I think you were expecting this book to be the perfect workout book that contains all of the secrets in gymnastics conditioning. This would of course be impossible, even for all of the upcoming volumes combined. I am sure the complete volume will contain a treasure trove of knowledge that will be unmatched in the world of conditioning books but the "secrets" I think you were looking for have to come from your own experiences in training your own body and mind. The one 'big' secret that I have learned so far in my journey is. . . "patience, consistency and hard work prevails" in other words, from Gregors sig, "work is more than talent!!"
Some people just don't know or cannot fathom how complicated gymnastics training is. Especially with those who come from outside the sport. I'm sure yoga is somewhat like this as well ( somewhat on a smaller scale ).
Building The Gymnastic Body: The Science Of Gymnastics Strength Training Books.pdf
Without a doubt, strength and conditioning is one of the most important aspects to the sport of gymnastics. It is a foundational pillar that must be present in training for performance success, optimal health, and a reduced risk of injury risk. It falls under the larger umbrella category of Physical Preparation. Alongside strength and conditioning, other key areas are technical development, flexibility, recovery, and more. They complement other important mental areas of training like managing fear or emotions, developing focus, and resilience.
Ten years ago, when working only as a coach, I firmly believed that only gymnastics specific conditioning was required. 95% percent of the strength programs I wrote for gymnasts I worked with comprised of what I did as a gymnast growing up. They were full of bodyweight press handstands, pull-ups, rope climbs, leg lifts, push-ups, squats, lunges, box jumps, and sprints.
Like many other coaches and people involved in the sport, I swore by using only gymnastics specific bodyweight conditioning. I was openly opposed to the use of external weights, general strength exercises seen in mainstream fitness media, or other means of conditioning.
Even though I was learning from many people outside of gymnastics, I continued to study some of the highest-level JO, elite and collegiate gymnastics programs. I bought and analyzed many of the most popular educational products on gymnastics strength and conditioning I could find. I then reverse-engineered many gymnastics strength programs I had written before and spent an abundance of time analyzing other gymnastics strength programs people offered online, at lectures, or in clinics.
The more that I treated gymnasts as a medical provider, studied current strength and conditioning, and learned colleagues that I had met, the more I realized how misguided my thoughts were. I realized that all these injuries and issues related to limited power were not because gymnastics was hard, or gymnasts were not trying hard enough. The truth was found in our approach being nowhere near what science and expert opinion outlined as the best ways to prevent injuries, develop strength, increase power, and plan training.
The second major take away I wanted to apply in training was the science of strength and conditioning. Through these books and research, I learned the neuromuscular physiology of strength training, and how it was the foundation for explosive power many gymnasts desired. Several academic texts outlined the need to stress muscle tissue beyond bodyweight loading. The concept of progressive overload for strength improvements was present as a theme throughout all the research related to performance progress and injury management.
It seemed that strength was the foundational base for increasing speed, enhancing explosive power, and maximizing output. I read about how athletes across multiple sports (some research including gymnastics) were able to see enormous increases in their power with the proper application of resistance training. The programs included adequate planning, exercise selection, and a periodized systematic approach to physical preparation programs.
All of this made me scratch my head quite a bit. I was shocked to see how much information was available related to the science of strength, contributing factors to injury and training of energy systems. When I took a step back to synthesize all the ideas, I was conflicted between what I had been taught in gymnastics for the first five years of my career, what I was seeing done in gymnastics gyms across the world, and what the current body of science suggested were the most optimal way to approach these areas.
It seemed that there was a connection between updating gymnastics strength and conditioning methods, reducing injury risk, and elevating performance. It also seemed there was a large gap between the available information and what information was making its way into everyday training.
It appeared the sport of gymnastics might be best served with a model that combines the best and most essential traditional bodyweight gymnastics strength exercises with proper weight lifting, external loading, and more general physical preparation approaches. One that also combined the expert opinion of many great gymnastics and strength coaches with the available science.
