Parents What is the purpose of...

[Ex member]

My dd had her rec gym session today and instead of going on the beam they did something different where the coach had a piece of paper and they all had to perform certain things one at the time and get marked for it (according to my dd), some of the things that had to do ( that my dd mentioned) were :

chin ups on a bar (if they could or attempt them)
box splits,
front splits

They have never done anything like this before and I was wondering why they were doing it as they never work on or practice chin ups or splits of any kind, were they testing their flexibility and strength?

 

[gymmomtoo]

That's my guess. Maybe they're doing evaluations for move ups??

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

They are evaluating the kids - to see who is ready to move up a level - either in rec or to developmental classes. Also, so they can keep track of how much the kids are improving and what skills they need to work on. I think the rec kids at our gym get evaluated every few months.

ETA - it is kind of strange that they are evaluating them on things they don't work on in class. They don't do conditioning like chin ups or work on flexibility during regular class time?

 

[GymBee97]

its that time of year when they do evals it sounds like to me to determine placement for next season,

 

[Ex member]

Fingers crossed, the only flexibility stuff they do is in warm ups and that is sit in a straddle and lean down on each leg and then lean forward and try and get your belly on the floor ( dd can do these ), also sit in a pike and lean forward with straight legs and they also do a bridge in warm ups again not many can do this , dd is one of the only ones that haven't moved up to development that can do a bridge with legs straight and arms straight.

dd told me that she was the only one in her little group that could do a chin up ( dd done 2 and got her head up to the bar),
they were doing box splits against the floor beam according to dd and they had their names on a bit of paper and they wrote something against their names when they done what they were asked wether they were successful or not.

 

[Ex member]

ETA - it is kind of strange that they are evaluating them on things they don't work on in class. They don't do conditioning like chin ups or work on flexibility during regular class time?

It is strange, maybe they want to see what natural strength and flexibility they have and put them in development groups if they show promise.

Dd's rec class does not have higher levels, they just go to a later group when they turn 8 and they groups are not put together by ability - just age, the next step up according to the gym website is improvers class and development class - have no idea what the improvers class is as its not mentioned on the timetable just the rec classes are mentioned.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Maybe you won't have to ask about moving up after all ( the straddle tummy to the floor is called a japana)

Sent from my CnM Touchpad 9.7 using ChalkBucket mobile app

 

[Gymmommy71]

I agree that it may be they're testing things they don't work on to see "natural" ability. I could see value in them doing it this way when assessing "potential". A kid who can do 10 pull-ups the first time they ever tried them obviously has a lot more upper body strength potential than one who can't even do one. Same thing w/ flexibility - a kid who can do a split w/o ever even stretching is obviously going to be very flexible...

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

I agree that it may be they're testing things they don't work on to see "natural" ability. I could see value in them doing it this way when assessing "potential". A kid who can do 10 pull-ups the first time they ever tried them obviously has a lot more upper body strength potential than one who can't even do one. Same thing w/ flexibility - a kid who can do a split w/o ever even stretching is obviously going to be very flexible...

Yes, but as a coach I have another factor I value more than the number of chin ups the kid can do. I look at how hard that child tries to do a chin up/more chin ups. I have a development group and I will be sending one back to rec soon, this kid can easily do five chin ups but just drops off the bar and never struggles to do more (there are more reasons for letter her go). I have two who have yet to do any chin ups but stay on the bar trying over and over till I make them get off. Long term these kids will be stronger (and better gymnasts) because they continually work and don't give up.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Maybe you won't have to ask about moving up after all ( the straddle tummy to the floor is called a japana)

Sent from my CnM Touchpad 9.7 using ChalkBucket mobile app

right...japana=jap splits=from the 60's. in America, as things became more "politically correct" they began to call this exercise "pancakes". funny...the Japanese gymnasts were proud that they were called what they were called and still are.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Never knew that Dunno, in the back woods here in this li'lle ole 3rd world country they are still called Japanas, mind you I still fight the urge to call a round-off an Arab Spring, will we be re-naming the Arabian soon ?

'Margo

 

[Deleted member D3987]

bwahahahahahahahahaha...you said WHAAAAAT? hahahahahahaha. that's a "Bill Maher"!

