Parents Ankle weights during beam training?

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Proud Parent
So I watched practice for the first time in a month, and I noticed that DD and her teammates are wearing ankle weights during beam practice now. DD is 8, and a L2 moving up to L3. I am concerned about long-term injuries due to extra wear-and-tear and curious about the use of the weights. For the coaches on the board, what sort of precautions do you take when using weights in the gym? When is this training practice effective? Is there any research on the safety of using ankle weights during gymnastics training?
 
DD takes an advanced flexibility and strength class on the weekends. The coach has the participants wearing ankle weights for almost the entire class. Each participant is supposed to bring their own weights and I have yet to send DD with any. I suffered from a recurring knee injury starting at DD's age (9) and DD had a knee injury earlier this year. DD will most likely have the same issues if her knee injury is caused by something genetic I passed to her. Her PT said absolutely no ankle weights when she found out CP was returning to gymnastics without me telling her they use them for one of her classes. So DD just does the exercises in the class without weights or the instructor sometimes has her use a resistance band.

That being said, I have yet to see ankle weights used at DD's gymnastics gym.
 
There was quite a good thread on here about this....come on peeps, help me out....I suck at this stuff....:p...link, puh-lease...:D
 
A little OT, but related, what about regular weight training? I recently got a gym membership and DD has expressed an interest in coming with me. It's not an option right now b/c she is too young, but what about in a few years? Is it safe for gymmies to do weight lifting/weight training or is it just too much wear and tear on their bodies with normal conditioning they already do at gymnastics?
 
No to ankle weights. Free weights would depend on age and level.

None of our kids worked with weights before L4 and really even the the 4s don't do much with more then their own body weight.

They are little kids with growing bones and bodies.
 
We do no weights what so ever for kids under 10. And very light weights for kids 10-12.
 

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