Training Guidelines for youth to elite.
6-8 Years Old
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.
Shapes
- Straight
- Hollow/ arch
- Side hollow/arch
- Handstands
Gymnastics movements
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Jumping/Landing
- Hollowing/Arching (Korbet)
- Arm pull down (kipping)
- Arm 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.
VAULT
Develop steady accelerating run.
Develop an excellent handspring to stacked mats (with or without table)
Run must accelerate in run up for handspring, Correct board position and arm swing, Maintain straight body throughout
Begin working run up for round off entry vaults
DRILLS
Straight jump up to landing mats (Front and Back)
Front handspring on floor, rebound. Back Handspring on floor or uphill.
Handstand block off board to 40 cm, fall to back
Round off back handspring up wedge mat
Round off onto carpet square, back handspring over panel mat
Uneven Bars
Develop Basic Swings including Glide swing and baskets.
Skills to work
kip and back uprise
front and back hip circles (front hip circles should be done in both grips)
Toe circles
double leg jam
cast handstands
flyaways (front and back)
single rail giants
handstands on floor and on floor bar
back extension rolls on floor.
Drills
Planche Leans
Swinging on P.bars and rings.
Press Handstands
Bounce Handstands
Handstand leans front and back. Handstand fall front and back.
Come up with a Base routine then add to it.
| Bar Routine | Single Rail Routine | Strap Bar Routine |
| 3 correct swings | 2 or 3 swings | 3 front / back taps wings |
| Back Uprise | 1/2 turn to Mixed grip | Back uprise OR Kip Cast |
| Back Hip Circle | Swing to overgrip | Straight Body Back Hip Circle |
| Front Hip Circle | Single leg jam | Undershoot |
| 3/4 giant | Front stride circle | Tap swing to toe circle around bar. |
| Undershoot | Leg cut OR turn | Tap Swing for fly away. |
| 3 swing to fly away | Cast to Back Hip Circle | |
| Undershoot | ||
| 3 swing to fly away. |
Skills you want by 8 years old.
Kip Cast
Fly Away front and back
Basic Clear hip circle
Front hip circle and/ or stride circle (under grip)
Spotted toe circle.
BEAM
Walking (front, back, side)
Basic Jumps
Basic Turns
Posture
Arabesque
Handstands
Cartwheel
Forward and Backward rolls AND SHOULDER ROLLS
Bridge kickovers and walkovers
Handstand step in and lunge
Jumping UP to raise surface (block). Jump and landing
FLOOR
Handstands
Rolls in and out of handstands (front and back)
Step kicks
Front and Back limbers
Cartwheel and Walkovers step IN as well as lunge finish
Front and back handsprings from stand
Front flip flop (bounder)
Round off
Standing tucks
DANCE
General Basics. Positions of arms, feet, etc. Leaps. Working to different music.
Tumbling off balance.
TRAMP
Shaping and awareness drills
Front and Back handsprings
Front and back tucks and pikes (done correctly)
Stomach and Back drop.
Kaboom bounce.
Swivel hips. Jumping with 1/4 turns for twisting
Training Guideline 8-10 Year Old
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
VAULT
Keep working Increased power and speed. Get serious on Round off entry vaults. Learn a flipping vault. Lots of tramp vault to increase awareness
Using a board, front layout onto 50 cm
round off onto board Back layout up to stacked mats 1 M.
run, Tsukahara (timer) onto a surface set 110-125 cm, land on feet
run, round off back hand spring from board onto 1 M mat
from a handstand on to a 50 cm mat, snap down onto board, perform a back handspring onto a mat.
BARS
Kip cast handstand 3x in a row.
Accelerating front and back giants between bars (both directions). Invert Grip Giants. Consecutive clear hips in a row. Late toe on circle, Toe on Handstand. Front fly away, back fly away and toe front.
Release preparation.
Consecutive swing ½ turns.
Lots of pirouettes on floor bars (example kick to handstand on floor bar, 1/2 pirouette to handstand)
Floor Back and front extension roll pirouettes.
| Routine | Single Rail Routine | Strap Bar Routine |
| 3 Kip Cast Handstand. | Kip Cast Handstand | Tap Swing to hight start |
| 3 inbar skills (2 different) | In Bar skill | Toe on or Stalder |
| Toe Circle Around Bar | Giant 1/2, giant 1/2 | 2 or 3 front giant |
| Kip Cast Handstand | front giant, Front giant 1/2 | Clear Hip |
| 3 Giants (bonus if giant each grip) | 3 giant | 2 or 3 back giants |
| Fly Away | Open double salto | Tap for fly away |
Beam
Series of 3 back hand springs.
Round off BHS.
Standing back tuck.
Tumble into dismount.
Variety of leaps and turns. Aerials (front and side)
Mount w/ flight.
Floor
Basic tumbling every day.
– Forward backward rolls to handstand
– Handstand pirouettes
– Cartwheels, aerials
– Rows of front and back handsprings
Work Twisting skills front and back.
Stack mat drills for doubles 1-1.5 M high.
Turn doubles when ready. Basic tumbling every day.
DANCE
General 50% Specific 50%.
TRAMP
Twisting front and back.
Cruises and Cruise with twist.
Cradle
CODY
Kaboom Back with twist
Kaboom Front
Double backs (tuck, pike and layout) Double fronts.
Double front
Work drills for all events.
Flips in a row. Front and back.
TRAINING GUIDELINES 10-12 YEAR OLD
GENERAL
Training and skill development as more specific to the INDIVIDUAL
Gymnast and Coach need to begin to work as partners
2 x per day workouts
16- 26 hours per week
Morning Training
Endurance and Strength
Beam and Bar Basics
One leg event.
