Parents Visiting gyms on vacation

[txgymfan]

I agree it depends on the kid. Flipping around in a gym seems more enjoyable than traditional working out. It seems like a fun way for kids to meet other kids with similar interests in new places. Other kids need the break and more power to them. Whatever is best for them mentally.

 

[bogwoppit]

Mine both did it, but they never trained more than 13 hours a week during their comp gym years, and our gym closed for 3 months every summer and a month at xmas. Basically my kids trained part time.

So going to a gym whilst on a long holiday was fun for them. One of the HC's is even a member here now

 

[emorymom]

We do this. It allows us to travel without being when-will-Suzie-start-kipping who is never in gym. Frankly with multiple kids in multiple sports and commitments I cannot realistically schedule family vacations for the weeks that one sport or another is on break. If your gym runs 52 weeks a year, I understand saying, well, why not take a vacation. But my kids' sports don't run 52 weeks a year and I can't get any vacations to align with when anyone's club shuts down.

 

[Ali'sMom]

We do this. It allows us to travel without being when-will-Suzie-start-kipping who is never in gym.

I saw one of "my Suzy's" first kips during spring break

 

[gymmomtoo]

What is this "vacation" thing you people speak of? The only places we visited were those associated with a gymnastics meet!

 

[wrzos]

We are planning this for the first time later this summer. We will be out of the country for 6 weeks, and returning less than 4 weeks before her first competition (L3). Basically we told the coach, that while we understand training is important... She is L3, and we aren't putting our life on hold for that.

That said, my daughter was devastated! Not only will she miss 4.5 weeks of training (gym closes 1.5 weeks over 4th of July), but also the team camp, and she is fretting about losing her BHS without constant practice. So, we've contacted a gym near where we will be staying for roughly 4 weeks of our time gone, and made arrangements for her to practice there.

Unfortunately, they basically shut down the entire month of July, but the coach will either handle her in privates, or see if any of the girls are around and want extra practices that my daughter can join in.

What was interesting to me, is that without even evaluating her yet, she brought up the idea of competing internationally when we travel there, as long as her dual citizenship paperwork was in place. I thought that was odd... I don't know the first thing about FIG! SMH...

 

[Ausi_poppet]

It sure seems like it would be up to the gymnast, family and coaches as to what is best for each particular gymnast on vacation ... We've done it both ways and sometimes just fully allowed vacation time, but other times we've traveled right before meet season started and it was both helpful and a great experience for DD to be a guest at a gym.

Related question I've been pondering (and will also ask our own coaches soon) - but would love to hear from experienced parents and coaches.
We will be on vaca for much longer than usual this summer - 16 days - and I am torn about whether to give full time off or to visit at a gym a few days the second week. My DD benefits greatly from a week off here and there, but wants to make sure her skills are retained with extended time off. This vaca time will NOT be near the start of meet season for once.....just not sure what is best as my DD (will be L7) and she herself isn't sure.

Our gym has a home program for the girls to do when the go away on holidays like yours. It's mostly strength but it takes about an hour to do and we usually have to find a park to do some of it in. My daughter did it when we went to Vietnam for 3 weeks - including on the junk on Halong Bay and a park in HCM City - and while on a 9 day school camp. It's just part of holiday life for us now.

 

[Ausi_poppet]

We are planning this for the first time later this summer. We will be out of the country for 6 weeks, and returning less than 4 weeks before her first competition (L3). Basically we told the coach, that while we understand training is important... She is L3, and we aren't putting our life on hold for that.

That said, my daughter was devastated! Not only will she miss 4.5 weeks of training (gym closes 1.5 weeks over 4th of July), but also the team camp, and she is fretting about losing her BHS without constant practice. So, we've contacted a gym near where we will be staying for roughly 4 weeks of our time gone, and made arrangements for her to practice there.

Unfortunately, they basically shut down the entire month of July, but the coach will either handle her in privates, or see if any of the girls are around and want extra practices that my daughter can join in.

What was interesting to me, is that without even evaluating her yet, she brought up the idea of competing internationally when we travel there, as long as her dual citizenship paperwork was in place. I thought that was odd... I don't know the first thing about FIG! SMH...

Where are you travelling to?

 

[Ali'sMom]

What was interesting to me, is that without even evaluating her yet, she brought up the idea of competing internationally when we travel there, as long as her dual citizenship paperwork was in place. I thought that was odd... I don't know the first thing about FIG! SMH...

Well, now that just steps it up to a whole new level!!! LOL!!!!

 

[wrzos]

Where are you travelling to?

Poland...

 

[duyetanh]

Depends on the kid. My kid wanted to go to the gym to check it out when we were on vacay...this said, the whole gym spoke another language and was a different ethnicity...and it was a language I am only rudimentary at. So we didn't go.

 

[wrzos]

Depends on the kid. My kid wanted to go to the gym to check it out when we were on vacay...this said, the whole gym spoke another language and was a different ethnicity...and it was a language I am only rudimentary at. So we didn't go.

Yeah - my dd begged for practice time but now that we've set it up she is panicking about the language... we'll see how she does...

 

[skschlag]

Yeah - my dd begged for practice time but now that we've set it up she is panicking about the language... we'll see how she does...

We had some gymnasts that came from Germany (I think...it oculd have been Austria or Switzerland. I know they spoke German...) last year and worked out with the team. They had a language issue, but handled it well. Our boys loved working out with them!

 

[Ali'sMom]

Yeah - my dd begged for practice time but now that we've set it up she is panicking about the language... we'll see how she does...

I hope she does great!
My own DD is worried about being the one who "talks funny", while training at an Irish gym... And I'm all like "You get to listen to all the Irish accents!"

 

[Oldgymmom]

My DD has never trained on vacation. Geez everyone needs break.

 

[munchkin3]

Ha! I'm on vacation now! DD has been off for a whole, (yes a whole) week!!!!
She almost asked if she could workout at a local gym, and I said no way! Absolutely not.
It was more that she wanted to see how a foreign gym was.... But no......personally I don't want to think of gymnastics on vacation! No driving, packing snacks, water, getting the right Leo, the perfect hair spray/hair tie tension in the pony tail, grips, tape, bandage just in case, etc, etc.........VACATION!!!!!


(Yet I'm still here on CB, pondering!)

 

[Ali'sMom]

Before CB, I had no idea how how polarizing practicing on vacation was! LOL!

Ha! I'm on vacation now! DD has been off for a whole, (yes a whole) week!!!!
She almost asked if she could workout at a local gym, and I said no way! Absolutely not.
It was more that she wanted to see how a foreign gym was.... But no......personally I don't want to think of gymnastics on vacation! No driving, packing snacks, water, getting the right Leo, the perfect hair spray/hair tie tension in the pony tail, grips, tape, bandage just in case, etc, etc.........VACATION!!!!!


(Yet I'm still here on CB, pondering!)

I just realized that maybe I'm okay with it because I don't typically have to deal with any of that... Well, I pick up at 8:40 each night, but lately it's fun to get there because she's just learned her new floor routine (and I get to chat with the fun moms that I've gotten to know)... But that's the only part I'm physically involved in. So to go a little out of my way on vacation isn't such a huge deal for me. And because then I also get a chance to watch