WAG Random Grips Question

[Dee243]

My DD is L5 if she hadn’t broken her arm. Anyway all the L4 and L5 girls have grips and she is the only one not in grips.

And she’s okay with it. And I’m okay with it - and hadn’t given it much thought. But we were talking the other day and she said something about peels and that’s why she doesn’t have grips. She has medium callouses and almost no rips.

I don’t think she routinely peels. She had all her L5 skills last fall including her flyaway that she got easily.

Like i said I’m not concerned/bothered but I am curious as to why. Can anyone walk me through this?

 

[sce]

While grips take one getting used too, they do aid in grippingbthe bar and thus avoiding peeling from the bar.

 

[John]

I feel there are a few reasons gymnast wear grips. This helped me understand.

http://gymnasticszone.com/dowel-grips-vs-regular-grips/

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Our gym doesn’t do grips until the kids swing a lot of giants, and for some lighter girls, never or at least much later. Nothing wrong with learning how to work the bars with your hands first!

 

[gymgal]

Most lower level girls get grips to be like their older teammates. Some coaches prefer to get them in grips earlier as well because then the girls don't have to "relearn" the skills with the grips. Others prefer that the gymnasts feel the bar while learning all their skills first. While grips will help with peeling off the bar, they don't necessarily help with not ripping your hands. That is more a factor of the gymnast's hands, how tightly they hold the bar, how they swing, etc. my dd hardly ever ripped until she started working her single bar release and never bad until after she had been injured and was out of commission for several months, then was in a rush to get back for competition season.

If your dd is comfortable without the grips, then no reason to get some for her just yet until the coach tells you to. Throughout the years, I have seen many L7s without grips (usually the small gymnasts) but know that it nearly drops off in L8, probably because at that point, they are training releases/transitions in prep for L9. I have yet to see a L9/10 without grips in a JO meet. Not saying they aren't out there but I have sat through several years of L9/10 meets both for my dd and just cheering on others and haven't seen it.

 

[mommyof1]

Here are some coaches' perspectives on when to put a kid in grips. This was posted here a while back but I couldn't find the thread.

https://www.chalkwarrior.com/single-post/2017/05/11/Get-On-a-Grip-For-When-Its-Time-For-Grips

Our gym requires buckles because HC got tired of watching the girls adjust the velcro.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Our coach doesn't like grips for the really small girls. I don't know why. One of the small girls has them, but it's only because she was peeling very frequently. She said the purpose is to help prevent peels. Girls who have excellent grip don't really need them. My DD apparently can hang on to almost anything, so they're not even on the horizon for her, really. I know the gym has a high level optional who didn't get hers until level 7. Same story. Very small, great grip.

 

[raenndrops]

Our coach doesn't like grips for the really small girls. I don't know why. One of the small girls has them, but it's only because she was peeling very frequently. She said the purpose is to help prevent peels. Girls who have excellent grip don't really need them. My DD apparently can hang on to almost anything, so they're not even on the horizon for her, really. I know the gym has a high level optional who didn't get hers until level 7. Same story. Very small, great grip.

we had a girl not get grips until Level 8 ... and in high school. She wasnt ripping OR peeling, she just figured it was time... lol.

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

we had a girl not get grips until Level 8 ... and in high school. She wasnt ripping OR peeling, she just figured it was time... lol.

Was it the sense of peeling? I never actually peeled, but always felt I could slip off any moment, causing me to hold back in amplitude a lot. My coach recommended grips (rest of the team had them for rips, but I never ripped so I didn't get them at that time) , I'm happily swinging much higher while not feeling I can peel off any moment.

 

[Dee243]

Thanks everyone.

She is on the smaller side -but not the smallest by a long shot (she’s 10 and not quite tall enought to ride at six flags but is close - she is small compared to her class but small for a gymnast IMO) and I guess she has a good grip although we will see as she gets back from being out for 4 months. I guess she will just happily remain the hairdresser of the bunch as she is called on to fix ponytails since she isn’t wearing grips! Ha!

 

[Dee243]

Thanks everyone.

She is on the smaller side -but not the smallest by a long shot (she’s 10 and not quite tall enought to ride at six flags but is close - she is small compared to her class but small for a gymnast IMO) and I guess she has a good grip although we will see as she gets back from being out for 4 months. I guess she will just happily remain the hairdresser of the bunch as she is called on to fix ponytails since she isn’t wearing grips! Ha!

I meant not small for a gymnast.

 

[Jazzjerz]

None of our L7 girls wear grips. I'm guessing most of them will get them after L7 states/regionals.