Category: physical preparation

Kohei’s Mom competing age-55

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

Oklahoma is TALL

Tall for an NCAA Gymnastics team. Check the roster. Only one gymnast shorter than 5’3”. (Ashley Hiller)

related – Balance Beam Situation – 2018 FRESHMEN – OKLAHOMA

(via Chalk Bucket)

British Gymnastics flexibility training guidelines

Common sense.

Avoid situations where gymnasts may feel ‘exposed’.

Avoid spotting stretches that look bad to parents, even if they are effective.

Flexibility Training for Gymnasts – British Gymnastics

(via Elizabeth Booth)

hollow cast handstand

There’s an interesting thread on Facebook on this topic.

Most would consider cast handstand in a hollow / stretched position throughout as ideal. Nick Blanton mentioned this illustration from Championship Gymnastics.

It’s possible to do that technique. In fact it’s fairly easy on Parallel Bars as a swing handstand.

But I’m personally a very happy coach if the gymnast can lead with the heels (arch) to horizontal, then change the body position to hollow / stretched.

The ultimate would be perfectly straight through hips / trunk once leaving the rail. That’s difficult. The gymnast would likely be strong enough to do planche press without swing.

Kyle Cradle – Circus Artist

Kyle‘s a recent graduate of Montréal’s National Circus School, specializing in handstands and contortion.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

(via Inside Gymnastics)

in defence of gymnasts training with weights

Dave Tilley:

… gymnastics still fears using external waits for kettlebells as part of their strength work.

The reality is that gymnasts under proper supervision with the proper technique are at a low risk of losing their flexibility, getting bulky, or getting hurt.

In this post, I hope to dive into some of the myths and misunderstandings that still exist in gymnastics, and talk about why I’m such a fan of using a more hybrid based model of traditional gymnastic strength and nontraditional strength.

Gymnastics and Lifting Weights: Don’t Fear Plates, Kettlebells, and Barbells.

For sure body weight resistance is best for specific conditioning. But I agree that supplementary general conditioning with free weights, kettle bells and even barbells should be considered for some kids, some phases of the year. Especially for female gymnasts who are not likely to get bulky.

I was particularly impressed / surprised with this video Dave edited …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

AllCore360 machine

12-year-old Whitney Bjerken is a Gymnastics YouTube celebrity.

In this episode she tries the AllCore360 machine.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Interesting. Of course she’s training only isometric strength in only one body position. Not what we need for sport. We need train all the sheets of muscle for strength / power.

On the other hand, perhaps some future evolution of this kind of machine could have the athlete go through a greater range of motion. Duplicating specific skills.

Over the 11 minute video they up the resistance of the machine. A gymnast like Whitney finds it easy. That’s because gymnastics body weight training / conditioning is far superior to any machine. 🙂

Thanks George.

adjustable height P Bars

New from Tumbl Trak. $119.20 right now.

Great for travel.