World Champion Jordan Jovtchev Shares some great Conditioning Ideas and Exercises on Rings.
Share Your drills and Ideas with Gym Momentum! Keep The momentum going!
Mary Lee Tracy. Core Conditioning at Beam
Mary Lee Tracy shares some great exercises for core conditioning at Beam. Check out her youtube page to get some other great drills.
Share your drills and exercises at Gym Momentum.
Coach and PT Connection
As a coach and club owner, having a good relationship with a physical therapist is not just good for the health of the gymnasts, it is good for the health of my business.
Why is this important to the coach?
Healthy athletes = more reps in the gym.
I have always felt that the key to high level gymnastics is getting enough reps in of skills. A gymnast who is missing reps because of injury will not be as successful as the gymnast who is getting in more reps.
Healthy athletes = better competitor
A healthy athlete who is NOT worried about landings or take offs that hurt will be a better competitor because it allows them to focus on other things like straight legs, straight arms etc.
Healthy athletes = consistent workouts
When you look at workouts it is not really what happened on Monday, what matters is what happens in a month of Mondays.
Healthy athletes = easier motivation in the gym
Let’s face it, the kids with injuries in the gym is not going to be all that motivated to take a lot of turns (that hurt).
Why is this important to the club owner
Healthy athletes = Less lost revenue
You hardly make any money on team anyway. If kids are then working out less hours because they are hurt and then pay less in tuition you are losing money.
Healthy athletes = make team more marketable
If you have a healthy looking team at competitions and practices, kids will want to be part of that and parents will want their kids to be part of it.
Healthy athletes = Outside growth
I have had many parents from other gyms call me and want their daughter to try out because they were tired of her being hurt at her current gym.
Healthy athletes = Bragging rights over other sports
I love it when coaches from other sports encourage their athletes to do gymnastics in the off season to keep them strong AND healthy.
Healthy athletes = Less problem parents
How it works in my gym
PT comes in two or three times per week (only because they are a parent of an athlete). One time per week is what we were doing before.
On the days when I know they will be there I leave a list of gymnasts to see/ evaluate.
The PT consults with conditioning and rehab exercises by GROUP. Our PT noticed that our Level 5s had a lot of asymmetrical core strength. So we were able to change some of the conditioning exercises to deal with it. They also consult with conditioning and rehab exercises for individuals.
Triage- Every once and a while there is a gymnasts who crashes while the PT is in the gym. You never want that to happen but it is always good to have a more qualified person there to handle it.
Nuts and bolts
Each event has specific exercises related to that event.
On Vault we have exercises for ankle, knees and wrists.
On Bars we have exercises for wrists, elbows and shoulder.
On Beam we have exercises flexibility and ankles.
On Floor we have exercises for core strength and back.
Exercises are posted and changed about every 3-4 weeks. ATTITUDE towards the exercises is as important as the exercises themselves. We explain WHY and the WHAT of each exercise.
These stations are part of their warm up or part of a circuit. This gives them something to do instead of hanging out talking!
Mental Toughness
You hear the term mental toughness used all the time. So and so is labeled mentally tough, what does that mean? What is mental toughness? Can you teach it? Can you learn it? I don’t believe in mental toughness, never have. I think mental toughness is a term without much meaning; it is a convenient label that is often used as an excuse.
I do believe in willpower, determination and perseverance. Athletes who are mentally strong achieve that because they work to strengthen their willpower muscles with consistent steady effort. They use failures as stepping-stones to success. (see Failure, a prerequisite to success) They will take risks, but above they are consistent and steady in their approach. All the best athletes that I have been around have those qualities.
I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan
I don’t believe you can teach mental toughness by doing mindless workouts that make the athletes tired.
The willpower and determination that builds mental strength comes from consistent mindfull effort day in and day out, exercise-to-exercise, set-to-set throughout the workout each day. There are no magic workouts to develop this. It is a mindset; it is a willingness to put yourself in positions that test your concentration, your determination and your ability to execute in stressful situations. You are what you train to be, if you go through the motions and just do the work you are not building the mental strength necessary to excel in the competitive cauldron. Bring your mind to the workout, be fully engaged and build mental strength to parallel the physical strength, speed and endurance necessary to give yourself a chance to succeed.
Coaches Education and Professionalism
Coaches Education and Professionalism
It is a given that a coach should be as knowledgeable as possible.
