the last 2 1/2 years that has almost doubled her body weight and added 8 1/2 inches (oh and "curves"). Not sure she will ever get through level 8 at this rate (stuck here for 2 years). She keeps plugging away though, but it has been hard (maybe more for me??) to see her go from the top to really struggling.

Yes…getting curves too! She just keeps plugging too but yeah I think you’re right….it breaks my heart to see her go from the very top to struggling with the bar basics so much. I so wish I could do something to help but sounds like I need to let her figure it out. Thank you for your help!

 

[rlm's mom]

Been through growth spurt with mine too! It sucks but she just needs patience. Her body had to grow into its new height.

 

[Tiffany]

Been through growth spurt with mine too! It sucks but she just needs patience. Her body had to grow into its new height.

Thank you

 

[Deleted member 18037]

You can not help your child with her gymnastics.

My 15 yr old. Back injury last fall. Giant still not back. On the bright side her connection BHS-BHS on beam that she never had, multi year L8 is finally getting there.

all is up to her not me.