Parents What do you think of AirTracks for home use?

[Wendie]

Hello fellow gymnastics parents!

My daughters desperately want an AirTrack in our home. I have two gymnasts, a 12 year old Gold XCEL and 10 year old Silver XCEL . They are both into tumbling and we already have two mats at home. These AirTracks are wildly expensive; in the $700 range. Ouch, that is crazy. Both my girls are saving up to buy one for themselves, but I am hesitant if its worth it.

Here is a link to the AirTrack site: http://www.airtrackfactory.com/

If you have one at home, or have researched getting one but decided yay/nay on the purchase, can you respond?

My main questions are:

1) Is it worth the expense? Is the AirTrack that much better than a regular mat?
2) Did it help your gymnast get better?
3) How easy was it to blow it up or take the air out? Is it cumbersome to put away if its in a high traffic area, like our living room?
4) How high did your gymnast jump on it? We would place it in our living room that has varying ceiling heights of 8ft, 9ft and 15 ft (cathedral.) Is that enough clearance for this mat?
5) Did your gymnasts actually use it for awhile or did she get bored of it fast?
6) Is there any competitors that make similar Airtracks that I should research that may be better or cheaper?
7) Are these mats dangerous to the athlete at home?
8) Any other tips?

Thanks so much for your help on this!!
Wendie

 

[wgagym]

Absolutely not for home use!! I would tell them no way.

 

[duyetanh]

Absolutely not for home use!! I would tell them no way.

I would like to "like" this post infinity times....

 

[gymbeam]

you shouldn't be doing anything at home that you couldn't just as easily, and safely, and comfortably do on just a panel mat or even a landing mat for 1/8th of the price or less.

i get so pissed at the instagram pages of kids using those things on snow and water. one slip and they're gonna pull, dislocate or break something.

those pages are doing an excellent job of "selling" them to our kids but they are too expensive for most people to justify, in my opinion.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I would never want to see these in the home!

The biggest concern is safety. Kids are always going to be doing gymnastics at home, even if you ban it, but when they don't have bouncy mats they usually will at least stick to skills they are already confident and competent to do. Once the airtrack is introduced then they want to start by doing skills they have just learnt or are just learning and are in no way safe to be doing at home without the coaches supervision.

And before long they start to want to try things they haven't learned. Even the most sensible kids can lose that when friends are over too and they may co,Peter, show off and spot each other.

Doing these skills can lead to serious injury and death, and that exact warning will come with the airtrack.

Even if they don't hurt the,selves they are going to be practising skills over and over without the watchful eye of their coach which will lead to errors creeping in. These errors will be compounded the more they practice and will lead to them being unable to progress those skills, without a lot of work to undo the bad habits.

The other problem is that the airtrack provides a different bounce to the floor. Kids need to change their technique to make the skills successful on the airtrack. Coaches have to make sure their programs are well balances to ensure the kids don't do too much training on bouncy surfaces to take away from their floor technique. Kids practising skills over and over on the airtrack at home can ruin their technique.

 

[MeetDirector]

OP -

You are kidding, right? You want your gymnasts tumbling at home? Is your home a gymnastics facility with all proper safety equipment and safety-certifed coaches?

Never ever have something like this in your home. Gymnastics stays at the gym, period! Put the money you would spend on this into their college funds.

 

[gymgal]

ditto everyone else - gymnastics stays in the gym. Or at least you do everything in your power to prevent it from coming into the home more than it already has, meaning NO equipment! Including a trampoline outside. No child needs equipment in the home to progress in the gym. No hard data on this but have found that the ones who do use equipment in the home tend to be the ones who end up getting get bored of gym practice more quickly and quit.