Afternoon Training
General warm up.
Basic Acro
Events.
Short Conditioning.
CONDITIONING
More periodization.
Harder calisthenics and slightly resistance.
Train for tested weakness.
Increased Injury prevention and conditioning for future skills. Do plyometrics and bounding at event as drill. Be sports specific
More use of weights.
FLEXIBILITY
Dynamic/active stretch prior to workout. Static for increased flexibility and ROM post work out.
VAULT
Should be able to compete flipping vault.
Further development of second family.
| Vault | Preparation | Mini tramp or pit |
| Flipping vault to 40 cm (Example- open tuck yurchenko) | Prep for vault to 40 cm higher than table | Increased body shape (Example Layout yurchenko) |
| Hand spring front pike | ||
BARS
A gymnast is going to need 3 major releases moves. Low to High, High to Low and Same bar. During this training period they should have 2 of the 3 Complete release.
Increase dismount difficulty.
Should have 2 in bar skills.
Should have 1/2 pirouette to front or invert giants as well as Should have 1/1 pirouette
Refine basics by adding them together.
Prep for original move or eye catcher. Start working 2nd release.
| Routine | Single Rail Routine | Strap Bar |
| Kip 1/2 pirouette | Swing to High start | High start |
| 2 Inbar skill different | Giant 1/2, giant 1/2 (over) | Toe hand |
| Transition to high bar | Front giant 1/2 front giant 1/2 (over) | Back Stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Kip Cast Handstand | Giant | Back Stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Inbar skill | Inbar | Front giants |
| Giant 1/2 | Inbar (different) | Front stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Front giant 1/2 | Giant | Front stalder (pike or straddle) |
| giant | Dismount. | Giants |
| Flyaway | Flyaway swing. |
BEAM
Compete one major series.
High level dismount.
Work unique skill.
Lay groundwork for next major pass.
Work and add harder dance parts when ready.
DANCE
General 1/3. Specific 2/3
FLOOR
Continue with good basics tumbling and dance daily.
Compete double flipping pass
Compete C+ twisting pass
Ground work for unique pass.
Double layout and twisting lead up.
TRAMP
Twisting doubles front and back
Triple twist.
Double layout
Multiple salto pass on Tumble track or air floor
Stay one step ahead of floor and vault.
Daily drills for all events.
Kaboom with flipping and twist.
Cody with twist
Back drop front with twist
TRAINING GUIDE 12-14
GENERAL
Much more specialized training.
Most of the major skills will be learned and competed during these years.
Gain national and international exposure. Continue basics every day.
30 + hours per week
CONDITIONING
Continue periodization. Exercises much more specific to skills and individual. Test regularly (weekly) Higher intensity, lower volume. Much conditioning will be individualized.
FLEXIBILITY
Strengthen maximum range actively and dynamically. Maintain balance. By working flexibility too much at this time you will decrease strength and power.
VAULT
As vaults become ready to compete. Continue to work and refine everything prior to table. Run, hurdle, etc. Tramp on light or off days. Should have 2 vaults.
| Vault | Preparation | Mini tramp/ Pit |
| Solid competitive Vault. (Example- Yurchenko full twist) | Yurchenko layout to 1 meter mat | Yurchenko 1.5 or double full |
| 2nd Vault with possible lower SV (HS front tuck) | Yurchenko full twist to 50 cm | HS front pike 1/2 |
| Chen. |
BARS
Consecutive Basics
Add second major release. Add unique skill. Increase dismount.
| Routine | Single Rail Routine | Strap Bar |
| Kip 1/2 pirouette | Swing to High start | High start |
| 2 Inbar skill different (one with pirouette) | Giant 1/2, giant 1/2 (over) | 2 Toe hand |
| Transition to high bar | Front giant 1/2 front giant 1/2 (over) | 2 Back Stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Kip Cast Handstand | Giant | 2 Back Stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Inbar skill | Inbar release | Front giants |
| Giant 1/2 | Inbar (different) | 2 Front stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Front giant 1/1 | Giant | 2 Front stalder (pike or straddle) |
| Front giant 1/2 | ||
| giant | Dismount. Minimum of double layout | Giants |
| Flyaway | Flyaway swing. |
BEAM
Basic complex every day.
Add Second major series or skill.
2 skills into dismount
Add unique skill.
Increase dismount etc.
FLOOR
Continue to work slow and fast basics.
As skills become ready, put into Routines.
Should have 5 solid passes to compete 4
DANCE
General Dance as a warm up every day. Do alone 1 or 2 times a week. Much more specific work done at events.
TRAMP
Continue work on skills learned as well as future skills to keep motivated.
TRAINING GUIDELINES 14+
GENERAL
High level competition phase.
Most work toward preparing for and competing in Major competitions
At this age you will encounter a period of 12-24 months where you will need to reduce training hours. Each girl will generally be different.
30 – 35 hours is the max. The gymnast needs to take more control.
CONDITIONING
Major emphasis on MAX power and strength. Much higher intensity lower volume. Use periodization or concentrated strength phases. MOST SPECIFIC
Strength and plyometrics in different stages pre season.
Flexibility
Maintenance
VAULT
ONE very strong vault.
ONLY if they have a possibility as a vault finalist work second vault.
BARS
Daily Basics in a separate workout
Refine routines for high level meets.
Stimulate with new skills.
Keep current and looking for trends.
BEAM
Daily Basics in a separate workout
Refine routines for high level meets.
Stimulate with new skills.
Keep current and looking for trends.
FLOOR
Daily basics, slow and fast.
Refine routines for high level meets.
Stimulate with new skills.
Keep current and looking for trends.
DANCE
General Dance as a warm up every day. Do alone 1 or 2 times a week. Much more specific work done at events