Boy, was I ever wrong!!!

[Takiah]

Also - when I was younger I had my own set of uneven bars and my own gymnastics trampoline in my back yard.

It is safe is she is just practicing the skills she can already do. I would not encourage her to learn overly new skills until she is confident enough in the gym first. "Baby giants" a.k.a long swing pullovers are quite harmless really there is not much danger there - if her legs dont make it over they will just fall back down again and she will still be holding the bar anyway and there is a mat under her.

[Rainee100]

My daughter had the same story, wipe-out and all. They let her off the hook for a couple of months with no grips at level 5. Then I bought her the hot shots with the soft leather and it was like a miracle. She got used to them the first day and has used them since without a hitch.

American Gymnast | Products | Hot Shot UNEVEN BAR BUCKLE Dowel Grips

[Ingymmom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawn Does your daughter have no desire to practice at home? I cannot keep DD from practicing. She does leaps through the mall and pivot turns in line at Walmart. Nobody makes her practice at home. She does it because she loves it. There is never enough gym time. At dinner time or shower time or bed time it's always "can I do just one more [insert skill]? Please!!!"

Oh of course Shawn, my dd absolutely cartwheels or fwd rolls from one room to the next. You would know us if you saw us on the street or at the amusement park (store, etc.) - trust me LOL .She loves to be upside down - she dangerously swings on her little trapeze part of her swing set upside down (which I hate). I have to tell her constantly no flipping outside of the gym, she is not allowed - still does and then says ooops. I have nothing against play practicing at home, our dd's are gymnasts and they can't help it . I have no problem with the equipment at home - I know my dd would love that too, and I would never be able to get her off (playing). My problem is the methodical, planned deliberate practice... this is where I feel parents need to draw the line. These kids are in the gym enough, leave the coaching to the coaches, and don't allow this type of of practice at home - my biggest why to all of this is burn out (not the only reason, but the biggest). I have seen more kids come and go simply because of their parents over the last year and a half, and this should not be so. You may not believe me or agree, but you could actually be causing her recent bar problems... as soon as she struggled with something you jumped to try and make it easy. You then set up ways at home to help her over her hurdle. Let her work it out herself a little. Gymmies are going to get frustrated - soooo frustrated (gymnastics only gets more difficult). Your dd will be frustrated many, many times over the next couple of years. You could go through all of this at home to help her, she gets the skill back and time to move to level 5 she could LOSE the skill all over again - gymnastics is fun, but is also one crazy head trip, so we as parents need to try and keep things real for our kids. These lower levels should be about fun, not about who gets the skill first or does it the best.

These are just examples, because I have seen kids get pushed and lose backward tumbling, bwo's on beam, handstand dismounts - even a beam cartwheel. Comfort and confidence are a better mix with patience and time rather then more deliberate practice.

On the grips, is it possible her grips are too small? Without looking back on the original posts, I can't recall if you said they were buckle grips or not - our dd's may use the same grips.... did coach (or you) sand out the holes for her? She may need a size 1. If all is a perfect fit, then why not see if your gymmie wants to do some tap swinging at home on her bar. It sounds as if her coach prefers the grips, so this will be a great way for her to break them in without any class pressure. Give her a few weeks of this and then have her try them again in class.

[KBT]

And the grip debate continues! Seems that everyone has a different philosophy on when and if to start grips so I figured I'd add my two cents! Grips can be very helpful for the bigger swinging skills like giants and even a little bit on longhang kips. Since she's not doing any of those skills yet, she shouldn't have to use grips. And grips do not prevent rips - they just make you rip in different places! Although the ripping is usually decreased.

I'm guessing her hands are too little for grips. When I coached high school I had one kid with very small hands and grips would make her peel all the time. After she fractured her elbow peeling off for the second time, we made her go gripless and everything was fine.

I sometimes get my kids who are starting kips the palm grips. There's no need for dowels at that point, kips are rough on the hands and the grips help that, it gives them a bit of the feel of using grips, and their smaller hands can handle it.

Brand of grip matters a lot. I use Reisport, but those grips have very thick leather that may not be good for a young child. Grips ETC sells narrow grips that might help: Grips Although I suspect your daughter is simply not ready for them, and I wouldn't force her. She can do high-level gymnastics without them, but I suspect around level 7-8 she'll get curious and be able to use them successfully at that point or she'll start ripping a lot and want to use them.

Grips

[Ingymmom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by KBT And the grip debate continues! Seems that everyone has a different philosophy on when and if to start grips so I figured I'd add my two cents! Grips can be very helpful for the bigger swinging skills like giants and even a little bit on longhang kips. Since she's not doing any of those skills yet, she shouldn't have to use grips. And grips do not prevent rips - they just make you rip in different places! Although the ripping is usually decreased. I'm guessing her hands are too little for grips. When I coached high school I had one kid with very small hands and grips would make her peel all the time. After she fractured her elbow peeling off for the second time, we made her go gripless and everything was fine. I sometimes get my kids who are starting kips the palm grips. There's no need for dowels at that point, kips are rough on the hands and the grips help that, it gives them a bit of the feel of using grips, and their smaller hands can handle it. Brand of grip matters a lot. I use Reisport, but those grips have very thick leather that may not be good for a young child. Grips ETC sells narrow grips that might help: Grips Although I suspect your daughter is simply not ready for them, and I wouldn't force her. She can do high-level gymnastics without them, but I suspect around level 7-8 she'll get curious and be able to use them successfully at that point or she'll start ripping a lot and want to use them. Grips

