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June 21st, 2010 | books & manuals, Gymnastics, physical preparation, rings
It’s rare to see this specific strength so well developed at such a young age, yet some kids are naturally gifted at planche.
Click PLAY or watch him on YouTube.
See more videos like that on the GymnasticBodies YouTube channel. Or buy the book → Building the Gymnastic Body.
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10 comments ↓
serious questions:
1. where is sports science regarding the relationship of “superior/elite” strength development and pre-pubescent children and elite/international/Olympic level performance?
2. how many of us (asked intended to engender debate/discussion) have seen prodigies “burn out” too soon?
3. is there any (Keith R, do you have input?) scientific documentation on the who/what/why/PERCENTAGE of success?
4. anybody remember USA’s Duane Holland?
again, would love to hear disussion pertaining to correlation between early physical preparation tests and eventual elite performance……Gary Warren? USAG? you guys have been tracking TOPS for 20+ years?
stats?
correlations?
I suspect a kid this age with that level of strength came by it mostly genetically. I have, on very rare occasions, seen 6-7 year olds who could do a planche on floor with only a month or so of training, due to natural strength. It is easy to see how such a kid could learn a planche on rings by 9 years old.
However, it seems to me that the risk of overtraining and causing joint/muscle damage would outweigh the benefit; wouldn’t it be better to simply maintain what strength he has (ie working straddle planches on floor) until puberty, and then train ring planches and straight body planches?
Nevertheless, it is still extremely impressive.
I’d best not speak for Keith on this, Jim.
I know he’s very concerned about growth plates. But feels that some concerns regarding hard strength training for prepubescents are not based on science.
I know he recommends hard strength training during the optimal growth stage, near peak height velocity increase.
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I recall Duane, one of the strongest young gymnasts I ever saw:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1065033/index.htm
Not sure where he ended up, though.
Is this the right Duane Holland?
http://www.duaneleeh.com/aboutus.html
That’s him, alright.
Looks like he’s doing great things in dance.
Gave him a shout out:
http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2010/06/whatever-happened-to-duane-holland/
pretty sure thats alan bowers little brother…I forget his name though. Chris Sommers is pretty careful when it comes to his younger athletes from what I’ve seen.
I trained for awhile with a gymnast who used to train under Chris Sommers, and the way he tells it, burnout due to injury with Sommers was pretty high.
Perhaps he’s gotten better since then; I hope so anyway.
But I notice Allan didn’t compete at JO nationals this year….
I don’t mean to diminish Sommer’s accomplishments or technical knowledge at all; the man clearly knows his stuff. But I’m a firm believer in pacing for sustainability.
Allan had a minor injury just before the meet, I’m told. Nothing serious.
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