Hours in the gym? - Page 5

03-01-2007, 01:04 AM

My gymnasts do not have any injuries, i can assure you, their parents are perfectly happy with this too, as its a school of gymnastics, they spend half of their 40 hours in class doing lessons. And when they are training, they are training in a purpouse built facility,withsome of Britains top coaches, and no JBS they never ever train on a hard surface, our whole gym is matted.

**JBS** · 03-01-2007, 01:45 AM


Quote:
Originally Posted by LasswadeCoach and no JBS they never ever train on a hard surface, our whole gym is matted.

When I say "hard surface" I am referring to a spring floor, a 20cm landing mat for vault, or a springboard. When I say "soft" I mean a tumble track, resi-pit, or tramp board.

Like I said though...lots of hours or a few hours...a gymnast can get injured either way. It's really just a matter of how talented the coaching staff is (which it sounds like yours is very talented and experienced).

Another reason why American gyms have reduced hours is to maximize profit...how much do your kids pay for that many hours? How do the parents afford it?

littlegymchampsmom · 03-01-2007, 06:59 AM

Did I say my dd could only do one straddle press? actually that is not the case... My dd is 5, your girls are 6 - there is an entire year difference perhaps? Let me be proud of my little one and you be proud of yours.... I feel like this is turning into my girls are better than yours conversation, and that needs to stop. I believe that your girls can do what they say, I have a young girl and I know that they listen intently and when they want to get something they go after it. That said you are very young yourself and most likely don't have children of your own. You still do not know the long term affects of assisting with training your girls so many hours, as you said it is a new program. I hope it works out wonderful for you all.

littlegymchampsmom · 03-01-2007, 07:12 AM

Megley,

How exciting!! Jan will be here too fast I'm sure. We don't have a TOPS program at our gym, but perhaps someday we will... I am sure it requires a great deal of training. Yes, they have plenty of time

Practice makes perfect....

03-01-2007, 09:03 AM

We do most of our conditioning on specialized exercise equipment, however our girls do perform full routines every day ont he sprung floor and of course other pieces

No i am not comparing your daughter to my girls, and i understand there is a full years difference, i am sure your daughter is very talented too.

03-01-2007, 09:04 AM

Oh sorry JBS i forgot to mention, the girls do not pay very much at all for this, as its there school as well as their gym, Myself, and the other coaches do not get paid for our coaching

Megley · 03-01-2007, 09:32 AM

LGCM (sorry your name is so long!), we don't have TOPs at our gym either but there is another local gym that does have it. I don't want to switch now because my daughter is so young still and who knows what the future holds. I think we are going to let her compete Level 4 at this gym and see how it goes. If she turns out to have a lot of potential and be really good then maybe we will switch to the other gym or I will pester the powers that be at our gym to get involved in TOPs. I just hate to have two kids at two different gyms, though actually the two gyms are really not that far apart.

Meg

**JBS** · 03-01-2007, 10:36 AM


Quote:
Originally Posted by LasswadeCoach Oh sorry JBS i forgot to mention, the girls do not pay very much at all for this, as its there school as well as their gym, Myself, and the other coaches do not get paid for our coaching

WOW!...how do you earn a living? Does the gym provide room and board?

03-01-2007, 10:48 AM

i still stay with my mum, and im at university, which i get paid for going to

gym law mom · 03-01-2007, 06:19 PM

First to address the questions on TOPS. Many gyms have the program and really like it. It does increase the amount of time a kid is in the gym and also the cost to the parents. It is more than just going over and climbing the rope. All of the strength tests are very specific about how they are to be done(full explanation on USAG site) as are the skills tests. The kids do a state test then a small handful move to regional testing and then up to national. Just getting out of your own state can be a very difficult task.

We have a 2 hour TOP class for pre-team girls and a strength class(both optional) for girls that need extra work in that area. Thats it. What they do is incorporate some of the strength/skill elements into the regular practices for Level 5 and up. I've heard from parents at gyms with big TOPs programs that the girls get tired of the strength training and sometimes they don't devote as much time to learning skills as they should. Alot depends on the gym.

As a question to our UK coach---where does the money come from to fund the gym, pay coaches etc. Sounds like the gym is very new with top of the line equipment and you mention that some of the coaches are top in the UK. Is the government funding all this? It does sound like a the old eastern European system of training----the girls all go to school, practice together all week. You said they are there 40 hours/week, but that includes school? So, how much time is actually spent in the gym vs. the classroom?