Parents Another newbie question: skipping levels

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

aspiringymnastmom

Proud Parent
It seems like a lot of the gyms in our area skip L6? And go straight from 5 to 7.. Why would they do that? Wouldn't it be better to advance kids a level a year and get super high scores?
 
L6, as it is now, did not really exist until a few years ago. It was designed for gyms that either want to score out of L5 and compete a season of L6 instead or for gymnasts that aren't quite ready for L7, but don't want to have to repeat another year of compulsories. Prior to inventing what is now L6, many gymnasts were either quitting or going to Xcel. Strong gyms with good training (i.e. uptraining throughout compulsories, not competing girls at levels they aren't ready for) that do a season of L5 really don't have a need for L6.
 
Yes, and new L6 is all new, and with just a few minor changes, levels 7-10 stayed the same. So, it may be that in your area, L6 just never really 'caught on." And, since the skill requirements are similar to L5 it is not a required level.
 
All the well known gyms in our area compete **most** gymnasts L6 for a year before L7. Typically the girls that compete L6 first perform better on L7 and less chance of repeating L7, which is a tough level. They see the year of L6 as a year to perfect those new skills, train gymnasts individually and focus on skills these gymnasts struggle with and would have a hard time with on L7.
 
Dd's gym rarely competes 6. In our area it seems like in general the stronger gyms tend to compete 5, skip 6 and then compete 7, often right after 5 ends but sometimes the following year. The somewhat less competitive gyms tend to compete 4 in the fall, score out of 5 the next summer/fall and then compete 6 the next spring (a year after competing 4). Of course there are exceptions. One of the top gyms in our state competes 5 in the fall and then 6 right after where they, not surprisingly, do extremely well.
 
Dd's gym does L5 and L7, but no L6. I think it varies how gyms handle this, but I think either path can be fine. In some areas, having available competition can drive the decisions. I have seen on other posts here that there has been a huge decline in the number of gyms competing L5 in certain areas, so that can be challenging in finding meets with good competition.
 
Dd's gym does L5 and L7, but no L6. I think it varies how gyms handle this, but I think either path can be fine. In some areas, having available competition can drive the decisions. I have seen on other posts here that there has been a huge decline in the number of gyms competing L5 in certain areas, so that can be challenging in finding meets with good competition.

This. Our gym I believe is going to drop level 5 for next year because of the lack of competition. There was only 1 level 5 session at our state meet and it's just not that common. Our girls will do 4-6 or 4-7.
 
Level 5 and 6 are very similar. And 6 also has similarities to 7.

It is a matter of how the coach/gym wants to handle it. Our gym the coaches like L5 they feel the compulsory routines lay a good foundation for future levels. So if they feel the girls need L5 they do L5. But they also feel both 5 and 6 give the girls time to uptrain and improve before L7. To we don't have girls go from 5 to 7. That is just how our gym does it.

Others do it differently. It really comes down to what the gym wants to do. I am sure things like team size is a factor as well. If you are a smaller gym you are likely to pick 5 or 6 but not both. Because you have perhaps 12 kids at one level then 6 and 6, increasing more time at meets and multiple sessions for only a few kids. Why not have all kids at one session.
 
Our gym does 5 too and most of the 7 girls will to 6. My dd and one other is working towards 7. I like how our gym looks at each kid individually and does what's best. It's not a one size fits all approach.
 
In our state there is very few gyms competing level five any more. Almost all have switched to level six and score out of five. Like others have said there is just very little competition so not really worth it. Level six on the other hand is robust and competitive with very little bare bones routines and many kids competing backhandsprings and connected dismounts on beam, connected front tumbling and layouts on floor and Giants and full height cast handstands on bars.
 
Our gym competes 5, then straight to 7- the gym 10 minutes away scores out of 5 and competes 6.
 
In our state there is very few gyms competing level five any more. Almost all have switched to level six and score out of five. Like others have said there is just very little competition so not really worth it. Level six on the other hand is robust and competitive with very little bare bones routines and many kids competing backhandsprings and connected dismounts on beam, connected front tumbling and layouts on floor and Giants and full height cast handstands on bars.
Makes me wonder why they aren't doing 7 then.......o_O
 
Level 6 tends to be full of upgraded routines nationwide. We traveled a lot for my dds level 6, and very rarely did we not see the majority of the girls doing harder skills. Almost every girl out there had connected beam dismounts. If a girl was very advanced in many areas, it probably meant they were missing Giants.
 
I've noticed this across the optional board, so to speak. Double back handsprings on beam and fulls on floor in level 7, one and a halfs on floor, back tucks on beam and double back dismounts on bars in level 8, double backs on floor, D acro and even a triple series or two on beam and some crazy stuff on bars at level 9. I think every level is leaning more and more difficult as the years pass, maybe preparing for the new code? I heard there will be some direction for up to level and if the level 8 beam up to level suggestions are any indication, routines are going to be getting more difficult to get the big scores. I saw very little base level routines at the large invitationals we attended this year. Smaller local meets with less competitive clubs were a bit of a different story.

Oh, and I am not saying that these upgraded skills are all by one kid on all events. If they were they would probably be competing seven, or whatever the level up might be. But kids having an upgrade or two over the events is very common.
 
Our gym does lvl 4, lvl 5, then go to lvl 7 or 8. So strong lvl 5s in the Fall will skip that Spring and compete lvl 8 the following Spring. Scoring out I guess of 7 at some point. Kids needing the most polish will repeat 4 or 5, but not super common. So far only kids who are coming from another gym and need better shapes, etc. Not many gyms here do lvl 5 at all, as it's harder than 6 as it's done in my region. I like lvl5, keeps everyone humble, LOL.
 
Our gym does L5, skips 6 and goes straight to 7 if the skills are there, otherwise repeat 5. However, like some others, we are finding that a lot of gyms in our state are choosing to do L4-6 and score out of 5, so there isn't a whole lot of competition and competing against only yourself gets old.... L5 is a fundamentally important level because you can technically compete L6 with lesser skills. But, L6 is more "fun" and parents get to say their kid is an Optional. So it seems to be the popular choice in our state, unfortunately, and we may end up practically being forced to rethink our position.
 
We only allow girls in Jr high or high school to score out of L5, but they have to do it in 2 meets before moving up to L6. If they are younger, they compete a full season of L5 before moving up.

We compete all levels 3-9 and Xcel Gold- Platinum.
Due to limited practice hours, repeating levels is common, but nobody repeats L5... It is just a necessary evil to endure, lol. We would rather have them repeat L6, adding upgrades as they are competition ready. Most of our L6 team are repeaters this season. There are only 5 of them and 4 are repeating. 2 have been injured most of the season. 2, including OG who is not a repeater, are almost definitely moving up to L7. The other 3 might possibly move up - if the 2 stay healthy and the other one comes to enough practices and they all get the skills.
 
Level 6 tends to be full of upgraded routines nationwide. We traveled a lot for my dds level 6, and very rarely did we not see the majority of the girls doing harder skills. Almost every girl out there had connected beam dismounts. If a girl was very advanced in many areas, it probably meant they were missing Giants.

Yes to this and we even saw giants as well. Meanwhile my dd was competing an under swing dismount on bars....Now I'm glad she had the chance to compete without a flyaway (fear issue) but I think when they went to the bigger meets that she and her team felt a bit out of place at times.
 

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

New Posts

Back