WAG Question about pits at gyms

[Quadqueen]

My DD was at a gym without pits up until recently. I was convinced she would do just fine there. However, the girls tend to stall out around level 7 at that gym, and I attribute part of that to not being able to train the bigger skills. DD moved this summer and immediately began working on skills she would never be able to attempt at her old gym, and she just started optionals. It's too early to say whether it will have a long-term positive impact on her gymnastics, but I strongly believe it will.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

In my opinion, pits are luxuries, not necessities. They weren't even widely used at all before the 70's and all those gymnasts got along fine. I myself learned double back and double fulls and dismounts without pits and been just fine. Although really, your daughter is probably a while away from any skills that would 'require' a pit anyway. So I wouldn't take it into consideration too much!

Floor: front full, double arabian (still inconsistent) double back, 2 and 1/2 (still inconsistent), wide arm press, started full-in and double-double into pits.

Looks like you are using that pit now...

 

[Deleted member D3987]

^^^ you are correct Quadqueen. she needs to stay where she is at.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Looks like you are using that pit now...

bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Flossyduck]

I don't think you can compare training facilities from the 70's and now. Have you looked at old clips of routines from the 70's? The skills were very different and I have watched gold medal winning routines from not much before that time which my 9 year old could have competed. I'm talking WAG of course. I now sit back and await a battering from those of you who were competing back then .

I seriously can't imagine dd being in a gym without pits, even at her level. They use them for bars, most sessions unless running through routines for comps, but probably mostly for vault and bigger tumble skills. She's been doing front straights with twist over a block into the pit this weekend. Coach could just stand back and watch her form and shaping and comment. It would be so much harder without the pit. It comes around quicker than you think!

For gymnastics progression stay at a gym with good coaches and good equipment. Those would be my absolute top two in that order. I would only move her if she was unhappy and thinking of quitting. Otherwise why downgrade on those things? I guess if she is unhappy and thinking of quitting then you would need to explain that she may limit what she can do in the future by moving, but you're happy with that as long as she is and wont regret it.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

we want pits Whaaaaaaa !

 

[Brandon]

you don't understand the sport of gymnastics just yet. sorry i had to pull the age, wisdom and experience card on you.

Is that right? Mind backing up your claim? What part of my post do you take an issue with?

 

[Brandon]

Looks like you are using that pit now...

Really? You're going to go into another post as quote me for the sake of bashing me? Lovely.

For the record, the ONLY place I use a pit is at Flipfest, which is where the aforementioned full ins happened. And even if I used pits regularly it doesn't change my point. You can learn that stuff without it.


My point still stands: pits are not that important and good coaching should always come first. She's still a good 4-5 years away from even thinking about using one anyway. So I would not factor it into the discussion process very much.

 

[iwannacoach]

Really? You're going to go into another post as quote me for the sake of bashing me? Lovely.

For the record, the ONLY place I use a pit is at Flipfest, which is where the aforementioned full ins happened. And even if I used pits regularly it doesn't change my point. You can learn that stuff without it.


My point still stands: pits are not that important and good coaching should always come first. She's still a good 4-5 years away from even thinking about using one anyway. So I would not factor it into the discussion process very much.

Geez, I don't think we want to bash you, it's just that you don't seem to understand a few things about your post. Here's the first one that also uses the same post that PL used, and that you take as bashing...

I'm thinking of finally starting to compete this year! I haven't this far because of fear and money but I'm strongly considering it this year. I'm 16 and might do level 10 as a specialist.

The fact that you were 16 years old as recently as the end of July doesn't mean you can't have an opinion we can respect, but it has to pass our sniff test of logic, awareness of the issue's importance, and your own understanding of where we were and what we were doing in the seventies.

I went through my entire competitive gymnastics career without the benefit of pits, and was outstand on rings. By outstanding, I mean I had a swing like butter through every skill in the code and a decent strength skill. I could choose the composition of my routine to make it suit my mood, and to surprise judges who had already seen me. Honestly Brandon, I could almost hear their pencils drop when I'd pull a metaphorical rabbit out of my hat. The only thing I couldn't add to my routine was a well done dismount, and without that my scores were limited.

I would have loved having the daily use of a pit. It would have added so much to every routine the last year I competed.... with a dismount that put me on my butt or hands and knees every single time. You have no idea how frustrating it is to have a routine capable of a 9.7-9.9 at nationals if you could only get that last crucial skill.

It's that type of frustration that drives gymnasts and coaches to hope they can make it through a dangerous skill to find that missing piece.

That's when people get hurt. Because they don't know, but still try.

Your own admission to working into a pit at flipfest quickly enabling you to attempt a multi-multi really does contradict the position you've taken in this thread. The question isn't is gymnastics possible without a pit, it's more like can you work up to the top L10 skills responsibly and safely without one.

You're absolutely right about good coaching being more important than a pit, but at the same time your position is a child will take four years to go from L4 to the point of needing a pit. In my mind that child could easily be a level 8 dabbling in level 9 skills, or a level 9 doing the same thing..... I doubt you'll find more than the occasional idiot who thinks a pit is a substitute for capable coaching. You got that one right, but can't imagine how you've seen enough to responsibly make the statement that pit's aren't that important.


