Parents Summer Hours

[SWK6]

DD is turning 8 in September and competing L4. She was fast tracked and trains with girls doing L6/7 since we have a small gym. For summer she has some flexibility and I am looking for guidance on a good number of hours that would help her improve but not burn out or get injured. Other L4s are doing 15 hours and her group 25. She did 16 during the school year which seemed a lot for her while going to school. Thoughts?

 

[cadybearsmommy]

My thoughts would be that 25 hours is way too much for a 7 year old. I would be concerned about her risk for burnout and injury especially overuse injuries. She sounds quite talented and would probabaly make plenty of progress on the regular 15 hour a week schedule.

I'm curious are some of her 25 hours for a TOPS program? Or is this just 25 hours of regular training? I know Level 10's that don't work out that many hours a week. Seems excessive.

 

[amiandjim]

I agree. I wouldn't do more than 16 at that age, but I know some girls that age do...I just think it's excessive.

 

[gymnastics24.7]

My 7 yo is level 7. She is turning 8 in July. She does 18 hours a week plus 2 hours TOPs, during the school year. She is switching to homeschooling next year, along with my 9 yo. I think your daughter should practice with the other level 4s. Better environment and she probably would prefer to be with the people her age/level.

 

[e'smum]

my (newly turned) 10yo who is training for level 7 will be doing 21 hours during the summer. that is their summer hours for levels 6+.
9-2 m-thr (1/2 hour for lunch)
9-12 on friday
currently, she does 17.5 hours and 2 hours in a pre-elite type class.

i think 25 is a lot unless your dd WANTS to do that. and doesn't care that she is working out with older girls. my dd is the youngest on her team but not by much. and the age range is her all the way up to 13/14 (injuries and a late start in gymnastics contributing to some of the older ages). at such a young age, she will not have anything in common with the upper level girls who are older. that could be an issue.

good luck! i hope you figure out a good combination for her to where she can learn her new skills plus still have friends on the team/have fun.

 

[Committed]

What is the plan for her? Are they thinking she's going to do 6 or 7 right afterward?

Honestly, I would have her stay with her group, but not go one of the days. 25 hours is a lot. No one at our gym goes that many hours (not for TOPs and not our level 10s), and we have many girls at Westerns, going to Nationals, and full-ride scholarships to D1 schools.

 

[aspiringymnastmom]

Our old gym does 18 H for training level 4. (Plus mandatory camp for 4 weeks, hours totaling ~27)
The new gym (we are very likely switching), does 23 H + 10 optional hours of conditioning - same level.

 

[amiandjim]

Our old gym does 18 H for training level 4. (Plus mandatory camp for 4 weeks, hours totaling ~27)
The new gym (we are very likely switching), does 23 H + 10 optional hours of conditioning - same level.

33 hours total for level 4??? That's insane!

 

[vbdb]

That's a lot of hours for a child that young and a big jump from her current hours which is just asking for burnout or injury. Like someone up-thread mentioned I'd probably ask to drop a day if they insist on moving her up to that group.

 

[vbdb]

33 hours total for level 4??? That's insane!

Even our national/elite kids don't do that many hours!

 

[cadybearsmommy]

33 hours total for level 4??? That's insane!

Agree! I'm sorry but that is a recipe for disaster with a kid that young and for compulsories?? More hours in the gym equals higher rate of overuse injuries, as well as other injuries. There are elite kids that don't train that much.

 

[txgymfan]

Could she do a combination of time with the L4s and the L6/7 s? Do the groups train together?

 

[GymDad9.9]

Will compete Level 4 or just competed Level 4?

 

[tomtnt]

depends on your summer training.

our summer training program is part training, part summer camp, part team building... there's definitely more hours but there are also a lot of time spent doing non-gym stuff and activities outside of the gym. bless them, it's probably one of the best summer camp deals around given how much time they spend there compared to what we pay for our son to sign up for variety of other camps to keep him occupied.

 

[CLgym]

My DD did 25 hours/week last summer (she started last summer at 7 years old, turned 8 mid-summer). There was a lunch break every day, plus an hour of ballet/dance once a week. No extra time needed for TOPS/conditioning, that was all embedded into practice. Actual gym time was probably closer to 21 hours per week when you take out breaks and dance. The hours were totally fine for my DD - not too much. Certainly less tiring than during the school year (when she has a full day of school followed by a 3.5 hour practice most days).

In fact, the summer before that (when DD was in Xcel at age 6 turning 7) was actually harder. That summer DD went to a girls sports camp from 9-3 everyday and then went straight to Xcel practice from 4-7 PM / 3 days per week. Less gym time but longer days. Compared to that, 5 hours/day with breaks was a breeze!

ETA: Of course, it depends on the kid! One of mine would not be happy with that level of activity at any age...

 

[Flyaway]

We look forward to summer training because it allows enough time for both serious gym training AND hanging out and being a kid. DD will go 16 hrs/wk this summer (bumped up from 12 during the school year). Our gym maxes out at 20 hrs/wk for the highest levels. I'm happy with this balance.