Why doesn't being a good compulsory mean you will be a good optional?

[Claire]

I have heard people say that being a good compulsory gymnast does not neccesarily mean that you will be a good optional gymnast. Can someone please explain why that is? Thank you!

 

[GetaGrip]

I could definitely back this up. I was a decent to okay level 4 to 6, but I'd definitely say that I'm better at level 7. Here is what I'd say my reasons are:

~Sometimes it's not good to have too much power from levels 4 through 6, especially in level 4. I've personally had problems with a round-off back handspring because of having no control in my rebound. But in levels 7 and up, then it is very good to have power in all events.

~In the optional levels, you can choose skills that you KNOW you are good at. For instance, I am good at round offs on the beam, but not back handspring step outs, so I chose a round off instead.

However, there is also quite a bit of evidence supporting that good compulsory gymnasts become good optional gymnasts too.

~ Good basics lead to good advanced skills.

So all in all, I'd say that it is not uncommon at all for not very good compulsory gymnasts to become great optional gymnasts.

-GCG

 

[ZJsMom]

Certainly good compulsories will often become good optionals, but it's just not always the case. People learn and progress at different rates. Sometimes, girls peak early and don't progress as fast once they reach optional levels. Often too, kids who are really gifted will coast through compulsories and can't deal with things not coming as easily at the optional level. I think the mind set for optionals is different and there are personalities that do well in compulsories that will not continue through optionals. The compulsory levels are all about being very precise and following the compulsory routines exactly. At the optional level this changes a bit. Being able to work on skills that take longer and are more scary becomes more important, so being patient and able to manage fears is an important aspect of being a good optional.

Gymcat made some other good points. being able to chose your skills helps some a lot. In compulsories, you always have to do a back extention roll on floor and some girls take quite a few deductions on it. In optionals you generally don't have to do skills that you can't make look good.

 

[bookworm]

I think the biggest reason a good compulsory doesn't always translate into a good optional is because the skills are more difficult ...for example, in our old gym, we had a girl who was a great 4-6, won everything..but when she got to Level 7 , could never get her giant so she was done (at being at the level of success she had previously enjoyed) so she quit. Some kids are great with the lines of compulsory but just can't get the more difficult skills for the upper levels...for example, a backwalkover on beam seems easier than handspring-handspring...

 

[tumblebug921]

you can also be a good compulsory but not do too hot in optionals because of some reasons i have seen:
- in compulsories you are limited to what you can do. in level 4, i believe, you cannot do a vertical handstand on beam because you will get a deduction. i have not figured out why this is yet.. but it sure slowed me down in getting a good handstand
- sometimes the routines gymnasts make up themselves are just flat out terrible. i've seen a few optional and prep optional routines made up by a coach even, and the routines were just moves.. not even to the music. it makes them look like they have no sense of rhythm

but... on the other hand, i've seen girls do really good because they ended up loving having their own routines and new music, so it goes both ways after level 6

 

[NotAMom]

Very simple. "Answer why aren't all good grade-school student destined to be top graduating seniors in high school bound for Ivy League colleges"? Throughout a gymnast's journey, the requirements change and so do the demands on the individual. One's personal life, physiques, mental maturity, and attitude and interest towards the sport (or in life in general) can change as well.

Like with lower education, compulsory prepares you to get to the optionals. With that, a good but level headed compulsory will stand a much better chance. IMHO, for most kids, it's the attitude that turns a good compulsory into a good optional. Compulsories (and their parents) who have their head in the sand thinking they are above all other gymnasts just because they get say all high 9s and placing top 3 at L4/5 are more likely to become disappointed and will eventually lose their motivation to progress or drop out altogether.

 

[NotAMom]

~In the optional levels, you can choose skills that you KNOW you are good at. For instance, I am good at round offs on the beam, but not back handspring step outs, so I chose a round off instead.

I hope you know that you have to overcome that at some point, right? So, the same argument can also apply towards the progression between L7 and beyond. So, I go back my reasoning of saying difficulty in skills has little to do with one's level of performance through her progression.

in level 4, i believe, you cannot do a vertical handstand on beam because you will get a deduction.

Not to go off track... I don't think that is a true statement. As far as I know, L4s who don't do vertical handstands because either she can't or she wouldn't.

 

[Obeg]

Wonder if it could also be because the self discipline factor steps up another notch come Optionals? In comps - you and your entire team are all working on the same stuff basically. Training the same skill, practicing the same moves at the same time with more focused attention from the coaches.

However - once you move to optionals - everyone sorta goes their own ways working on their own strengths. The coaches may not pay as close attention to you since you may be working on something totally different than the rest of the girls on your team. So it takes digging down deeper to work more for and by yourself. Not to mention there is not as much comparing apples to apples anymore. You can no longer judge your own progress by comparing where you are on a skill with a peer.

 

[coachmolly]

Increased hours, skill level, dedication needed, skills getting harder all of that type of things definitely plays a part. Level 7 is when you start getting into the skills that give many gymnasts a ton of trouble- giants, bhs on beam. So girls who are used to having everything come easily can get really discouraged. Those who are accustomed to working harder for their skills have a little bit of an advantage in that respect. Also, girls who really struggled in compulsories now have a chance to emphasis their own talents. While there are certainly limitations and you really can't get past a certain level without some essential skills, there is a little more flexibility. A gymnast who really struggled with the dance elements in the compulsory levels and really got tenthed to death in that department can compose routines with less intricate dance steps/poses. So sometimes you see pretty average compulsory athletes surpass their better placing teammates once they reach the optional levels.
Clean basics, which are usually what score well at compulsory levels, are certainly needed to excel at the optional level so awesome compulsories have an advantage in that department. But other factors also really make a difference.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

I struggled a lot as a compulsory. Level 4 I was one of the worst kids on the team and by level 5 I started getting a little better but was still not very good. I started at a gym that did not work on basics, as a level 9 I have to really concentrate things that should be second nature by now like, keeping my legs together and my arms straight. I think because I learned how to lose and how to work hard when I was little, it has helped me to be a better optional. So far I have won all of my level 9 meets.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

if i may simplify. compulsories are low level gymnastics skill sets. optionals very high. and elite impossibly high for the majority. just not possible for most to become optionally high level. the sport is just to hard and requires biology that most humans do not have.

enjoy whatever level you are at and be thankful that you are able to participate in a beautiful activity. and don't forget to thank your parents for choosing gymnastics for you.

