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It seems like robot-kids (I say this endearingly) score the best at meets. In the compulsory workshops there was a lot of talk of being "dancy" and "flowy" in movements, but in my area at least, that is NOT what the judges are looking for. How do you make your kids, especially 6 year old Level...

Hi Coaches - What does your gym do to show coach appreciation? I am basically the owner of my gym and wondering if a party/get together or gifts would be best? What have you received? I am the same age as most of my coaches, who are just out of college, if that makes a difference! Just...

I have an eight year old Level 4 who does atrocious back handsprings - she throws her head way out to complete them. I have tried having her put foam under her chin, bite her leo, etc…but nothing has worked. I have tried spotting her through it heavily and reinforcing the head position, but she...

Is it acceptable to allow gymnasts to do less than perfect form when learning their cast handstands? Backstory: I have a couple of girls going to 6 in the Spring and they "kind of" have cast handstands (both do straight body and both are very strong). I feel like lately all I do is spot them on...

What do you do for kids who can't physically straighten (or hyperextended) their legs? We have worked on her pike flexibility and just getting her to really squeeze, but she has those knobby knees that never actually look straight. Anything you can do to fix this?

I'm sure this has been talked about before, but I'm unable to search for it and I need an answer! For some reason, one of my gymnast has really started pulling in on her fly away and is about to hit her feet on the bar. At national Congress a few weeks ago, I think it was Tom Forster who was...

Anyone willing to take a look at one of my Level 3's bar routines? She got an 8.5 at the most recent meet, and I thought she would do a lot better than that. She does have knee issues (the straightest she can get them still looks bent), but I heard the judges talking to each other and saying...

After reading the thread about team sizes (and realizing that mine is pretty small, as I had assumed), I'm super curious about how your gyms FIT all these kids into the gym at the hours they need to go. My team has about 15 JO kids Levels 2-6 and 20 Xcel kids Bronze-Platinum. On days when all...

We have a men's high rail that has pvc pipe on it and we use it as a strap bar. How do you strap someone in with gloves (so they can practice wrist shifting)? What kind of gloves do you use? Anything to be careful of?

I'm looking for a choreographer in Region 4 or who will come to Region 4 for a couple of my optional athletes' floor routines. I've never had to find one before. Ideas? How did you find your choreographer?

I've never taught one before. I'd like to have a couple of girls compete it in Level 5 if they get it. They already have the flexibility for it and we've been working sole circles, practicing the entry and compression, etc. They have press to handstand as well. I am currently having them do a...

My gym's Xcel Team had a meet last weekend, and I didn't hear about the details until today. I am fuming after what I heard!! I am the JO head coach and gym director but we have other coaches who lead the Xcel team, so I wasn't at the meet. The details I gathered were from my Xcel head coach...

1. Is it a deduction when, on bars, they move a hand/both hands over (after a pirouette, to get centered, or before a dismount so their hands are closer together)? 2. Why does the coach stand there for release moves on bars? Is it mentally helpful for the gymnast, for safety, or both? They...

To anyone with advice, or who has done it before - How do you get started opening your own gym? I'm going to do it. Maybe it won't be for many years, but I'm definitely going to do it. I understand that if I don't buy an existing gym I would need to start small, since I'm not a millionaire...

For some reason this is the first time I've ever had a kid with this problem. Last year she could barely get over the vault, and now she's absolutely blossomed on everything, which is great!! She's a tiny little thing but she runs like a beast and literally front layouts over the vault. She...

Any good ideas/drills for getting this skill on floor?

In new Level 3 bars, it says a gymnast can do a straddle glide swing. I'm not sure if I'm reading the next part correctly - does the gymnast return the glide in a straddle or with legs together? I know the legs come together at the end of the glide, but then do they stay that way? Just not sure...

In a basic Level 8 bar routine, when a gymnast does the kip cast hand pirouette on low bar, does it matter how she turns? For example, turning her good hand backwards and then pirouetting like in this video: Level 8 bar routine at smokey mountain gymnastics vacation classic - YouTube OR...

I am not an actual owner of my gym (it is owned by a company that is not involved, weird situation) but I am paid to be the head coach, the manager of the gym, and the owner in all my duties. We have a Booster Club. I hate it. They are parents who gossip about the gym and don't do any...

What is it called when an optional gymnast mounts on the high bar with a kip then immediately hops to switch grips before the cast hand to go into a front giant? What is the value and how do you teach this? Thanks :)