On reopening your Gym after COVID-19, consider using gloves for spotting. Of course you’d need to clean those regularly.
Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.
Al sells his own version of those for $25.
Category: parents
TIPS for opening Gyms during COVID-19
A round table hosted by John Min, USECA Video Chairman.
A NEW challenge for each Club. This is a brainstorming session.
The BIG recommendation is not to rush. Come back slowly and safely. We have a new, unexpected meso-cycle in our training year which precedes another Preparation Phase. Slow return to the Gym after weeks of lockout.
Steve Arkell:
- Inviting back Competitive first, staggering training times
- Check for temperature of athletes on arrival (this is not foolproof)
- About 4 people / 1000 sq feet
- Kids in each rotation group will stay as far apart as possible. Apparatus groups will switch at the same time, in order to keep distance.
- Take this COVID-19 opportunity for super keen gymnasts to find a better life / gymnastics balance.
- When skills are eventually introduced, use tumbling trampolines, pits, soft surfaces. Don’t rush.
- Coaches will wear masks.
- Coaches will be tested just before coming back to the Gym.
- Coaches and gymnasts should be challenged to progress with LESS spotting, even on Bars. Slide mats rather than hand spot. (Spotting belts might make a return to popularity.)
- Adding new RECORDS bulletin board for fitness tests. This will be the focus at first, not skills.
Craig Zappa:
- Anything you did not like about your old program, should be banished now. This is a great opportunity to reinvent your program. A fresh start.
- High priority is to STOP the keenest athletes from overdoing it on getting back to the Gym. Injury is a worry after weeks out.
- Advise athletes that anticipated J.O. move ups are on hold, for now
- This ‘forced rest’ is an opportunity to fully heal old injuries
- Watch themselves on video (Mental Training)
- Reassuring the parents will be a high priority.
- His club uses a ‘fogging machine’ to disinfect. It takes 10 minutes. He’ll do it 2-3 times / day.
- Might delay the calendar of competitions for the 2021 season. Don’t rush.
- Assign one gymnast / Beam for all of each rotation
- Craig would like to have clear masks for coaches.
- Craig will allow very few parents into the Gym. Other clubs will simply ask parents not to enter the Gym.
Mary Wright:
- Time to focus on cooperation. Coaches and athletes working together to get back to peak training form.
- Be smart. Rebuild confidence progressively
- Conditioning first after a few weeks away
- General strength before specific
- Flexibility improvement phase
- Aerobic base
- Work ‘shapes‘ before movements
- Time at home is a chance for gymnasts to make Dream Boards and set goals / objectives
- Training would progressively advance to BASICS without rush. Up to 2 hours / day to start.
- If this limited training goes on for months, planned goals for 2021 will have to be modified.
Olivia Estes:
- Has been working on personal development of athletes while at home. Generosity. Team supporting one another.
- Has been using a combination of big group Zoom meetings. Smaller meetings in private Facebook groups.
- To start … will likely only allow top 12 athletes to use the pit
- Equipment will be cleaned ongoing during workout
- Coaches only work with ONE group of kids. If anyone tests positive, those coaches and kids will be out of the Gym.
- Plans on minimum spotting. Only the very top gymnasts will be spotted. And not for the first 8 weeks or so after return.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Tumbl Trak Fitness for Parents
For parents who are currently home schooling they children, why not have them teach you Gymnastics?
Tumbl Trak posted Fitness for Parents articles:
IDEAS on reopening Gymnastics Clubs
If and when you can reopen, it would be best to start with Competitive.
Phase in other groups over time.
One club plans to use a Wall-Mounted Infrared Forehead Thermometer Non-Contact Digital Temperature Thermometer with Fever Alarm to allow entry.
That’s not foolproof, of course. Some positives don’t have fever.
Chalk Bucket forum is compiling suggestions.
Here are a few:
- Initial opening with small groups of 10 or less
- Following social distancing guidelines (6+ feet) with stations / drills
- Wiping down equipment after each use
- Masks (entering and exiting the Gym)
- Hand sanitizing before each event
- Starting up with basics and conditioning so there will be no need to spot
- Each athlete will have their own chalk block kept in a Ziploc bag
- Each athlete will have their own spray bottle for water
- Cameras with login for parents to watch from outside the facility
- Stagger workout times
- Stagger break times (or if practice short enough no break to limit congregating)
- One way traffic as much as possible
- Nightly equipment cleaning of high touch surfaces such as tables, chairs, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks with EPA registered household disinfectant per CDC guidance
Sports Canada – Safe Sport
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
crying at Gymnastics
Anne Josephson:
Is pushing kids until they cry just a part of gymnastics?
Here is the answer: yes and no.
… there are times when kids cry for a host of reasons that are normal and acceptable, perhaps even good. Crying can release tension. It can cue us that what we are doing matters. It can let the adults around the child know that the child is in distress and may need comforting or further guidance.
So how is a parent to know when the tears are a warning sign versus when the tears are just a normal part of life? Here are some things to consider …
related – THE KEY TO HAVING A HAPPY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR COACH, ATHLETE OR PARENT
Nick Ruddock interviews Ellie Seitz
Great interview.
Ellie is still psyched training for her 3rd Olympics. Even with a 1-year delay.
She loves Gymnastics and it shows in her performances.
I wasn’t surprised to hear that Ellie was not the perfect hotshot wunder child gymnast. She was not petite. Not flexible. Not all that powerful. In fact coaches suggested her Mom consider other sports.
Many of the greatest gymnasts of all time were not the best kids in their precomp group. Beth Tweddle was another.
It’s dumb for coaches to dismiss young children for lack of talent.
Dumb.
One of Ellie’s talents is courage. In fact she states she is never afraid — one reason she likes training the big skills including Def.
rule of 2 – ONLINE
The ‘Rule of Two’ should continue ONLINE, of course.
Any electronic communication to young athletes should be copied to parents, at least.
Communication between one coach and one athlete should be banned.
Excellent online home REC Gymnastics classes
See the full YouTube Playlist HERE.
This from a club called Gymnastics USA in Florida.
Click PLAY or watch an INTRODUCTION on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch LESSON #1 on YouTube.
It’s for kids that have less than 6 months experience in Gymnastics
(via RecGymnastics.com)
U.S. Elite Coaches Association letter to Congress
Dear Members of Congress
We are children’s fitness facility coaches, vendors, owners in your districts and states, who directly work with the children in each of your jurisdictions.
In the face of the rapid spread of COVID-19, we are very concerned that our youth sport business industry may not survive this pandemic or the resulting economic downturn. Lawmakers are rightly focused on sending immediate aid and support to our most vulnerable businesses and workers. We are a vulnerable group so vitally important within our community – we hope and pray we are included in the conversation.
We represent the over 200,000 employees of approximately 4,000 children’s fitness facilities …
… we are now fighting for our survival. …
read more (PDF)
Gymnastics Coaching.com 