Levels of Gymnastics???

[MdGymMom01]

Hello,
I have a question regarding the different levels of gymnastics. My 9 yr old daughter has been cheering for the past 3 years and wants to switch to gymnastics. She is a flyer and is extremely naturally flexible. She has the basic tumbling skills--cartwheel, round-off, one arm cartwheel, front walkover, back walkover, front hand spring and almost back handspring. She is working on front tucks and arabians at cheer also. My question is...what level gymnastics would she be at with her tumbling and how much "catching up" would she have to do on the bars, beam and vault to match her tumbling level?
Any advice or explanation would be appreciated!!!
Thanks!
Kat

[bogwoppit]

She could perhaps be a level 3, she has nearly all the skills for floor. If she is already strong the other three would not be hard to catch up on as they are fairly easy.

She only lacks a back extension roll on floor.

Beam - jumps, pivot turn, almost handstand and a side cartwheel dismount.

Bars - pullover, a back hip circle, mill circle and a sole circle dismount.

Vault - basically a forward roll off a springboard onto stacked mats.

[Bay Valley]

I had a freind a few years ago that her daughter had done tumbling only. After joining the gym she took about 4-5 months and she had bars, beam, vault mastered. She did loose a few of her floor skills since they wouldnt let her practice them at the gym, they thought she needed to concentrate on the other events. She still loves it to this day.

[Aussie_coach]

Gymnastics is a 4 apparatus sport. She would need to compete on all four apparatus. She sounds like she would shine on floor, and good tumblers tend to be good vaulters. Beam would probabaly be fine too, but bars can be a big step. Many girls who come over from cheer, tumbling, dance and other activities find bars is their biggest struggle as it is nothing like what they have done before.

[MdGymMom01]

Thanks for all the input! She had a class last night and loved it! She says that she REALLY likes bars and LOVES beam!! She has her pullover and front hip circle on bars already and she learned a cartwheel dismount as well as a front hand spring dismount off beam!!She has a lot of upper body strength so hopefully this will help her with bars. She also is an extremely hard worker and is very persistant--traits that make for a great gymnast :-) I will keep everyone posted on her progress.
Thanks again!
Kat

[gimchick]

The most difficult thing in level 5 was learning the kip on bars. She really needs to develop her back hs and then maybe come in as a level 5. But most coaches may want her to start as a level 4 just for the ocmpetition aspect of the gymnastics meets. Good luck

Quote:
Originally Posted by MdGymMom01 Hello, I have a question regarding the different levels of gymnastics. My 9 yr old daughter has been cheering for the past 3 years and wants to switch to gymnastics. She is a flyer and is extremely naturally flexible. She has the basic tumbling skills--cartwheel, round-off, one arm cartwheel, front walkover, back walkover, front hand spring and almost back handspring. She is working on front tucks and arabians at cheer also. My question is...what level gymnastics would she be at with her tumbling and how much "catching up" would she have to do on the bars, beam and vault to match her tumbling level? Any advice or explanation would be appreciated!!! Thanks! Kat

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I'd say either level 3 or level 4. Depends on how much natural ability she has on the other events, and how hard she works. Two years ago, we had a girl who had been a cheerleader, spent a few months doing classes and private lessons, and then went straight to level 4 and did quite well (she's 11 years old now, and she's the Prep Op equivalent of about level 6 -- only a year and a half later). But she's unusually gifted and very hard-working.

If bars is comming to her naturally, that's definitely a good sign; that would in most cases be the hardest event to catch up on.

[MdGymMom01]

Thanks everyone!! This gives me a good starting place on what to expect. Her coach has noticed some natural ability and is willing to work with her to get her up to speed on the other events. Plus Danica is extremely hard working and very determined and persistent at whatever she does :-). She is also very self motivated and will work for hours at open gyms with no one telling her what to do or directing her.
Thanks again!
Kat

[maddiekate]

About a level 3. I cheered and had my full before switching to gymnastics. I am a level 4/5 now. I thought I would be a lot higher, but the gym owner makes us test into each level, and testing is three times a year.