At Excalibur, we see all levels of fitness, strength, and coordination. We cannot always predict who will become a successful gymnast but we do know that no one has ever become a successful gymnast without gymnastics strength training. This training is at the very core of gymnastics conditioning. Our gymnastics programs focuses on strength and conditioning, building muscle, preventing injury to your body, and preparing it for more advanced moves.
Here are three gymnastics strength training exercises you can begin with (and continue to use throughout your training as a gymnast).
Hollow Body Hold.
Lie down on your back, with your legs outstretched and together. Straighten your legs by flexing your knees, ensuring proper form by pointing your toes as far away from your body as possible. Reach your arms overhead towards ceiling, straightening your elbows and looking up.
From this stretched-out position, engage your entire anterior core by lifting your arms and legs off the floor. While squeezing your entire abdomen, press your lower back into the ground. Make sure shoulders are lifted and your ribs are tucked in. Focus on keeping your body shape smooth and round, think of it like a banana. Hold for a full sixty seconds.
Arch Body Hold
The opposite of hollow body, yet most experts feel just as important. Where the hollow body works the entire anterior core, the arch body hold position strengthens the areas along your posterior chain.
Lie face down on your belly, arms outstretched and legs straight and together. Bridge your entire body as much as possible, lifting your upper and lower body as high as you can. Engage your glutes and mid-back. By doing this, you won’t only be arching from your lower back.
When collapsing the arch body hold, bring your arms down to your side, bending your knees, or both.
Quad Stretch
The quad stretch will gage flexibility through the hips and spine. If you have tight hamstrings, this might be a challenge. Stand tall, as your legs will need to be straight and knees flexed. Completely bend forward, placing your hands on the ground as fully as possible. Try to have your hands behind your feet to the point where you can press your bodyweight up onto your toes. To the left you will see a modification of the quad stretch, consider placing one foot forward and stretching to your toes and then holding, starting with 30 seconds.
At Excalibur, our conditioning program calls for exercises that blend stamina, stability, balance, power and strength. Because of this, Excalibur is the best gym for strength training and developing gymnastics skills.
Sources:
https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/4-simple-gymnastics-drills-for-strength-and-mobility
https://fitnessfaqs.tv/gymnastics-strength-training-benefits/