But hey, I've never tried teaching a double double, so who the heck am I to know anything about the issue.

 

[AmandaLynn]

The argument about gymnasts getting on just fine in the 70s without pits is flawed. There were WAY fewer gymnasts doing the types of skills that we see today. Today's gymnasts are working "big" skills at earlier and earlier ages, well before their bodies can handle the repetitive pounding. Without the ability to work into pits and on trampolines, most kids will be injured and quit before they even hit puberty.

 

[iwannacoach]

The argument about gymnasts getting on just fine in the 70s without pits is flawed. There were WAY fewer gymnasts doing the types of skills that we see today. Today's gymnasts are working "big" skills at earlier and earlier ages, well before their bodies can handle the repetitive pounding. Without the ability to work into pits and on trampolines, most kids will be injured and quit before they even hit puberty.

Aw geez AmandaLynn....... You just took all the bling and swag out of the kids I had doing bhs series on beam, and tsuks on vault..... what a bummer....

 

[Deleted member D3987]

and he was wrong about not having pits in the 70's too. they were called caskets...

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

My DD was at a gym with a pit, but no one past level 8 for several years and she was the only successful optional. She is now at a gym with no pit, but amazing coaching, lots of successful 8-10's. Would they love to have a pit, YES, but they are doing without. When they go to camps they are thrilled to work in the pits

 

[Gymnastisism]

and he was wrong about not having pits in the 70's too. they were called caskets...

omg!

Anyway, a gym that has a pit usually means (however, not always) that the coaches are able to up train more and also train more difficult skills, than if a gymnast was just learning on the tumble trak or trampoline. A pit can also lead to less injuries as landings aren't as important during the beginning stages of learning a new skill in the pit.

 

[LizzieLac]

My observation is that the pit also offers a training option when a gymmie is dealing with a fear. Very valuable.

Ours is built above ground.

 

[Bajanswife]

Our gym has no space for a pit, and we live on an island so the cost of bringing in an above ground pit even if we had the space would be enormous! Digging an inground pit is more problematic - especially as our gym is on the second floor!

The gym would need to move to a new facility (bigger, more rent) and then look at their options. Right now there is no affordable location to move to (the owner and I talk about this from time to time - I am on the Gymnastics Association's Executive Committee and we are always talking about how to improve things). Some clubs just can't manage a pit right now. Our gym also can't manage to get any girls past level 8. We have had a couple of elite men, but one did his elite training overseas when he went to college and the other is an event specialist only training I think 3 events, and he also trains overseas a few months of the year. It's hard to train high levels without the pit, especially if you don't have coaches that can spot adult sized gymnasts! DD's coach has finally gotten enough junior coaches that she can start her team with younger/lower level gymnasts, and she's now getting some smaller kids to optionals. That means she can still spot them. When they get bigger she can no longer spot them safely.

 

[JBS]

It's hard to train high levels without the pit, especially if you don't have coaches that can spot adult sized gymnasts!.

Even if you do...those coaches can get "wrecked" very quickly.

I went from spotting everything to not being able to spot over the course of a couple of weeks. I was spotting a girl on an overshoot to handstand. I was in between the rails on a block...we have done this hundreds of times with this girl. I was not thinking...over the last 12 months...she has grown 10 inches...I should have been behind the low rail...not between the bars for her...she is too tall for me to control if something goes wrong. She bailed to hand just like she had hundreds of times before...except this time she was about 2 inches above the low rail in a handstand. She continued to flip past the rail...I lowered her to the ground safely while shredding my rotator cuff. Just got a cortisone shot the other day...keep your fingers crossed.

Anyways...while a pit would not have helped my injury...there are many cases where pits can help the coaches stay healthy. Ever seen a coach rip a bicep spotting vault?...yah...should've just done more station work...like "up" vault and pit vault. Pits are good for more than just the obvious...my body thanks them.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

spoken like a veteran ^^^

 

[iwannacoach]

Even if you do...those coaches can get "wrecked" very quickly.

She continued to flip past the rail...I lower her to the ground safely while shredding my rotator cuff. Just got a cortisone shot the other day...keep your fingers crossed.

Anyways...while a pit would not have helped my injury...there are many cases where pits can help the coaches stay healthy. Ever seen a coach rip a bicep spotting vault?...yah...should've just done more station work...like "up" vault and pit vault. Pits are good for more than just the obvious...my body thanks them.

Rotator cuff pain spoken here..........

and tendonitis flare ups.......

and a partial bicep tear, fortunate on that one as I only lost enough fiber to take some of the buff out of that one.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

In two years my kid has gone from essentially a L4 to approx. a L8 gymnast. I say this not to brag, but to bring attention to the fact that sometimes kids' needs change quickly and they require things they recently didn't. Two years ago, she spent a minimal amount of time in the pit. Now, she spends 80% of her floor time in the pit (not literally, but I'm sure you know what I mean) and last year a phenomenal amount of time on the pit bar doing giants, giant flyaways, etc. I can't imagine her elsewhere. To the OP, if your daughter has a pit and uses it regularly, it will be sorely missed if you move to a gym without one.