I felt the abundance of science related to formal strength and conditioning, as well as the benefits or external weight lifting, could be married to the traditional gymnastics sport-specific exercises. Myself and many other gymnastics friends of mine, who themselves were elite or Division 1 gymnasts, felt that it could be a catalyst for an incredible new approach to gymnastics strength and conditioning. We collectively felt it could yield much higher levels of performance, as well as lowered injury rates and longer careers.
The question if gymnasts should lift weights during their strength programs is one of the most controversial topics in our current culture. My opinion is there are many myths and misunderstandings about the potential role of weightlifting in gymnastics. As a result, I feel we are missing out on brilliant potential benefits. A close-minded approach to this topic that exists in our current culture is the trap that I once fell into as noted above.
Misunderstandings, along with a lack of time spent studying academic work, create a situation where coaches, medical providers, and gymnasts are missing out on a great source of potential gain. Here are some things to consider related to the role of using weights during strength training in gymnastics.
Research and literature support particular programming methods that must be used to discourage large mass gains and instead promote lean body mass and power development. (see this fantastic reviews in the reference sections for more). Over time with the right coaching, exercises, periodization methods, programming, nutritional guidance, and training habits, this fear of muscle mass impacting gymnastics skills can quickly be pushed aside. When a proper approach is taken, a strength program using external weights can be geared around increasing maximal explosive power in an anaerobic context, which is mostly what gymnastics requires (39-42).
I find it very interesting that Dr. Sands highlights how the approach to high volume skill training may be causing more hypertrophy than a well-designed strength program. Similarly, I like that he highlights the need to use specific programming and strategies to optimize lean muscle hypertrophy that is ideal for gymnastics.
I honestly feel that many gymnasts simply do not possess the strength to handle the forces of gymnastics. Whether it manifests as the ability to perform skills or unfortunately as being plagued with injury after injury, I see this in gymnasts on a weekly basis.
Just as with gymnastics, their goal is more on development and consistency in their movement. If you work with a strength coach who teaches proper movement patterns, understands programming, uses the right exercises, applies close supervision, and understands gymnastics, the risk of injury when using weights with younger athletes is minimal.
Am I saying weights, barbell, or kettlebell training should replace all traditional gymnastics strength? Not at all. I actually think only using external load is a very bad idea for gymnasts.
They still do a very high volume of bodyweight, gymnastics skill-specific, and essential shaping strength on a daily basis. As with most things, the use of external weight lifting with gymnasts must be planned for and part of the larger picture for gymnastics physical preparation.Gymnastics specific patterns like press handstands, leg lifts, pull-ups, and other well-known exercises continue to be staples in strength programs I write.
The way to understand this is by studying the basic science of strength and conditioning principles. In the next section of this blog, I will try to share some of the basic concepts of the physiology of strength, power, and plyometric training. In a separate chapter, I will break down the basic physiology of cardiovascular and energy systems training.
This concept is mostly seen in gymnastics skill training. A demonstration of this would be when a gymnast learns to use their arms, core, and hips together during tumbling to increase power. Along with the mastery of technique, the increase in strength seen overtime has roots that are traced back to neuromuscular physiology.
Remember that on the other side of the coin exists. The positive effects of bone loading when adequately dosed gymnastics progressions, strength training, and overload occur. This approach can be a beneficial way to help bridge the gap between excessive loading from high force gymnastics skills and lacking loading capacity within bones.
The reason all the information covered matters for gymnastics is that progressive overload with the right exercises and program design can elicit these well-known adaptations of strength or power training.
Theoretically, strength training with resistance or other forms of overload can tap into the larger, less recruited motor units. We can also increase cross-sectional area of lean muscle tissue, and when combined with concepts above, increase strength output. These muscle and neurological adaptations then can be used down the road in rate of force exercises (jumping, sprints, explosive drills) to help see increases in power during gymnastics skills. 2ff7e9595c
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