WAG Hours at young age and longevity in gymnastics

[Natasha]

I know there have been multiple threads previously about how many hours are too many for young gymnasts. I am not interested in re-hashing that debate, but I am interested in hearing from high school and college age gymnasts (and parents of those gymnasts) regarding your experience. I am specifically interested in this group because you are the ones still in the marathon where many of those who started with you are now gone. When did you/your child start team and how many hours did you/your child train at a younger age? In hindsight, would you have wanted to change anything? Do you think more/less hours would have made a difference? What do you think has contributed to you/your daughter still being in the sport? I know for my dd, there are only 2 out of my dd's original 15 L4 team still in the sport, both now at different gyms.

 

[Gymdad2]

Gymtigermom,

I think attitude and desire are much more important that hours in the gym. DD's gym did from 12 hrs for L5 to 22 hrs for L10, and during the 12 years she was at that gym only she and 2 others went on to complete D1 NCAA gymnastics. (This was from a team that probably averaged 50 girls on team for each of those years.) Those 3 were the ones who were intensely dedicated and determined to be the best they could be.

 

[MaryA]

I am a middle-school mom, so not quite your requested demographic, but I'm going to weigh in anyway since this is something I've thought about a lot. DD started at a YMCA gym and maxed out at 7.5 hours going into her level 6 season (which is when we switched to a private gym where she started doing 15 hours for level 6). I know DD has said since then that she wished she had started at a private gym sooner. As a 12-year-old level 8, she is the oldest girl in her training group (I realize 12 isn't ancient for a level 8 or anything) and I think we both wonder "what if?" Would she be a level 9 or 10 by now and have a more real chance at a NCAA scholarship if she had started at a more intense gym earlier? Or would she have burned out, or injured herself, and moved on? More likely, her dad and I (especially her dad) would have taken a look at the hours and money required for team at such a young age and pulled the plug earlier. When she switched, she was 10 years old and obviously had a passion and a talent for the sport which made the decision to go down that path easier, I think, than if she had been 6 and just starting out. Of course, it's impossible to know what would have been, but I guess, knowing what I know now, I probably would have liked to switch her to a private gym earlier. But, knowing what he does now, I suspect my husband would have never let her set foot in a gym in the first place! (Not that he's not supportive of her, because he is, but he does resent the amount of time and money the sport takes.)

 

[Muddlethru]

I don't think it is the hours in the gym at a young age that causes them to drop out. Studies have shown about a 70% drop out rate in all sports. Many don't practice nearly as many hours as gymnasts. Many other factors contribute to kids dropping out of gymnastics.

My daughter's old gym usually starts with a large L4. By L7, kids start to figure out if this is what they want to do, if they can do it and be good at it, friends start weighing in, pressures of school, etc. Her old team only practiced 9 hours for L4, 12 hours for L6 and 15 for L7-L10 and there is a large drop out rate even by those who showed promise. An excessive number to me would be over 25 but I know many kids who have done more and are still striving and many who've done less and have quit.

 

[sjm2b3]

I love this thread and can't wait to read more responses. I have two younger kids who do go what I consider a lot of hours (12 apiece, age 7 and 9). When the 9 year old wanted to add a day to go up to 4 days a week I made him write me a persuasion paper about why I should let him. I really want them to think about whether they really want to do it and never have it be something that they think they have to do. I also try to keep it so that they want more--my 7 year old's treat for the summer was to do open gym (if she did all her math facts that week!!). Now, will any of this make a difference in their longevity???? I just don't know, but I hope that it makes them happy while they are in it.....

 

[Ingwe]

My Dd started team at age 9 (started REC gym at age 8.5) L4 and L5 she went 9 hours per week. (She scored outof L6) and L7-L10 (currently L10) she trained 20 hours per week. ( she is 14 yrs old)

I wouldn't change anything. I think when she was younger and starting out the hours were perfect. The 20 hours that she goes now seem to be working just fine as far as balancing her gym life and her out of gym life. My only complaint (if you can even call it that) is the new fall schedule they are on. It's been quite an adjustment for all the girls. (not the hours but the days they are actually there)

I really think most girls leave the sport for reasons other then the amount of hours they train. It's usually because (1) they just aren't as invested in the the sport anymore (2) the pull to do other things (3) peaks at a certain level and they realize that this is as far as they will go.

My Dd had 20 girls on her L4 team and she is the only one left who is still competing, Most quit between L5 and L7 when the hours were still fairly low. .

