WAG "warming up" DURING a competition?

[2G1B]

We were at a competition a few weekends ago and something strange happened. I'm wondering if this is normal and I just haven't seen it before, or if it is truly as odd as I (and some other parents around me) though.

We were on the 3rd rotation. It was a traditional schedule meet - warm up first, then timed warm up on each event, then start the competition and go from event to event. Another gym got to the start of floor and all of a sudden their entire team was doing back handspring practices on the floor - like lined up, running across and doing it lined up (all going at once) just like they would during normal warm ups. I think they did across the floor and back twice. Another team's parents were sitting near the group I was with and we were all like, "what on earth are they doing???" It actually took so long that while they were doing this the other teams had started competing on beam and vault. (I didn't notice if bars had started or not.)

I know that it wasn't that this gym had been put in the rotation at the last minute and maybe hadn't been able to get there to warm up (I know this because our gym was the one with the last minute change to the session we were in and it was acknowledged by the host gym that our girls had scrambled and managed to get there 3 hours before they were originally supposed to be there with barely an hour's notice). So, is there any other reason why an entire team would suddenly do some warm up drills in the middle of a competition? Or was it as weird as we all thought it was?

 

[Moxiegrl83]

The last meet we were at, every rotation on floor one group warmed up in between the other groups routines. Then they would run off when the judges were ready for the next girl. So if there was only one floor area and 2 groups, I think it's normal.

 

[Gym Beam]

Actually, for all the meets we've been at, it's normal to see small groups of girls warming up on floor between floor routines. I guess judges need time to finish their scoring, so some warm ups are allowed. Someone from the judges table will say, "Clear the floor!", so the next routine can start.

 

[happychaos]

We were at a competition a few weekends ago and something strange happened. I'm wondering if this is normal and I just haven't seen it before, or if it is truly as odd as I (and some other parents around me) though.

We were on the 3rd rotation. It was a traditional schedule meet - warm up first, then timed warm up on each event, then start the competition and go from event to event. Another gym got to the start of floor and all of a sudden their entire team was doing back handspring practices on the floor - like lined up, running across and doing it lined up (all going at once) just like they would during normal warm ups. I think they did across the floor and back twice. Another team's parents were sitting near the group I was with and we were all like, "what on earth are they doing???" It actually took so long that while they were doing this the other teams had started competing on beam and vault. (I didn't notice if bars had started or not.)

I know that it wasn't that this gym had been put in the rotation at the last minute and maybe hadn't been able to get there to warm up (I know this because our gym was the one with the last minute change to the session we were in and it was acknowledged by the host gym that our girls had scrambled and managed to get there 3 hours before they were originally supposed to be there with barely an hour's notice). So, is there any other reason why an entire team would suddenly do some warm up drills in the middle of a competition? Or was it as weird as we all thought it was?

What's weird is that they were the only ones doing this. The only reason I can think of was that they didn't get their full warm-up time on floor for some reason.

 

[kandkfunk]

Different meet types have different warm-up formats - I can't remember all the names/types off the top of my head. We've only been to meets like the one you described, if I am understanding your description correctly. My DD has been competing for 7 years and she has competed up & down the West coast.

Normally, there is open warm-up for all teams before the meet starts. About 25-30 minutes. Next is March-in/team intros. After intros, teams report to their first event and begin timed warm-ups on that event. After warm-up, they compete. The team then rotates to the next event to warm-up and compete. On floor, it is common to see an entire team cross tumble for warm-up prior to competing. Often, floor is the last event to begin competition because of warm-ups.

 

[Ex member]

At my oldest dd's competition a few weeks ago the competition was split into morning and afternoon sessions and as some of the competitors of the afternoon competition had flights to catch they began the warm ups while the medal presentations from the morning session were taking place to help speed things up.

 

[2G1B]

Different meet types have different warm-up formats - I can't remember all the names/types off the top of my head. We've only been to meets like the one you described, if I am understanding your description correctly. My DD has been competing for 7 years and she has competed up & down the West coast.

Normally, there is open warm-up for all teams before the meet starts. About 25-30 minutes. Next is March-in/team intros. After intros, teams report to their first event and begin timed warm-ups on that event. After warm-up, they compete. The team then rotates to the next event to warm-up and compete. On floor, it is common to see an entire team cross tumble for warm-up prior to competing. Often, floor is the last event to begin competition because of warm-ups.

My son often has meets like this. We call that "capital cup". I'd say for my son that 80% of his meets are that format; but for my DDs (both compulsory) it has always been "traditional" - general warm up for about 30 minutes, then timed warm ups on each event, then march ins, then competition starts. Warm ups have already been done, some kids might do some small stuff on the sides (like stretch) while they wait their turn; but no one goes out on the apparatus and warms up. This was the first time that I have seen this in a traditional format meet.

