What is this called and what is it's purpose?

[leoaddictsmom]

My daughter just turned 4 and she is in preschool recreational gymnastics. She is new to the 4 year old class but has been in gym since Sept. Last class while the other kids were working on swinging on the bar and doing skin the cats with spotter (Bean can already do them without help), one of the coaches had her holding a higher bar and bringing her legs in a pike to the bar and touching it with her toes, then lowering and doing again. Is this just for strength or does it progress to something? It looked like such a hard work! Thanks!

 

[bookworm]

Sounds like conditioning ...leg lifts

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

It's a leg lift. It's used to build strength but it's also a very basic movement that is used often on bars for things like kips.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

Yup, it's leg lifts. Strength for mostly abs.

 

[leoaddictsmom]

Is it normal to condition such little ones? This probably sounds foolish but I have been a little worked up lately bc she 1) tells me that soon she will fly 2) She thinks she is ready for the high bar and 3) today was the first time I saw them actually give her a work out. I swear she did close to 30 backward rolls.

 

[leoaddictsmom]

and thank you for the answers!

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

Yes conditioning is by far one of the most important things for gymnastics..especially for young ones! It's hard to teach a kid who isn't conditioned in. They have to have the muscle before they can learn the skill that requires it.

 

[Kiwi]

Sounds like leg lifts, working mainly abdominal and hip flexor muscles. It is normal conditioning for any competitive gymnast, but it sounds very unusual to me for pre-schoolers in a recreational class. How many did she do? Did the others do them? Maybe they are strength testing her for a competitive development program?

 

[leoaddictsmom]

Sounds like leg lifts, working mainly abdominal and hip flexor muscles. It is normal conditioning for any competitive gymnast, but it sounds very unusual to me for pre-schoolers in a recreational class. How many did she do? Did the others do them? Maybe they are strength testing her for a competitive development program?

She did about 4-5 by herself and then she lifted her legs as high as the could and the coach helped her. She was the only one that did them and the other girls were working on the skin the cats. She is the only one in her class who can do them herself so I think that is why they gave her something different. They also had her working on casting? on the "belly bar" and made a big point to keep her legs really tight. The other girls just had to lift themselves up on the bar. She is the only one in her class with various skills like skin the cat, backward rolls, forward roll on the padded beam, and seat drops. They did do those two "separate" things with her but other than that she did the same circuits with the other kids but they really worked on her about standing right back up on the beam and "stretching". I know they have an advanced class but I think it starts at 5, I'm not sure if they would put her in at 4 or not. Maybe they just were working on a little conditioning with her so she wouldn't get bored with skin the cats? (Sorry if this makes limited sense, I haven't had any coffee yet)

 

[Moxiegrl83]

If she's learning skills faster then the other girls, chances are they'll consider putting her in the advanced class at 5 (if that's when they start). They probably don't want her getting bored, and are challenging her a little more. A bored 4 yr old in gymnastics class can be....interesting, to say the least. As long as she's having fun, and they aren't working backbends/bridges, just enjoy it. My 5 yr old is on pre-team, and they are working them into doing real conditioning yet keeping the class fun and interesting.

 

[leoaddictsmom]

She does have fun but the separation from the other girls worries me a little. They have never done backbends or bridges but she does them sometimes on her own. I try not to make too big of a deal out of it. I am sure if I tell her not to, she will sneak off to do it.

 

[emorymom]

Maybe they are looking at her readiness to learn a pullover.

 

[Kiwi]

Sounds like it could be preparation for the more advanced class, plus, as you say, making sure she is challenged enough and not bored.

 

[leoaddictsmom]

It is a lot of fun watching her these days. She is really in a development "spurt" right now, if that happens. A lot of skills just clicked about overnight! Thanks for the help

 

[leoaddictsmom]

Maybe they are looking at her readiness to learn a pullover.

You called it! They had her working on pullovers this week. She was so excited to learn something new!