The demands on a gymnast are usually short during competition, and because of this, the cardiovascular demands are not high. Where the cardiovascular demands do come into play is during the long practices. Practices may not be high intensity for the whole period, but there are a lot of short bursts that will push the anaerobic system for brief periods. The combination of total time and high-intensity work will cause fatigue very quickly in an unfit athlete. This fatigue can lead to poor form and injury if not addressed. This makes the cardiovascular system very important for a gymnast. Strength is also very important and most of the strength training can come from the repeated drills on a certain event.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics focuses on balance, flexibility, and core strength. Gymnasts must maintain a healthy diet in order to compete at a high level. Proper technique and spotters can help limit the injuries associated with gymnastics.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredCardiovascular training for gymnasts be should added for varying amounts of time depending on the training season. Most cardio training should be done during the off-season. It should consist mainly of low-intensity exercise with some intervals to build a good aerobic base and improve your cardiovascular system. It will depend on how much time you are in the gym at this point, but three times a week could be very helpful. During the season, cardiovascular training is used to maintain the aerobic base and for recovery. This is a day that should be used to unload the body and to not perform too many intense routines. In a six day per week cycle, a few days per week at this intensity is beneficial, keeping one day for recovery. -
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See All 2 AnswersOvertraining is actually very common among gymnasts due to the long hours spent in the gym and the intense training sessions that are performed on a daily basis.
Some signs of overtraining in gymnastics include:
- Decreased appetite
- Unusual moodiness, irritability and/or emotional instability
- Sudden drop in performance
- Tired, drained, lack of energy
- Feeling of depression
- Loss of enthusiasm for training or gymnastics in general
- Increased Resting Heart Rate
- Increased incidence of injuries
If you recognize any of the above warning signs in yourself, or one of your gymnasts, it is important to objectively look at your training routine and make the necessary adjustments before you wind up sick or injured.
Remember that SMART training is the path to achieving your goals, and good health, as a gymnast!
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredCircuit training is a great way to work both a cardiovascular and strength training session into a short timeframe. For most gymnasts, putting on a lot of muscle during a weight training session is not the goal. Strength will be gained through exercise progressions and routines. Gymnasts need to improve conditioning, but do not need to spend a lot of time running or on cardiovascular equipment. Circuit training is a good way to get the desired strength while continuing to build cardiovascular fitness. Circuits should have a good balance of both the legs and upper body. The upper-body exercises should focus on the larger muscle groups with exercises that will keep you in good form. The leg exercises are more for power to help with short sprints needed to create speed quickly. The circuit should be short with limited rest and high repetitions. Using medicine balls, exercise bands, and dumbbells allows you to be creative in the exercises while enabling you to quickly move from one exercise to the next.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredGymnastics events are anaerobic, but the practices involve a lot of the aerobic system with quick anaerobic bursts. During the season, perform aerobic conditioning on recovery days to continue building an aerobic base while letting the rest of the body recover from the long practice sessions. The events and gymnastic routines in competition are short but performed at a high intensity, which means they are more anaerobic. The anaerobic system for a gymnast does not need additional work using cardiovascular equipment or outside sprinting.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answered
Gymnastics and core strength seem almost synonymous. The powerful core muscles are needed for every element and apparatus in the sport. The core is the area of the body where the center of gravity is located. This includes muscles of the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine, as well as the hips. It is where all movement begins and is necessary to maintain proper muscle balance throughout the entire body. There are at least 29 muscles that make up the core, and when it is working efficiently, it allows for proper acceleration, deceleration, and stabilization during dynamic movements. It can also reduce possible injuries. Core exercises should be trained systematically and progressively.
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Eric Beard , NASM Elite Trainer , Sports Medicine, answered on behalf of National Academy of Sports MedicineSee All 2 AnswersGymnasts absolutely need flexibility training. Gymnasts need to develop extremes ranges of motion throughout their major joints and when they do not have the extensibility of the muscles to allow for those extreme ranges of motion they tend to damage joint capsules, tendons, cartilage and ligaments. I have worked with several gymnasts and figure skaters and they have been missing symmetrical ranges of motion at key joints. Having a limitation in range of motion on one side of the body is a risk for injury. I have also observed that many gymnasts have the passive range of motion they need but they do not have the active strength to go along with it. This means that if they go into a split, gravity, momentum and their body weight push them into the split, it is a passive movement. Their muscles do not have to do the work. An example of active strength (or active flexibility) is if the gymnast were standing and had to raise a leg up in their air to the side and hold it there for 2-4 seconds using their hip and leg muscles only, much like a martial artist. Active range of motion is critical to gymnastic performance and reduction of injury risk. Traditional static stretching is important along with active and dynamic stretching. There are many types of flexibility to be used to help a gymnast prepare for and recover from the rigors of their sport.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answered
Learning to balance and control your body effectively is extremely important for working the balance beam. Several balance exercises should be incorporated to increase skills at all levels. For example, a single-leg balance and reach exercise helps joint stabilization, as well as using the right muscles at the right time for neuromuscular efficiency.
To perform this exercise, stand with the feet shoulder-width apart and pointing straight ahead. The hips should be in a neutral position with the chest up, shoulders back and down, and chin tucked. With the abdominals and gluteals contracted, lift one leg directly beside the balance leg. Move the leg to the front of the body and hold for two seconds. Return slowly and repeat. The floating leg can also reach to the side of the body, or around the body for further challenge.
As a progression to the above exercise, you can perfom a lunge to balance. A lunge to balance requires the body to balance through a more dynamic range of motion which enhances specificity and neural control. To perform this exercise, begin with thefeet shoulder-width apart and pointing straight ahead. The hands remain on the hips. With the abdominals tight, lunge forward keeping the feet straight ahead, and the knees in-line between the second and third toes. Push off the front foot through the heel onto the back leg and maintain balance on the back leg. Perform 1-2 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Lastly, you can then progress to a hop with stabilization. Stand on one foot, hop on the the other foot, and stabilize the landing. Make sure that when you land, your foot stays straight and your knees stay in-line with your toes. Perform 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions on each leg.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredAn assessment of the core can be done by a qualified health care practitioner or physical therapist. It is important that the right muscles are working at the right time for ultimate results and proper core usage. Poor movement patterns and poor neuromuscular control equate to poor stabilization. Any muscle or joint imbalance must be corrected before beginning a core strengthening routine. Beginning core exercises that can be assessed may include the task of drawing-in or bracing the abdominals, a plank exercise, or a prone cobra. These are a small sample of some core exercises that must be mastered before moving on to more advanced moves.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredBasic skills required for the gymnast are flexibility, core strength, balance, upper and lower-body strength, power, mental focus, discipline, and dedication. Although not necessarily a skill, commitment is mandatory and is often assessed by gymnastic coaches. Basic skills can be trained, and most are taught by a coach. All skills can be learned by using proper technique and having a tenacious attitude. Technique is the crucial foundation to increase skill level and become proficient with all functional movement.