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Count me in the "almost" high school group.

DD1 started team at 7 doing 12 hours, first L4 meet on her 8th birthday. She went up to 15 hrs, never more than that. She continued one level per year, then 2 years of L8 followed by one year of JOGA. She "retired" at the old age of 14, at the end of 8th grade. Looking back now (at 16) she talks about the "what ifs" one of them being a willingness to change gyms. Had she switched when I wanted her to (level 6) she would have increased hours but also at the same time perhaps gained more skills and confidence, giving her the boost she needed to stay in the sport.

Little Monkey started team at 5.5 doing 12 hours, competing level 4 just 6 weeks after her 6th birthday. She had 14 girls total on her team. Only one other made it past level 6 but she didn't get her 7 skills so didn't compete. At these levels, they were training 15 hours (still at old gym where DD1 was finishing up her last season). LM switched to current gym with an increase to 21 hours, age 10. She just turned 13 and is now doing 23 hours, training L10. She has a goal to compete for the next 9 years (thru college). She has been competing for more half her life!

I think it's not only the hours, but the days (having a break mid week) and the times (early/late) that also contribute to gymmies staying or wanting more outside of the sport.

 

[bookworm]

I know there have been multiple threads previously about how many hours are too many for young gymnasts. I am not interested in re-hashing that debate, but I am interested in hearing from high school and college age gymnasts (and parents of those gymnasts) regarding your experience. I am specifically interested in this group because you are the ones still in the marathon where many of those who started with you are now gone. When did you/your child start team and how many hours did you/your child train at a younger age? In hindsight, would you have wanted to change anything? Do you think more/less hours would have made a difference? What do you think has contributed to you/your daughter still being in the sport? I know for my dd, there are only 2 out of my dd's original 15 L4 team still in the sport, both now at different gyms.

Interesting topic GTM as my daughter was discussing this over the summer so I will answer this with her insight (having been in the sport 15 yrs) :

1. Hours at a younger age: she started with 6 hrs/wk at the Y and then moved to a private gym and did 9 hrs/wk for L4...as I have said before, she moved up the levels pretty quickly and was Level 10 at 10 yo, and training 22 hrs/wk. At 12 , she also did a stint in elite and was doing around 26 hrs/wk. When we moved later on to a gym run by Eastern Europeans, the hrs went up to 36/wk

2. Would she change anything? well according to her, she wishes now that she had done another yr at L9 (she did well in the yr there) . She thinks it would have held off the pounding that came with 10 and elite, although the code was different then and she didn't even do a double back until her second yr of 10 because she didn't need it (and she went to JOs every yr)

3. More or less hrs make a difference? I actually do think less hours would have made a difference in preserving her body , especially the years she did the 36/wk...but I think that the increase in hrs is a systemic issue of the sport of gymnastics that makes people feel like they need to...for example, our old 36 hr / wk gym has their level 4s going 22 hrs a week!! Sorry but that's just not necessary and to me, is ominous for their futures...same gym has numerous Level 4s,5s and 6s with back fractures from"overuse"....point made, rant over about that..

4. What has contributed to her remaining in it? In general , she was healthy until her 4th year of Level 10 , and she did well , and had friends so she had fun, and that's why I think she stayed in it. I can see why a lot of college gymnasts don't last the 4 years though because the bodies can only take so much, they're older and don't recover as quickly and they're tired , and college gym is a business, so they move on the next phenom..

 

[Natasha]

Thanks Bookworm for your valuable insight. I love hearing from the parents here who have been through the Marathon (or most of it!) I very much agree with your point #3. I think there is way too much wear and tear on young bodies- especially when the goal is for college- it is a lot of years just to get to college and then to last through it!

 

[gym monkeys mom]

My DD is a Sr and 2nd year level 9 she has done fine better than most thought she ever would. She enjoys the sport but it is not her life she has other interests. She goes 15 hours a week it is low hours but she would have quit if she went more these hours enable her to have a life out side the gym. At a different gym she probably would have been a better gymnast but probably not last or been happy. he body would not have held up.

She could do D3 if she wanted but is undecided at present moment.

Lastly none of the "successful" gymnasts from DD Level 5 do gym anymore success at lower levels is not a guarantee of future happiness or success in gymnastics I have seen many burn out!

I think each gymnasts journey is a different one and hearing others stories helps a lot. It helps us weigh what our kids want for their futures in gymnastics. Help from others are important this is a great thread!