What's different about 'new AAI upb rails'

[vagymmomma]

Just curious -- our state gymnastics USAG posted a notice on their website that "USA Gymnastics has announced that the new AAI upb rails will NOT be used at state, regional & national meets" so train accordingly. What's different about the new bars? Is it just a different material? Is it likely to impact girls if they train on different bars? Our gym just bought new bars, so it's kind of depressing to think they might be out of date (bars are expensive!).

 

[Deleted member D3987]

they'll be used next year in meets. there has to be enough time for the rails to be out on the field and used before USAG will let them be used. they're not THAT different. they're called "soft rails". they're just like speith anderson. very springy...that's all. no big deal.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Are those the ones with an "easier" tightening mechanism (I think they have only cables, no tightening/loosening screws or anything)? My teammates and I were pretty surprised to see those at a meet this year, and a bunch of people wound up scratching bars because they could not adjust to the MUCH looser feel within their minute of warm-up time.

 

[3rd_time_around]

I'm a little concerned sbout this. Fine for this year, but what about next year if they use them at state, etc., and you come from a gym that can't afford to purchase these new rails and the gymnast can't compete on them?

 

[2gymmies]

My dd loves the bouncy bars! We have spieth bars (we call them the red bars because they have red supports). They are great for training, especially the bigger skills - at meets my dd has trouble adjusting to "hard" bars (AAI) because her clear hips and giants have slightly different feel. She will welcome the change, I believe! I don't think the lower levels will notice the difference.

 

[flipper's fan]

A few weeks ago we went to a meet with new bars and old bars. The coach recommended the new bars to the team. One girl stuck with the old bars. You could definitely see the "springiness" in the routines. Dd liked them. But it didn't seem to be a huge adjustment for them.

 

[vagymmomma]

I'm a little concerned sbout this. Fine for this year, but what about next year if they use them at state, etc., and you come from a gym that can't afford to purchase these new rails and the gymnast can't compete on them?

It may not be a big difference, but it seems like it would have to be a bit of a disadvantage to gyms that train without them. Unfortunately, our gym literally just installed new bars, so I can't see us changing again for a few years. I can see a little more bounce in the bars helping with free hips though.