Tumbling Progressions

[WinstonsGirl]

I encourage parents to look into a gym before they put their child their. When I first started cheer at 12 my parents put me in a tumbling class at a local gymnastics gym instead of the cheer gym because it was cheaper, but they didn't teach progressions. Older kids taught the classes, but just because they have good tumbling doesn't mean they're qualified to teach tumbling. Now at 15 I have a roundoff double but can't do multiple handsprings because they never taught a proper handspring. I can only do roundoff skills (roundoff tuck, roundoff layout, roundoff full, ect.) I'm a strong level 5 base and flyer, but all my basics in tumbling are awful.

You can have my RO BHS in exchange for your RO Full. :D

 

[FlexyTumblerMom]

I respect your honesty! I think that's a natural reaction that many parents have. :)

I'm with you guys too. Almost every gym mom is a SM in the beginning, and then reality sets in around the 3rd year or so when we realize the Olympics are NOT going to happen. Lol! The newbie gym moms and dads are always so cute to watch though cause you can see them turning into SM's right before your eyes w/ each new skill that first year (new skills come so quick in the beginning, and it's really hard not to get caught up in the excitement).

I'd still like to see my CP go back to serious gymnastics, but I really doubt she'll ever do full blown USAG again (hours are just too much and other things are just too fun for her now in comparison). I honestly have never heard of a kid who switched from cheer to gymnastics, but I know of tons that go from gymnastics to cheer. Lol - it's like in college, tons of people switched from Engineering to business majors, but no one went from business to Engineering.

 

[FlexyTumblerMom]

Nope, the gym we went to was USAG, owner was a former Olympic gymnast, ect. Tumbling classes for non team athletes were just money makers for them and mostly taught by older teens that trained there.


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This is how things are around me too. It's almost impossible to find good tumbling classes once you hit a certain level - it's why my CP does privates w/ a gym coach who knows her abilities and is qualified to teach her level. It's pricey, but it's really the only option above and beyond her cheer classes (and she already does all those).

 

[Official OWECheer]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I feel like it would be better to do power tumbling and then transition to cheer.

 

[cheer25mom]

This is how things are around me too. It's almost impossible to find good tumbling classes once you hit a certain level - it's why my CP does privates w/ a gym coach who knows her abilities and is qualified to teach her level. It's pricey, but it's really the only option above and beyond her cheer classes (and she already does all those).

We only take classes/ do privates at our gym. All of our instructors are USASF certified for the levels they coach and are only allowed to teach classes for levels they have credentialed on. My CP is only a level 2 tumbler, but I have seen too many kids get injured trying to learn a BHS or throw BHS, ROBHS ect they are not ready to be doing on the floor. She ONLY tumbles with qualified instructors, and outside our gym I find that those are few and far between.
There is one gymnastics program I trust and one other cheer gym that might be an option, but the gymnastics gym doesn't offer classes/ privates for those not competing with them outside of rec gymnastics classes, and I wouldn't take her to arrival gym for privates. There is too much conflict of interest there.
We do 2 classes a week plus one 30 min private and you are right it is pricey, but CP's safety is the most important thing here. She is slow to learn new skills, and this is what she needs to be able to advance safely.

 

[Official OWECheer]

For those of you who have done or have kids that have done power tumbling, what is the progression like?