Gym Momentum

How to Divide Your Time

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I have had a few messages and e-mails following the training camp asking me how to organize training time in the gym and how long each competitive level should train. Here’s a practical approach based on experience.

Time Allocation: Warm-up, Strength, Skill, Events

  • Warm-up and strength: Spend the same amount of time on warm-up and strength as you spend on any event block. For example, if your event training is 30 minutes, allocate 30 minutes to strength. Strength work should always come before skill practice.
  • Event training: Think of event time in thirds:
    • 1/3 routines (full run-throughs and routine refinement)
    • 1/3 basics and problem parts (drills addressing weaknesses)
    • 1/3 “move-up” skills (progressions to new skills)
    • This balance may shift through the season; for example, prioritize routine refinement as competitions approach.

Event-Specific Strength Examples Strength should be tailored to each event. Examples:

  • Vault: single-leg sprints for speed, stuck-landing drills, handstand shoulder shrugs
  • Bars: cast handstands (legs together and straddle)
  • Beam: pistol squats, handstand holds, leg kick-and-hold, handstand snap-ups, bounding jumps
  • Floor: Handstand snap up. Bounding Jumps.

How Long Should Each Level Train? Training time depends on factors like budget, available gym time, coaching ratios, and individual needs. All else equal, more hours generally produce better results. Use the top end of the sport to work backward:

  • Elite / Olympic / World championship: 30+ hours/week 
  • National-level (approx. Level 9/10): ~24 hours/week 
  • Level 8/9: 16–20 hours/week 
  • Level 7/8: 12–16 hours/week 
  • Level 6/7: ~12 hours/week 
  • Level 5/6: 9–12 hours/week 
  • Level 4/5: ~9 hours/week

These are guidelines from experience. Individual gymnasts will vary—some will need more time, others can progress with less. Use these ranges as a starting point, then adjust for each athlete’s goals, recovery needs, and resources.

Suggested Conditioning Part 1

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Puerto Rico Suggested Strength and Conditioning Part 1

Strengthen movements NOT muscles. 

All Levels

  • Candle Stick roll and Jump 5-10 Add height for stronger gymnasts 
  • Jump lunges. 5-10
  • Inverted V Toe raises 10-20 Straight, 10-20 bent (unlocked) 
  • Hamstring curls 2x 8-12
  • Ankle pull back 10-30 
  • hollow hold 10-20 sec.  Rock 10-20 seconds 
  • Repeat each side (L, R, and Arch) 
  • Plank push up hold 10-20 seconds. Shrug 10-20X
  • Repeat on each side L,R
DevelopmentalCompulsoryOptional
Pull up/ chin up hang each grip 1-35-10 pull up each grip5-10 pull up each grip (with pirouette
Candle stick hold5-10 pull up candle/lever5-10 pull up candle lever
1/2 leg lift from sitting on floor 5-10 1/2 leg lifts from floor or hang10+ 1/2 leg lifts from hang
Reverse leg lift (start UP, down slow) 
4-10 “windshield wipers” 



Handstand on floor bar.  Finish in push up2-5 Spotted cast handstands.  5-10 Handstand on floor bar.  Finish in push up5+ Spotted cast handstand  5+ cast handstand alone. 



Press HEADstand 5- press headstand 5- press handstand 5-10 Press handstand 



Push up10, pike handstand push up 5, spotted handstand push up10 Handstand Push up (Add spotted with pirouette) 
 

Rope ClimbRope climb in “L” or straddle “L”Rope climb in “L” or straddle “L” 



Conditioning For Success

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Power Point From Condition For Success.

Movement PatternsBasic strengthening IntermediateAdvanced
GaitWalk, Run, Skip, Sprint Front/ Back  Basic Leg curlRun, Skip, High leg kicks, Sprint,  Front back. Leg curl or Leg curl Push Up. Leg curl push up from mat. 


