Parents Keeping skills on long trip

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Tmacs

Proud Parent
My DD just got bumped up to a higher group and coaches hinted that she would skip L3 and go to L4 next season but then we decided to go away for the summer for a once in a lifetime overseas trip. And that probably means no skip. But I fear she will be bored at L3. She already has a fairly nice kip. She’s highly motivated to stay in shape and keep her skills but she’ll miss 6 weeks of 20 hrs a week. That’s hard to make up! What have been the best ways your gymnast has stayed in shape? They’ll give her lots to do and we will have access to a good gym but just wondering if it’s possible to still get ahead...
 
Your gym has the level 3s training 20 hours a week? Goodness.

I'd mostly focus on helping her stay physically active on the trip - look for fun, active things to do regularly. Explore places on foot, swim, dance, do some yoga for flexibility and maybe some simple core strength stuff if she's interested, find playgrounds to climb, run, swing, and jump on, etc. Take the trip, don't stress about the level placement, and don't borrow trouble with whether she'll be bored. She can uptrain, and there's a ton to work on, especially if she hasn't competed before. Don't talk about level 4 being better, more exciting, or "ahead." In the long run, 6 weeks out at this super early stage in the game is not going to make that big of a deal. And learning to find satisfaction, pride, and fun in the sport at whatever level of competition or competitive success a gymnast is at is, IMO, the way to make the sport sustainable and worthwhile.
 
Your gym has the level 3s training 20 hours a week? Goodness.

I'd mostly focus on helping her stay physically active on the trip - look for fun, active things to do regularly. Explore places on foot, swim, dance, do some yoga for flexibility and maybe some simple core strength stuff if she's interested, find playgrounds to climb, run, swing, and jump on, etc. Take the trip, don't stress about the level placement, and don't borrow trouble with whether she'll be bored. She can uptrain, and there's a ton to work on, especially if she hasn't competed before. Don't talk about level 4 being better, more exciting, or "ahead." In the long run, 6 weeks out at this super early stage in the game is not going to make that big of a deal. And learning to find satisfaction, pride, and fun in the sport at whatever level of competition or competitive success a gymnast is at is, IMO, the way to make the sport sustainable and worthwhile.
Technically, 20 hours for level 4. Most girls she would be training with will do level 4. Her group from this year (will do level 3) is training 14 hours a week in the summer.
 
Our gym doesn’t hit 20 hours until level 8. ETA: and we are a “top” gym in the country with elites. It just always baffles me when gyms do so many hours at the lower levels but to each their own...every gym and gymmie is different.
 
Training 20 hours at L4 is insane. Our L9 and L10 groups don’t even train 20 hours a week. We are not an elite gym but do send kids to compete in college.

At her level it should be pretty easy to come back. I’ve seen plenty kids be out for an injury for a longer length of time come back with no difficulty.

I think your bigger issue is the hours....20 hours for L4 is the best recipe for burnout and/or stress related injures.
 
Training 20 hours at L4 is insane. Our L9 and L10 groups don’t even train 20 hours a week. We are not an elite gym but do send kids to compete in college.

At her level it should be pretty easy to come back. I’ve seen plenty kids be out for an injury for a longer length of time come back with no difficulty.

I think your bigger issue is the hours....20 hours for L4 is the best recipe for burnout and/or stress related injures.
It’s only for 8 weeks in the summer. During school, it’s 8-15 hrs per week for compulsory depending on L2-5.
 

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