Gymnasts Do I have a chance?

[nainai]

I'm a 15-year-old gymnast who started at 13. I'm an Excel silver gymnast who struggles to get a backend kickover and bar skills and would like to know what exercises and stretches I can do to get stronger in every event and just in general. On the floor, my highest skill is front handspring, on beam cartwheel, on vault round-off, and on bars nothing. my all-time goal even if it seems kind of unachievable and to be level 6 by the time I turn 16 which is this July btw. is it realistic and what can I do to make sure I gain strength and get where I need to be that fast.

 

[Coach Kate]

Hi,

I love how much you love your sport and want to improve. However, I do not think your goal of being a level 6 in 4 months is realistic. Xcel silver is more comparable to somewhere between level 2 and 3, and moving 3 levels in that time frame is not attainable for the vast majority. I would start with smaller, more attainable goals for yourself. You can even look at some level six routines and work your way backwards from there. Example: you'll see a lot of round off backhandspring layouts. So you'll need a string round off, a standing backhandspring, a round off backhandspring, a roundoff backhandspring back tuck, and then that round off backhandspring layout. I highly recommend talking to your coach about your goals and they can help you set some and work on the necessary conditioning and progressions.

 

[HopefulGymnast]

Can I ask why you'd want to be level 6 at that time?
I know in the US there are options to compete for adults, so I think if you want to you can keep growing for years to come. I started gymnastics at 24, and in my group there are people who are nearly 60 who can do skills most kids can't. So it's not like your body just stops being capable on your 18th birthday or something.
Of course you don't have to do gymnastics that long if you don't want to, but I'm just wondering why you're in such a rush?

I agree, talk to your coach, but maybe it'd be a good idea to ask stuff like how long would it take you to get to level 6, and where could you be by the time you're 16. Also let them know if you're willing to do extra conditioning at home. I expect that could really help you with bars.

Also, I'm curious, when you say on bars nothing: can you do a pullover? A back or front hip circle? A cast, or a squat on? Any dismount? Tap swings on the high bar? If the answer to any of those is yes then it's not nothing, don't talk yourself down too much . There are plenty of people who can't do any of those. If you cant do any of those in 2 years of excel silver, then I would worry a little bit about the coaching, and I'm here to give any tips or conditioning that may help.

 

[nainai]

i can d

Can I ask why you'd want to be level 6 at that time?
I know in the US there are options to compete for adults, so I think if you want to you can keep growing for years to come. I started gymnastics at 24, and in my group there are people who are nearly 60 who can do skills most kids can't. So it's not like your body just stops being capable on your 18th birthday or something.
Of course you don't have to do gymnastics that long if you don't want to, but I'm just wondering why you're in such a rush?

I agree, talk to your coach, but maybe it'd be a good idea to ask stuff like how long would it take you to get to level 6, and where could you be by the time you're 16. Also let them know if you're willing to do extra conditioning at home. I expect that could really help you with bars.

Also, I'm curious, when you say on bars nothing: can you do a pullover? A back or front hip circle? A cast, or a squat on? Any dismount? Tap swings on the high bar? If the answer to any of those is yes then it's not nothing, don't talk yourself down too much . There are plenty of people who can't do any of those. If you cant do any of those in 2 years of excel silver, then I would worry a little bit about the coaching, and I'm here to give any tips or conditioning that may he

Can I ask why you'd want to be level 6 at that time?
I know in the US there are options to compete for adults, so I think if you want to you can keep growing for years to come. I started gymnastics at 24, and in my group there are people who are nearly 60 who can do skills most kids can't. So it's not like your body just stops being capable on your 18th birthday or something.
Of course you don't have to do gymnastics that long if you don't want to, but I'm just wondering why you're in such a rush?

I agree, talk to your coach, but maybe it'd be a good idea to ask stuff like how long would it take you to get to level 6, and where could you be by the time you're 16. Also let them know if you're willing to do extra conditioning at home. I expect that could really help you with bars.

Also, I'm curious, when you say on bars nothing: can you do a pullover? A back or front hip circle? A cast, or a squat on? Any dismount? Tap swings on the high bar? If the answer to any of those is yes then it's not nothing, don't talk yourself down too much . There are plenty of people who can't do any of those. If you cant do any of those in 2 years of excel silver, then I would worry a little bit about the coaching, and I'm here to give any tips or conditioning that may help.

on bars, i can do a front hip circle but my hips don't come back to the bar so I dont count it as a skill and I can cast to 45 degrees but really that's all, I'm in a rush because i know my age is a peak-ing age for most gymnast and I don't want to stop the sport because my goal ultimately is to make it to nationals or worlds slight maybe for olympics

 

[HopefulGymnast]

I'm in a rush because i know my age is a peak-ing age for most gymnast and I don't want to stop the sport because my goal ultimately is to make it to nationals or worlds slight maybe for olympics

I wouldn't say your age is peaking age for gymnastics. It used to be, when we trained gymnasts irresponsibly and they were too injured to go on at 18, and when things were more about flexibility than power.
Just look at who won the last worlds medals:
Simone Biles, age 26
Rebecca andrade, age 24
Jade barbosa, age 32
And in 2011 already, oksana chusovitina won a silver vault medal at the age of 36 when it was usual for gymnasts to quit at a young age. She's still going to world cups now at age 48, and won gold at the islamic games for uzbekistan three years ago (aged 45)

Next olympics, some of the biggest medal candidates are girls in their mid twenties like biles (27 by then) and andrade (25 by then I think), and I expect we'll see barbosa (age 33 then) there too.

You mention going to the olympics. I'll be honest, I don't think that's going to happen. I actually think a late starter would be able to with the right support and a lot of talent, though most people disagree. The issue is that I don't think you're going to find the right support for that. I don't think there's a single coach in the world who will pick up a 15 year old girl and try and take her to the olympics. And if there is such a coach, they'd want to see a 15 year old who is at least outstanding on one event straight away .

As for nationals, I think you could reach an Xcell nationals or a DP nationals one day with a lot of work. You should talk to your coach about that. But with that too, I think there'll be options to compete as an adult. There could be all kinds of reasons to stop gymnastics at age 18: your gym may not suit you anymore, you may want to try other things, you may be too busy with college or it gets too expensive. But don't let anybody tell you you'd be too old to reach great heights. I started at 24, and i can do kips, flyaways, a transition from low to high...

 

[NutterButter]

You still have lots of time to do the sport you love! Starting gymnastics at 13 and competing Silver two years later is pretty amazing. While it won't be possible for you to get to elite-level gymnastics, you still have plenty of time to be part of the sport. A lot of colleges have club teams which compete against other colleges (and there's even nationals). This might be an excellent opportunity for you after high school.