Expert: Jack Leonard - 11/8/2004

Question
I am putting together a year-long gymnastics conditioning program for my Athletic Training class, and I was wondering if you could offer any suggestions as to what exercises would be best for increasing muscular strength and flexibility. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Answer
Hello Heather,
             I am glad to help you but I must say you have asked me a potentially very involved question.  I will give you some weight training and conditioning exercises.  You must understand the basics for quick muscle growth and that is to weight train.  High resistance yields quicker muscle growth.  Below will be some great tips.  Good luck and take care -- Jack Leonard

First, your question can involve quite a bit...so I will break it down for you.  Understand that the basics or root of the most of the events involves tumbling...so I have given you some great ways to strengthen your tumbling skills.  After the tumbling strength, I have listed some weight strengthening exercises to help increase your general gymnastics strength.  Good luck in becoming stronger than your day demands and of course   strong enough to play all day long.  

    1.Always do three sets of repetitions.  The first set warms up the muscles, the second set is the workout portion and the workout and the third set is muscle building.  
    2.   Adding some additional protein to your gymnasts diet will help in the muscle building process.  If your gymnasts would eat an energy bar 40 minutes prior to workout, it will help a lot in maintaining a higher energy level.
    3.   Keep records of her strength training.  This is great for seeing their accomplishments and shows you where they started, how they are improving and how far they have come.  It is a great motivator.
    4.   Understand, to develop muscle endurance, use your own body weight or a low weight and do high repetitions.  To build muscle mass and quicker strength, lift weights.  This will encourage the body to build more muscle to meet the demands.
    5.   Finally, there are three things that every athlete must do to be successful in obtaining their strengthening goals.  One, get enough rest.  Two, eat right so you body can build the muscle from the proper nutrition and three, exercise correctly.


                        WARM UPS

1.  Jog around the gym(floor exercise mat) for at least 5 minutes.

2.  Perform some straddle stretches(left right & center)

3.  Stretch your wrists and ankles.

4.  Perform bridges aiming for a tear drop shape in your bridge.  The shoulder stretching aspect is very important.  

                      CONDITIONING
                               
Do your conditioning at the end of your workouts.  You get stronger when your muscles are tired.  Keep a journal.  Recording your conditioning validates your efforts and is another way to motivate you.  The exercises below may be a lot to start with unless you are in great condition.
Remember though...a new range of motion will humble you. Also, being sore the next day is a sign of the body wanting to get stronger to equal the demand you have put on it.  It is not a bad sign.  Please DO listen to your body and not over due if your current physical conditioning is not
up to it.  I have given you quite a bit.  Good luck!!!!


1.  To help develop better quickness:  Perform 3x30 toe rises.  Make sure your heels dip below level for best results.

2.  To help develop better power:  Perform 3x30 jumps on a porta pit mat or 3x30 from the floor onto at folded mat(up and down is one)

3.  To help develop better snap downs with power for your back handsprings and pulling up with power on your front handsprings or fly springs:  Perform 3x8 tic tocs.  Try to discipline yourself to keeping your shoulders over your hands when you do these.  If you cannot do these do a
handstand on at least 2 folded mats and as you start to come down...snap from the shoulders and see if you can stand upright with arms overhead.

4.  To help in being stronger in you waist:  Perform 3x30 rock hollows with arms overhead.  These are great for keeping strong hollow body control.  This strength is very important.

5.  To help with your hip flexors:  Perform  3x12 leg lifts on the bars.

6.  To help strengthening your back for standing up forward or backward:  Lay on your stomach on top of a vaulting horse with your legs hanging downward at 90 degrees.  Now hug the horse and bring your legs upward but not above horizontal.  This is a great exercise!  Try to keep your
seat tight and not to arch your lower back.  Perform 3X25.

7.  To help strengthen your vertical line:  Perform 3x4 handstand push ups.  Use fractions if you cannot perform whole ones.  For example...if you go half way...you must do 2 of those to equal 1 full push up.  If you cannot do all full push ups...you will have perform more parts which will
tire you more and stimulate more fatigue for future growth.

8.  To help in endurance for your vertical line:  Perform a handstand to 100.  This means, kick to a handstand and when your legs come together, start counting at a modest pace.  If you come down before 100(most probably), kick back up and continue your counting from where you left off.

                      More Strength

Okay, the most important strength in gymnastics is planche strength.  I am sure you know what a planche is.  The athletes who have the strongest planche strength seem to have the biggest head start or are near the top of their game.  Below are a couple of ways to quickly strengthen your planche muschles.

1.   Regular Bench Press with arms parallel.  Do at least 3 sets of 8 repetitions.  Use as much weight as you can to achieve the three sets.
2.   Dumbell raises.  Grab a dumbell with each hand and hold them so your thumbs are facing upward.  Hold the dumbells at your side and raise them upward in front of you to over your head.  Lower them slowly.  Remember to keep your back straight if you are standing (don't break form) You can also do this sitting.  Do 3 sets of 8 repetitions

3.   Lat pull downs.  Keep your arms parallel with palms facing forward and pull the lat bar just in front of your head to your chin level.  Do 3 sets of 8 repetitions.
4.   Leg lifts on the high bar.  Lower stomach strength is very important.  Hanging in a forward grip, bring your legs up straight so your feet touch the bar and back down..  Do 3 sets of 30 repetitions.  When 3 sets of 30 becomes easy...start to use some ankle weights.