“Squirrel Sprint” “Squirrel sprint” 
Squat. Jump/LandRoll jump w/ matRoll Jump, Squat w/ light weight Roll jump Up to height. Squat w/ weight 
Hip Hinge. Jump/LandJump stick. Roll off mat to stick. Frog Jumps.  Leg lifts Frog jump to height. Standing back tuck stick.Flip w/ stuck landings from Beam. 1/2 leg lifts Standing Back Tuck UP to height.  Flip with twist stuck landing  Variation of 1/2 leg lifts 
Lunge. Jump/LandLunge, Lunge kick . Pistol Squat from Mat Mountain Climber.  Toe raises Pistol squat.  Single leg roll jump.  Mountain Climber w/ weight  Toe raises w/ weight Pistol squat on Beam,   Single leg roll jump to mat. Mountain Climber w/ weight . Toe raises w/weight 




Hollow/ ArchBasic Hollow/ arch shapesHollow/ arch rocks.   Candle stick pull. (F/B)Hollow/ Arch Rocks.  Candle stick pull from mat
Twist/ RotationSeated twists w/ foam. Side archSeated twists w/ weight Start hollow roll to arch back to hollow.  Candle stick turn toes/ heels. Handstand pirouettesTwists w/weight.  Candle stick turn toes/heels. Hollow/arch rollover.   Back extension roll pirouettes 




Pull (both grips)Pull up. Seated rowing. Pull up w/ pirouette.  Seated rowing. Pull up w/pirouette w/weight 
PushPush up.  Dips.  Handstand Various push ups (narrow, wide, hand positions). Dips.  Handstand Push Ups. Handstand push ups. Various push up. Dips. 




Throw/ CatchOver head and under hand throw and catch foam or ball.  Overhead and underhand throw and catch medicine ball.  Add speed 
Kip PullLaying flat bring arms from up to down w/ elastic. Candle stick pull.  Kip pull with tighter elastic. Candle stick pull from mat.  Kip Pull w/  elastic. 
Cast PushSwing on P. Bars.  Arm lifts w/ light weight Swing on P. Bars.  Arm lifts w/ heavier weight.  Cast handstands Swing HS on P Bars. Sets of arm lifts w/ weight.  Cast Handstands 

With gymnasts on a TEAM TRACK I begin to break things down by ages. What my goal is at each stage od development. Here is a sample.

6-8 Year Old. Stage 2. Advanced Physical Preparation Phase

10-12 hours per week

General 

Multilateral development of skills and flexibility. Discipline for form and execution through the use of compulsory elements. NOW IS THE TIME TO LEARN EXCELLENT BASICS

GET THEM TO LOVE THE SPORT

Conditioning 

General strength development of working all joints. Lay base for future. Work to Balance muscle groups and build for body shape. Start with static shapes then move to moving through positions. 

ShapesMoments 
StraightPushing
Hollow/ ArchPulling
Side Hollow/ ArchJumping/landing
Handstands Hollowing/Arching (Korbet)

Arm/ shoulder pull down (kipping)

Arm/shoulder extension (casting)

Throwing/ Catching

Kicking

Keep it fun. Make it a game. 

Flexibility 

Develop maximum range of all joints through static exercises. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN FLEXIBILITY.

8-10 Year Old.  Stage 3 A.  Beginning Competition Preparation Phase

GENERAL 

Continue multi-lateral development. Help gymnast be as well rounded as possible. During this stage most will decide they mentally want to make the commitment toward a higher level

As they get closer to 10 yrs I begin to explain mechanics.  What makes the body work.  I want constructive play.  It should still have an element of fun

12-16 hours per week

You must begin giving the gymnast some control of their gymnastics. 

Begin doing mental rehearsal of routines and skills.

CONDITIONING 

Specific exercises (for intermediate skills). Harder calisthenics exercises. 

Test for strengths and weaknesses. 

Light to Medium bounding exercises.

Periodization not a major concern.

TEST strength regularly

Once a gymnast can perform a set of exercises un assisted. Add resistance, increased form, or speed.  BUT NOT ALL at same time. WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? 

For example. 

Straight body push up. 

Step one- keeping back straight through out, set of 10. 

Step two- added resistance through weight or elastic bands. Continue until straight back throughout set of 10 

Step three- Remove weight for set of 10 timed. Straight back throughout. 

Example 2

Over Grip  (OG) Pull up 5 x Under Grip  (UG) Pull up 5 x

Step one OG pull up switch grip UG pull up until 6x (3,3) 

Step two OG pull up, pirouette to UG pull up, pirouette OG pull up… 

Step three with added weight OG pull up 5 x, UG pull up 5x

Begin incorporating speed drills into conditioning. 

FLEXIBILITY 

Static as well as  Active. NOT JUST sit in split.  

Kick and HOLD. Dynamic – medium speed. Work to balance L and R side

Test flexibility 

You Never Know Who You’re Impacting

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Every once in a while, something stops you in your tracks and reminds you exactly why you started.

Recently, I received a message from a coach I’ve known for years. As I read it, I cried — not because I was sad, but because I was overwhelmed with gratitude. The kind of gratitude that wraps around your chest and squeezes gently, saying, “You did it. You made a difference.”

