WAG going for L10... is it worth it?

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sportymom

Hello guys,

I am writing here from a friend's account, our younger daughters are in the same team. I have a pretty big problem and people adviced me to aks for some opinion here! :)

My oldest daughter started gymnastics pretty late at age 10. Within a year she was Level4 and after 2 she was Level 7. Now she is 15 and has all Level 8 skills nearly perfectly. She loves the sport and although she is in puberty, she will never ever let anything get between her and gymnastics.
I read many many posts on this forum, and a lot of times it is said that L8 may be the "hard" level, because to progress beyond takes so much. Falls on bars and beam, overuse injuries, ice packs, destroyed joints due to double backs, injuries on vault etc.

So this is our current situation:
Maddie is 15, a good Level 8 gymnast (does Full twist on floor, and Front Handspring Front Layout, working on adding a tuck, has a double tuck dismount and toe shoot on bars and working on overshoot) and loves nothing more than her sport. She is currently training 18 hours a week. Yesterday we talked about her future. She either wants to become a primary school teacher (has always been her goal) or a gym coach. She is already helping out with coaching sometimes and loves it. No matter what she will be doing, she wants to train gymnastics as long as possible.
But she doesn't know if she should work towards L9 and L10. Many people say they are their kids are stuck at L8 or 9 for years sometimes and that it gets sooo much harder after that.
Maddie would love to have her doubl backs or double fulls on floor or jaegers and front giants etc, but she is a little afraid that she might get injured and that if she is training it for the next 3 years, her body is ruined and she won't be able to do it any longer.

For her progressions from Level to Level were pretty easy. Once she did FH FH, FH FT is not that hard, then she just did a Layout instead of a tuck and so on. Progress was steady. But I talked to our HC and he also said that even if kids have a talent and pick up skills easy, going past L8 takes sooo much effort and the rate of making it or quitting due to injuries is usually 50/50!
We just both don't know what to do. She is very mature for her age and thinks about her options a lot.
She could increase training hours to 22 and work towards her L9 skills and later L10, but she can also try to get her L8 skills perfectly and then just stay at this Level, focus on prehab, enjoy her life and become a fit, healthy gym coach who can still do cool skills. I am proud of her no matter what she decides to do, but I want to help her making the right decision.
If progressions to L9 and L10 were as easy as before, then I would tell her to definitely go for it! But I don't know about that I and have too little experience and don't really know about all the skills required for L9 and L10!

I would appreciate everyone's opinion, no matter if parent, coach or gymnast :)

Thank you,

Peggy
 
Not sure how it works by you but here she would be a perfect gymnast for Xcel or similar program that's not as rigorous as JO but still allows her to get skills she is comfortable with and continue to compete AND have a life outside of the gym lol.
 
Well, just because she tries for level 9 does not mean that she has to try for level 10. Why not just started heading in that direction and see what happens? If the injuries start or it becomes too much she can always drop back to level 8, right? Just because she starts training level 9 skills (which she already has some of!) does not mean that she has to continue or that she ever has to move past level 9.
 
Injuries happen at any level and at any time. I would continue to progress and get as far as your daughter feels comfortable. I think it is worth it to get to L10. She loves the sport and has desires to do higher level skills. If your daughter progresses quite quickly and already has her L8 skills "nearly perfect", what would she be doing the next 2 to 3 years? I'd just go for it and let the chips fall where they may. There are no guarantees no matter what she decides. I'm a firm believer in not limiting ones successes. Good luck.
 
If you daughter is open to it, I think she should try. I think one of the best things about gymnastics is that there's always more. There's always more to learn, more to improve on, more to do. It's really challenging but the people involved in gymnastics love the challenge. Her body is still doing strenuous things at L8 and I don't think that advancing to L9 is going to be really that much harder on her body (but what do I know). The skills will definitely be harder, but why not try? She seems very talented to be able to progress that quickly.

As someone mentioned, xcel is also an option. I do xcel and am able to do multiple other things and still progress. Now, xcel Diamond seems to be where she is and I think you can be equivalent to a L9 in xcel diamond but not 10. You could discuss this option with her as well.
 
Just to let you know, you cannot borrow someone else's account, that is clear in the rules. One person, one account. Please make your own or your friend will be banned.
I am
very sorry for that and she will never post again from my account! sorry!
 
I'm with others--why not try and see how far she can go? If injuries limit her, then she can always drop back and stay level 8, but if she doesn't try, she'll never know how far she can go.
 
She should try. If injuries become too much as a L9/L10, she could go to L8. Or she could do Xcel like the others were saying. Good luck :)
 
Why stop? I'm kinda in the same boat as your daughter. I'm 16 training level 9, but during my level 8 season I had a ton of injuries, but they never stop me. If it's truly something she loves nothing should stop her.
 
She should work as hard as she wants and let that take her where it may. As long as she enjoys the experience and feels personally rewarded.... well, it doesn't matter which level she ends up at.

