Parents Fall schedule question

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Rockygym

Proud Parent
Hello all I am new to the forum. My dd is 6 1/2 started team in February and her coach wants her to train for level 4, but she will test level 3 this year due to age. She started in kindernast at 3 and we slowly got "sucked" into the competitive track, but she loves gym and we enjoy the confidence and strength that gymnastics has given her. We just got her fall schedule and they put her in a group that trains 4 nights a week for 4 hours and then she will do TOPs training on an additional day. We are a bit worried about the number of hours and risk of burnout and would love to hear thoughts from other coaches and/or parents. Thank you!
 
Depending on how long the TOPs session is, she'd be pushing towards 20 hours. I think that is too much for 6.5...I don't think my dd could have handled that at that age anyway.
 
Personally, I think that is too many hours at her age and would be worried about injury and burnout, too. My daughter didn't do 16 hours a week until she was Level 6 training 7 and she was 10 years old. At 12 and training Level 8, she does 20 hours a week. I would think 3 days a week would be plenty. How many hours is the TOPs session?
 
Well, we have girls in our "fast track" program that train 20hrs/wk at age 7... But they are few and far in between. It does take a special kid to be able to handle training with that intensity at that early age. My DD couldn't have done it at that age... I would worry about burnout too, but wouldn't necessarily rule it (the training schedule) out. Some kids would be equipped to handle it.
 
I don't think I would let my dd go that many hours at that age, but each child is different. If you think it is too much talk to the coaches about a shorter practice or only going 3 days plus tops.
 
Sounds like a prescription for burnout or injury or both to me. I know that hours are a lot higher in some parts of the country (Texas) but our level 4's practice about half that many hours, and we still have girls getting into the upper levels at pretty young ages.
 
Ok, that's A LOT of hours. My DD is 6 1/2 and on L4. She goes 12 hours a week plus TOPS. I have to say, I didn't think she could handle it with school but has been fine. That being said, other girls her age on the L2 & L3 are having meltdowns at 6-9 hours per week. I mean full on sobbing fits. I'm just saying, at this age, it's on the unusual side to have a gymnast who is able to handle it. I think 16 hours a week for L4 is insane! Plus TOPS? I know it's only a few more hours than my DD but honestly, I would have said no to 16 (and almost did to 12 but she had her heart set on L4 after competing old L3 and then new L3). I would be afraid (and even at 12 hours) of her burning out early.

I was talking to an AWESOME collegiate gymnast that visited our gym and she was saying she never did more than 16 hours a week even in optionals. She told the gym she wanted to play other sports and had outside interests other than gymnastics. So, she competed all the way thru L10 never going more than 16 hours a week. She knew she had no intentions of going elite and just went to practice and did what she had to do so they allowed it. That's a gym that has produced numerous elite gymnasts and a bunch of college gymnasts. Their L3's go 9 hours and L4's go 12. Just giving you a point of reference.

That's not saying it can't be done, but I'd be worried about doing it. You obviously have a very talented gymnast, so you have to be her advocate. Don't push her or let them push her. Good luck in your decision!!!
 
That is a lot of hours for her age. Our L4/5's do train 4 days a week, but adding in the Tops day seems like a lot. I have a 7 yr old, and she went 4 days/3.5 hrs last school year. (3 compulsory and 1 optional day) Coach noticed it seemed to be a little much, so she took out a compulsory day. Worked wonders, and she bounced back. Does her coach want her there every day? Yes. But her coach wants her to stay in gymnastics and not get burned out even more. Can you ask to start at the 3 days? What did she do over the summer?
 
I think that's a lot of hours for her age and level, too. However, what does your daughter think? My youngest probably would have loved the opportunity to go that many hours at that age, but my oldest would have quit. I would talk to the coaches and negotiate starting with fewer hours--maybe one less day per week? Or fewer hours per day? And then, if your dd wants more hours, they can add them later. I've found it's a lot easier to add hours than take them away.
 
I agree that is a lot of hours. Dd is 8 and training L4 and did 17 hours a week this summer and I can see she is tired. And that is without school.
 
My 6 year old (going into 1st grade) is doing 14 1/2 hours and she jumped right into it from 3 hours/week and she has handled it just fine... no complaining, not excessively tired or sore, no crying, etc. But I don't think she's normal :)... very mature and disciplined for her age. A few of the girls on L3 with her (ages 5-7) cry, don't want to go in, have tantrums in the bathroom and scream that they want to go home, etc. They are still adjusting to the hours and it has gotten a little better, but I assume that some of them will end up quitting because they just can't handle it yet. So I would really go based on how you think your daughter specifically will handle it and maybe start out on a trial basis, making sure she has as much balance as possible in her life, lots of rest, good nutrition, and open communication with the coaches if it starts feeling like too much. I would also have a discussion with them about your concerns about injuries/burn out and also look at how many injuries you have seen in the optional or fast-tracked compulsory girls and how many of them quit. Our gym tops out at about 16 hours/week until Level 9/10 and they produce many college athletes... so a less is more approach isn't necessarily wrong, either - with the right coaching.
 
It may be too much for her, period. It may be fine for her even with full day school. It may be fine only if she does a cyber-school or home school program to tighten up her school day so she has more rest and rec time. You'll just have to see ... also some parents are also successful at saying they will pick up their young child an hour early each night.
 
Thanks to all. She is very excited about it and would be in the gym every day if we let her. Our gym did have 2 L 10 s at nationals last year. As echoed by you we were taken aback by the hours. We were expecting 12 which is what she did this summer and handled just fine.
 
That would be too many hours for any child in my family. My 6.5 year old would burn out after a week of that.
 
I think that is way to many hours for a 6 year old. I think kids need to have time to just be kids especially at that age.
 
Those hours are crazy!! I have a 7yo, level4, who loves gym. She trains 3.5 hours, 3x a week (TOPs included).
I'm already nervous about her moving to 4hours, 4x a week (in Dec.). At that point she will have to stop all other extra-curricular activity (she's in soccer now).
I just think of all the years ahead of us and all the hours involved. DD is very good..... She's not elite material.
 
Add others have said, that seems like a lot of hours. My 8yo trains 9 hours a week and I feel like it's a lot for me :)
 

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