“It’s my first time having an athlete make Nationals and I’m one of the team coaches… I’m very proud of that as this has been a coaching goal of mine for a long time.”

All I’ve ever truly wanted in my career is to be relevant — to contribute something meaningful to the sport I love. What began as helping gymnasts grow and succeed eventually turned into mentoring coaches. And in that message, I saw the fruits of that evolution.

“I don’t know if you remember, but back when I was coaching Level 6… you took the time to have a call with me and we talked about process. How everyone and their dog can teach the skills, but it’s about the way you go about it that will make the difference.”

Yes. That’s it. That’s the core of everything I believe about coaching — that process is everything. That mentorship is just as vital as technique. That how we lead matters just as much as what we teach.

“I refer to the notes I took during that call often, and they are a big part of how I run the program and what I’m trying to build going forward.”

To know that a conversation we had years ago is still shaping the way a coach approaches their athletes, their goals, and their program — that’s powerful. That’s legacy. That’s relevance.

“Thank you for all the time you’ve given me over the years… You’ve been a wonderful mentor, friend, and so much more.”

Reading those words broke me open in the best way. Because in this work, we don’t always get to see the ripple effects we create. We give our time, our thoughts, our belief, and we hope it lands. We hope it helps. And sometimes — when we’re lucky — someone takes the time to tell us that it did.

To that coach: thank you. Thank you for reaching out, for being honest, and for carrying forward the kind of coaching that builds people, not just skills. I’m so proud of you — and I can’t wait to hear about your experience at Nationals.

And to every coach reading this: keep going. Keep giving. Keep having those conversations. You never know which moment will become the one that changes everything for someone else.

This is what Gym Momentum is all about.
Supporting each other. Growing together. Paying it forward.

With deep gratitude,
Tony
Founder, Gym Momentum

3 Keys To Being a GREAT Coach

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As the New Year approaches, it is time to look back AND look forward. My goal for the new year has been the same for many years. BE A BETTER COACH. Doc Massimo always told me that I had to focus on the things I could control. Being a better coach is something I can always work on.

I have always felt that a good coach is simply a good teacher. I have written and lectured on COACHES as EDUCATORS many times. Maybe it’s time I dust off that lecture and start doing it again.

Through out my career (35+ years) I have been able to meet some truly great coaches. Some I visited in their gyms. Some I met at conferences or competitions and some have become friends. Watching them interact with the gymnasts and other coaches is a thing a beauty. Here are my takeaways.

One: Relationships with the gymnasts. Great teachers truly care about their students as people. Great coaches need to do the same. We need to build relationships with the athletes. We may not be close to all of them but we need to try to build relationships with as many as possible. We need to listen to the gymnasts. It’s not just about the struggles the gymnast is having in the gym, thought that is important. We need to be available to hear about their struggles with life, with school, and with what happens today. We must respect the gymnasts as people. This is how we build a relationship.

Two: We must be enthusiastic about coaching gymnastics, working with gymnasts and the event we are on. This can be difficult at the younger levels where coaches have to “do it all”. Great coaches can fake it to some extent because they are passionate about enough of what they are teaching to know what that feels like. Passion is contagious. It also means that one wants to share that passion as well as the specific knowledge they are trying to share. Gymnasts who have a relationship with a coach will naturally want to learn what is being taught so enthusiastically.

Three: Innovation. I would rather have one coach with 20 years experience than 20 coaches with one year of experience. The great coaches I have met are constantly innovating. They may start with a canned program. One they have taught many times before. Then they add, subtract, and move things around. More often though, they make their own. Individual to the current group and athletes they are working with. Oh, sure, they abide by necessary standards but they teach their own way. They are rarely satisfied. At this point in my career, I very rarely use notes to teach off of. I have been down this broad countless times. Then I pick up on a cue and I start modifying the plan to fit the kids. When we get a new piece of equipment in the gym I try to see how many different ways I can use it. When I am lecturing you’ll often find me modifying my presentation, before teaching that material again. I write down what worked and what didn’t work and then I go on.

The other day my friend is WENDY BRUCE-MARTIN sent me a drill she saw on instagram. It was a drill that she and I did years ago when we were coaching in Switzerland. The person was presenting this as something NEW. I wasn’t bothered. A great coach will borrow from other great coaches and teachers (although it would have been nice to have been given the credit). A great coach is not afraid to find ideas from others and fit them into how and where they teach. I have lectured often throughout the world on gymnastics and education and one thing I almost always see is that the coaches who are giving the lectures can often be found sitting in on other lectures. They are always learning. Always looking for a better, more efficient way. They are talking to others in the hallway, sharing meals and activities outside the conference. They are always listening and learning.

