Parents Sorry if this has been asked before...I'm new☺️

[ld7]

Hello!!
My daughter has been asked to begin the tops 2/day training program @her gym. This means 32 hours of training per week. She's 7. My concerns include obviously her age, burnout, injury, missing out on other things, etc...
She has tops testing this summer and is excited as she has all of her needed skills. The coaches plan on her competing USAG level 5 in the fall and would like for her to be homeschooled, (which I'm okay with). I'm more concerned right now with the full time program and how this much training at this stage may affect her. I wanted advice from people who have knowledge and experience in this as I have minimal...
Thanks for any feedback!

 

[LJL07]

I am glad you asked this! Doing something similar next year and have the same questions...mine will be 8 next school year. We would have weekends and evenings off though. How about you?

 

[Faith]

No.

7/8 years old? 32 hours a week? Homeschooling?

No.

My 7 year old, not particularly talented, got to level 6 easily in 15 hours a week. In one year, from not even a handstand to full routines, in a year.

Imo if your 7 yo needs 32 hours a week training to get to l5, how do they manage the higher levels when everyone else is starting to increase hours.

So it would be a no from me.

 

[ld7]

Evenings off, thank goodness...but she would have a 3 hour Saturday morning practice, so this means getting up and going to the gym 6/7 days
Also, one of the weekdays is a half day.

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

Wow, 32 hours? I hope that was a typo.

I've never heard of those kinds of hours for kids. In the UK, only our very top seniors would be putting in that kind of training. It doesn't leave much time for just being 7.

My feeling is always that talent will still be talent, even on sensible hours. I wouldn't even consider it.

 

[Mumof2gymnasts]

My 7yr old does 19hrs a week, couldn't imagine her doing another 13hrs as well (although I'm sure she'd love too!!)

 

[skschlag]

IMO that is way too many hours. you risk all of that with a young child doing those hours, burnout, injury, overuse injury, regret. She is still very young to make that choice on her own, to basically do nothing but gymnastics.

 

[ld7]

I appreciate all of the feedback. I didn't include that this program is the "fast track" to elite...just so you know there's a reason behind it. Not that it makes it the right thing to do...just fyi.

 

[Gym proud]

Wow- I have to wonder if that is even realistic for a kid. 32 hours- most kids love to be at the gym. Most fast tracking kids at age 7 do not need 32 hours. Before you agree to this I would highly recommend doing your research. Look at other gym and how their elite program looks. Look at how they are coaching the "whole child." Remember eve of you are homeschooling your child would still need time for schooling- don't give that up at age 7. Sure they can do without skating parties and play dates but can their little bodies mentally and emotionally handle that? I also have to wonder why a 7 year old would train level 5. Why wouldn't they train optional and compete at level 4. Elite programs would use meets for experience and to learn how to compete. And even TOPS testing doesn't have flyaway in their skills testing as a 9 year old- so I wonder why you would rush that skill.
Do you mind sharing what region you are in? Just curious!

 

[skschlag]

My other concern would be where does it go from here? if she is at 32 hours at age 7, level5, how many hours is she at when she is 12?

We had a very successful elite gymnast at our gym just recently that went to regular public school, and worked out about 25-30 hours a week. She was on the national team, competed for the US internationally, and is now a successful college gymnast. She may have reached 32 hours a week when she was 17-18 and training fro an elite comp, but definitely not at 7.

 

[bogwoppit]

Just too many hours, regardless of the path she is on. Elite, TOPs, L5 no kid needs to be doing those hours at 7. A good coach can get a kid to elite on way less hours.

Has the gym produced Elites? Do they place kids on college teams? Are there lots of injuries in the gym?

For me a great coach should be able to get a 7 year old through TOPs and L5 on 15 hours a week. 24 hours for L10 from age 10. Elite is a whole other thing, but not until at least 11.

 

[COz]

We are in an area where we have separate elite stream programs. Our area also tends to burn kids out.
I had my just turned 5 year old training 12hrs/week and she loved it, so I am not against high hours, but 32 sounds completely unreasonable to even me for that age

Even here, it's 20 hours for 7-10 year olds in the elite stream, in the programs that burn them out...

 

[Seeker]

32 hours at age 7 is too much, even for a "Fast Track" program. It just is...no two ways about it. I would be highly suspect of a coach that suggested it too. Seems like they have stars in their eyes but not the experience to back it up. Most L10's don't do that many hours and they have the chance to work up to it at a much older age. She will burn out or get injured.

 

[skschlag]

I do want to say welcome to Chalkbucket It sounds like you have a talented little girl there.

 

[NewtoGym]

Bog - that was one of my questions as well. Does the gym have experience training girls to become elite or have any current elites. Do they have a good track record? Do they have good level 10s? The reason I ask is because we came from a gym that trained like this. The coach did not have experience. It has not worked out. We left and my dd does a little over half the hours of the old gym and has done so much better - skill-wise, health-wise, and all around with her whole well-being. More hours does not equal success. ESPECIALLY at such a young age. Level 5 at 32 hours? That is really just stupid. Even if they are pushing for her to score out and go to 7 which my dd did. It is just not necessary and honestly, dangerous.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

If you need 32 hours as a seven year old to make the elite track - One of the following is missing
A - The child lacks the natural ability that will get them to elite. Hard work matters and 32 hours of hard work will keep you ahead of the truly gifted gymnasts for now, but as these kids rise along their steady path they will overtake that 32 hour seven year old very easily.
B - The coach lacks skill/knowledge and is making up for it by using quantity of training rather than quality.
C - The gym lacks numbers in these classes and is recruiting younger kids to keep it profitable.

 

[needcoffee]

In my opinion, 32 hours at 7 is absolutely insane, and a huge risk for injury and burnout.

 

[2G1B]

Did she just finish level 4? Are they having her score out of 4 and maybe 5 too?

Even if they are, IMO that is WAY too many hours at that age and level. There is a national team member (girl) at my son's gym and I think that is about how many hours she does. How many elites do they have at this gym?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

using quantity of training rather than quality.

This and

The gym lacks numbers in these classes and is recruiting younger kids to keep it profitable.

This

If it were my kid, no way.

 

[Firefly]

Thirty. Two. Hours?!?!?!?!