 

[OzZee]

Here in NSW Australia I think all competitions are run to this format (though I know dd has mentioned 2 different warm up names so maybe not all).
Team warm up 20 minutes - this is on floor, each team takes a mat line and do general warm up things.
Then everyone goes to their first apparatus.
Vault they get two warm up vaults (I think all gymnasts in the rotation going before the first gymnast competes)
Bars - One routine warmup. Think 2 go then it's one compete followed by one warm up.(so the judges are finishing their scoring whilst the kid after the next one is warming up)
Beam - One routine warmup as above.
Floor - 'group' warm up (though split into 2?) before competing. So say 5 kids are doing a short (1 min???) warm up together.
OK I may not be the most observant person at competitions so may have some of the details incorrect, lol. I'm sure if I show my dd this she will laugh at me.

Is that the sort of thing you are meaning?

 

[2G1B]

OzZee - that format here is called "capital cup". A lot of the boys' meets seem to be that format; but for most of the girls meets we have been to, including this one, they had general warm up and then timed warm up, then march in and competing. This team warming up on the floor went into the time when girls had already started competing on other events. No other team did a warm up like this.

 

[OzZee]

Well seems rather strange that one team was allowed an extra warm up that no one else got and held up the rest of the competition.
Do you think they just took it onto themselves to do it and no one was game to say anything?

Or did this team miss something and think it was a meet doing a 'capital cup' warm up?

 

[gymgal]

Did you notice whether they participated in regular warm-up on floor and / or did this before every event?. The only thing I can think of is that something happened during their regular warm-up time where the team was not able to participate. Perhaps the coach wasn't available in regular warm-up. Seems odd but I am sure it happens on occasion.

 

[2G1B]

Honestly, they were a local club, so no good reason for being late and the entire team missing warm ups and I thought that I saw them in normal warm ups. Those of us in the stands thought that it seemed that they just took it on themselves to do some extra warmup for some reason. I kind of wondered if maybe it is normal to do this and we just hadn't seen it before for some reason. Sounds like it is unusual in a traditional schedule meet though. I'm now going to be interested to see if they do it at states (the only other meet that I think we will be up against them).

 

[AmandaLynn]

I would be surprised if state meet was a traditional format in which to have that issue.

 

[gymmomtoo]

My thought is that their particular group was larger--if you have more than a certain number in a rotation, then the team can take a touch warm-up right before the event. Otherwise, no clue! Must have been okay though otherwise the meet director and judges would have been saying something to the coach. They are pretty strict about no one getting extra time they aren't allowed as that's potentially unfair to the other gymnasts.

 

[skschlag]

So...were they warming up again before the event started, or were they warming up in between routines?

 

[Jenny]

I think she means in between routines. I have actually seen that on youtube - girl is waiting to present on floor and other girls are tumbling back and forth. Judges signal they are ready and girl presents and the others clear the floor. I always thought it looked really distracting.

 

[gymmomtoo]

I think she means in between routines. I have actually seen that on youtube - girl is waiting to present on floor and other girls are tumbling back and forth. Judges signal they are ready and girl presents and the others clear the floor. I always thought it looked really distracting.

Our optionals warm up like this for nearly every meet. But all rotations do it--not just one.

 

[skschlag]

seems like that would make it take even longer. I mean, floor takes forever anyway. Having to clear the floor between every routine seems time consuming. BUt I am used to boys' meets.....

 

[gymgal]

OP said all the other events had already started and this team was still warming up. So it wasn't between routines. The only thing I can think of is what another poster said about the team being too large to finish their warm-up in the regular warm-up )never seen that before) or something happened during regular warm-up where they paused their time and the judge/director allowed them to finish the warm-up before the event. Dd has been competing for several years and I have never seen this. It was probably an unusual circumstance.

BTW, for those talking about the warming up between routines - it is used when there is a practice gym set-up where the gymnasts warm-up but then compete on another set of equipment. The extra warm-up is very brief and just a touch warm-up and it is specifically so the gymnasts get a feel for equipment they will compete on. I can't remember if they get this on vt and bars but they definitely get it on beam and Fx. My brain is failing me right now for the name of this format, but it is common for large meets.

Also, sometimes meets will have 2 sets of bars, beam, vt but only 1 floor and then a Tumble strip. In these meets the judges move back and forth between the two sets, so the girls compete on what they practiced on. but on floor, they are given extra time between routines to warm-up on the full floor.

 

[gymdog]

I haven't been to a girls meet in at least 10 years that uses this format! W0w.

Anyway, perhaps they blocked time for their "touch" warmup. I can't remember the rules on touch warm up for compulsories, because again, I haven't seen this format used in a looooong time for girls, for good reason. The only time I've seen touch warmups used recently is when warm up happens on another set of equipment in modified capital cup.

I doubt they were just doing something wrong and no one said something. The judges would say something. Judges will NOT be held up without a valid reason, I can assure you that.