 

[gymjourneymom]

if i may simplify. compulsories are low level gymnastics skill sets. optionals very high. and elite impossibly high for the majority. just not possible for most to become optionally high level. the sport is just to hard and requires biology that most humans do not have.

enjoy whatever level you are at and be thankful that you are able to participate in a beautiful activity. and don't forget to thank your parents for choosing gymnastics for you.

Thank you dunno for a true statement, that is still encouraging to gymnasts that maybe struggling at whatever level they are. Yes, gymnastics is HARD! Harder for some than others. Some will get further in the sport than others. But it is a beautiful sport! If a gymnasts loves it & is willing to do the work, I think she should be encouraged to continue to grow her skills to the best of her ability. Whatever level she is or whatever potential she has, if she loves it, she should be encouraged to continue! JMHO.

 

[Obeg]

Dunno - that just takes all the fun out of the question! Sometimes simplifying to the root truth is just boring! We want to over analyze it! That is what this site is all about! Can I get an Amen?!

 

[gymjourneymom]

Dunno - that just takes all the fun out of the question! Sometimes simplifying to the root truth is just boring! We want to over analyze it! That is what this site is all about! Can I get an Amen?!

Great to have you here Obeg! Yes we are all here to have fun! We all love this sport or we wouldn't be visiting these boards, right?

I just want to point out that I've seen some posts on these boards(more in recent months) that can be VERY discouraging to gymnasts who are struggling & still trying.

I found dunno's above post not only refeshingly true but encouraging also. I just want to add a plea to all posters who enjoy "over analyzing". Have fun, but please remember that hard working young ladies OF ALL LEVELS & ABILITIES also read your posts. Please try to post with that in mind. JMHO. Thanks!

 

[bogwoppit]

Dunnos perspective is the same as mine. Read my sig. I think that as long as gymnasts are enjoying their time in the gym that is just fine.

Not every child will get to be an optional, but that is fine. Some kids plateau and will never get beyond their skill set.

 

[NotAMom]

if i may simplify. compulsories are low level gymnastics skill sets. optionals very high. and elite impossibly high for the majority. just not possible for most to become optionally high level. the sport is just to hard and requires biology that most humans do not have.

Without over-analyzing...

While I agree this explanation is valid, but that is only in part because I think there is much more than just the difficulty involved. Otherwise, all good optionals would have been great compulsories (although many were).

enjoy whatever level you are at and be thankful that you are able to participate in a beautiful activity. and don't forget to thank your parents for choosing gymnastics for you.

You're not getting an argument from me here.:thumbsup:

 

[CoachTodd]

I honestly think one level doesn't reflect how you will do at any other level. I have one girl that was a terrible level 4 vaulter. She has a 9.8 or higher front handspring vault and a 9.5 Front front vault at level 9 now. I have girls that score 38's at level 4 but weren't as consistent at level 5 due to the high bar being added to the equation. So it really works both ways.
Being good at compulsories doesn't equal good at optionals and being bad at compulsories doesn't mean being bad at optionals.

 

[gymbaby12]

Most of the time, you're a better optional than compulsory. This is b/c the WHOLE routines for compulsory are judged. The compulsory judges know every little error in your dance and skills. In optionals, you make up your own routines. On floor, they basically only judge your tumbling and other skills(leaps,jumps, ect.) b/c they don't know if in your dance your foot is supposed to be pointed, bent legs, ect. Same with beam. On bars, you can kind of wing things. You can add little things to save you from falling (example: sole circle to save squat/pike on.) Vault is vault. Vault is the only thing thats not much different. As long as your skills are consistent, solid, and done with good form, you will probably be a better optional than compulsory. :huge:

 

[Aussie_coach]

Totally aside from the skills, the age has a lot to do with it too. A lot of kids are very dedicated gymnasts when they are younger but as they get older other factors come into play.

Some teens develop a lot of fear and are unable to move onto the higher skills, where they may have been relatively fearless at the compulsary levels.

The time committment is also big. Most compulsaries train about 4 days a week - 12-16 hours. But Optionals are generally 20-30 hours a week. This is a much bigger committment at a time of their life when theings are getting harder to make this committment.

Socially hanging out with friends becomes very important, and alsways having to go to the gym can make that hard. many kids get more serious about school work and want to spend more time studying. Once in Middle or high school kids often want to get more involved with school teams and clubs,

Many want to get a boyfriend or a part time job. All of which is made very hard with gymnastics.

 

[ChristianGymnast]

I was never a good compulsory - my form was terrible, some of the skills I was positively horrible at ( back extension rolls, the dance on floor and beam, bwo on beam, and for some reason I'd always fall on the poses ) but in level 6 I had my fhs front pike, so it was kind of a drag not to compete the skills I wanted. However, I found that the ones who had to work harder to overcome things like mental blocks and form problems earlier tended to stay longer and to better in optionals. A number of girls quit because, "It was getting too hard," or, "They weren't getting much medals anymore" or things like that.

So, I would say, besides getting over the fear of certain skill, a good atitude, being dedicated and disciplined will make a good optional.