WAG Level 7 bars question?

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

AgingHippie

Proud Parent
Our gym requires Giants for 7. Another mom whose daughter is close asked me if that was a gym rule or a usag rule and I realized I didn't know. Anyone?
 
Gym rule. Giants are a common rule for 7; but there are some other elements that can meet the requirement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sce
Gym rule. No Giants....no go. Sad for those who could have beautiful routines without them whilst getting the skill...but understandable also.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sce
Gym rule. No Giants....no go. Sad for those who could have beautiful routines without them whilst getting the skill...but understandable also.

I do get it too. DD got it the very last practice so she is good to go. She is just a little nervous about her bud now. They really want to go together.
 
Our gym has had L7s that scored better with 2 clear hips than other girls they face who competed with giants.

This happens because what everyone seems to forget is that the real special requirement for L7 bars is a cast above 45 degrees (or there is a .5 reduction in start value). There are a lot of girls who can do Giants w/o that, and a lot of girls who can do Giants w/ form so archy and bad that it's not even worth doing them cause they will score worse than had they not done them. I guess it's all about the experience at this level though, so maybe it's better to do the harder routine and push yourself even if you score lower, but it's kind of funny to me how all the coaches and gym's have joined together and decided the giant will be a compulsory skill for L7 when the requirements don't even say it is.

That said, I do kind wish the USAG would stop all the craziness and just make a giant an official requirement for L7 so the myth of "you need Giants for L7" can just stop being the biggest misconception going :). It's gotten to the point where whenever I hear someone like a parent or kid saying they are required in the lobby that I just nod my head like "yep - you're right, you need them" cause I'm just too tired of explaining the truth - haha!!!!
 
This happens because what everyone seems to forget is that the real special requirement for L7 bars is a cast above 45 degrees (or there is a .5 reduction in start value). There are a lot of girls who can do Giants w/o that, and a lot of girls who can do Giants w/ form so archy and bad that it's not even worth doing them cause they will score worse than had they not done them. I guess it's all about the experience at this level though, so maybe it's better to do the harder routine and push yourself even if you score lower, but it's kind of funny to me how all the coaches and gym's have joined together and decided the giant will be a compulsory skill for L7 when the requirements don't even say it is.

That said, I do kind wish the USAG would stop all the craziness and just make a giant an official requirement for L7 so the myth of "you need Giants for L7" can just stop being the biggest misconception going :). It's gotten to the point where whenever I hear someone like a parent or kid saying they are required in the lobby that I just nod my head like "yep - you're right, you need them" cause I'm just too tired of explaining the truth - haha!!!!
I don't think they should make it an official requirement. Like I don't think a BACK Layout on floor should be a SPECIFIC requirement (but that one is). I think it would be better to say an acro pass with 3 skills including a Layout (which could be front or back) … so girls who have beautiful FHSFTFLO or another combination like that could compete L7 with a different back tumbling pass.
 
DD scored well in L7 without giants - even placed 5th then 4th at states on bars (did L7 at 10 and 11)...her giants were never consistant, but freehips were almost to HS and CHS were great...however, she did find moving forward to L8 difficult with inconsistant giants as has the one other girl with similar bars. I understand why many gyms require them, esp now that L6 exists, however, I feel all situations should have exceptions...and the rest of L7 was cake for her...so again, its nice for kids like her to be allowed to move forward. She also scored highest in bars on her team pretty much all the time those years - even though most competed giants by end of season (this was pre-new L6).

I think it also depends what the hang up is with the giants....but in the end, good foundations are key for making it to L9/10, so no rush...
 
Ah, the giant. The dang giant. As others have said absolutely NOT a requirement at L7 but you will most often see them, and many gyms do "require" them. Thankfully our gym who in the past has "required" them sees that there are times when exceptions can be made for good reason.

DD is fearful - she is taking a long LONG time to get giants by herself on a competition set (still a work in progress). Last season as a L7 she would routinely score 9.5+ on the other three events, and then in the mid-8s on bars (high 8s by States) without the giant - so she still fared well. (Actually, the season started off with the coaches saying 'you will just compete 3 events and then scratch bars' - until the coaches decided the giant wasn't coming and they needed to do something a bit different to do to allow her to compete AA. So they gave her the 2 free hips to do instead of the giant....her form is always spot on, but she unfortunately had a 9.5 bars start value for most of the season due to free hip issues. Those improved by States.)

The beauty of optionals is being able to sub in what is needed. My DD is working toward L8 - she really needs her giant for this level, and is just slowly trying to gain confidence and make progress. Looks like we will be back to scratching bars again for a while, and I am very sure repeating L8 is in her future!! But she really needs to be competing harder skills on other events, and ironically has a gorgeous pirouette and clear hip to HS on bars now.....we very much recognize this will totally be a LEARNING year ahead of us.

As an aside - during the Olympics, DD and I noticed there were some bars routines that did NOT utilize a giant at all! But it truly is a tool that should be in every upper level gymnast's toolkit - thankfully DD understands that and is making (very very slow) progress.

Here is to every gymnast getting her giant in due time and having it as a well-polished tool in her toolkit.
 
DD competed clear hips for 7 last year. Her problem is not the giant it is the handstand out of anything. So HC decided to have her repeat 7 this year. She went to coach congress this week and came back with different drills. Guess what? CH HS giant layout fly away in one day. Two fricken years! I am hoping she will have them cleanly and can move to L 8 this season.
 

New Posts

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

New Posts

Back