Bonus: The great teachers and coaches share their knowledge with others. They will share their plan and philosophy. They share not for ego but because there is something about being a coach that just makes one want to help everyone become better. Better about teaching. Better at knowing things. In the end, If I teach you something and your gymnasts get better- I need to innovate and up my game to be better.

Seek out the great teachers. Become a great teacher. Make the world a better place. Make that part of your New Year’s Resolution.

On Coaching and My Career

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Coaching has been my life for 35+ years. Even before I formally began coaching and was still an athlete, I tried to think like a coach and learn the why I was doing what I was doing. I had a lot of fears and my coaches were pretty busy so I forced myself to understand WHY I was doing something and what needed to be done to change it.

Coaching is a profession that puts an emphasis on relationships and teaching. As I reflect on my career and what I have seen of others I believe that coaching is more than a profession, IT IS A CALLING. A calling with great responsibility and equally great rewards. For me it has been a privilege to coach for as long I have and be associated with the athletes, I have been fortunate to work with.

Today I am concerned about the state of coaching. For many younger coaches coaching has shifted from being transformational to being transactional. The outcome has taken precedence over the process. There too much emphasis on the sizzle, not enough on the substance of sport performance. There are some great young coaches out there who certainly understand this. A few come to mind who are understand the process and continue learning.( Ryan, Andrew, Josh, to name a few). They understand that just because they see it on YouTube it doesn’t necessarily make it correct. They look deeper into the issue to get to the root of the problem.

Look for differences not similarities. Strip away all things that don’t matter and get down to the core issues. What you don’t see may be as important as what you do see!

For me coaching is process. It is a process with strong foundation in pedagogy, after all coaching is teaching. It is supported by science not driven by science. It is forged in experience that is proven and tested in the competitive arena. It is managing complexity and harnessing chaos. The BEST coaches are great teachers. The sport is just the subject.

The coach’s classroom is the field, the track, or in our case the gym. Great coaches are not “know it all” complexifiers, rather they are “learn it all” simplifiers. They understand it is not about marginal gains, it is staying grounded and never straying far from fundamentals. Great coaching is repeating the basics brilliantly each day. It may not be exciting and make a highlight reel, but it will produce results.

Finally, here are some thoughts that will make you a better coach:

  • Stay Basic
  • Stay Hungry
  • Stay Focused
  • Focus on the “Can Do”
  • Stay Uncomfortable
  • Stay You
  • Stay Passionate
  • Maintain a Child’s Curiosity

Finally take some time to smell the roses (or have a gelato) and appreciate the great calling you have chosen!

From Practice to the Podium

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From Practice to The Podium. Long term gymnastics success.

When I first started coaching gymnastics I wanted to be a GREAT coach (what ever that meant). Now looking back at what I feel was a reasonably successful career I feel I accomplished many of my goals. More importantly I helped many gymnasts reach their goal. I have seen coaches is small gyms with barely enough equipment have great results and I have seen coaches in gyms so big they almost need their own zip code really do nothing. Where I have seen most coaches fall short is with lack of a plan and failure to follow though.

Even the best plan is going to have mistakes. Whether that plan is for an individual athlete, a group or a team. There also needs to be a set of checks and balances. You are not going to have all the answers or even know what some of the questions are or will be. Here are just a few.

  • Who is going to check you?
  • Is it the right skill for the right athlete?
  • Is it too many or too few competitions?
  • When do you need the athletes to peak? When to recover?
  • Can the athlete or team handle the training load?

Luckily- not much of what we have done is truly innovative. It’s all been done, Others have paved the path. Written down the basic recipe- all you need to do is add your own spice.

  • Where to start your plan?
  • What are YOUR goals?
  • Do your co-coaches have similar goals?
  • What are the goals of the athletes (individually and as a team)?
  • Do your athletes buy into your program? Do the parents?

A question NOT often asked is: What is your story? What makes you special? In todays society gymnasts and their families will have many choices they could make. A different gym? A different sport? USAG, NGA, USAIGC, AAU, X-cel, D.O. WHY SHOULD A GYMNAST AND THEIR FAMILY PICK YOU AND YOUR SYSTEM?

There are countless questions you need to ask and answer on your path to success. Here is where to start:

WHY CAN’T YOU DO IT?

