Parents What makes kids good/strong tumblers?

[MabelSt]

I'm wondering what makes kids good at tumbling. My dd is strong but not strong at tumbling I'm just curious what makes someone good at it, and I have anxiety about her doing tumbling if she's going to fall on her head.

 

[duyetanh]

My dd says "sour patch kids right before practice!"
Lmao
Um...no....sorry, honey...nice try...but that is a treat, not a daily pre workout snack of all things...

 

[Aussie_coach]

Muscle twitch speed is the number 1 characteristic I find allows kids to pick up tumbling with ease.

That does not mean kids with slow twitch muscles can't be amazing tumblers, but it is so much easier with fast twitch kids.

Other characteristics include - great coaching, flexibility, strength, good aerial awareness, courage, persistence, ability to apply physical corrections etc

 

[MabelSt]

Thanks for the reply I think she is fast twitch, I think she has bad aerial awareness and maybe flexibility maybe that's what it is

 

[MabelSt]

My dd says "sour patch kids right before practice!"
Lmao
Um...no....sorry, honey...nice try...but that is a treat, not a daily pre workout snack of all things...

Hahahahaha ill get my dd some and try it lol

 

[CuriousCate]

not a coach, just a parent but for the kids I see at our gym it seems like power/"twitch" is one part of it but that lack of fear is really the bigger thing.

 

[CCGymbug]

What is muscle twitch?

 

[MabelSt]

What is muscle twitch?

I'm not sure exactly but I think it's if they naturally move really fast or slower

 

[MabelSt]

I guess slow switch is used for long activities abd fast twitch is used for quick bursts, it's two separate types of muscle tissue but that's all I know

 

[Gymmamabear]

Is there any way to improve the fast twitch??? My daughter needs help in tumbling!

 

[Flyaway]

Is there any way to improve the fast twitch??? My daughter needs help in tumbling!

Good question. My dd is slow twitch and tumbling is definitely a weak spot.

 

[rosiekat]

I think your muscles do respond and form different ratios depending on how they're used, since muscle fibers are continually being broken down and reformed. If you do mostly fast twitch activities, you'll develop more fast twitch fibers. But some people will still have a more favorable ratio due to genetics. Fast twitch (white) fibers are the ones providing bursts of energy, slow twitch (dark fibers) are more for endurance.

As a parent (i.e. neither a gymnast nor an expert), it looks to me like the best natural tumblers lack fear and have a good proprioceptive sense (what helps your body know where it is oriented in space). They also have to learn how to rebound their body with a ton of strength without overdoing it. (I hope that makes sense, I'm not sure how you would technically describe it.)

 

[Gymmamabear]

Very interesting! I am thinking my daughter lacks the fast twitch. She has no fear but just does not get the power and height of others. Granted she's tiny - BUT I see tiny girls get height too!

 

[Bug's mom]

Is there any way to improve the fast twitch??? My daughter needs help in tumbling!

Prevalence of the different muscle fibre types can be due in part to genetics, but they can also be influenced by training and nutrition jointly. Slow twitch fibres are great for endurance, function only in an aerobic environment (when the tissue has sufficient oxygen...not prancercise aerobics lol), ideal for slow pace over long distance. They can be fueled by glucose, glycogen (stored glucose) and fat. You cultivate these fibres by training endurance exercises and fueled by carbohydrates (more structural like fiber, less non-structural like starch and sugar) and fat (the good plant fat as opposed to the GOOD FAT like ice cream). Healthy fats are key to good slow-twitch muscle development. Fast twitch fibres are great for fast/intense bursts, function in both aerobic and anaerobic environment (both when the fibre is getting sufficient oxygen, and when there isn't enough oxygen). They are fueled primarily by glucose and glycogen with some limited fat, and only by glucose or glycogen when in an anaerobic (no oxygen) state. In other words, when you need them most is when they can only used glucose or stored glycogen. You cultivate these fibres by training fast/intense exercises and fueled by carbohydrates as well as some healthy fat...bit more starch than for slow twitch muscles. Great fast twitch developing exercises for legs and backsides are short full-out sprints.

If muscle growth and function is what you want, you also need to think about nutrient timing and workouts....especially for gymnasts who can burn as much as 1000 calories in a 4-hour training session. In early stages of exercise, when muscle fibres are getting oxygen, they use up blood glucose and fat. Blood glucose is closely regulated by the blood stream, so once it hits that lower regulated limit, muscle fibres need to start using up stored glycogen for energy. Once you get to an anaerobic state, they can only use glucose and stored glycogen but by that time there could be very little available blood glucose left. So you're going to want to be sure you have a full tank of stored glycogen...which means you were sure to replenish glycogen stores as soon as you were done exercising last time (when the body is most receptive to storing it). This is the same time that you want to be providing the fibres that just worked with lots of protein so they can build and re-build, and generate more glycogen storage space. This is why post-workout meals are so important, both in terms of timing and content. Protein and carbohydrates all the way. Then, right before the next practice you're going to want to eat something that optimizes blood glucose levels (staying away from straight sugar, only sugar naturally in fruit) in preparation for the demand of exercise and providing some glycogen-sparing for fast twitch muscles later in exercise.

