WAG Giants Question

[AgingHippie]

Just wondering how hard it is to go from strap bar giants ro real giants. To my unexperienced eye it looks like night vs. day. I hear other gym parents saying different things but they don't have gymmies that actually have giants so now I'm curious.

 

[Committed]

I would say it depends on how long/well they do them on the strap bar. Not to mention, a bunch of other criteria.
DD got it pretty quickly, but she had been solid on the straps for 8-9 months. She spent a couple months on the pit bar and then went to the actual bars seamlessly. Bars ended up being her event this year.

 

[ladybird]

^^^^^Exact same experience with my dd too! My dd's hesitation in taking it to the real set was freaking out and pinging and landing on the low bar. Her words, lol!

 

[HoldThePhone]

DD has recently gotten her giants, she had them pretty solid on strap bar for a few months, got them on pit bar, and just a couple weeks later on a full bar set. She could have had them sooner on pit bar/real bar, but she was nervous so they didn't push it. Still I didn't think the transition was bad. Strap bar being solid wsrmest definitely helpful though!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Going from a skinny slippery bar that has zero resistance, to bar that is fatter, requires you to shift your wrists, has resistance so you have to swing harder and,,,, oh yea, actually requires you to hold on... is very different. The duration varies wildly from child to child. impossible to speculate.

 

[Sneezyone]

Going from a skinny slippery bar that has zero resistance, to bar that is fatter, requires you to shift your wrists, has resistance so you have to swing harder and,,,, oh yea, actually requires you to hold on... is very different. The duration varies wildly from child to child. impossible to speculate.

I am lol-ing here because my DD gave a very similar description recently. She moved to the fat bar just this month and hopes for the best w/every attempt!

 

[LilyChow7]

Our gym does not have a pit so moving from straps to a single rail was quite a challenge. After a scary attempts but about number 3 they were looking alright making about 80% over. I then tried 1 inspired and let go falling like a pack of spuds. Had them on straps for a year + before transferring

 

[LizzieLac]

Just a parent...but from what I see and what DD tells me, they are night and day. Straps are good for working body position, learning to make a strong tap, etc. But learning the wrist shift, the straight arms, etc. on the real bar can only be done on the real bar. Having a pit bar to work this is tremendously helpful.

 

[l.c.o]

Oh gosh.

Judging by my DD, apparently it's like 6th grade science/math vs. nuclear physics.

Strap bar giants have been good for almost three years. You'll all hear my shout of happiness when she gets them fully independently on high bar...

 

[gymbeam]

It can take just a little time to a long time- really no way to know. However, I can vouch that it is indeed possible to move them rather quickly. DD started them on strap bar last June/July and had them competition ready in 5/6 months.

 

[AgingHippie]

Thanks for all the input everyone, all our L5s just got them for the first time this week and some of our over zealous parents (who seems to think their 10 year old L5s are going elite) are going to be ready to compete them by
October. I know it's not impossible but I'm not drinking the kool-aid.

 

[Tigtimes]

add in the growing factor ...this skill causes havoc for mine with even the smallest of growth ...
As for strap to real bar it really depends on the kid. Have seen some get it immediately and some take years ...Having on strap not really indication of what will happen on real bar. Hand shift is a big difference.

 

[Committed]

Thanks for all the input everyone, all our L5s just got them for the first time this week and some of our over zealous parents (who seems to think their 10 year old L5s are going elite) are going to be ready to compete them by
October. I know it's not impossible but I'm not drinking the kool-aid.

October? Are there states who do optionals in the fall? It's possible to compete them in Dec/Jan.

 

[munchkin3]

definitely night and day. The wrist shift and feel for the bar is a whole skill in itself. My DD had been doing strap bar giants since L4 and about 1.5 years later she is doing them on the wood bar with no assistance. They went from straps, to hollow overs for about 4 months. then they did hollow overs to handstand for another month....then spotted single giants for a while.....now she is doing the series, kip-cast-sq.on then jump to HB kip-cast-h/s to giant/giant/giant Layout above the bar......this is being spotted and shaped every step of the way, but she is doing it on her own. The other BIG issue is the fear factor!!! (lets see her do this without the coach standing 6 inches from her!!! Some girls get them quick, but then freak out and stop doing them for one reason or another. It would not be unheard of to get them in the summer to compete in the spring....but to compete them well in 4 months? unlikely.

don't forget, there are different types or giants too....form is very important. When i see the arch over type, I can assume it was rushed. Good straight giants WITH NO ARCHING take a long time to develop. (like a souffle)

my DD has very nice ones but lately she has developed a bit of a scoop at the bottom of the swing......I hope she can fix it into more of a hollow snap type deal....coaches problem!LOL

 

[AgingHippie]

October? Are there states who do optionals in the fall? It's possible to compete them in Dec/Jan.

Our first optionals meet is usually last weekend of October or first weekend of November.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Thanks for all the input everyone, all our L5s just got them for the first time this week and some of our over zealous parents (who seems to think their 10 year old L5s are going elite) are going to be ready to compete them by
October. I know it's not impossible but I'm not drinking the kool-aid.

I have had kids get giants in January and competed by late February. But keep in mind that those kids who got giants in January were being spotted on giant giant flyaway for months prior to that. So it depends on the program, just look at the history of the program and that will tell all. Do they have a history of putting kids from 5 to 7 in the same season (which is actually common at many gyms, we to 5-7 and 4-7).

 

[strawberries]

Thanks for all the input everyone, all our L5s just got them for the first time this week and some of our over zealous parents (who seems to think their 10 year old L5s are going elite) are going to be ready to compete them by
October. I know it's not impossible but I'm not drinking the kool-aid.

I know exactly what you meant, but I love that your post accidentally reads that the "over zealous parents...are going to be ready to compete them by October"

I think coaches should make all overzealous parents compete giants in October.

 

[AgingHippie]

I know exactly what you meant, but I love that your post accidentally reads that the "over zealous parents...are going to be ready to compete them by October"

I think coaches should make all overzealous parents compete giants in October.

That is hysterical! Oh what images you just put in my head.

 

[gymgal]

Dd did thousands of giants in straps for 9 months before she attempted them in pit. She transitioned quickly to put and then between bar. But she also had a really good clear hip handstand ah that point, which I was told helped her with the grip shifting.

 

[aerials]

DD got them within a week of moving off the strap bar. She had almost of year of strap plus spotted baby giants over a pit bar. Two weeks after moving off the strap bar she got 3 giants in a row with a lay out fly away to mat. Even her coach was surprised by the speed that she got them.