Parents Do your kids do all 4 events each practice?

[bogwoppit]

Emily's(level 5) new gym does practice all her events plus dance, conditioning and stretching. Her practices are 2(4.5 hour practices) and one 5 hour practice.

Madison (level 3) does not do all her event. They usually do 3 plus conditioning. She only goes 2 days a week for 2 hours each time.

Melmonette, you're back!!! I've really missed seeing your name.

Bog

 

[lannamavity]

My daughter's team works three events per practice and they do very well on bars and beam. Out of seven meets this season, DD placed 1st on bars five times, including taking the state bars title. On beam she placed 1st three times and was always top five. She placed 3rd at state.

I'm not sure what level we are talking. Devo kids can't do 4 events (they aren't in the gym enough hours)...but when they get to competitive gymnastics, there is no way a team can pull that off.

 

[hunde2]

I forgot to mention that they also do flexebility mostly at the end onf training.

 

[Billy]

I'm not sure what level we are talking. Devo kids can't do 4 events (they aren't in the gym enough hours)...but when they get to competitive gymnastics, there is no way a team can pull that off.

Sorry, I should have specified. This wasn't Devo. This was AAU level 2, which is a competitive level in Georgia. The team placed 6th at state out of 30 teams. They practice two days a week, 2 1/2 hours per practice. The L3 team, which is on the same practice schedule as L2, placed 8th of 26 teams and the L4 team placed 5th of 28 teams.

DD has now skipped L3 and moved to AAU L4. They practice three days a week, 4 hours on two days and 3 hours on one day (11 hours a week total). And they still only do three events per practice (plus conditioning, of course).

 

[starmaker]

At our gym we have floor days(tues.,thrs., and sat.) and Vault days (mon., wed., fri.). Bars, Beam and conditioning done every class. Parents have the flexiblity of choosing how many days a week to bring gymnast as well as what days of the week to bring gymnast.

I take dd tue., thrs., and sat. All floor days. Every once in a while I might send her on a vault day, but not the norm. The first hour is warm up, stretches, and conditioning. There is a conditioning book in the middle of the gym with different cycles. The optional girls pair up with the compulsory girls to condition. There are no coaches spotting or monitoring. They are all independant and hard working adjusting their own equipment if they have to. DD carries her own mats, spring board if she needs one. She is the shortest on her team and can't reach low bar and problem solves on her own. Same on beam. I like that they encourage independance because I think it makes them feel like they own their own sport.

After the first hour there is no telling what they'll do on any given day. They might start with floor or not. Sometimes they'll just do rountines...over and over again. Some days (dd fav.) They really just start teaching them advanced skills. they have like a circuit with the optional girls. In one station standing backhandsprings (with a spot if needed), another front tuck off spring board (no spot- basically dd eats it face first or flat on butt every time and doesn't seem bothered by it), another front handsprings(again no spot), another handstand to forward roll straddle press back to handstand (dd also loves thoses), etc.

On bars they'll work on a few routines then kips, front hip circles, cast to handstand, etc.

On beam routines lots of routines on beam then fun stuff like cartwheels, bwo, etc.

They barely use the tumble track or trampoline.

 

[Ingymmom]

Sorry, I should have specified. This wasn't Devo. This was AAU level 2, which is a competitive level in Georgia. The team placed 6th at state out of 30 teams. They practice two days a week, 2 1/2 hours per practice. The L3 team, which is on the same practice schedule as L2, placed 8th of 26 teams and the L4 team placed 5th of 28 teams.

DD has now skipped L3 and moved to AAU L4. They practice three days a week, 4 hours on two days and 3 hours on one day (11 hours a week total). And they still only do three events per practice (plus conditioning, of course).

L2, 3 & sometimes L4 are considered Devo in most US gyms regardless of whether or not the level is actually competed. Competition at these levels is especially just for fun

 

[momof5]

Wow! Our gym sounds inferior compared to all these. Our level 4 practice 6 hrs a week. Its 3, 2 hr practices. Day 1 they do vault and bars and on day 2 they do floor and beam. The last 2 hr practice is different evdry week some times tehy do all 4 and some times 1 or 2. So the kids might only work bars once or twice a week.

 

[Billy]

L2, 3 & sometimes L4 are considered Devo in most US gyms regardless of whether or not the level is actually competed. Competition at these levels is especially just for fun

Be that as it may, for AAU, they can actually compete Nationals, which is more than Devo to me. Nationals are held in Orlando at the beginning of July.

