Does Your Gymnast Care What Event They Start On At A Meet?

I never liked starting on beam. The first event is always a bit more nerve wracking as you get into the groove.

I didnt want to start with the wobbles. But was always happy to start on any other apparatus.

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She has a preference, but rolls with it. It’s not a big deal.

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Generally no. But she hates going first in a rotation, it always throws her off!

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I liked to start on beam and get it over with.

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I had two years where my group often started on beam - and they got really good at starting on beam and got excited about it. As a coach I prefer they start on bars/beam. I find that with long comp sessions/multiple sessions if the scoring is going to rise and loosen - it's on floor and especially vault. Top bar and beam routines will generally still hold up.

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My gymnast doesn't mind starting anywhere. Even if she has an event that doesn't go well at the start, she seems to be able to move on. Personally I prefer it if she starts on beam, that gets my nerves out of the way 🙂

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My daughter used to prefer to start on floor because she hates having to bump in for warmup on floor.
Recently though she has changed to where she prefers to start on vault because she like to get the high intensity of that event over with while she still is high energy and adrenline.

Neither preference really affects her performance or mood, just things that she prefers.

I do think it has been interesting to watch her prefferences change and adjust has she grows in the sport.

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I've only had 2 low level competitons, however for me there are different things each time.

I didn't like finishing on beam as much, because I felt my body was already coming down from adrenaline making me a bit more unsteady. (Then again my first competition I went right over the beam on my mount when I started on beam. However, I was also still foggy in my head as I was still recovering from having been quite ill.)

My second competition I'd hoped to get floor and vault last, because I had shin splints. If I had floor and vault last I would just be able to see if I was still up for them after beam and bars, and if not scratch them. But with floor and vault first, I would just have to gamble and either do them or not and then see if I could still do bars/beam after. It turned out quite fine though. (Though it was frustrating to do a simplified floor routine...)

So I guess it depends on if I'm dealing with any small injuries for me.

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Generally no. But she hates going first in a rotation, it always throws her off!

That's so interesting, I think I kind of have the opposite. Until I've done my routine I feel like I'm just waiting, and I don't want to see others' routines because I think I'd just put more pressure on myself to try and do just as good. I can enjoy watching others way more when I've done my own thing already.

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Mine definitely has a preference but it changes every year depending on what event she's struggling with. She definitely prefers to get the struggling events out of the way if possible.

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Mine prefers to start on vault - it's not her best event, but she's solid and gets pretty consistent scores and can build from there. She doesn't like starting on bars, which is her worst event, but she also said once it's out of the way she's happy about it.

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My son sees benefits and drawbacks for starting on every event. With 6 events, he really cares more about what event he ends on. He prefers not to end on Pommel Horse or Rings.

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OMG yes. Daughter hated starting on beam last year, and wouldn't you know it... started on beam EVERY SINGLE MEET! She said she prefers not to do beam first, because her nerves are amped at first, and it makes the focus beam requires harder.

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Generally no. But she hates going first in a rotation, it always throws her off!

my daughter too! especially if she is first and on beam.

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For all 3 of mine, it depended on where the meet was. We used to compete at 3 gyms with split events (floor and bars in one room and beam and vault in another.)
For those gyms: OG wanted to start on Bars, YG wanted to start on Vault, and LSS likes to start on Floor.
For gyms that go in Olympic order: OG didn't care after her second year, YG wanted to start on Bars or Floor, and LSS likes to start on Bars.

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In DP, my son got to where he loved ending on horse. No one understood it, or could comprehend why on earth he would want to do that, but it worked for him. He didn't love starting on horse, but overall got used to started on any event. Now, as a pommel specialist, he does not have a preference. As a parent, I like when pommel is done and I can enjoy the meet! lol

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