What are you doing to today to learn and to get better? As coaches we should be constantly learning. No doubt we should question the specialists and experts, read and research, observe other coaches and other sports – that is all fine and well but don’t miss the forest for the trees. Every training session, each interaction with an athlete is an opportunity to learn.
I can only speak for myself but in my early days of coaching (when I knew everything) I missed out on many learning opportunities because I was too busy talking to listen and see. Don’t repeat my mistakes, listen, carefully observe, step back and think before you speak. Each day look at the world with new eyes, seek out the learning opportunities your athletes can teach you, it is as much as any book or expert.
Listen to what they say, watch what they do, see how they solve movement problems, they are a wealth of information and they are there everyday for us to learn from.
I am not fond of people calling coaching an industry, coaching is a profession. Because it is a profession there are certain characteristics of being professional that I feel are very important These are some of my thoughts on what it takes to be a professional in today’s fast paced world of instant information.
Passion – A genuine enthusiasm for what you do. Not just when there are crowds and on game day but everyday.
Belief – Believe in what you do and live your beliefs.
Grunt Work – 90% of coaching is grunt work. It is doing the mundane tasks that are essential. .
Experience – Train for several sports, coach several sports. There is no substitute for having to put your butt on the line on game day as player or a coach. This is essential. This does not mean you have to be a star, but at least participate.
Study and observe – Get around great coaches. See how they work. See how they praise and how they correct. Learn everything they do. Observe their body language. Listen and see how they communicate.
Learn & Research – Read scientific journals, coaching journals, technical journals. Get away from the Internet and go for straight facts. Study video.
Practice – Get proficient at the skills you must teach. Be able to capably demonstrate the movements. Know skill progressions and how to teach them.
Develop a coaching eye – Train yourself to observe without a visual bias.
Be Organized – Plan and have a contingency plan. Be on time and stay late.
Look the Part – Get fit, dress the part and dress appropriately.
Communication Skills – Sharpen them. Realize all the dimensions’ of communication. Remember communication is not sending it is also receiving.
Have a life – Take care of your family and reserve some time for yourself.
As a last thought remember: it takes at least twenty years to be an overnight success so don’t be in a hurry, take your time.
Humor as a Teaching Tool
The proper use of humor, analogy, and metaphor appropriate to the topic can provide benefits in the gym. Better comprehension, increased retention, and a more comfortable learning environment have all been attributed to the effective use of these strategies. Humor is valued by teachers, coaches and students and has been shown to enhance learning and reduce anxiety. Analogies and metaphors aid gymnasts’ in relating an unfamiliar concept to one that may be more recognizable, improving their understanding and increasing retention.
As educators, we frequently search for more effective methods of communicating information and helping our gymnasts to learn. . Several studies (see Garner, in press) have found that a number of strategies can be used to help students better assimilate and retain information. Among those strategies are the effective use of humor, analogy, and metaphor.
Use of humor, analogy, and metaphor can be valuable in the learning process. From a psychological perspective, humor, analogy and metaphor can be viewed as nonthreatening to ones self-esteem; thus, bypassing the natural resistance to change (Earle, 1995).
Glenn (2002) has suggested that there is frequently a link between humor and the use of metaphors in learning. He reported that the use of metaphors and other strategies can “increase retention by as much as 40%” (p.1). Similarly, Hill (1988) found humor coupled with the use of analogy and metaphor provided students with added positive associations and they were more likely to remember information.
In using humor, analogy, and metaphor in teaching, however, one must recognize that differences in culture, age, belief, gender, and other distinctions can influence how the information is perceived.
The effective use of humor, analogy, and metaphor by coaches and teachers can increase student attention, reduce anxiety, improve critical thinking, enhance concept learning, and create a positive environment (e.g., Bryant and Zillman, 1988; Bryant, Comisky, Crane, & Zillman, 1980; Garner, 2003, in press).
Students report that teachers who help them learn by using such strategies create a less intimidating environment that is more relaxed and allows the students to become better listeners. As a result, there is an increased level of comprehension and cognitive retention—and of equal importance—a more enjoyable class for the students and the instructor.
