WAG Home bar? Yes or no?

[gymhorsemom]

I know this has been asked before with varied responses. My DD is in a level 3 training group but struggling to get some of the bar skills. She's anxious for a home bar so she can practice at home. She would be practicing all of the level 3 bar skills. Should I be more concerned with her picking up bad habits with these skills? At the moment my biggest concern is her getting the skills because if she doesn't she will be the only one in her group to not compete.

 

[skschlag]

I say no. Bad habits, and frustrations can be intensified. Use the money to do a couple of privates if you can, but don't get a bar for home.

 

[Becauseisaid]

I have to admit that my first instinct on seeing the title was -

YES! I could use a drink after all. Bring on the bar!

 

[cbifoja]

Are you looking for different viewpoints than have already been discussed ad nauseum? Was there a perspective not addressed in the other threads you wanted everyone to consider?

Just wondering if we were just going to rehash the same topic or if there was a new dimension to consider.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Are you looking for different viewpoints than have already been discussed ad nauseum? Was there a perspective not addressed in the other threads you wanted everyone to consider?

Just wondering if we were just going to rehash the same topic or if there was a new dimension to consider.

This and since you asked. Yes I would be concerned with bad habits.

Practice makes permanent.

Have coach give conditioning/strength things to work on.

 

[gymhorsemom]

Are you looking for different viewpoints than have already been discussed ad nauseum? Was there a perspective not addressed in the other threads you wanted everyone to consider?

Just wondering if we were just going to rehash the same topic or if there was a new dimension to consider.

Were you annoyed by my post? I was hoping to get some responses specific to my daughter's situation -behind on bars and hoping to stay with her level 3 group which will compete in the fall -which means that at the moment I, as her mom, am far more concerned with helping her get the skills than with her picking up bad habits. So yes, there was a specific perspective that I wanted everyone to consider. I thought this was the appropriate place to ask such a question, I apologize if it irritated anyone. Honestly if you were annoyed by the topic bc it's been over discussed you could have skipped opening the thread or at the very least not bothered to respond.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I know this has been asked before with varied responses. My DD is in a level 3 training group but struggling to get some of the bar skills. She's anxious for a home bar so she can practice at home. She would be practicing all of the level 3 bar skills. Should I be more concerned with her picking up bad habits with these skills? At the moment my biggest concern is her getting the skills because if she doesn't she will be the only one in her group to not compete.

A pull-up bar for strength work is fine. Otherwise, definitely not. Kids should not practice bars skills at home, ever. First, because it can be dangerous if the bar isn't properly anchored (or even if it is), and second because it's always harder to fix bad habits than to build good ones from scratch.

Talk to youur DD's coach, but I'd guess a 99% chance that his/her answer will be an emphatic "no."

 

[Deleted member 18037]

What is so unique about the situation???? I am confused. A parent concerned about skills, not unique.

Let the coaches, coach. Bad habits are not good and hard to break, once you've practiced them into permenance.

 

[raenndrops]

Were you annoyed by my post? I was hoping to get some responses specific to my daughter's situation -behind on bars and hoping to stay with her level 3 group which will compete in the fall -which means that at the moment I, as her mom, am far more concerned with helping her get the skills than with her picking up bad habits. So yes, there was a specific perspective that I wanted everyone to consider. I thought this was the appropriate place to ask such a question, I apologize if it irritated anyone. Honestly if you were annoyed by the topic bc it's been over discussed you could have skipped opening the thread or at the very least not bothered to respond.

I would suggest privates or open gyms in lieu of getting a home bar... unless you are a trained gymnastics coach, she will develop bad habits and could even get injured.
ADDITIONALLY: The cost of the bar and appropriate matting (new, with the whole package to accommodate a child over the age of 5... you are looking at $725 plus shipping) will far exceed the cost of the necessary privates (which will vary, based on where you live... here, they are $20/hour = 36 hours of privates ... at $50/hour = 14.5 hours of privates) ... and the privates won't take up extra space in your home or become obsolete in a year or 2 when she has advanced beyond L3 skills.

 

[bogwoppit]

Open gyms are not a good idea unless there is an actual coach at the bar spotting. I have seen far too many parents trying to coach at open gyms, bad plan. Eve worse just kids chucking skills with no supervision.

 

[gymhorsemom]

I would suggest privates or open gyms in lieu of getting a home bar... unless you are a trained gymnastics coach, she will develop bad habits and could even get injured.
ADDITIONALLY: The cost of the bar and appropriate matting (new, with the whole package to accommodate a child over the age of 5... you are looking at $725 plus shipping) will far exceed the cost of the necessary privates (which will vary, based on where you live... here, they are $20/hour = 36 hours of privates ... at $50/hour = 14.5 hours of privates) ... and the privates won't take up extra space in your home or become obsolete in a year or 2 when she has advanced beyond L3 skills.

First of all I certainly didn't say this was a unique situation! Just that I was hoping for advice about home bars that pertains to my daughter's specific situation!

And yes, I can see the point that privates can be more effective for the same price -though I did see a bar on Amazon w/ great reviews for $325 shipped and we already own the mat . Privates here are $70/hour unfortunately -so about 5 hours would equal the cost of the bar. Space isn't an issue -our house is not huge but we have a sort of awkward unused space that we call the playroom but no one really uses it anyhow -so this is one reason I was even considering the bar.

