Core stability for gymnasts is important, up to a point.
But I’ve long suspected that coaches over-emphasize it, at the expense of other physical qualities.
For example, this gymnast is not arched due to lack of abdominal strength.
Giant doesn’t require much abdominal strength.
There’s a bit of trend in sport science, right now, to reduce the amount of core body conditioning we are doing, especially the traditional “sit-up”.
Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, is cited in this recent article:
MacLeans – The man who wants to kill crunches
A Canadian professor of spine biomechanics rails about the dangers of the ubiquitous sit-up
Of course that’s not sport specific.
A better article for coaches is …
The Myth of Core Stability by Professor Eyal Lederman, of CPDO, the Centre for Professional Development in Osteopathy and Manual Therapy.
I checked on this “trend” to avoid over-conditioning the core with Keith Russell.
He tended to agree:
… don’t isolate, use large body movements where ever possible and DON”T overemphasize the abdominals …”
Food for thought. Leave a comment if you’ve modified your core body strength training. Using more isometric training, for example.
related – Gymnastics Revolution – The Giant
7 comments ↓
I like doing ab work that includes the hip flexors, quads, obliques and such. I don’t stick to sit ups and all that. We do more traditional exercises like that once every two weeks. Other things like variations of leg lifts, resistance with partners, and bar conditioning I make a weekly priority.
The issue is not whether specific core strength exercises are essential, but rather that the wrong type of core exercises are usually being emphasized.
For example, hanging leg lifts constitute the bulk of most gymnasts’ core conditioning, when in fact the body is rarely in a situation during gymnastics when the legs are drawn in tightly to the chest under pressure. A more efficient approach for building gymnastics specific core strength would be to focus on more straight body lever exercises and arch/hollow variations.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
That’s always been my pet peeve, Coach.
WAG gymnasts do far too many hanging leg lifts in their conditioning program.
I’m sure you’ve seen that error.
Rick and community….
two quick questions re: “hanging” leg lifts…
1. do you differentiate b/t hanging and lowering only to “L” or half-lever leg lifts?
2. any discussion on kip extenders?
(from top position of leg-lift, extend to inverted hang and repeat)
I’ve always told people that if you can do 15 of each, that bullets will bounce off you, but certainly am willing to be educated/enlightened…
thanks!
Personally, Jim, I only do leg lifts from L-sit. … Even if I must spot. I hate gymnasts “bouncing” the legs.
I’ve got no problem with the kip extenders, either. … But I’ve never particularly emphasized them. They are good for variety. But I’d rather the gymnast hold the hollow legs-up position isometrically. (Better for free hip, peach, etc.)
We do a lot of ‘dish rocks’ where the gymnast is on their back, shoulders and feet lifted and they rock from there. Helps keep a good ‘dish’ position for layouts etc. We also emphasise handsands and press to handstands, which develop the abs when done correctly. We do the traditional crunches and v-sit ups as well but they are not as regular
Oh but there are so many types of “leg lifts” and let’s face it, you have to spice it up for a) the targeting of different muscles and b) the kids won’t get as bored! Hanging leg lifts are just one of many. Windshield wipers are fun, as are leg lift, chin-up, pullovers. Do them TOPs style, or straddle style, or through to a skin the cat, or straddle-pikes, and then of course anything targeting cast handstands and giants are great. Chin levers are good, so are tap levers and upside down ones, p-bar levers, ice cream makers … I could go on all day!
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