I frequently use humor, metaphorical examples, and analogies when coaching team; however, I must remain cognizant that some gymnasts are not attuned with my “personal sense of funny.” As a result, my choices in technique and examples are carefully selected to provide the greatest appeal for the widest audience. I always remind myself to “Coach the Age” not the level. A 10 year old is a 10 year old. Regardless if they are a Recreational class student or a Level 10.
Please remember that SARCASM is NOT funny for most of your students because it tends to single out a student for ridicule. Sarcasm should be avoided in the gym.
National Humor Month?
I just found out that April was National Humor Month. I feel bad that I missed it so I will do a little catching up (and wait for April Next Year to really get in the spirit).
Are you stressed out? Unable to relax? Just finished your last Regional Championship and now you are getting ready for Nationals? When was the last time you didn’t have a meet filled weekend? Well, you might consider going for a long and exhausting jog, or engaging in a frantic game of paddle ball to work out those frustrations. Or, if you want more immediate results, you can just laugh it off!
April was National Humor Month, so this is the perfect time to add a little humor into your daily routine. Founded in 1976 by author and humorist Larry Wilde, the original idea was to heighten public awareness of the therapeutic and restorative values of joy and laughter. After all, many studies have shown that laughter can actually improve our health. And laughter is fun! After all, you can’t feel sad or angry when you’re laughing, right?
The fact is that laughter itself changes us physiologically. Like exercise or waving your arms around, it boosts the heart rate and increases blood flow, so we breathe faster and more oxygen is delivered to the body’s tissues. Our facial muscles stretch and we actually burn calories when we’re laughing. In fact, the mere act of smiling can alter your mood almost immediately.
Of course, there are always skeptics out there, like that cranky parent, the grumpy teenage gymnast or the coach you see at a meet that is just a downer. You can try to avoid them or you can mention these fun facts to them (which will probably just piss them off but that is OK too!)
Laughter Reduces Stress: When stressed, we produce a hormone called cortisol. Laughter can significantly reduce cortisol levels.
Laughter Can Reduce Pain: Laughter causes us to produce endorphins, which are natural, pain-killing hormones.
Laughter Strengthens the Immune System: A hearty laugh decreases stress hormones and increases production of T-cells, immune proteins and infection-fighting antibodies.
Laughter Helps the Heart: When we laugh we increase blood flow and the function of blood vessels, which can help prevent cardiovascular problems.
Laughter Relaxes the Whole Body: One good belly laugh can relieve physical tension and relax your muscles for up to 45 minutes.
Laughter Helps You Recharge: By reducing stress levels and increasing your energy, laughter can help you focus and achieve more.
So, not only is a great giggle a lot of fun, it’s good for you! And like yawning, laughter can also be contagious. So by opening yourself up to more humor in your daily life, you may also have a positive effect on those around you. And the great thing about humor is that there is a bottomless supply out there. You don’t need to sign up for anything. It doesn’t cost a thing. It’s fat-free and you can have as much of it as you like.
Remember to use humor as a teaching tool as well!
Functional Path Training, Flexibility
If you have not already discovered Vern Gambetta’s website FUNCTIONAL PATH TRAINING you need to. He has some great thoughts on conditioning, flexibility and technique.
About Vernon Gambetta
Vern is currently is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several teams in Major League Soccer as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men’s World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and Director of Athletic Development for the New York Mets. Vern is recognized internationally as an expert in training and conditioning for sport having worked with world class athletes and teams in a wide variety of sports. He is a popular speaker and writer on conditioning topics having lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe. Vern’s coaching experience spans 39 years at all levels of competition.
Vern has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He received his BA from Fresno State University and his teaching credential with a coaching minor from University of California Santa Barbara. Vern obtained his MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.
Thoughts on Flexibility
Seldom does a flexibility deficiency appear in isolation; it is usually related to a deficiency in strength and sometimes posture. The qualities of flexibility and strength are closely related. Many times the so-called “tight” individuals can significantly improve flexibility by undertaking a good sound balanced strength-training program.
In terms of training, flexibility is considered a separate training unit. It should be addressed daily. Like any other training component, variation must be programmed into the flexibility routines. Flexibility is not warm-up! It is part of warm-up, nor is it is not the major focus in the warm-up. As a separate training unit to address specific deficiencies flexibility is best placed after warm-up. The rule of thumb to remember is warm-up to stretch, do not stretch to warm-up. My experience has shown static stretching is best placed at the end of the workout as part of a cool down. Placed there it serves to restore the muscles to their resting length which will reduce soreness and enhance recovery for the next workout.
