Women Weight/height/bars connection?

[mimi]

I heard something recently: that shorter, lighter girls sometimes have trouble getting good swinging momentum on bars.

Do you think this is true?

 

[vagymmomma]

It seems the opposite to me, but there are so many exceptions.

 

[mimi]

It seems the opposite to me, but there are so many exceptions.

I agree! I always thought small and light was desirable all around in gymnastics.

 

[wallinbl]

In my observation, the short, light ones struggle to pop off the vault springboard.

 

[iwannacoach]

Swing happens according to the same laws of physics no matter the size, with the exception being kids who are taller, as they have to change shapes to swing past the low bar. One disadvantage for shorties is their fingers aren't long enough to get the same grip as average height kids.

If you're noticing differences in the success rates of kids at either extremes, it's more likely one of the above reasons causing the problem.

 

[pattymello]

A larger heavier kid will place more stress on the bar, giving it more flex and therefore get more of a boost from the bar as they try and get over the top. It would still depend on the strength and technique of the gymnast though.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

geesh, who starts this balderdash?

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

After I attended a few college meets I threw all preconceived notions about what a gymnast looks like, or should look like, out the window. For the most part they don't look like Kerri Strug

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I heard something recently: that shorter, lighter girls sometimes have trouble getting good swinging momentum on bars.

Do you think this is true?

the only thing i will say that is true is that lighter girls regardless of height have a difficult time 'bending' the rail. like on a tkatchev.

 

[wallflower]

Bars has always been my DD's best event and where she picks up skills very quickly. I always assumed it was because she was little and light, but her coach said she just knows how to swing and picks up the timing of the skills very easily.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Okay, I know i have already posted her vid on this siie, and I don't want to be accused of brag alerting, but since both vault and bars are mentioned along with short, here is a vid of one of my kids who fits that description. to give you an idea of her height, keep in mind that she is always standing on an elevated mat higher then me in all video. and the low bar work will speak for it's self on her size. Courtney Tsunoda level 9 gymnastics 10 yrs old - YouTube

 

[justanothergymmom]

Okay, I know i have already posted her vid on this siie, and I don't want to be accused of brag alerting, but since both vault and bars are mentioned along with short, here is a vid of one of my kids who fits that description. to give you an idea of her height, keep in mind that she is always standing on an elevated mat higher then me in all video. and the low bar work will speak for it's self on her size. Courtney Tsunoda level 9 gymnastics 10 yrs old - YouTube

She has beautiful form, and that is a very unique level 9 bars routine. I see the girls at my daughters' gym learning their blinds and front giants on a low bar but they don't compete them until they have them on the high bar, so I didn't realize that you could even do them there! Forgive my ignorance, but what is the skill she is doing after the cast hand on high? It looks like a quick half turn in a pike position. Is it considered a release? It is hard to tell from the camera angle if she actually lets go of the bar or not.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

She has beautiful form, and that is a very unique level 9 bars routine. I see the girls at my daughters' gym learning their blinds and front giants on a low bar but they don't compete them until they have them on the high bar, so I didn't realize that you could even do them there! Forgive my ignorance, but what is the skill she is doing after the cast hand on high? It looks like a quick half turn in a pike position. Is it considered a release?

==

Yes all giant elements have full value on the low bar so long as they are done with straight legs throughout, (which cannot be accomplished by most kids because they will hit feet on floor). the kip cast hop 1/2 is a B release so it fulfills the requirement, however she does NOT have a high bar to low bar change which is a 5 tenth deduction. So almost all kids you will see in level 9 do a overshoot (bail), pac salto, or straddle back, which accomplishes both the release and bar change requirement at the same time. She is not ready (safe) to do a high bar to low bar change, or a bail and cannot do a Pac , nor is she even allowed to do a pac because it was exceed the D limit in her routine. I do not recommend the release to anyone as a substitution for the skills required, however this was the one exception that I have ever made, for obvious reasons. She has elite skills on beam, full level 9 floor set and was just laking the bar to bar release because of physical limitations. So I gave her the safest possible routine which enabled her to compete level 9, instead to doing another year of level 8.

 

[Gymmom495]

Coachp- she is a beautiful gymnast, I showed the video to my daughter who is also on the smaller side and saw her eyes light up when she saw the giants on low bar. You must be a very proud coach!!


Sent from my iPhone using ChalkBucket mobile app

 

[justanothergymmom]

==

Yes all giant elements have full value on the low bar so long as they are done with straight legs throughout, (which cannot be accomplished by most kids because they will hit feet on floor). the kip cast hop 1/2 is a B release so it fulfills the requirement, however she does NOT have a high bar to low bar change which is a 5 tenth deduction. So almost all kids you will see in level 9 do a overshoot (bail), pac salto, or straddle back, which accomplishes both the release and bar change requirement at the same time. She is not ready (safe) to do a high bar to low bar change, or a bail and cannot do a Pac , nor is she even allowed to do a pac because it was exceed the D limit in her routine. I do not recommend the release to anyone as a substitution for the skills required, however this was the one exception that I have ever made, for obvious reasons. She has elite skills on beam, full level 9 floor set and was just laking the bar to bar release because of physical limitations. So I gave her the safest possible routine which enabled her to compete level 9, instead to doing another year of level 8.

I have a lot of respect for coaches who make smart and safe decisions for their gymnasts-even if it means a 5 tenth deduction. Ironically, I am sure that she probably scores just as well (even with her deduction) as other girls who have all of the requirements, because of her clean form.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I have a lot of respect for coaches who make smart and safe decisions for their gymnasts-even if it means a 5 tenth deduction. Ironically, I am sure that she probably scores just as well (even with her deduction) as other girls who have all of the requirements, because of her clean form.

==
She actually placed in the top 3 on bars at a few meets, but not at state or regionals where she had to compete against the 12 year olds.