While your are no doubt breathlessly waiting for the finish and release of our upcoming Book, Gymnastics Secrets to Strength Training for Gymnasts, we wanted to give you all a heads up and overview of some of what will be covered for your use right now. 

Real Gymnasts Do Strength Training
Gymnastics skills at every level require a certain minimum amount of strength and flexibility.  If you don’t have the strength, you will never learn a kip, no matter how many times you are spotted or attempt it.  All high level gymnasts have a high level of strength.

Heredity and Hard Work
While heredity is a distinct factor in the strength potential of athletes and gymnasts, strength can be developed with the correct strength training program.  If you are naturally strong, work hard to increase your advantage.  If you are not naturally strong, follow a carefully planned system of strength training to overcome your weakness.

Need A Separate Strength Training Program
Practicing gymnastics is not in itself enough strength training.  You need to engage in a systematic program of strength and flexibility training throughout your entire gymnastics career.  In particular, you will benefit most if you develop sufficient strength first or early in your gymnastics career, which will allow you to learn skills more quickly and easily.

Build Gymnastics “Strength”
Strength training is specific to each sport.  Gymnasts need to develop strength, explosive power and quickness.  For example, marathon training would be of little use to a gymnast.

e-Book Strength Topics 
There is already quite a bit of information our Level e-Books on strength and flexibility.  There are chapters that focus on the following topics:
The Importance of Strength 
The Importance of Flexibility 
Strength Training 
Conditioning and Physical Fitness 
TOPS Program/STEP Program 
Plyometrics 
Plyometric Training Program 
Flexibility 
Partner Stretching 
Gymnastics Strength Workout Charts 
Flexibility Testing 
Personal Strength Records 
You can learn and improve your current level of strength following the advice already contained in our e-Books for each level.

Parents and Gymnasts Can Understand Strength Training
Strength and flexibility are areas (about the only areas) that parents can be knowledgeable enough to help their gymnast themselves.  Extra strength and flexibility work can be done at home with the help and supervision of parents, when appropriate.  Especially at the lower compulsory levels, gymnasts who don’t work out every day and often have limited time for strength and flexibility training time at the gym can benefit from extra strength training. 

The Keys to the Gymnastics Kingdom (Queendom?)
Strength and flexibility are keys to success in gymnastics and you want to make sure gymnasts are getting enough training in those areas.

Avoid Over-Training
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that additional strength and flexibility training is necessary.  If your gymnast is already involved in daily 30 – 45 minute intense strength training, you neither need nor want to do more.  More than that much intense strength training can result in injury, burn-out and won’t be productive in building additional strength.  If your gymnast is not getting this much training, they could potentially benefit from more training.

Progressive Strength Training
The major qualities a gymnastics strength-training program should have are regular (daily) training, progressive training (regular increase in reps, sets, weight involved and intensity) and a rest period where the muscles have an opportunity to grow.  Many gymnastics programs do not or are not able to provide such a program or the training time to do such a program.

Special Gymnastics Strength Testing Programs
It is important to emphasize that many of the successful gymnasts in our country trained in special gymnastics training programs that emphasized strength and flexibility training and testing and then high level gymnastics skills.  There are two programs currently operational in the country like that. 

STEP and TOP Strength Testing Programs
The STEP program is the current strength and high level optional skill development program of  the USAIGC (United States Association of Independent Gymnastics Clubs). The USAIGC was the first to nationally promote this type of Elite development program.

USA Gymnastics TOP Program
The TOP (Talent Opportunity Program) program from USA Gymnastics has followed the lead of the USAIGC programs and is now the pre0eminet program of this type in the country and the most common path into the Elite ranks.  Anyone interested in being successful at the Elite level should be involved in this program or one like it.

Use a Comprehensive Strength Program
It is important to understand that these testing programs are not complete strength training programs in themselves and must be supplemented with other strength training activities and exercises.

Don’t Miss Our MAX*STRENGTH Program
Good luck and feel free to contact us if you have any other questions and keep an eye out for our upcoming Strength Book.  Note that it will introduce a comprehensive approach to gymnastics strength training, a radical new strength training system for older high level gymnasts and a special strength-training program for coaches who need to be strong in order to safely spot.
 
 

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