Giants

[gracefulone]

That's ok. It brought us back on track.....lol

[gym law mom]

Our kids start getting introduced to giants after their Level 5 meet season. They work hard on the "baby" giants, tap swings etc. and then maybe once every other week, the coach will get them on a trench bar and start with the feel for the skill. Once they get their Level 6 routines down, going over to do some giants(on trench bar with spot) is like a reward for doing some good bar sets. My daughter has gone from "they scare me" to "they're fun" several times. Since states were in early Dec., they now work on giants at every practice. Now, that my daughter has gotten over the "I don't like giants with grips", hers are starting to look pretty good and the coach is hoping to let her go to pit bar on her own in a couple of weeks.

As for strap bar, we have one, but it is not used for learning giants. More like an adjunct for that skill. Of course, they use if for other skills too.

[gymbabisMom]

That's the one thing I really wish our gym had, a trench bar. Our old gym had one and the girls always seemed less fearful there. There was no where to dig down that deep at this gym. We do have a pit, but I understand the trench would have needed to be a few feet deeper. Oh well, maybe when we get a new building. Somewhere over the rainbow. Actually for a competitive gym I feel like our gym is pretty well equipped. It would be really nice to have a separate gym for rec. Some days it gets really crowded in the gym, with all the team kids and rec kids at the same time. Plus it's hard as a rec coach to get an open event to take your class to. The team coaches all have a rotation schedule but we kind of fend for ourselves and go wherever we can squeeze in.... Wow, that one really wandered...

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I've never tried giants on a trench bar, but it seems to me it would be, if anything, scarier -- but you're right, most of my kids seem to prefer the trench bars when we go to woodward.

[gracefulone]

We don't have one either. Our gym is right above the pool. that would work out too well. I went to camp at whitewater. that's where I started learning flyaways(4 yrs ago)

[JBS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by gymbabisMom We do have a pit, but I understand the trench would have needed to be a few feet deeper.

Pits are normally 6 feet deep. After padding that is not deep enough for a full trench bar, but you could do a semi trench bar. Your bar would just have to be higher than a normal trench bar. You could then build a wooden platform on both sides to create the rest of the trench.

Norbert's makes a great set of bar blocks. The next best thing to a trench bar. A picture is attached below.

[gym law mom]

Good news on the giants! My daughter came home with her card(yes the same ones they give to rec kids) signed off for her giants on trench bar. Now she goes to pit bar to practice by herself until the coaches see good consistent form and technique----then its out to a RB(real bar). Wheeeeee!

I disagree, using the strap bar is very good for learning giants, yes, it doesnt teach you how to change your wrists, (which i teach by a seperate preparation in UK) but the strap bar is VERY good for learning the correct shapes on, if the gymnast cant perform the right shapes, then they wont do the giant correctly, however seeing that video makes me sick, thats ridiculous, the parent in the back clapping while a coach throws a gymnast round a bar, thats ridiculous.