Hi Mamas,
There was a younger group of girls in a gymnastics class at a gymnastics facility. The girls were probably around 5 - 6 years old.
They were on a mat doing the splits - the side to side splits (one leg out to each side), so not the front/back splits (one leg front/one leg back). And their upper bodies were laying flat on the mat. And they were holding this position/stretch which I think is totally normal and how a person conditions their body for the splits.
The odd thing I saw though, was the teacher was coming up behind each little girl and cupping her hands around their bottoms and I'm assuming she was probably doing this to add a little pressure to the stretch. Adding the pressure to the stretch seems normal to me, but putting her hands directly on what I consider a 'private' part doesn't settle well with me.
However, I realize I am very modest so all other mother's may be totally fine with this and this is my own hang up.
But even me right now as an adult would have a very difficult time if I was laying there and doing that type of stretch and someone/anyone put there hands around my bottom...it makes me cringe even thinking about it.
I understand the added pressure for the stretch but couldn't the teacher use maybe a foam block (they have those right there in the foam 'pit') or some other object that might work where she puts the foam block (or whatever object) on their lower back and then her hands are on the foam block and not directly on their bodies.
And I've also seen the teen gymnast practice their splits but they use different types of equipment and set it up for stretching. Like for the front/back splits they stack a few mats and then do the splits and hold it and the way the mats are help them to stretch.
Am I just overly modest or would this bother you?
Okay...I feel better already reading your answers and I felt like it might be my hang up, so thanks for confirming.
Also, someone wrote below "she was checking their form and not feeling them up" - just to clarify - and please re-read my post above - I didn't say anywhere in my post that the teacher was 'feeling them up'. I think on mamapedia in general we need to be very careful not to put words on the OPs mouth. I see this happen all the time. And now other people that read the response below will think I'm saying the teacher 'felt the kids up' and I didn't say that at all. Didn't even imply it.
And yes, that's true about needing to probably use hands to apply the pressure to make sure it's not too much or to check a form.
And no, my daughter isn't in this class so this wasn't asked because she thought it was a bad touch.
Thanks for the feedback so far. I'm glad I asked.
Wel, you watched her. Was she getting her jollies? Or was she helping them?
If it makes you uncomfortable, then let them know that and ask them to use something. You will, however, look nuts, I think. Gymnastics and dance are all about the body. I think it's pretty common for the instructors to put their hands where you might otherwise not want them.
There are times when coaches need to have physical contact with their athletes. This sounds like one of those times. You can't tell how much tension there is on a muscle without feeling the muscle. Sounds to me like she was checking their form, not feeling them up.
ETA: I did not put words in your mouth. I never said that you accused the teacher of feeling the girls up. YOU expressed concern that the touch was inappropriate and said it made you "cringe even thinking about it." I simply pointed out that it was not inappropriate by contrasting it with a touch that WOULD be inappropriate, i.e. feeling the girls up.
My dd is a level 8 gymnast.....if you want to continue in the sport...you need to accept that there are lots of stretches like that and lots of coaches spotting gymnasts near their rear and and other places. I think our society has been conditioned to always think in terms of "inappropriate touching" to the point that coaches, doctors, teachers and even parents can't do their job anymore!
If your daughter continues with gymnastics you'll need to get used to this kind of thing. It happens in dance as well -- teachers sometimes need to position a student's body so that the student can feel the correct position. My child dances but the idea is the same: Teachers need to touch students.
It's important to note that what you saw was done to every student in a class that parents were observing. Nothing was done covertly or hidden as if it were somehow wrong; and no one kid was singled out for this type of help. The teacher did it right in front of observing parents.
Also regarding what the teens do: You can't really compare what the teen gymnasts do to what kids in a younger kids' class do. The older gymnasts have been doing this for years and are experienced at setting up their own equipment. No gym (or dance school) would want the younger kids even touching equipment on their own or stretching unsupervised, while older kids can do just that.
I did Gymnastics from age 2-18 (elite level) and this is completely common and normally and its definitely your own hang up. Its a stretch, nothing more, nothing less.
If your daughter feel like its a bad touch then of course you have something to worry about, but from what you said it seems like you're turning it in to something its not.
Also its done that way so they know how much pressure to apply to your child without going over board and hurting them.
There's nothing wrong with you being modest, but as someone who did Gymnastics from baby to adult I can tell you there is a lot of touching being coach and student because they have to help them do the skill or stretch properly so they don't hurt themselves, and if you or your daughter aren't 100% comfortable with that, Gymnastics is not the sport for you.
Doesn't bother me. In a way a bare hand is preferable. In the same way that gloves get in the way when you are cleaning or gardening, there is something to be said for having nothing but your bare hand to sense just how hard you are pushing and how much resistance you are getting, especially when aiding furthering a stretch.
Best,
F. B.
Overly modest. They use their hands so they don't put too much pressure on them, they can be seriously injured if too much pressure is added and with then being that young they can't properly use the equipment that the teens use. In any sport the coach has to touch them some to get proper form so that injuries do not happen.
They are correcting their hips, to make sure they are square and not turned out one way or the other.
Overly modest
I am chiming in late and you will not like me but BEFORE I read your SWH and other comments, my impression from your comments which included cupping a "private part", makes you cringe to think about someone touching your bottom. Overly Modest.
This is gymnastics. Coaches are doing their job to make sure the form is correct because if one of those little girls stretches improperly and ends up with an injury, then the parents would be all over the coach for not making sure everyone was in the correct form. A piece of foam will not help the form because the couch would not be able to make sure it was correct if the coach is forbidden from touching the child.
No, you did not say "feel them up" yet it was clear from what I read that it was a thought that possibly ran through your mind.
There are a lot of jobs out there where someone is touched in a completely innocent and professional manner... Doctors, Massage therapists, physical therapists, etc.
Please don't bring attention to this as "bad" for your child. It will only set her up for anxiety issues every time a coach, Dr, Massage therapist, etc ever try to help her.
