physical preparation – Gymnastics Coaching.com

improving active hip adduction

Beginners are often better at passive flexibility (e.g. splits) than active flexibility which is needed for skills.

The conditioning program should include active flexibility training.

Only about 1/100 gymnasts should even consider these skills. The flexibility required is rare.

Training Rings is ideal for the female gymnast. Good for swing. GREAT for general upper body strength.

Parallel Bars are good too. But keep them low so if a girl falls — and she will — there’s no chance of injury.

Click PLAY or watch support strength training on Facebook.

If your gymnasts have any trouble keeping knees straight, do them from an angled box.

Over time, increase the steepness of the angle.

Beginners should mostly train Bridge with feet elevated. This puts more load on the shoulders and upper back, less on the lower back.

This is SAFER and results in better technique on skills.

Peng Peng Lee, for example, did no bridges nor walkovers after about age-13.

Vary the exercises.

Click PLAY or watch an example on YouTube.