Parents Straight leg issues

[Ex member]

My dd is always told by her coach to make sure her legs are straight, dd is a skinny little thing with hardly an fat on her (if any), she seems to be quite good at what she does but her knees are always letting her down, she has a competition coming up in s couple of weeks and needs to try and make sure her legs are not bent.

Dd doesn't seem to have any problem with her flexibility except in her pike stretch, she cannot keep her legs flat when doing it, she can do a standing pike stretch with no issues but has problems with the sitting pike, she can touch her nose to her legs but when she does her legs bend.

I have spoken to the coach and asked what she can do at home to help with this, she has said do pike stretches and showed be something I can do with dd that might help, dd lays on the floor while I lift her leg in the air making sure her leg is straight and her foot is flexed. The coach also recommends sitting on the floor with her feet against the wall and pressing her knees down. The coach also mentioned about seeing a physio at gym if there is any tightness. Dd says that the area behind her knee feels tight and she thinks she has nobbly knees (dd's words not the coaches). The coach mentioned something about if you hamstring issues then it would show when you stand with with your legs together and your feet out turned (what we called penguin feet at dancing). When dd does this there is a gap between her thighs, does this mean dd has hamstring issues? If so can we improve this with the exercises at home and is there any other exercises that will help?

Anyone else's dd/ds have similar issue and is anything working to improve this area?

 

[Gymsanity]

Above all, be patient. It takes longer for some than others. The coach has given you some good stretches, just be diligent and keep at them. If she takes a hot bath before her stretching, I believe you will see a noticeable difference. Just don't be that parent/coach who has the child who is as flexible as a brick and they say 'guess what honey, we are going to get your over splits tonight!'

 

[Ex member]

Just don't be that parent/coach who has the child who is as flexible as a brick and they say 'guess what honey, we are going to get your over splits tonight!'

lol, thanks.

Poor dd has a lot to do at home with these stretches and the range and conditioning stuff the coach encouraged them to practice on non gym nights in preparation for their grades next year.I have told dd to do her pike stretch as far as she can with her legs straight before feeling a lot of pain, I am hoping that by asking her to do it to the extent that she feel it is ok, she also asks me to do the hold her leg in the air thing a few times a day, she must like it lol.

 

[aerials]

My dd has the same isssues and it has become worse as she has gotten stronger. We have been told to do some of the same stretches as you have. I hope they work.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

it'll come.

 

[Ex member]

it'll come.

I am sure it will, nice to know it is a common issue effecting a lot of gymnasts.

 

[momto8in10]

My DD had this issue, also. We have been at gymnastics for 3 yeast, and I haven't seen much improvement, but the coaches seem confident it will come. They say it is tight hamstrings, and they often stretch her after practice.