Champions Are Made During Practice.
For any girl who desires to come an elite gymnast, the time spent warming up can be one of the most important times of training. The “warm-up” or training routine should be broken up into four parts. These include, strength, endurance, interval training and flexibility. By including all four elements in a warming up routine. gymnasts will not only improve their skill level but also help prevent again injury.
Strength Training:
In order to become an elite rhythmic gymnast, ones upper body must be as strong as her lower body. Rhythmic gymnasts generally increase strength by preforming a multitude of leg, abdominal and arm exercises. Another way rhythmic gymnasts increase strength is through ballet training.
Ballet Strengthening: Having a strong ballet background can contribute a lot to success in the sport. Ballet also targets and strengthens all the right muscles desired and used in rhythmic gymnastics. However, the kind of ballet rhythmic gymnasts use doesn’t usually involve being able to use point shoes. Ballet training is strictly used to help develop turns, core strength, balance and hip turn out. A typical ballet exercise will start slow and increase in difficulty. The ballet portion of the warm-up will generally last for an hour. Because this takes up such a large amount of time, it generally is not included in the warm-up routine everyday. A big part of rhythmic gymnastics is being able to show control. This requires a great amount of strength. For example, an elite gymnast needs to have the strength hold her leg high above her head in the air while balancing on one leg. Another example would be leaping as high as possible off the ground and still being able to land gracefully. Having a strong core also provides the gymnast with proper balance to be able to preform multiple turns at a time without falling.
Want to increase strength AND flexibility?
Try using ankle weights. Anywhere from 1-2.5 lbs. should suffice.
Example exercise: An example of one exercise using ankle weights would be kicking the leg multiple times to the front, side and back. These can either be preformed standing, or lying on the ground. The gymnast should be striving to kick her leg above her head or in an over-split position. Each kick should be done quickly and the gymnast should be doing 20 on each leg. The weights are not only increase strength by making it more difficult to lift her leg but also increasing flexibility by forcing her leg to go beyond its normal extension.
Strength Training:
In order to become an elite rhythmic gymnast, ones upper body must be as strong as her lower body. Rhythmic gymnasts generally increase strength by preforming a multitude of leg, abdominal and arm exercises. Another way rhythmic gymnasts increase strength is through ballet training.
Ballet Strengthening: Having a strong ballet background can contribute a lot to success in the sport. Ballet also targets and strengthens all the right muscles desired and used in rhythmic gymnastics. However, the kind of ballet rhythmic gymnasts use doesn’t usually involve being able to use point shoes. Ballet training is strictly used to help develop turns, core strength, balance and hip turn out. A typical ballet exercise will start slow and increase in difficulty. The ballet portion of the warm-up will generally last for an hour. Because this takes up such a large amount of time, it generally is not included in the warm-up routine everyday. A big part of rhythmic gymnastics is being able to show control. This requires a great amount of strength. For example, an elite gymnast needs to have the strength hold her leg high above her head in the air while balancing on one leg. Another example would be leaping as high as possible off the ground and still being able to land gracefully. Having a strong core also provides the gymnast with proper balance to be able to preform multiple turns at a time without falling.
Want to increase strength AND flexibility?
Try using ankle weights. Anywhere from 1-2.5 lbs. should suffice.
Example exercise: An example of one exercise using ankle weights would be kicking the leg multiple times to the front, side and back. These can either be preformed standing, or lying on the ground. The gymnast should be striving to kick her leg above her head or in an over-split position. Each kick should be done quickly and the gymnast should be doing 20 on each leg. The weights are not only increase strength by making it more difficult to lift her leg but also increasing flexibility by forcing her leg to go beyond its normal extension.
Endurance:
In order to last through long practices and complete four routines that are each 2 minutes long, gymnasts need to have long lasting endurance and a strong stamina. This can be achieved through aerobic activity such as running, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling or swimming. Serious gymnasts should aim for three endurance-training sessions per week. Each should last about 60 minutes. Most endurance training is done outside of the gym, due to lack of time.
