WAG Does your child's/gym's conditionning program include the use of weights?

[Apple Al]

We came from a gym that had L2 and L3 using ankle weights as belts for most of conditioning. I thought it went overboard when they were working casts to handstands with them on. These girls were 5-10 years old.

 

[ButterflyGymnast]

We use weights at my gym. Wrist and ankle weights are usually used for running, jumping or bars conditioning. Free weights are used for a multitude of things including arm snaps, running and squats.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I hate seeing kids with weights. In my gym two highest groups use them (and the youngest kids in those groups are 9 and 10 years old). They do box jumps, leg lifts, straddle jumps and rope climbs with ankle wights on. They also use free weights for some upper body conditioning exercises and those look like safe to me (holds mostly). The trends in my country seems to be that weights are used much more than earlier and even for young kids. Ankle and wrist weights are sold in super markets nowadays but like 5 years ago you couldn't see them anywhere.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I hate seeing kids with weights. In my gym the two highest groups use them (and the youngest kids in those groups are 9 and 10 years old). They do box jumps, leg lifts, straddle jumps and rope climbs with ankle wights on. They also use free weights for some upper body conditioning exercises and those look like safe to me (holds mostly). The trends in my country seems to be that weights are used much more than earlier and even for young kids. Ankle and wrist weights are sold in super markets nowadays but like 5 years ago you couldn't see them anywhere.

 

[raenndrops]

We only have one girl that uses weights… well used them - per her PT. She wasn't allowed to do the standard warm up, stretching and conditioning due to ED-Hypermobility version. She used little dumbbells in her warm up. About 2 weeks ago, she go the go ahead to start warming up with the rest of the team, so no more weights.

 

[l.c.o]

2lb total weigh ankle weights... So 1lb/ea. During strength (not always) and I think maybe leaps/jumps on occasion.

DD has used resistance bands in the past and prefers the weights. She used to have achilles trouble, and the bands aggravated it. Not sure it 'made it worse' medically, but it was at least irritating for her.

 

[Kate E]

My DD is 7 and has been using ankle weights since she was 6. They use the when conditioning and this includes bar work. Her little ankle are so slim that she got terrible cuts from them,bleeding galore and couldn't wear shoes for a few days after the worst one. I bought long wrist bands and she puts them on under the weights now and it stops them rubbing her skin raw!
She doesn't mind them but I don't like them!

 

[Aero]

My DD is 7 and has been using ankle weights since she was 6. They use the when conditioning and this includes bar work. Her little ankle are so slim that she got terrible cuts from them,bleeding galore and couldn't wear shoes for a few days after the worst one. I bought long wrist bands and she puts them on under the weights now and it stops them rubbing her skin raw!
She doesn't mind them but I don't like them!

If by bar work you mean practicing skills and going through bar routines... yikes! There is absolutely zero benefit to wearing ankle weights during these parts of training. And to be clear, this is not my opinion, this is fact. It can actually negatively affect the gymnast's bar skills; you think a growth spurt can mess up a girl's skills? Well, wearing ankle weights can do much worse! It slightly moves the girl's center of mass, as well as makes the skills feel different because of the unnatural distribution of weight to the ankles. Honestly, it does nothing positive.

However, if by bar work you mean conditioning type exercises like pull ups, dips, and static holds in different positions, then that would be completely fine. These things can actually help a gymnast's strength.

Ankle weights are always a fine line to walk...

 

[Sari]

My DD is 7 and has been using ankle weights since she was 6. They use the when conditioning and this includes bar work. Her little ankle are so slim that she got terrible cuts from them,bleeding galore and couldn't wear shoes for a few days after the worst one. I bought long wrist bands and she puts them on under the weights now and it stops them rubbing her skin raw!
She doesn't mind them but I don't like them!

I don't use ancle weights period but if I did, I would certainly not put them back on a kid who has gotten cuts from them before.

 

[munchkin3]

Yes our coaches use them. For conditioning and sometimes for cast handstands. [emoji58]

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Ankle weights are always a fine line to walk...

And shouldn't be cutting a kid so she bleeds and can't wear shoes.

 

[Sari]

And shouldn't be cutting a kid so she bleeds and can't wear shoes.

Right?! I mean, use them if that's part of your philosophy but if a child gets hurt using them, do something about it and don't wait for the parents to pick up after you. That's just common sense, isn't it?

 

[Kate E]

If by bar work you mean practicing skills and going through bar routines... yikes! There is absolutely zero benefit to wearing ankle weights during these parts of training. And to be clear, this is not my opinion, this is fact. It can actually negatively affect the gymnast's bar skills; you think a growth spurt can mess up a girl's skills? Well, wearing ankle weights can do much worse! It slightly moves the girl's center of mass, as well as makes the skills feel different because of the unnatural distribution of weight to the ankles. Honestly, it does nothing positive.

However, if by bar work you mean conditioning type exercises like pull ups, dips, and static holds in different positions, then that would be completely fine. These things can actually help a gymnast's strength.

Ankle weights are always a fine line to walk...

Oh yes just for conditioning.

 

[Kate E]

I don't use ancle weights period but if I did, I would certainly not put them back on a kid who has gotten cuts from them before.

I wasn't happy, one of the coaches told me to get the long wrist bands for her legs as it was the weights rubbing up & down that caused the cuts. It's not happened again since using the long bands but her ankles are scarred from those previous ones.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

JMO here but if the weights don't fit because you are too small. You are probably too small to be working with them.
Not.One.Chance.If my kid was that small.

 

[munchkin3]

Wrist weights for littles.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

I have incorporated free weights, treadmill, cycle machines and Cybex weight machines into our conditioning programs. Resistance training, moderation, individual and age based, is excellent for young athletes.

Phsio balls, stall bars, free weights, balance boards, bands, cords are used everyday by most groups. I look around and see groups learning to do resistance training correctly and it makes me happy! The conditioning / resistance rotations are not boring and not seen as "torture." The USA-G Optional girls have individual strength goals that they can chart.

Our team motto is "Tuff, Buff and Pretty." The buff part is something that we take teach the girls to take pride in. Strong is the new beautiful.

Best, SBG -