For optimum results flexibility exercises in the warm-up should be active to facilitate the excitation of the nervous system to create a readiness for movement. The tempo of the stretches used in warm-up is stretch – hold one count – relax and repeat three times and then move onto another body part. The purpose of stretching in warm-up is neural activation. Passive or static stretching has a relaxing, calming effect. That is appropriate for the cool down or in a recovery
Deficiencies in range of motion can be remedied quite quickly, but sufficient work must be done to maintain those gains and to make sure those gains transfer to the activity. There are many tools to improve flexibility. The most available and adaptable tool is gravity. It is always available, easy to use, convenient and effective. A balance point in the form of a rail, hurdle, or a bench can help to enhance gravity. Towels or ropes can be used to gain a lever advantage as an aid to stretching.
I have found it most effective to work on flexibility several times a day in shorter sessions these sessions should be designed to meet the individual athlete’s needs. Vary the duration of the stretch. For developmental stretching hold the end position in a range of time from ten to thirty seconds. Repeat the stretch three to five times.
Although not substantiated by research, my experience has shown that stretching for 15-20 minutes approximately two hours after the last workout of the day to be very effective in terms of reducing soreness and enhancing recovery as well as making noticeable range of motion gains.
According to Thomas Kurz: “Flexibility Training is speed-specific because there are two kinds of stretch receptors, one detecting the magnitude and the speed of stretching, the other detecting magnitude only. Static stretches improve static flexibility and dynamic stretches improve dynamic flexibility, which is why it does not make sense to use static stretches as a warm-up for dynamic action.”
The amount of work (time devoted) to maintain flexibility is significantly less than the amount of time needed to develop it.
In dynamic flexibility work there are no sudden movements; the movements are controlled and flowing. Dynamic flexibility work will improve elasticity of muscles and ligaments. It consists of arm swings, leg swings, trunk rotations, reaches and bending to stimulate blood flow and wake up the nervous system.
Static stretches should follow dynamic stretches. Static stretching can be counter productive if placed before a workout requiring explosiveness, speed or agility. Immediately following static stretching the muscles are less responsive to stimulation and coordination is thrown off. Static stretches interfere with the activity of tendon reflexes. This underscores the importance of carefully choosing the type of flexibility to be used relative to the type of workout. This is all part of a good plan.
Assessments. The Key To Healthy Athletes and Greater Performance.
Dean Carlson is the director and co-owner of Athletic Revolution NH and Get Fit NH Bootcamp. He is a Certified Professional Fitness Trainer with the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, a Level 1 & 2 Youth Conditioning Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association and is a Level 1 Certified Precision Nutrition coach. Please visit his websites:
http://AthleticRevolutionNH.com
Assessments. Key To Healthy Athletes and Greater Performance.
One of the biggest challenges that confronts any coach, either skill coaches like most of you reading this, or physical preparation coaches like myself, is helping our athletes reach greater levels of performance while simultaneously working to prevent injury.
We have a saying in our facilities “If you are injured, you can’t train.” While that seems obvious, when it comes right down to it I don’t see enough emphasis being put on injury prevention work. While I realize that injuries can happen, it has been our philosophy that they don’t necessarily have to happen. As soon as we accept injuries are just part of the game, I think we lose focus that there is a lot that can be done to prevent them.
Think about your athletes and what you ask them to go through on a regular basis. A gymnast is asking his or her body to do things repetitively that most people can’t even think about doing. We are creating imbalances every day as part of the routine. Spinning primarily in one direction, creating tremendous distraction forces through the shoulders with the bars, and landings that cause my back to hurt just thinking about them are just a few examples.
So when it comes to these imbalances and the potential injury they can cause, consider:
- How do we know what imbalances are being created?
- How do we “undo” these imbalances?
- How do we know if our corrections are effective?
I would suggest the answer is found in assessing, and re-assessing, our athletes.
I remember the first time I worked with a gymnast. I was stunned that a 12 year old girl could be so graceful, flexible (in certain areas) and strong, and yet so injured at the same time.
Now when I say injured it doesn’t mean that she was in any pain, because at the time she had no symptoms. But when we took a look at her – when we assessed – there were some things happening with her body that we knew we had to address or there was going to be injury down the road.