But thank you for the advice to not get one so as not to encourage bad habits. Out of curiosity why is this more of a concern with bar than with floor skills? My DD is constantly practicing handstand to bridge/kickover, front and back walkovers, round-offs, handstand, handstand forward roll, etc -I never thought to have her stop doing this. Also, we have a low (on the floor) beam and she's been practicing handstand on beam and beam dismounts on it -is this OK? The only thing I don't allow her to practice at home at this point is BHS!

 

[bogwoppit]

Home practice leads to bad habits and sometimes injuries, that is all. But we all know they love to try.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My daughter does not practice any big skills at home. For the same reason as bar.

No coaching. Practice makes permanent. Bad habits, injuries.

We do stretches given to us specifically for her. Conditioning as per coaches recommendations
Review her floor via video. She practices the portions that are not tumbling.

When it comes to gymnastic skills we let the gymnastic coach, coach.

Their skills are going to take time. Some will come quick, some not so much.

You are going to get very stressed long term at this rate.

Fall is 3 months away, lots of work will be done.

 

[2G1B]

I'll admit that we got a home bar for the kids to practice kips on. Their coaches know that they have it and gave them drills to do. Kips are the only skill they really have ever done on it though. I would never let them do a mill circle or even a shoot through on it. Wouldn't allow a FHC either.

It did help with getting kips for my two older ones. I'm not sure that we got our money out of it though, and I paid like $150 for it on craigslist. Younger DD is doing some drills on it (mostly the last push up part of the kip); but I plan to get rid of it as soon as she has her kip.

 

[needcoffee]

We have a "bar". Not a proper one, more like a monkey bar type set up you find in school playgrounds. DD uses it for strength mainly, and I admit it was useful in getting her kip.

I didn't buy it though, it was a gift from grandparents.

She literally (physically) cannot do any skills on it beyond chin ups/ pullovers and kips.

 

[Pigeon]

I was a gymnastics coach (before kids) and I would love, love, love to coach my son at home (on the basics that apply to both boys and girls; he's 7) but there is just no way he would be coached in the same way by me as he is by his coaches. He just doesn't see me as a "coach". I'm mom, and home is home. A place away from gym....

Having said that...we do have a mushroom at home (boys pommel training). Head coach 1 said "do not let him use it until he has learned the proper technique at the gym", while HC2 was all for as much practice as possible.

I'm sure that doesn't help at all!!!

 

[cbifoja]

Were you annoyed by my post? I was hoping to get some responses specific to my daughter's situation -behind on bars and hoping to stay with her level 3 group which will compete in the fall -which means that at the moment I, as her mom, am far more concerned with helping her get the skills than with her picking up bad habits. So yes, there was a specific perspective that I wanted everyone to consider. I thought this was the appropriate place to ask such a question, I apologize if it irritated anyone. Honestly if you were annoyed by the topic bc it's been over discussed you could have skipped opening the thread or at the very least not bothered to respond.

I was not annoyed by your post. I was wondering if there was something unique about your particular situation. You acknowledged that this question has been asked many times so when you started another thread on the same topic, I chose to give you the benefit of the doubt but asked for clarification.

Your "specific perspective" is as a mom who wants to help her kid get bar skills so she can move up with her friends? And so you are considering a kip bar? I guess I'm just not seeing how different that is from 90% of the other threads on this very subject. But since my questions are apparently annoying YOU, I'll remove myself from this discussion. Good luck with your decision.

 

[wallinbl]

Were you annoyed by my post? I was hoping to get some responses specific to my daughter's situation -behind on bars and hoping to stay with her level 3 group which will compete in the fall -which means that at the moment I, as her mom, am far more concerned with helping her get the skills than with her picking up bad habits. So yes, there was a specific perspective that I wanted everyone to consider. I thought this was the appropriate place to ask such a question, I apologize if it irritated anyone. Honestly if you were annoyed by the topic bc it's been over discussed you could have skipped opening the thread or at the very least not bothered to respond.

The answer to this question will always be no.

If she needs extra time on bars, talk to the coach about private lessons.

 

[Tigtimes]

My humble advice, take a step back and a deep breath. You are at the beginning of your gymnastics journey. It is a crazy ride with many highs and lows, and sometimes lows that seem to last months. You will learn that some skills come with lightening speed and some skills seem to take forever. Nothing you do at home will greatly change the path of their journey, and often times will only set it backward. Leave the gym at the gym. Leave your "biggest concern" to your coaches, they will get her where she needs to be.

I can say the above from experience. When we switched gyms my D was placed with a group that was a year ahead of her. She was beyond behind them, after a few months in a moment of mom stress I questioned a coach. She said to me in two years no one will know the difference. Two years. Well two years later and she was right no one can tell. My point is this sport is unlike any other, things take years to grow and develop. It is not easy to watch the struggles but it is in the struggles where the grit is born. That grit is necessary for longevity.

I will now step off my soapbox

 

[leotardmakermum]

I've never considered getting a bar for home. I did consider getting a beam. "Mum, all my friends have one..." I'm so glad we never did. Gym is for gym, being a kid is for at home. Honestly, my daughter is at the gym so much that she needs the time off gym when she's at home. And apart from all that, I am not a coach, nor will I ever be. If she's going to practice something or learn something new, it will be under the watchful eye of a coach who knows what they are doing.

Having seen a friend's daughter have to unlearn and relearn her twisting direction because a previous coach didn't pick up that she was doing some things one way and some things another way, believe me, it's easier to learn something right the first time.