 

[munchkin3]

If you absolutely must look into something, look at a trampoline WITH a solid enclosure......I know I'll get static for this, but it's the lesser evil. We had a trampoline for 10 years.....I changed the mat twice, changed the enclosure 3 times.....had strict rules with it and I generally had no issues with it.....plus, even a 14 ft. Tramp limits what they can do. They liked doing 'gymnastics' in it and doing a back tuck, but they could not 'tumble' on it....they could just do one skill at a time and the bounce is subdued. Again, this is not to aid in gymnastics training.....a trampoline is for the kid to be a kid....(with close supervision)

If you are a coach, or a facility owner, or a circus trainer, etc....then maybe but as a regular parent? NO WAY....if you want to buy one, get it for the gym as a present......LOL

PS- my husband finally took it down and I'm MUCH more relaxed when my younger kid goes to play in the backyard.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Hello fellow gymnastics parents!

My daughters desperately want an AirTrack in our home. I have two gymnasts, a 12 year old Gold XCEL and 10 year old Silver XCEL . They are both into tumbling and we already have two mats at home. These AirTracks are wildly expensive; in the $700 range. Ouch, that is crazy. Both my girls are saving up to buy one for themselves, but I am hesitant if its worth it.

Here is a link to the AirTrack site: http://www.airtrackfactory.com/

If you have one at home, or have researched getting one but decided yay/nay on the purchase, can you respond?

My main questions are:

1) Is it worth the expense? Is the AirTrack that much better than a regular mat?
2) Did it help your gymnast get better?
3) How easy was it to blow it up or take the air out? Is it cumbersome to put away if its in a high traffic area, like our living room?
4) How high did your gymnast jump on it? We would place it in our living room that has varying ceiling heights of 8ft, 9ft and 15 ft (cathedral.) Is that enough clearance for this mat?
5) Did your gymnasts actually use it for awhile or did she get bored of it fast?
6) Is there any competitors that make similar Airtracks that I should research that may be better or cheaper?
7) Are these mats dangerous to the athlete at home?
8) Any other tips?

Thanks so much for your help on this!!
Wendie

no!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

No way.

I shudder at their advertising.

 

[gymbeam]

but, but they're so handy in foul weather https://www.instagram.com/p/BNz3eeQhz-m/?taken-by=_gymnastlucy_

 

[gymbeam]

or on sunny days as well https://www.instagram.com/p/BJD6byiBpN2/?taken-by=_gymnastlucy_

what could go wrong???

PS: I'm not directing any of this sarcasm to the OP. This is all purely directed at those who think making a tumbling surface slippery is a good idea!

 

[LJL07]

Omg. That's insane in the snow.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Exactly why I wouldn't spend a penny, even the advertising is beyond irresponsible. I'm waiting for the day someone sues them.

 

[duyetanh]

but, but they're so handy in foul weather https://www.instagram.com/p/BNz3eeQhz-m/?taken-by=_gymnastlucy_

Holy H***!

 

[MomIdidit!]

I'm just in awe that the parents thought that was a good idea. I'm not a gym coach but I'm sure there are no coaches out there that would think what that girl was doing would make her a better gymnast.

I would say no to that mat and save money. Maybe invest in privates with a coach or open gym

 

[3rd_time_around]

I'm just in awe that the parents thought that was a good idea. I'm not a gym coach but I'm sure there are no coaches out there that would think what that girl was doing would make her a better gymnast.

I would say no to that mat and save money. Maybe invest in privates with a coach or open gym

I'm in awe at how much frivolous money they have to buy that many air mats. Holy cow! What I could do with $1400!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

to be fair, the "Insta-babes" don't buy them, they get them free as "ambassadors".

I do know a local gym has a set they use in the gym.

Its another one of those things that look amazing fun but are such a bad idea

 

[gymgal]

but, but they're so handy in foul weather https://www.instagram.com/p/BNz3eeQhz-m/?taken-by=_gymnastlucy_

or on sunny days as well https://www.instagram.com/p/BJD6byiBpN2/?taken-by=_gymnastlucy_

what could go wrong???

PS: I'm not directing any of this sarcasm to the OP. This is all purely directed at those who think making a tumbling surface slippery is a good idea!

OMG what are parents thinking?!!!!

 

[Flyaway]

OMG what are parents thinking?!!!!

I can't even watch! ((Shudder))