Tag Archives: strength training
If your child has recently taken up the sport of gymnastics, you may have noticed that he or she has the desire to tumble just about everywhere! From the living room to the backyard, it can seem like you see them upside down more than right side up! While gymnastics does require a great deal of practice, it’s important that your aspiring gymnast is doing so in the safest manner possible.
Tumbling mats for home are available, and they can be a great alternative to the blankets or couch cushions that kids typically use to break their fall. These can generally be used both indoors and outdoors as long as there is a flat or even surface. If you’re thinking about stocking up on supplies to keep your child safe while practicing, here are some things you should know about these mats:
- Tumbling mats for home should be used when a child is under supervision. While these mats will provide some cushioning while practicing tricks and stunts, however these cannot prevent against injury. Parents who have children who are new to the sport of gymnastics should always keep a close eye on what their child is doing.
- These mats do not need to be installed, and most of them fold up for easy storage. Because they are available in a variety of styles and sizes, you can select the mat that is most suitable for your home or practice space.
- These mats are durable and puncture resistant, you do need to be more concerned about the money spend on these mats. Often, childrenuse these mats for years, which makesthis a great choice for those who have more than one child interested or involved in the sport of gymnastics
If you have any questions regarding whether or not your child should be practicing at home, don’t hesitate to talk to their coach or teacher. He or she can not only provide you with more information regarding what kind of equipment is appropriate for home use, but also can make recommendations on what your child can safely do at home to improve his or her performance.
- Spaced Repetition: This doesn’t mean doing lots of repetitions on each day. Spaced repetition is practicing a small number of correct supervised repetitions on a daily basis. Spaced repetition should be employed for a minimum of 21 days to create a habit.
- Nutrition: Gymnasts should eat a diet consisting of protein, carbohydrates and good fats, which work together to build muscle and provide energy. Juice Plus is a great drink that provides multivitamins young gymnasts need.
- Hydrate: Drinking water to stay hydrated – not energy drinks – is important for keeping up metabolism and keeps the body and muscles functioning properly. Studies say that advanced athletes should drink 16 ounces of water per hour of training! Also carry and drink water throughout the day.
- One-Track Mind: Generally, people have “one-track minds” when it comes to learning. It’s important for gymnasts to focus on one skill at a time and learn it thoroughly before moving on to the next step or new skill. This is a good progressive training technique.
- Warm up: Warm up properly before practice and competition, to prevent injury. Start with simple ankle and wrist warm ups and then move to deeper stretching.
- Don’t Over Train: A young gymnast can’t go 6 days a week 5 hours a day training at 100 percent. Young bodies take 72 to 11 days to recuperate after a hard workout.
- Strength Training: Increase strength through weight training, not over repetition. This will increase the gymnasts strength without putting intense load placed on their bodies.
- Pre-Workout Snack: In order to give your muscles and brain the energy it needs to give 100% and stay fueled throughout practice.
- Set Goals: Analyze the events and the gymnasts possible weaknesses. Be precise about goals, set priorities and keep the goals small and achievable.
- LOVE GYMNASTICS: Love what you do and remind yourself why you are a gymnast! Do this first and all of the other habits will fall into place.
1. There are two gymnastics categories at the Commonwealth Games – Artistic and Rhythmic.
2. In artistic, male athletes will compete on six types of apparatus – Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars and Horizontal Bar.
3. Female athletes will compete on four – Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam and Floor.
4. Only female athletes compete within Rhythmic Gymnastics. Four apparatus events – Hoop, Ball, Clubs and Ribbon – will be contested, with athletes competing for Team, Individual All-Around and Individual Apparatus medals.
5. Becky Downie is the European favorite, and will try routines she hopes to use at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
6. Becky has a younger sister Ellie, also a gymnast and a 2016 Olympic hopeful!
7. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games Australia, England and Canada won Team All Around for both men and women, placing Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively.
9. Gymnastics is an optional sport for the Commonwealth Games, meaning every country doesn’t have to have a team compete.
10. You can follow along with all the gymnastics event and schedule at http://www.glasgow2014.com/sports
With all the stress your body goes through during gymnastics routines, you’re certainly prone to physical injuries.
Don’t Be Afraid to Bail Out
Be Careful When Trying Something New
Whether you’re attempting a new flip or movement, your body doesn’t have the muscle memory to give you the awareness when something isn’t going right. Build up to the trick by understanding the mechanics of the movements required, and understand how to properly bail out if you feel that something isn’t going right.
Most importantly, stretching is vital to keep yourself healthy and injury free. Many tricks require intense flexibility, and operating on cold muscles and joints puts you at risk of tweaking something, or initiating an injury that will linger with you for an extended period of time.
When people run into below the knee issues like sprained ankles, it is typically because the muscles surrounding their ankles in their in their shins, calves and feet are not strong enough to support the demands of gymnastics training.
Don’t Goof Around
The majority of gymnastics related injuries in practice occur when gymnasts are not even practicing. Improper use of equipment or horseplay is often what leads to injuries. When you’re at practice be sure you’re there to practice, and always use gymnastics equipment properly.