About starting at age 10. Sure it's deal breaker if you're talking elite and National team. Given the quick rise to L8 your dd has experienced, she shouldn't consider L9 or even L10 out of reach. Anything's possible and nothing's guaranteed.
 
I think she should go for it...she can always decide to slow down or stop if she needs to. Sounds like she is very talented and has made good progress quickly!! Good luck to her!
 
As long as she is conditioning she will be fine! She should make sure she can do all the things on this list, and if she cannot she should work towards them the best she can. If she can acquire these, even though this is a short generalized list, she has a great shot at doing well in level 10.

5-8 minute wall handstand
250 handstand shoulder touches in a row (using a wall is fine)
30 leg lifts in a row on bars or stall bars
V hang with toes on bar 1 minute
Inverted hang with upper thighs on bar and looking at toes 1 minute
10 straight-body rocks on the bar
at least 10 pullups without squirming
handstand hold with no walking at least 2 minutes on the floor (preferably 3-5 minutes)
20 standing back tucks in 1 minute on the floor
handstand walk 200 feet forwards, and 100 feet backwards and both sides
100 V-ups in a row
At least 5 kip cast handstands in a row on bars (10 is ideal though)


And by the way, you cannot start too late. There is a lady who started at age 38 and at age 52 was doing release moves on bars. Lots of people can fake a level 10 beam routine or even a decent floor routine, but there is no easy way to achieve high level bars. She had kids during that time as well and had to take some time off, but kept going. It is not too late! Have fun.
 
As long as she is conditioning she will be fine! She should make sure she can do all the things on this list, and if she cannot she should work towards them the best she can. If she can acquire these, even though this is a short generalized list, she has a great shot at doing well in level 10.

5-8 minute wall handstand
250 handstand shoulder touches in a row (using a wall is fine)
30 leg lifts in a row on bars or stall bars
V hang with toes on bar 1 minute
Inverted hang with upper thighs on bar and looking at toes 1 minute
10 straight-body rocks on the bar
at least 10 pullups without squirming
handstand hold with no walking at least 2 minutes on the floor (preferably 3-5 minutes)
20 standing back tucks in 1 minute on the floor
handstand walk 200 feet forwards, and 100 feet backwards and both sides
100 V-ups in a row
At least 5 kip cast handstands in a row on bars (10 is ideal though)


And by the way, you cannot start too late. There is a lady who started at age 38 and at age 52 was doing release moves on bars. Lots of people can fake a level 10 beam routine or even a decent floor routine, but there is no easy way to achieve high level bars. She had kids during that time as well and had to take some time off, but kept going. It is not too late! Have fun.

what? what kind of releases? straddle cut catches?? who are you speaking of??

and by the way all you 30 somethings out here reading this...no getting any ideas about jumpin on bars to do tkatchevs, jaegers, shap's, etc; unless you are Liz Crandall-Howell. :)
 
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She can get hurt training L8, she can get hurt training L9. There's no doubt each level is harder than the next, but if she is conditioning properly and training safely, and SHE LOVES IT, why would you stop her "just in case"?

I still drive my car every day, but recognize that I could get seriously hurt if in an accident. I go to my own gym at the age of 44, lift weights, work out, and have even tried to teach myself how to run. Yes, I've hurt my knee, but it doesn't mean I don't continue on.

There are risks in life. You just have to match your level of risk aversion/tolerance with your activities. Gymnastics, stock trading, it's all the same ;)
 
what? what kind of releases? straddle cut catches?? who are you speaking of??

and by the way all you 30 somethings out here reading this...no getting any ideas about jumpin on bars to do tkatchevs, jaegers, shap's, etc; unless you are Liz Crandall-Howell. :)


Single-bar flight elements. I would never call a cut catch a release move! Tkatchevs, Giengers etc. I didn't imagine that would have to be specified. What are you talking about? The lady started at 38 and worked her way through every single level and completed release moves with decent form. Please show me were I advocated that a beginner of ANY age should get up and try a release move?
 
simply, i don't believe you. that's what i'm talking about. you want me, and others here at this site, to believe that a 38 year old woman started gymnastics at 38 and worked her way thru whatever it is you are delusional about and learned a tkatchev and a geinger.

and if she was 38 when she started, then that would make her a beginner also. doesn't matter what age you start. when you start you are a beginner.

Chusovitina is finally starting to show diminishing returns at near 39. and you want me...and you don't know WHO I AM...to believe that a grown woman started at the same age that Oksana is starting to wind down and learned a tkatchev and geinger.

okay folks, i got some prime hotel/resort real estate for sale for cheap in Afghanistan. please PM me for details. there are so many in line for this prime real estate that you better hurry up. bye now.

p.s. can you imagine the size of the city that you could power if you could turn human BS in to electricity...just imagine. :)
 

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