Rest/Time off

[Mats Trane]

Hi Coach/coaches

I have a son (13 years old) that trains gymnastics 6 times a week (about 20 hr per week).

What are your opinions of how much time off a boy of his age should have per year. This year he had 4 weeks off but during this off time he got homework so he has not been totaly off from training.

I have always been wondering if this is right or not. For his body to recover

totally it must be important to get time off (more than one day in a row).

I´m sure there are alot of coaches on this (excellent) forum. Please give me your opinions.

[Gregor]

a lot of older gmynast had more hours of training and even my self and there wasn't any problem. You must understand that every training is diffrent to training before, it's more a like weakly periodization. If you scared about regeneration->don't, that's the coaches work, to know when is enough and when is not.

Now our young gymnast have, when they don't have a school for two months (so right now), 36 hours a training per weak.

[Blairbob]

6x/week at total 20 hours isn't too much probably at his age. Look for signs of burnout or overtraining, but in the US, for an optional level boy ( around level 7 ) that workload is pretty typical.

I have rarely seen or heard men's programs that do 36 hours for anything but junior elites. During the summer, if they could fit it, I'm sure it's possible.

[Gregor]

It's in the summer. one training in the morning and onther in the afternoon, 4 days a weak for 2,5h per training and 2 trainings just in the morning for 3 hours.

[Mats Trane]

Thanks,

Yea, yea. Our gymnasts train more during summercamps as well (morning and afternoon).

What I´m trying to ask is how much consecutive time does your gymnasts get off per year.

[Gregor]

3 weeks, first month in the summer and holidays like new year, xmas and some national holidays.