When I opened up my gym I had a great coaching staff and I decided that we were going to have a top level program. We were going to have continued success at Level 10 and have some elite gymnasts as well.

We laid out the plan. Hours per week, how long each event, what conditioning needed to get done. We all contributed.

We thought about the competition schedule. When would our first meet be, when would we want the girls to hit their physical peak.

We thought about when we wanted each gymnast to have their highest skill level. When would we start taking skills out of routines and training programs.

For a few decades we stuck with that plan, of course making small adjustments along the way.

How did we end up with a good program. It’s simple. We decided to.

You can too.

If you want to be with a group of people who can answer your questions and probably ask some more- check out GYM MOMENTUM CAMP this summer.

PREPARE THE ATHLETE FOR THE ROAD. NOT THE ROAD FOR THE ATHLETE

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The path to athletic success and life is a journey. In my 35 years of coaching, I have seen profound changes in how we prepare the athlete for “the road.” In the last 15 years I have noticed a trend that has accelerated over the last ten years. What I have noticed is that coaches tend to spend an inordinate amount of time preparing the road for the athlete. They try to remove all obstacles in the way and make the road as straight and smooth as possible so the athlete can easily reach their goal. This has resulted in fragile, not fully adapted athletes unable to deal with adversity in sport and life. It has created entitlement and unrealistic expectations of the athletes’ abilities and capabilities. On the physical side the athletes are not prepared for the rigors of competition. Recovery has assumed more importance than work. Rehab exercises have taken the place of strength. We are managing workload so finitely that the athlete is never allowed to get uncomfortable.  To be successful any athlete needs to get to a point of being uncomfortable, then work through it until they become comfortable. Then repeat the process.

It is beyond my capabilities to speculate why this has occurred; I will leave that to experts beyond my pay grade (Dr. George? Dr Sands? Any observations any comments?) . Suffice it to say that I am NOT a coach yearning for the “good old days” because I still have been through enough and seen enough enough to remember the old days and understand that there were many common practices of the day that are better left in the past. I am not denying the fact that many of these did unintentional harm. The lessons we have learned from experience and research have shown that we can do better. Now, the pendulum has swung so far that we are now doing our athletes a disservice. Few, if any, things of substance and importance and learned within ones comfort zone.

Instead, I offer a simple solution. Although it will not be easy. I am confident it will work. I have seen it work before and I am seeing it work today. Let’s start out by talking about the journey and the road to the destination of athletic excellence. It is a long road with many obstacles and occasional detours. Sometimes the road is smooth and other times it is rough and unpaved. Like a New England road in the spring, there could be many pot holes and frost heaves. There will be detours and road construction. Sometimes you will get lost and need to find your own way back to the main road. It is all part of the journey. At times the car will break down, it may be just a flat tire that can be quickly repaired, or it may be a blown engine that takes longer to repair. Simply you do what you must do to keep moving forward to your destination.

So, what should we change? What can do to remedy this situation? It is quite simple, shift the emphasis from preparing the road for the athlete to preparing the athlete for the road. It is an arduous journey that takes more than just talent. It demands everyone being on the same page. A partnership between coaches and athletes. It is not harsh or tough love, it is caring. It is coaching the person, giving guidance and direction. Remember it is a transformational process, not transactional. It is allowing the athlete space to grow. There will be some trial and error. Along the way there will be choices, some quite simple and others more complex. We need to help the athlete make informed choices that are best for them. It is an understanding that mistakes and failure in a competition is just a bump in the road, a real learning opportunity to grow and move on. It demands that we as leaders get out of our comfort zone of being the almighty, know it all. We must humble ourselves and understand the athlete and recognize that it takes time for the athlete to grow. It is more than words. If we expect them to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, then we must also be willing to be uncomfortable. We need to value what matters to the athlete, get past appearances and labels. Give them all the tools they need to navigate the road. Hard intelligent training that thoroughly prepares for the rigors of competition is necessary, not an option. Provide reasonable behavioral guidelines that give them structure and guidance. Give them a working compass oriented to true north, along with a current road map so they can navigate the detours and road closures to be able to get to their destination.

Stop trying to prepare the road and start preparing the gymnasts for the road ahead. Coach the individual. Teach them to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. The gymnast is going to go through many stages of learning and in each one of those stages what they will need from you will be different.

At NGA Nationals and symposium this year I will be delivering a lecture on EVOLVING and ELEVATING YOUR PROGRAM. This is where my mind is starting this lecture. It is the PATH from PRACTICE to the PODIUM.

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