Parents Drills to get early skills (or not)?

[suebee]

I'm still a newbie and I'm not even exactly sure how to word my question.

DD is a young 5 and was invited this summer to join her gym's level 1/2 team. I know that many gyms don't compete at this level, and this is probably the equivalent of an early level pre-team at most other gyms.

My parents usually take dd to gym and I only take her when I'm on vacation from work. I took her a few times this month, and since I rarely go, I was interested to watch practice. I noticed that the coach doesn't seem to have the girls do drills, but instead just has them practice the skills they are working on. For example, on bars, there are several stations. The coach will spot a girl as needed through a pullover, cast, back hip circle, and dismount. The other stations include preschool bars where girls are told to independently practice their pullovers, or casts, or back hip circles. But for girls like my dd who cannot do a back hip circle without a spot, the back hip circle stations can be a little frustrating, because it seems more like they're practicing *not* doing it than practicing doing it. I would say that more girls don't have their back hip circles than ones who do, and the ones who do have it seem to have poor form (very piked).

I guess I'm wondering whether practicing a skill independently that they cannot do is helpful in learning the skill. Being curious, I googled and found some drills for back hip circles on youtube, and I was wondering whether it is common for coaches to use drills for early skills. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is whether not using drills and just practicing the skills is standard, not standard, or whether it just depends on the coach. I guess I'm thinking that for my dd, it would be easier for her to learn the skill if they broke down the skill a little and did some drills. But not having any experience in gymnastics, I'm not really sure.

Thanks.

 

[BlairBob]

All depends. Only one set of hands for 7 gymnasts.

I find good results with using a hip circle machine but some little children do not like being tied to the bar at all. Even some older ones will freak out about (whereas some kids will love that they can spin around 100x).

 

[happychaos]

So two great gyms in our area have very different training styles. Gym A uses next to NO drills. To learn a skill you try, try, try, and then you get it and perfect it through MANY reps. Gym B uses many, many drills. The girls do drills for every part of the skill. It isn't until they can do the drills easily that they get to actually try the real skill. They really don't get to try anything unless the coaches are pretty confident that they will be able to do it. So, my DD used to train at gym A and is now at gym B, for reasons NOT related to training style. From what I can tell, it looks like it takes girls about the same amount of time to go from first beginning a new skill, to having competition ready. It's just a different process. For example, my DD learned her front tuck and gym A. She tried a few into the pit (maybe 10?) then her coach had her try them on the floor. She landed on her butt many times, then started landing on her feet but very squatted. That was one day. Over the next few months she worked them every day eventually improving form and height. She never, ever did any kind of a drill. So, DD then moves to gym B and her group there is working front tuck drills. I swear they must have at least 10 drill they do for front tucks. Off of stacked mats, up onto mats, off an air mat, on the trampoline, off a springboard, using a band around their arms, and I don't even remember what else. So, when the girls started to do them on the floor they have very few butt landings. The girls just seem to "have" them right away. I honestly have no idea which way is better. My DD had more fun just "going for it". But, I am way more comfortable with how they teach the back tuck at gym B. Both ways seem to take about the same amount of time, and both gyms have good results with higher level optionals. My DD learned her BHC just like your DD. Trying it a bunch of times, and being spotted occasionally. She is now learning her clear hip at the other gym, so we shall see!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Both ways work and your DD will be fine trying by herself. You have no need to be concerned about a back hip circle. I literally spend a day or two teaching back hip circles, the rest of the time is just spotting and letting them go it alone.

 

[gymdog]

Not a lot of drills can be done for BHC. Just trying to do it by themselves is pretty much the standard.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I'm still a newbie and I'm not even exactly sure how to word my question.

DD is a young 5 and was invited this summer to join her gym's level 1/2 team. I know that many gyms don't compete at this level, and this is probably the equivalent of an early level pre-team at most other gyms.

My parents usually take dd to gym and I only take her when I'm on vacation from work. I took her a few times this month, and since I rarely go, I was interested to watch practice. I noticed that the coach doesn't seem to have the girls do drills, but instead just has them practice the skills they are working on. For example, on bars, there are several stations. The coach will spot a girl as needed through a pullover, cast, back hip circle, and dismount. The other stations include preschool bars where girls are told to independently practice their pullovers, or casts, or back hip circles. But for girls like my dd who cannot do a back hip circle without a spot, the back hip circle stations can be a little frustrating, because it seems more like they're practicing *not* doing it than practicing doing it. I would say that more girls don't have their back hip circles than ones who do, and the ones who do have it seem to have poor form (very piked).

I guess I'm wondering whether practicing a skill independently that they cannot do is helpful in learning the skill. Being curious, I googled and found some drills for back hip circles on youtube, and I was wondering whether it is common for coaches to use drills for early skills. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is whether not using drills and just practicing the skills is standard, not standard, or whether it just depends on the coach. I guess I'm thinking that for my dd, it would be easier for her to learn the skill if they broke down the skill a little and did some drills. But not having any experience in gymnastics, I'm not really sure.

Thanks.

uh oh...google. yikes.

 

[guest301]

My girl is also newly 5 and also level 1 our gym like yours have approach just of "just do it and you eventually learn it". Meanwhile coaches do give tips to kids what needs to be adjusted. But nothing like heavy drills...

 

[BlairBob]

I would prefer a mix of drills and myself spotting. Which means 2-3 drills besides my spotting station unless I let them try on their own on a station.