 

[Ex member]

Dd went to her rec class today ( she does 2 a week and its the same class repeating what she done the other day), they done the testing thing again ( 2nd time for dd but the first time for others that only go once a week), dd told me some things about the testing, she said that they were scored from 1 - 5 ( 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest) on splits and pull ups and pancakes (Japanas). Still no clue as to why they are testing them as they have never done that in the past.

 

[OzZee]

Well they are obviously evaluating them but the ONLY people in the world who will know why your coaches are ecaluating the class are your coaches.
Can you not just ask them?
It could be for move ups, class changes or just for their own information, or just something new they are introducing as part of their training.

 

[Ex member]

I had a look on the notice board at gym and they had lesson plans for the next few months for recreational gymnastics, on there it said that they part of last weeks session was conditioning testing, this has puzzled me as they have never done this before and they never ever do any conditioning during the rec sessions ( just warm ups with touch your toes type exercises and bridges (not many can do them - around 3 per class of 20+ girls, and the do straddle sits and they reach each side towards their toes and to the centre trying to get to the floor - that's the extent of the warm ups), this week was lessons as usual with classes still the same, so if they did it for a reason then it's not clear why yet, but if they did it as just a new part of the lesson then why only once (it's not on the lesson plan for the next few months) and why did they write their names down. I am going to ask one of the rec coaches as to the purpose of that part of the lesson, it would be good if they did add a bit of conditioning as part of the lesson or even add an advance rec class for children who did well on the conditioning test but maybe not competition material.

has any of the rec coaches done this in their class and what was it for?

 

[Faith]

OK, In my experience conditioning is not done in rec. There's no point- not much benefit once a week, lack of time, and the fact the kids (and parents) won't want 20 minutes of their precious hour devoted to mean stuff :lol:. these classes are meant to be fun, which conditioning is not!

If they've not done it before, it could just be a new idea they're doing to catch talented kids. Good gyms continually overhaul their programmes. Some will have tryouts, some will constantly evaluate, and your gym might have decided to go down this route- test kids once every x months, so they can identify talent without putting off those just there to learn tricks and have fun.

 

[Ex member]

My dd has done 2 rec classes this week and I have noticed something, the first day she goes the gym is really busy and the more experienced coaches are busy with other classes and the second day the gym is really quiet and the more experienced coaches are teaching rec, my dd does better in the quieter classes ( she does well in the first as well).

in her 2nd rec class she was on the bars ( her favourite) and I have noticed a change in her, she looks more stronger and when they were working on swings ( with support) my dd didn't need and help and she was swinging really high and for longer then the rest, this was noticed by the coach teaching them and she was asked to do something different from the other girls in her group - she had to swing as she was doing before the bring her legs up in a pike shape and aim for the top of the bar and wi a little support she went over and had to end in a parrot ( maybe its called a front support with you have you arms straight and hold your thighs against the bar before swinging forward again), she only did this once as it was time to move to a different station (they only had one coach working with them). I am happy they noticed she can do more then the basics and that they had her try something harder ( not sure what the thing was she done), she also made me proud of her by trying to do something she finds hard ( due to her height) and not giving up until she did it- it was jump from the floor to a parrot ( front support) and then going forward to the ground on the small bar.

while she was at cheer practice waiting to go in we were talking to another parent whose daughter in in gym squad, my daughter started to dance and twirl around moving her arms and legs and I was asked if she was practicing her floor routine, I said no because she doesn't do floor routines as she isn't in per team or team. Maybe in day she will get here, people are noticing her now, just got to wait for the head coach to notice her ( if they haven't already), I can be patient as she is only 6, I am happier now she is progressing, once she isn't challenged any more in rec then it's time to mention somethin

 

[emorymom]

Look, it's OK to say something to them about how you are interested in team (and implicitly are willing to pay for it and dedicate the time). ESPECIALLY since you are also in a cheer track and that might be misinterpreted.

 

[IreneKa]

I agree. If you are interested, you should tell them now, instead of waiting for someone to notice her. And now is a good time. At least in our gym, they evaluate the girsl at the end of the school yer, around May, and those who are selected for pre-team (or XCel team as in our case) start practicing in July. So, I think now is the best time to mention to the coaches that you are interested.