WAG Another Question about Ankle Weights

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I dont understand the rationale behind ankle weights for skill work or even most conditioning.

If you want them to move more weight? Put the weight at their middles. Then it doesn't jack up their center of mass, just makes it heavy (whiiiich is still silly but not as). If you want resistence to make them split bigger? There's this neat thing called a theraband. I like my gymnasts having knees and backs that work.

...that might be why my ankle weights are an avant garde coffee table centerpiece.
 
So, if the coach is using 2lb weights with level 4 , including with my six year old, do I just tell the coach my daughter is not allowed to use weights? The coach uses them in seemingly appropriate ways but then again my dd is six and perfect form is not always adhered to like it should be.

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So, if the coach is using 2lb weights with level 4 , including with my six year old, do I just tell the coach my daughter is not allowed to use weights? The coach uses them in seemingly appropriate ways but then again my dd is six and perfect form is not always adhered to like it should be.

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That's up to you...we do not use ankle weights with 6 year olds.
 
At our club we wear different weights depending on how well we can cope training in weights and we do 8 full bar routines with weights then 2 without. We also practice things like press handstands and muscle ups wearing ankle weights to make the task harder. My group also do vault wearing weights for 1 hour a fortnight. But we choose to our coaches don't make us.

well, it must be level 3 bar routines and squat vaults. gimme a break...
 
I see the use of ankle weights the way I see most resistance exercise. It should be used in control motions that involve motion of the one limb in a linear path. Leg lift, up and down, for example, but the rest of the body is stationary. Once you start adding movement of the rest of the body, the ability to control the movement of the limb with the extra weight becomes more difficult. Thus straining ligaments, etc. I really don't get it. I mean, even in baseball while the use of the weighted donut on the bat is intended to train the batter to swing faster, some people think that it actually changes the mechanics of the swing. So what good are you doing?

I am a much bigger fan of the elastic bands. Someone might want to check with a physical therapist. They have the right kind of training and knowledge.
 
Okay, joking aside, we do use weights, (no running punching, etc) but for leap strength and some conditioning. Generally one pound on each ankle (not cinder blocks :) . That being said I just got back from The Ranch and the greatest beam coach on the planet, Tammy B, uses ankle weights a lot, even for tumbling on beam, so...... while everyone has an opinion, we should be respectful of each other by not implying that people who do use weights are ignorant (which has been an overtone on a few posts here). The National team promotes ankle weights... It is your choice, and I would never imply that any of you are ignorant for not using them.
 
Okay, joking aside, we do use weights, (no running punching, etc) but for leap strength and some conditioning. Generally one pound on each ankle (not cinder blocks :) . That being said I just got back from The Ranch and the greatest beam coach on the planet, Tammy B, uses ankle weights a lot, even for tumbling on beam, so...... while everyone has an opinion, we should be respectful of each other by not implying that people who do use weights are ignorant (which has been an overtone on a few posts here). The National team promotes ankle weights... It is your choice, and I would never imply that any of you are ignorant for not using them.

Just because the people at the top do something never assume that is right. And what is acceptable for the top few percent of highly skilled and conditioned athletes may not be right for your average 6 year old level 4.

Listen, learn, respect, research and make your own decisions. Olga Korbut herself will never convince me that tumbling, vaulting or doing bar routines in ankle weights is a good idea.
 
Just because the people at the top do something never assume that is right. And what is acceptable for the top few percent of highly skilled and conditioned athletes may not be right for your average 6 year old level 4.

Listen, learn, respect, research and make your own decisions. Olga Korbut herself will never convince me that tumbling, vaulting or doing bar routines in ankle weights is a good idea.
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yes agreed, but this topic is not about 6 year olds, it's about general use.
 
exactly general use. Very different from the example you have mentioned.
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Probably the best beam coach on the planet is a strong advocate for weights, and uses them on gymnasts of ALL abilities (level 6's 7's 8's 9's 10's elites). I think you naturally assumed I was talking about national team members and I was not. I was talking about a national team coach teaching other coaches the uses of ankle weights specifically on gymnasts of all abilities. So I fail to see how my example is not an example of general use. Question; Jenny are you a coach / athlete or parent? I am just curious why you seem very opposed to weights.
 