I think this is great advice and you are clearly very knowledgable... my only problem with this is that if a coach requires grips, then a gymnast (even at this level) must find a way to make it work. In a perfect world a coach could just say wait, give it time - as in this OP gymnasts case. But my dd's gym is a good example of how this may not be the case... coach will NOT let the kids do any skills (only conditioning) from pre-team on without the grips that he insists on (dowel). Coaches rules, and we are all limited to what the gym's requirements are. We have never had a single gymnast not able to work it out... sometimes they have just had to be a little creative

[Shawn]

I appreciate everyone's advice. DD is doing great now, without the grips. Her hands are fine, no rips, she doesn't even need tape. So for now, this is how things will be. Her grips will be available to her to use at home should she decide to try them but no pressure. It doesn't bother me a bit if she never uses them. She wouldn't be the first.

As to practicing at home, we don't do "methodical, planned deliberate practice." We make a secure, safe environment available to her and we make sure she's doing skills safely and correctly. But no one makes her practice any time or for any length of time. We just support her when she wants to do it. She wanted to get the jump to the high bar. We found a way for her to practice that at home without the pressure of the other girls and the gym. But in no way did we force her to practice it. She does it because she loves it and wants to get the skills. We just do what we can to help her be safe while still learning what she wants to learn. That's all.

[Ingymmom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawn I appreciate everyone's advice. DD is doing great now, without the grips. Her hands are fine, no rips, she doesn't even need tape. So for now, this is how things will be. Her grips will be available to her to use at home should she decide to try them but no pressure. It doesn't bother me a bit if she never uses them. She wouldn't be the first. As to practicing at home, we don't do "methodical, planned deliberate practice." We make a secure, safe environment available to her and we make sure she's doing skills safely and correctly. But no one makes her practice any time or for any length of time. We just support her when she wants to do it. She wanted to get the jump to the high bar. We found a way for her to practice that at home without the pressure of the other girls and the gym. But in no way did we force her to practice it. She does it because she loves it and wants to get the skills. We just do what we can to help her be safe while still learning what she wants to learn. That's all.

Sounds like you have a good handle on what your dd wants and needs. Best of luck to you guys

[LemonLime]

I have no clue when to add grips, but 99% of gymnasts in this country do wear grips for L7 and up gymnastics. Most start at L5 when they jump to high bar. The transition is difficult from bare hands to grips, but would you rather have that transition at L5 or L7? I GUARANTY you'd rather have it at L5. Sure, there are exceptions of great gymnasts or even nearly entire foreign countries that don't wear grips, but c'mon, are you kidding me that NOT wearing dowell grips from L7 and up is recommended? No way. (I'm speaking rhetorically, not at anyone in particular).

Yes, kids hands are small. There are international elites in this country in 000 grips, but they do wear them.

I believe it is dangerous to do anything but the dance skills at home and have also never heard of a coach recommending flipping or bar work at home. Not my gym, not my coach, and fortunately not my child who has been injured.

[gymjourneymom]

LemonLime & Ingymmom.... I see both of your points...in fact we're dealing with these issues right now at level 7! DD has worn palm grips since level 5. Between level 5 & 6 she was told to switch to dowel grips. I got them for her...but she hated them & never tried to get used to them. She competed 5 & 6 in palm grips...state champ each year! Now here we are at level 7... having a heck of a time getting her to wear the dowel grips! She knows she needs to switch b/c the palm grips are interfering with her hand positoning for giants. But she can't do much with the dowels on...can't even kip in them! It's awfully difficult for her to go from being state champ...to losing her kip just b/c she's not used to the dowel grips!!!!! Now she is behind in skills from all of her teammates, who made the switch back when they were told to. I really wish the coach would have enforced her switching back then to...instead of what she is dealing with at this point. They knew better than her & I don't think they should have left it up to her...but she was winning & no one wanted to mess with that. Now she's paying the price.

[Shawn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by gymjourneymom LemonLime & Ingymmom.... I see both of your points...in fact we're dealing with these issues right now at level 7! DD has worn palm grips since level 5. Between level 5 & 6 she was told to switch to dowel grips. I got them for her...but she hated them & never tried to get used to them. She competed 5 & 6 in palm grips...state champ each year! Now here we are at level 7... having a heck of a time getting her to wear the dowel grips! She knows she needs to switch b/c the palm grips are interfering with her hand positoning for giants. But she can't do much with the dowels on...can't even kip in them! It's awfully difficult for her to go from being state champ...to losing her kip just b/c she's not used to the dowel grips!!!!! Now she is behind in skills from all of her teammates, who made the switch back when they were told to. I really wish the coach would have enforced her switching back then to...instead of what she is dealing with at this point. They knew better than her & I don't think they should have left it up to her...but she was winning & no one wanted to mess with that. Now she's paying the price.

Why is she wearing palm grips? Do her hands rip a lot? Is it possible for her to train with no grips at all?