Interval Training:
This is the opposite of endurance training. While endurance helps gymnasts have enough energy to last throughout a practice or competition, interval training helps a gymnast preform with high energy for short periods of time. Interval training can be done during practice time. This time of practice is more commonly known as “conditioning”. The conditioning routine typically falls at the end of practice for approximately 20 minutes. This can be done by sprinting, leap passes across the floor, push-ups, and core work.
Flexibility:
This is by far one of the most important and focused on aspects of the sport. Stretching and flexibility also take up the most time of the warm up routine. While stretching your body to the extreme is necessary for success, a gymnast needs to make sure that they are preforming this task without causing injuring. While stretching, a gymnast needs to make sure she listens to what her body is telling her. It is important for gymnasts to learn the difference between good and bad pain. This idea of “good” pain can be described as the uncomfortable feeling of the muscles being stretched. While the gymnast should be uncomfortable, she should still be able to control her breathing and remain somewhat relaxed. If the gymnast is feeling “bad” pain, it is because the muscles are being pushed too far. “Bad” pain can be described as the feeling of something dislocating, pulling, or being in such pain to the point of tears and abnormal breathing. Gymnasts who wish to increase their flexibility must realize that this is generally a slow process and needs to be taken with caution. While many coaches and gymnasts have their own unique mechanisms for increasing flexibility, stretching in “over-splits” is used worldwide to increase flexibility.
What is over-splits?
The term over splits is used to describe when the legs are stretched beyond a 180-degree angle. This stretch is preformed by the gymnast putting one foot on an object such as a chair or table, and the other leg is stretched directly behind her. While the legs are in this split position, the torso should be up right and hovering above ground. If the gymnast’s pelvis is touching the ground, then she needs to increase the height of the object her front leg is resting on. The gymnast will generally hold this position for 2 to 3 minutes. Coaches or teammates can then help increase flexibility by carefully pushing the gymnast’s pelvis towards the floor.
In order to last through long practices and complete four routines that are each 2 minutes long, gymnasts need to have long lasting endurance and a strong stamina. This can be achieved through aerobic activity such as running, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling or swimming. Serious gymnasts should aim for three endurance-training sessions per week. Each should last about 60 minutes. Most endurance training is done outside of the gym, due to lack of time.
Interval Training:
This is the opposite of endurance training. While endurance helps gymnasts have enough energy to last throughout a practice or competition, interval training helps a gymnast preform with high energy for short periods of time. Interval training can be done during practice time. This time of practice is more commonly known as “conditioning”. The conditioning routine typically falls at the end of practice for approximately 20 minutes. This can be done by sprinting, leap passes across the floor, push-ups, and core work.
Flexibility:
This is by far one of the most important and focused on aspects of the sport. Stretching and flexibility also take up the most time of the warm up routine. While stretching your body to the extreme is necessary for success, a gymnast needs to make sure that they are preforming this task without causing injuring. While stretching, a gymnast needs to make sure she listens to what her body is telling her. It is important for gymnasts to learn the difference between good and bad pain. This idea of “good” pain can be described as the uncomfortable feeling of the muscles being stretched. While the gymnast should be uncomfortable, she should still be able to control her breathing and remain somewhat relaxed. If the gymnast is feeling “bad” pain, it is because the muscles are being pushed too far. “Bad” pain can be described as the feeling of something dislocating, pulling, or being in such pain to the point of tears and abnormal breathing. Gymnasts who wish to increase their flexibility must realize that this is generally a slow process and needs to be taken with caution. While many coaches and gymnasts have their own unique mechanisms for increasing flexibility, stretching in “over-splits” is used worldwide to increase flexibility.
What is over-splits?
The term over splits is used to describe when the legs are stretched beyond a 180-degree angle. This stretch is preformed by the gymnast putting one foot on an object such as a chair or table, and the other leg is stretched directly behind her. While the legs are in this split position, the torso should be up right and hovering above ground. If the gymnast’s pelvis is touching the ground, then she needs to increase the height of the object her front leg is resting on. The gymnast will generally hold this position for 2 to 3 minutes. Coaches or teammates can then help increase flexibility by carefully pushing the gymnast’s pelvis towards the floor.
Example Warm-Up
This video is a good example of some of the exercises preformed during the warm-up routine.