WAG Bar setting and release moves??

[LJL07]

Non quarantine related question about the bars. My daughter and I were talking about what she’s looking forward to working on when gym reopens. Bars is her favorite event. She did level 9 last year and will no doubt repeat but is looking forward to working upgrades. One release she is eager to work on is a shaposh. She is very tiny and probably won’t grow too much more. She might be lucky to reach 5 feet. Her coach sets the bars waaay far apart. He actually only does one setting for everyone because he says it’s too time consuming to change it for a couple of girls. This has been interesting for my youngest who is also tiny, but she has adapted and done well. But my oldest daughter makes a good point about the release moves. Does it matter if the bars are really far apart for tiny kids? Is there an advantage or disadvantage to learning these skills with the bars set far apart? Mostly just curious. I don’t plan to march into the gym and demand the bars be set on FIG.

 

[JBS]

There is definitely an advantage to being efficient. Less bar settings is less time adjusting bars.

Head coaches each have their own systems though. Some like only FIG... some like only wide settings... some use tons of settings. You would just have to ask the head coach.

We use two settings... we call them "FIG" and "big". Everyone starts on FIG... all compulsories and Xcel Bronze / Silver / Gold use FIG. We keep them on FIG as long as possible as I like to teach bar transfers on FIG.

 

[jamieintexas]

I have 3 settings, tiny people, FIG and big. I keep one bar on FIG and switch the other one between tiny people and big. I have about 50% Fig and 25% each of the others. I set my rotations with all big and half FIG and all tiny people and half FIG. I honestly think that it is wrong when a coach won’t set the bars for what the girls need. I have had years where everybody had the same setting and it was great. I have also had years where I felt like all I did was set the bars. I have always done what is best for my girls, not what is best for me.

 

[JBS]

I honestly think that it is wrong when a coach won’t set the bars for what the girls need.

I guess that would be a matter of opinion though. I don't think they need 3 settings as I only use 2.

 

[jamieintexas]

I know so many coaches that just make everybody go on big no matter how little they are. I have heard coaches tell them to get over it because they don’t want to switch the bars.

 

[JBS]

I know so many coaches that just make everybody go on big no matter how little they are. I have heard coaches tell them to get over it because they don’t want to switch the bars.

I know what you mean... not my style either. We have gotten rid of the "tiny" setting at our club by using a blue block. We slide the blue block under the low bar so they can jump from a closer surface if needed. We also have a movable deck behind our single rail pit bar... this can be moved back and forth too. We do currently compete all compulsories on FIG... will there be an exception at some point... most likely.

I am just a firm believer that many coaches waste entire rotations moving stuff around.

 

[jamieintexas]

I am just a firm believer that many coaches waste entire rotations moving stuff around.

I agree. I have one set of the quick set SA bars. There is a learning curve but now I can set them in less time than my girls can put on their grips.

 

[LJL07]

Thanks for answering. Both of my girls are small, but they managed level 7&8 routines with good scores through level 8. The issue is more the pak and other release moves. My older daughter said with the bars set so far apart, she really has to throw herself to catch the pak. I think the coach’s reasoning for setting the bars so far apart is that is how they are set in college?? I don’t think it’s my place to say anything, but maybe if my daughter feels that strongly about it she should ask her coach. Unless that is a bad idea. That’s why I asked if there was a good reason for setting them far apart.

 

[JBS]

There are many coaches that swing all of their optionals on the “big” setting. While we have never moved an athlete from the “big“ setting back to FIG... we have done drill and things to stacks of mats that are closer. Especially for the skills that you are talking about... bar transfers.

 

[LJL07]

There are many coaches that swing all of their optionals on the “big” setting. While we have never moved an athlete from the “big“ setting back to FIG... we have done drill and things to stacks of mats that are closer. Especially for the skills that you are talking about... bar transfers.

Yep. I assume a shaposh is a bar transfer too. She sadly said she doesn’t think she could pull off something like that because she’s way too short. I don’t know anything about coaching bars, but I told her never say never!

 

[JBS]

I assume a shaposh is a bar transfer too

Yes... a "bar transfer" is just as it sounds... a move that goes from one rail to another... low to high or high to low.