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Probably the best beam coach on the planet is a strong advocate for weights, and uses them on gymnasts of ALL abilities (level 6's 7's 8's 9's 10's elites). I think you naturally assumed I was talking about national team members and I was not. I was talking about a national team coach teaching other coaches the uses of ankle weights specifically on gymnasts of all abilities. So I fail to see how my example is not an example of general use. Question; Jenny are you a coach / athlete or parent? I am just curious why you seem very opposed to weights.

Just because you are calling someone the best beam coach on the planet... does not mean it is true, can you provide evidence for this (I am not ripping on Tammy).

Just because a high level coach is doing something does not mean it is safe or effective. There were 'top coaches' starving their gymnasts and restricting fluid intake during the eighties/nineties, should I advocate this practice to other coaches as they had success because/despite this? This is the same flawed logic.
 
Just because you are calling someone the best beam coach on the planet... does not mean it is true, can you provide evidence for this (I am not ripping on Tammy).

Just because a high level coach is doing something does not mean it is safe or effective. There were 'top coaches' starving their gymnasts and restricting fluid intake during the eighties/nineties, should I advocate this practice to other coaches as they had success because/despite this? This is the same flawed logic.
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She is amazing, and yes you are ripping on her, but I didn't see you running beam at the ranch so.... I also used the word PROBABLY, and I was simply pointing out that she uses weights and it's a choice, but in the mean time people should not bag on other people for using weights (might want to go back and read the entire thread),
 
I've been to the Ranch and worked with Tammy and MLT...they are both very good.

Yes...some of the national team staff use ankle weights on gymnasts other than elites or national team kids.

Fact...ankle weights can increase strength and help prevent injury when used correctly.
 
====
Probably the best beam coach on the planet is a strong advocate for weights, and uses them on gymnasts of ALL abilities (level 6's 7's 8's 9's 10's elites). I think you naturally assumed I was talking about national team members and I was not. I was talking about a national team coach teaching other coaches the uses of ankle weights specifically on gymnasts of all abilities. So I fail to see how my example is not an example of general use. Question; Jenny are you a coach / athlete or parent? I am just curious why you seem very opposed to weights.


Level 6 and up is not all abilities by any means. More kids are in levels below level 6 than above. A lot of the discussions on this forum about ankle weights have involved much lower levels and younger children. Ankle weights are best left to the 'experts'. I am against it for 'general' use by 'general' coaches because I have heard too many stories. Some of which have already been recounted here.

I prefer not to be dazzled by people at the top. I like to make my own mind up.

And seriously there must be some pretty good beam coaches in China and Romania too. After all they produce some some pretty good beam workers. Not forgetting Carol Angela Orchard either. Canada's beam routines were awesome at the Olympics last year. You takes your pick
 
Level 6 and up is not all abilities by any means. More kids are in levels below level 6 than above. A lot of the discussions on this forum about ankle weights have involved much lower levels and younger children. Ankle weights are best left to the 'experts'. I am against it for 'general' use by 'general' coaches because I have heard too many stories. Some of which have already been recounted here.

I prefer not to be dazzled by people at the top. I like to make my own mind up.

And seriously there must be some pretty good beam coaches in China and Romania too. After all they produce some some pretty good beam workers. Not forgetting Carol Angela Orchard either. Canada's beam routines were awesome at the Olympics last year. You takes your pick
==

Like I said in post 29, it's a choice but... not sure why you are arguing that point as I already said it and agree with you. My point was clearly and simply, while everyone here is talking about how stupid people are using ankle weights, members of the national coaching staff use them, so we shouldn't bag on each other for a choice we make. I am not trying to convince anyone here to use them, just saying to not be disrespectful to each other about our choices.
 
Can use of ankle weights very young contribute to things like stress fractures?

Sure...but so could just about anything and everything.
 

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