Or at least that's my understanding. Just note, I didn't spell fibre wrong. I'm Canadian, that's how we roll

 

[Flyaway]

Prevalence of the different muscle fibre types can be due in part to genetics, but they can also be influenced by training and nutrition jointly. Slow twitch fibres are great for endurance, function only in an aerobic environment (when the tissue has sufficient oxygen...not prancercise aerobics lol), ideal for slow pace over long distance. They can be fueled by glucose, glycogen (stored glucose) and fat. You cultivate these fibres by training endurance exercises and fueled by carbohydrates (more structural like fiber, less non-structural like starch and sugar) and fat (the good plant fat as opposed to the GOOD FAT like ice cream). Healthy fats are key to good slow-twitch muscle development. Fast twitch fibres are great for fast/intense bursts, function in both aerobic and anaerobic environment (both when the fibre is getting sufficient oxygen, and when there isn't enough oxygen). They are fueled primarily by glucose and glycogen with some limited fat, and only by glucose or glycogen when in an anaerobic (no oxygen) state. In other words, when you need them most is when they can only used glucose or stored glycogen. You cultivate these fibres by training fast/intense exercises and fueled by carbohydrates as well as some healthy fat...bit more starch than for slow twitch muscles. Great fast twitch developing exercises for legs and backsides are short full-out sprints.

If muscle growth and function is what you want, you also need to think about nutrient timing and workouts....especially for gymnasts who can burn as much as 1000 calories in a 4-hour training session. In early stages of exercise, when muscle fibres are getting oxygen, they use up blood glucose and fat. Blood glucose is closely regulated by the blood stream, so once it hits that lower regulated limit, muscle fibres need to start using up stored glycogen for energy. Once you get to an anaerobic state, they can only use glucose and stored glycogen but by that time there could be very little available blood glucose left. So you're going to want to be sure you have a full tank of stored glycogen...which means you were sure to replenish glycogen stores as soon as you were done exercising last time (when the body is most receptive to storing it). This is the same time that you want to be providing the fibres that just worked with lots of protein so they can build and re-build, and generate more glycogen storage space. This is why post-workout meals are so important, both in terms of timing and content. Protein and carbohydrates all the way. Then, right before the next practice you're going to want to eat something that optimizes blood glucose levels (staying away from straight sugar, only sugar naturally in fruit) in preparation for the demand of exercise and providing some glycogen-sparing for fast twitch muscles later in exercise.

Or at least that's my understanding. Just note, I didn't spell fibre wrong. I'm Canadian, that's how we roll

This is awesome information! Can you dumb it down for me a little bit more? Would you mind giving a couple examples of a good pre and post workout meal for a gymnast who is slow twitch but working to improve muscle growth and function? You mentioned protein and carbs for post workout - so eggs? Milk? Pasta? And pre-workout, is fruit the best choice? What are other natural sugars that would be good to consume? Any suggestions for mid-workout snack?

 

[e'smum]

i have no idea what twitch is. lol. my dd is a good tumbler but her issue is that she doesn't get enough height. that's what i was told was her major mark off's on floor this year.

my coach emphasizes more protein. so to send in ham and cheese for a snack vs. fruit. so on her long day with a 1/2 hour break i send in a ham/cheese rollup. i know i need to add more protein but so far she's not liking any of the protein drinks i send in. he specifically said that fruit is not good for that particular refuel.

also, they recommend a specific chocolate milk for after practice. problem is, my dd is not a fan of chocolate (i think there was a mix up at the hospital at her birth b/c i'm addicted!).

she usually has a banana right before practice. and she drinks a ton of regular milk.

 

[e'smum]

Very interesting! I am thinking my daughter lacks the fast twitch. She has no fear but just does not get the power and height of others. Granted she's tiny - BUT I see tiny girls get height too!

i think that's mine too. ditto on the tiny but one of the upper level girls is super tiny (not much bigger than my dd and 2-3 years older) and does an awesome double back (?) on floor. she's like a kangaroo. she's a tiny powerhouse on floor. i love to watch her tumble.

 

[Bug's mom]

This is awesome information! Can you dumb it down for me a little bit more? Would you mind giving a couple examples of a good pre and post workout meal for a gymnast who is slow twitch but working to improve muscle growth and function? You mentioned protein and carbs for post workout - so eggs? Milk? Pasta? And pre-workout, is fruit the best choice? What are other natural sugars that would be good to consume? Any suggestions for mid-workout snack?

Before practice, energy rich fruit like banana or grapes along with Protein like yogurt or cheese of some sort, maybe a smoothie. If it were for me, I'd go with whey-based protein in a shake, bar or muscle milk. But DD hates all of those so she has half a Lenny&Larry Snickerdoodle protein cookie (pea protein based). More fruit and milk/yogurt/cheese during break then pasta/rice/potato and meat/fish protein within an hour of practice...in a perfect world. If it looks like she's going to fall asleep before we get home, she'll have the other half of that protein cookie and whatever starch I've packed in a thermos just in case.

 

[Bug's mom]

i have no idea what twitch is. lol. my dd is a good tumbler but her issue is that she doesn't get enough height. that's what i was told was her major mark off's on floor this year.

my coach emphasizes more protein. so to send in ham and cheese for a snack vs. fruit. so on her long day with a 1/2 hour break i send in a ham/cheese rollup. i know i need to add more protein but so far she's not liking any of the protein drinks i send in. he specifically said that fruit is not good for that particular refuel.

also, they recommend a specific chocolate milk for after practice. problem is, my dd is not a fan of chocolate (i think there was a mix up at the hospital at her birth b/c i'm addicted!).

she usually has a banana right before practice. and she drinks a ton of regular milk.

Protein is absolutely essential for building muscle, but it's the worst energy source for fueling muscle. It's the least calorie dense of the 3 energy sources (carbs, fat and protein) and the body has to use almost as much energy converting dietary protein into energy as it will make...so it's the least efficient energy source if the goal is to fuel performance. And important to remember that when muscle runs out of a available energy, it stops working. Liken it to an engine...doesn't matter how many horsepower you have under the hood, it doesn't fire if the tank is empty.

 

[LJL07]

It's genetic. You are either born predominantly fast or slow twitch. Fast twitch kids tend to be great at tumbling, vaulting, etc. I don't think you can really alter what you are born with.