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

I don't think anyone is implying that the girls don't work hard at the lower levels. Developmental means they are still developing their skills - even as they are competing them. I think it is kind of the whole point of the USAG compulsory program - certain skills are necessary and need to be developed to eventually do higher level skills.

From the USAG website:

"The committee expressed the philosophy that the Level 1 through 4 program is a non-competitive, developmental program designed to prepare athletes for competition. The committee recognizes the need of some clubs and/or states to provide competitive opportunities at Level 4"

 

[Billy]

I don't think anyone is implying that the girls don't work hard at the lower levels. Developmental means they are still developing their skills - even as they are competing them. I think it is kind of the whole point of the USAG compulsory program - certain skills are necessary and need to be developed to eventually do higher level skills.

No, I don't think anyone would say that these girls aren't working hard. But to me, a devo class is usually different than a competitive team. Anyway, my point was that a team (and a gymnast) can be strong on bars and beam without doing all four events at every practice.

 

[momofagymmie]

At my daughter's gym they generally do all 4 every day. It's a 41/2 hour practice. This is for level 7 & up though not necessarily the compulsory levels.

 

[lannamavity]

No, I don't think anyone would say that these girls aren't working hard. But to me, a devo class is usually different than a competitive team. Anyway, my point was that a team (and a gymnast) can be strong on bars and beam without doing all four events at every practice.

That's where the confusion is coming from. Level 4 is just now becoming a competitive level where I am. Level 5s are actually considered "team" in our Region.

I actually haven't heard of AAU in a really long time. It must be an Eastern thing.

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

We typically do two events a practice. That could change when we start 3-4 hour practices in a few weeks. July is when the schedule steps up

 

[catesmom]

That's where the confusion is coming from. Level 4 is just now becoming a competitive level where I am. Level 5s are actually considered "team" in our Region.

I actually haven't heard of AAU in a really long time. It must be an Eastern thing.

Thanks for this post. It's important to remember that we all come from different areas and have very different experience with the lower levels. We too just began competing level 4 a couple years ago. DD2 is a level 3 in rec at our gym and I can't imagine her competing. But I have to remember she does level 3 one day a week for an hour, not 12 hours a week. When DD1 started we didn't compete until level 5 at age 7. I do enjoy watching the videos of the little girls competitions though. And I think it must be great experience for competing at the higher levels. We also don't have AAU or YWCA programs in our area, most high schools don't have gymnanstics either, but I enjoy hearing all of your experiences.

Anyway I think of a previous post about the hours our dd's pratice, and the many opinions we had there. I believe the age we start competing has a lot to do with that also. Doing long hours at age 4 or 5 sounds extreme to parents whos DD's won't be competing till age 6 or 7.

 

[Billy]

That's where the confusion is coming from. Level 4 is just now becoming a competitive level where I am. Level 5s are actually considered "team" in our Region.

I actually haven't heard of AAU in a really long time. It must be an Eastern thing.

Our gym has devo classes, pre-team and then they start on the level 2 team. AAU is really big here. Almost every gym has AAU for the lower levels and then USAG for the higher levels. Its a great way to introduce competition to the lower levels/ younger girls. My DD loved it. And at the Level 2 state meet in April, there were 236 level 2s. There were so many level 2s and 3s that they took up the whole weekend. Level 4 and PO1 had to be done separately.

 

[bogwoppit]

This thread is turning into a repetitive train wreck.

There seems to be coaching input in the thread and this is the Parents Forum, that is a no no, so please no more coaching opinions thanks.

As I always love to remind you, the Parent Forum is a place where we parents share our experiences, we don't come here to defend ourselves or be judged by others standards.

SO, lets move along now and keep it cool . This thread will stay open for now so you can continue to share, but if I see another "coach post" or it starts getting snarky again, I'll be sending it to the great dark hole known as the Back Office for the Mods :meditate: to rip to shreds!

Love and kisses,

Bog

 

[gym mom]

my dd is l4 she goes 3dys a week 2 1/2hr they generally do stretching and condtioning for 30-45min and usually spend about 30min on each event.

 

[melmonette]

Melmonette, you're back!!! I've really missed seeing your name.

Bog

awwwwwww thank you This past month has been crazy so I haven't been around much. I just finished my externship for my dental assistant program I graduated on Friday and was Valedictorian
I plan on being around as much as I can as I start working too

 

[bogwoppit]

awwwwwww thank you This past month has been crazy so I haven't been around much. I just finished my externship for my dental assistant program I graduated on Friday and was Valedictorian
I plan on being around as much as I can as I start working too

Awesome, you have been missed~!