Parents "The Dreaded Kip Test"

[AlexsGymmyMom]

At our gym to move to Level 5 you have to pass the Kip test which is 4 low bar kips, squat on and 1 long hang kip to the high bar.

Well, I was hoping that they would hold off doing "the kip test" til the end of the month since Alex has lost hers but no luck....first practice after states and of course she does not make any kips at all One girl (7 years old) made all 4 low bar kips but missed the high bar because she was too small to jump to the high bar. Alex was very disappointed that she didn't make at least 1 kip but I was very proud of her. She ran out of practice all excited just to tell me about the 1 girl who did pass the test and is now moving to Level 5. This girl was more than ready to move. She is 12 and the kip is what has held her back for the longest time.

The coaches have said that they will do some more tests before the end of the month so PLEASE send any spare Kip Fairies our way!!

 

[bogwoppit]

Sending you our kip fairy, we don't need her as we are in the middle of meet seasom. When you have finished with her send her back! Nice that they want them to be competant at the kip before moving them on to L5, it can add so much stress when they are not here yet.

 

[Megley]

Sending the kip fairy your way! It's good that they will be doing more tests so that Alex has more chances to move up. I agree with Bog - it's good for them to have that kip fairly well before they start L5. Some of our L5s are really struggling because they are still iffy on the kip. Good luck to Alex!

Meg

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I agree! The kip test is a great way to determine who is really ready for L5. In my limited gymnastics knowledge I thought that the Kip test was a universal thing until coming here to the ChalkBucket. I had no idea gyms used different methods for determining when to move up a gymnast. It is very interesting the differences. I am just thankful our gym does not use the 36AA score method. Alex would still be a level 3 if that were the case !!! LOL!!

 

[gym-mom-fla]

Good Luck Alex! If she had her kips before, she will get them back again! So nice that she was genuinely happy for her teammate that made it, what a sweetie!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Sending the kip fairies from northern Virginia, since Megley has sent them from the southern part of the state!

I do agree though... if they already have that kip before they move to L5, it sure makes for a much less stressful season!!! She she has had it before, she'll get it again!!!

 

[kristilyn73]

Sending Kip Fairies your way!! I remember when my DD Got her kip! It was such a huge day.. she moved to level 5 and then it was a fickle friend! All we wanted for her first meet was for her to get her kip!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Sending Kip Fairies from NC !!! We don't need them at the moment, DD is finishing L4 Saturday. She has until May to get her Kip.

 

[UnoMas]

Well we have never exactly had the kip fairy here,, but...we will shoo her your way if we happen to see her pass by.

DD starts level 5 in March and she is close to her kip...she has to have it to compete level 5 but not to enter level 5. We have 3 more months as a L4 though, so please catch the kip fairy, and make sure to send her back when you are done! Hope it is sooner rather than later for your gymmie!

 

[melmonette]

sending kip fairies to you
I hope she nails her kip test next week

 

[cathiann]

Kip fairies coming!!

 

[mariposa]

Sending her the kip fairy express mail!!! Hope she gets it back quickly and passes the kip test. I do agree that having your kip before going to L5 makes it less stressful, but that test sounds stressful.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Yes the test is very stressful for the girls (and their mommys)! LOL!! The entire gym stops everything and watches. They really cheer each girl on as they do it! I can't wait for when Alex passes. I think they have had the test 3 times since she got her kip in the summer but she just can't get 4 in a row! AARghhh!!! It will come I know!!

 

[gym mom]

Tough test .Sending kip,kip,kip and kip fairies her way!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

UPDATE- The bar fairies must be doing a little magic on my daughter!! Alex has been struggling to get her kip back so Saturday at the Holiday sleepover at the gym she got it back. She said she did alot in a row and did the high bar kip as well! Yeah so hopefully she will nail it on the kip test which I have been told will be done again on Thursday!

I had a meeting with the owner of the gym last Friday and he told me that he really wants Alex to pass this test before January so she can compete L5 this spring . He also told me that if Alex really focuses (sometimes she lacks in that department...my little social butterfly) she could possibly be L7 for the next fall season!! Holy Cow!!. I guess he would like her to score out of L6?I think they have a mobility meet right before the official meet season starts? Not sure but I believe they did this last summer as well. That would be awesome as Alex already has been creating her own routine and has picked out music she would like as well. (even though the gym has a choreographer and I think they ususally select music for the girls too) but it is cute. She wants the song Barraccuda from Heart for her floor music! Kind of funny!!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Good luck to Alex on Thursday !!!

 

[pixie flips]

omgoodness! How exciting for Alex!!

It seems the coach knows that she is capable and ready to move to L5 if he already sees the possibility in her moving to L7 next fall. That's awesome!!

Glad all the kip fairies were working overtime for her (even at the slumber party)

The kip test is a wonderful idea! I wish Pixie's gym had some sort of standards set so the girls would actually know the criteria for moving up. It lets the girls set a goal to achieve and it seems that Alex will indeed make that goal by the end of the month!

~Way to go, Alex!!~

 

[Megley]

Yay for Alex! I hope she nails the test tomorrow. My dd is hoping to do Level 7 next year too and is already making up her beam routine. I hope everything goes great for Alex tomorrow so she gets to do L5 this spring!

Meg

 

[mariposa]

So excited that she is getting closer to getting those kips solid. It surely is a hard skill for many. There are several girls on Abby's L4 team that have been sooo close for months now and it is frustrating for them. I am glad Abby didn't struggle very long on that one, hopefully by the time she needs it, it will be beautiful, she has it about 50/50 straight arm vs. bent.

Will send her lots of kip fairies for her kip test!! And how fun that they have a plan for her and that she is excited about it!

 

[gym mom]

Keep it up Alex you will passing that test easliy! Sounds like the coach has some exciting plans for her our gym scores out of L6 and do prep opt until they are ready,my dd is very excited hopefully come summer she will be moving up.Alex sounds like my dd ,my dd is miss social butterfly and has a hard time focusing on what she is supposed to do.Lol