I’ll give you a couple examples, starting right at the bottom – her feet. She had 0 degrees of dorsiflexion, absolutely none. I could have put a strap and turnbuckle on her leg and foot and that joint wouldn’t have budged. I would suggest that the very nature of the sport, being up on your toes all the time for example, creates this imbalance. The injury challenge it can create happens up the kinetic chain. The ankle joint is designed to be flexible, and when it is not a joint up the chain has to make up for that lack of flexibility. This usually presents at some point in either knee challenges, or as in this case, low back injury.
This young athletes feet were also excessively externally rotated. This is very common in dance athletes as well, and a common cause would be the foot positioning for the Plie in either sport. What shows up in the foot points to something going on in this athletes hip. We need to find out if there is an underlying strength issue, mobility issue or both so we can address the imbalance.
So how do we find out what is going on and what to do about it?
Assess.
Program corrective exercise.
Re-assess.
We can’t assume anything when and athlete walks through the door, either for the first time or for the duration that they are with us.
Each one of our athletes is different. As coaches we need to ask ourselves if what we are doing is enough to keep our athletes healthy and as injury free as we possibly can. Do we want our athletes in physical therapy or do we want them at the gym?
As coaches we are always subjectively assessing our athletes, watching how they are moving, looking for signs that something may not be right. I would suggest that we need some form of objective assessment as well. Good enough usually isn’t.
I would suggest that cookie-cutter programs can work, for a while. But I am betting that if you are reading this you aren’t a cookie-cutter coach.
Yes assessments take time and effort. But the rewards are so worth it:
Healthy, happy and high-performance athletes.
Next time we’ll discuss the assessment process at Athletic Revolution and show you that assessments can be quick, simple and still very effective.
Until then, keep Making It Happen!
Functional Path Training- Technique
If you have not already discovered Vern Gambetta’s website FUNCTIONAL PATH TRAINING you need to. He has some great thoughts on conditioning, flexibility and technique.
About Vernon Gambetta
Vern is currently is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several teams in Major League Soccer as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men’s World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and Director of Athletic Development for the New York Mets. Vern is recognized internationally as an expert in training and conditioning for sport having worked with world class athletes and teams in a wide variety of sports. He is a popular speaker and writer on conditioning topics having lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe. Vern’s coaching experience spans 39 years at all levels of competition.
Vern has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He received his BA from Fresno State University and his teaching credential with a coaching minor from University of California Santa Barbara. Vern obtained his MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.
The Functional Path is a path that had been traveled many times before but had fallen out of use in favor of smoother paved roads that promised faster and easier results. Seeking to follow and better define the functional path is a continuing journey, fortunately it is a journey that many have traveled before. Functional Path training is getting back to the basics of movement. It is learning to tune into the body and it’s inherent wisdom to produce rhythmic flowing movement.
Technique
Technique must be the servant not the master. Within reason teach the athlete WHAT to do, not HOW to do it. Give them enough information and direction to allow them to solve the particular movement problem, then get out of their way and let them discover the way that works for them. Don’t turn them into robots by forcing them into a specific technique. Help them achieve good technique with being overly technical. Provide just enough direction and correction to spur their creativity.
Remember the story of the centipede: A centipede was happy quite, until a toad in fun Said, “Pray, which leg comes after which?” This raised his doubts to such a pitch
He fell distracted in the ditch
Not knowing how to run.
There is no one “correct” technique, each athlete will have their own way of expressing the technique demanded by the sport – that is called style. Everyone has a movement signature or a movement fingerprint that makes their movement unique, recognize that and build upon it to achieve the required technical competence.
Note from Tony
I have to disagree a little with this. Although there may not be one TRUE technique, there are some constants in the mechanics. Each gymnast needs to start with the correct mechanics before they “stylize” their technique.
Think of 2 gymnasts:
Gymnast 1, Long arms and legs, short torso (Long and skinny)
Gymnast 2, Short arms and legs, (shorter and more of a square build).
In teaching them both a Yurchenko vault, you are going to do the same basics as the same mechanics apply to both. In order to each back in the back handspring portion fast enough to get a good block, you will see some difference in “technique”.
You, as the coach, MUST remember what you did with each gymnast so that the next time you have a gymnast with a similar build, you go down that same path.
Otherwise, with each gymnast, you are reinventing the wheel.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?