WAG Wanting more hours in the gym/undertraining

[bookworm]

I live in Colorado, 13 years old, hoping to qualify for elite by the time I'm 16. I started late (like reallyyy late... at 11) and my skill level varies so differently by each event and I'm hoping to try to smooth that out during this summer and get all of my skills to a level 9/10. College gymnastics is the realistic goal but I also want to try to make it to Nationals.

So in rereading this thread , a few things… OP is 13 and wants to “qualify to elite by 16 “ and says “college gymnastics is a realistic goal” …. While being at a gym doing a rec /Xcel combo.

I don’t even know if it’s worth it for you to move gyms with what is already going on … OP says she is “3 levels higher” but doesn’t compete or have any type of team. And OP has a toddler sibling and parents that are unable to commit to any commute over 20 minutes… I don’t mean to be harsh but I’m not sure a new gym would change much . #1 : you won’t be elite by age 16 no matter where you go and #2: you may be able to do college gymnastics on a club team … something like Rhode Island College also has lower level kids competing so there’s that as well … but D1, absolutely not . There are plenty of level 10s not on D1 teams so an xcel/ rec gymnast will not be recruited by D1.

OP i think you need to be more realistic with where you are and where you are realistically able to go with this sport or you will just be frustrated.

 

[Deleted member 28607]

So in rereading this thread , a few things… OP is 13 and wants to “qualify to elite by 16 “ and says “college gymnastics is a realistic goal” …. While being at a gym doing a rec /Xcel combo.

I don’t even know if it’s worth it for you to move gyms with what is already going on … OP says she is “3 levels higher” but doesn’t compete or have any type of team. And OP has a toddler sibling and parents that are unable to commit to any commute over 20 minutes… I don’t mean to be harsh but I’m not sure a new gym would change much . #1 : you won’t be elite by age 16 no matter where you go and #2: you may be able to do college gymnastics on a club team … something like Rhode Island College also has lower level kids competing so there’s that as well … but D1, absolutely not . There are plenty of level 10s not on D1 teams so an xcel/ rec gymnast will not be recruited by D1.

OP i think you need to be more realistic with where you are and where you are realistically able to go with this sport or you will just be frustrated.

Yea I get it, lots of people told me I'm being completely unrealistic. Are they right? Probably yes. Does that stop me from trying? No.

I'm very well aware that my hopes probably will not happen. I think there was only one elite gymnast who started over the age of 8... But I'm still passionate about the sport. If the gymnastics thing does not work out, I'm probably going to go into CrossFit/weightlifting or something of that sort. Strength is my thing, plus weightlifters peak at a much later age than gymnasts. Honestly, I think that would be the best thing to do right now if I want to have a successful career as an athlete, but I seriously love gymnastics and could not see myself quitting anytime soon. Even if I do, I will literally have nothing to do in the free time - "I'm a gymnast" is literally my entire personality. I simply have no interest in making friends or doing average teenage things, so I'm just planning to see how far I can go as a gymnast.

While I fully understand where you are coming from, I really want to go as far as I can in the gymnastics world, even if it means not making elite. I at least want to try.

(Also, thank you for replying and I am not meaning to be rude or anything, just stating my thoughts!)