Parents US Champs...Mens v Womens

[amanda.winter.116]

New to the gymnastics world, I grew up riding so I find myself Googling a lot of things. Couldn't an answer for this one though so I thought I would ask here as y'all seem very knowledable.

We've been watching the US Championships over the weekend and I noticed that a lot of the male gymnast seem to be part of a college team and wearing their team jersey. However, the ladies are all still in high school.
Does anyone know why this is?

 

[skschlag]

New to the gymnastics world, I grew up riding so I find myself Googling a lot of things. Couldn't an answer for this one though so I thought I would ask here as y'all seem very knowledable.

We've been watching the US Championships over the weekend and I noticed that a lot of the male gymnast seem to be part of a college team and wearing their team jersey. However, the ladies are all still in high school.
Does anyone know why this is?

Because the men peak way later than the women. They have to be 18 I think to compete as seniors. Before that, they compete as juniors.

 

[RTT2]

What I have read from coaches here is that men have much more time in this sport because their bodies continue to develop and mature, but apparently there is a sharp decline for girls after puberty. No idea why they call it Women's Artistic Gymnastics instead of Little Girl's Artistic Gymnastics, but last night Nastia Liuken assured viewers that girls peak by "16, or 17, sometimes even 18." Hope no one tells Simone!

 

[wandrewsjr]

Yes, but Simone is neither a girl nor a woman, but a superhero. Regular rules do not apply. The last few female Olympic all-around champions have been 19,16,18,16,16,17,15,19,16. So, statistically, Nastia is correct.

 

[RTT2]

Yes, but Simone is neither a girl nor a woman, but a superhero. Regular rules do not apply. The last few female Olympic all-around champions have been 19,16,18,16,16,17,15,19,16. So, statistically, Nastia is correct.

Do they peak or burn out from years of incredibly high hours from such an early age? Women weren't even permitted to run marathons until the last few decades- it was a given that the mileage was too difficult and damaging for their bodies. I would love to see this sport grow to encompass the strength, power, and maturity of women in their late teens through 20s, instead of seeing them finish "careers" by 17.

 

[JessSyd]

Yes, but Simone is neither a girl nor a woman, but a superhero. Regular rules do not apply. The last few female Olympic all-around champions have been 19,16,18,16,16,17,15,19,16. So, statistically, Nastia is correct.

But if we're not counting Simone, then we need to acknowledge that silver and bronze AA at Rio went to women in their 20s. Perhaps times are finally, properly changing.

 

[JessSyd]

And that both those women in their twenties were at their absolute peak - better than they were in their teens.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Perhaps. In fact, of the top ten in 2016, only two were teenagers. But there are always some veterans in the field who are still strong. But since the world champion and bronze medalist at World's in 2017 were both 16, not sure we can declare a trend, yet.

 

[gymmutti]

Hope no one tells Simone!

And don't tell Chuso either! She keeps bringing home medals at age 43!

 

[wandrewsjr]

If/when Simone wins in Tokyo, she will be the first non-teenager to be all-around Olympic champion since Tourischeva in 1972. When she wins Worlds this year, she she will be the first since Khorkina in 2003, she was first since Nellie Kim in 1979. In contrast, a teenager has never won the male Olympic all-around title.

 

[RTT2]

Sports history is littered with myths about what the female body can't do. I'd like to see Simone as a pioneer, not a super hero.

 

[vagymmomma]

When she wins Worlds this year .

Love this quote ... still a ways to go for Worlds, but she must have the other competitors discouraged about Gold potential. I thought it was interesting that she said in an interview that there may be more upgrades to come between now and worlds. What could they possibly be?

 

[tomtnt]

I'm also surprised at how the men are able to balance training @ world class levels while in college (and presumably studying, etc) while it is not possible for female gymnasts.. I understand the difference in code makes a huge difference as the collegiate code is water downed in comparison to FIG for women's gymnastics..

In most other Olympic sports (swimming, track etc.) the best athletes are in college and training for worlds/olympic etc..

 

[Lunde]

And that both those women in their twenties were at their absolute peak - better than they were in their teens.

Sorry but that is simply not true. Aliya Mustafina was much better in her teens before her awful ACL rupture in 2011

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I wonder if it a chicken or egg thing.

Perhaps we don't see as many women in their 20s, because they are so pushed so hard as young girls by the time they are in their 20s they just want to be done and have a life.

Perhaps if their trajectory was slower they would stay in longer.

 

[raenndrops]

Love this quote ... still a ways to go for Worlds, but she must have the other competitors discouraged about Gold potential. I thought it was interesting that she said in an interview that there may be more upgrades to come between now and worlds. What could they possibly be?

Well, based on her power shown on night one with vault, an extra 1/2 twist on her Cheng and an extra 1/2 twist on the Amanar could result in a Biles 1 and Biles 2 at Worlds. And the floor pass that is not already ending with the Biles might be able to add an extra 1/2 - 1/1 twist too.

 

[Madden3]

New to the gymnastics world, I grew up riding so I find myself Googling a lot of things. Couldn't an answer for this one though so I thought I would ask here as y'all seem very knowledable.

We've been watching the US Championships over the weekend and I noticed that a lot of the male gymnast seem to be part of a college team and wearing their team jersey. However, the ladies are all still in high school.
Does anyone know why this is?

Because MAG and WAG are different in several key ways, and because men and women develop differently in several key ways.


MAG is a sport that (among many other things) tests the extremes of upper body strength in the adult male body. Males tend to start puberty later than females and to not achieve a fully mature male body until their early 20s. Even all-around gymnasts (who look so much "smaller" on TV than, say, a ring specialist) are in fact, massive in their upper body. They must reach their fully developed upper body strength to be competitive at the top levels in all events. This is why a large part of the struggle for MAG is keeping boys in the sport through puberty, because it is such a game changer, but in a way that is different for girls. Puberty is hard to go through for athletes of both sexes, but ultimately the changes that occur in males make the adult male gymnast more likely to develop huge skills.


Females on the other hand generally enter and exit puberty earlier than males, and the biological changes for a maturing woman (increasing body fat, widening of the hips, getting taller) are all things that tend to decrease performance in gymnastics. Interestingly but logically, according to one recent study I found, one factor in success for elite WAG gymnasts is a tendency to mature later than average. Presumably, they have time to develop great skills and strength before their body changes. For men, it may be that maturing earlier would be helpful, at least for longevity in the sport (meaning they can be really good while younger.)


There have also been many changes to WAG events and expected skills and competition rules over the last several decades and these have served (mostly) to lower the average age of elite WAG gymnasts.


Both sexes are in a race against time in the fact that extreme training hours start so early and wears so on the body. So being long lived in the upper levels of competition for either men or women is pretty rare and special.


There are of course elite gymnasts of both sexes who are older, even into their 30’s and 40’s. But they are event specialists. And they are notable because they are so unusual.

 

[Madden3]

I also wanted to add that it is mostly the very, very elite who are focused on in coverage of nationals or international meets. College gymnasts, both male and female, are incredible, accomplished athletes and have worked hard for a decade or more to get on a college team. Since WAG is so popular, there is plenty of opportunity to watch college competitions and see college aged WAG gymnasts in action online or on cable, or you can even treat yourself and attend a MAG or WAG collegiate meet and watch some exciting gymnastics up close.