CHAPTER

EVOLVING STRENGTH TO
A HYBRID MODEL THAT
BLENDS EXPERT OPINION
AND CURRENT SCIENCE

Reading Resources

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•
•
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08
Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance – Jeffreys and Moody
The Physiology of High Performance - MacDougall and Sale
Essentials of Strength and Conditioning - Haff
Strength and Conditioning for Youth Athletes – Lloyd and Oliver
Advanced Strength and Conditioning: An Evidenced-Based Approach – Turner and Comfort
Sport, Recovery, and Performance - Kellmann and Beckmann
Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation – Joyce and Lewidon
• Allostatis, Homeostasis, and the Cost of Physiological Adaptation – Schulkin
• Periodization for Sports Performance – Bompa
• Supertraining – Siff
• Functional Stability for the Upper Body, Lower Body, Core – Reinold and Cressey
• The Governing Dynamics of Coaching – Smith
• Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance – McGill
• The New Functional Training for Sports – Boyle
• Championship Gymnastics: Biomechanical Techniques for Shaping Winners – George
• Movement – Gray Cook
• Functional Training Handbook – Leibman
• Training = Rehab Part 1, 2, and 3 – Weingroff (DVDs)
• Functional Strength Coach – Boyle (DVD)

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Moving on from flexibility, the next topic under the umbrella of physical preparation I will discuss is
gymnastics strength training.

The sport of gymnastics has evolved significantly. It is now substantially harder than it ever was ten or
twenty years ago. Alongside this, the equipment and technology used also have advanced. Although
these advances are significant for pushing the frontier of gymnastics skills being performed, they also
bring about exponentially more force being placed on the bodies of gymnasts.

This advance in technology and skill level demands more strength, power, and technical development of
athletes to successfully perform skills. It also brings about notable increases in the risk of acute injury
from the high force or overuse injury due to repeated submaximal force.

When you look at the global landscape of gymnastics one thing is clear, younger gymnasts are doing
harder skills, at higher repetitions, many more hours per week, and competing more times per year. A
vast majority of these athletes are very young kids or adolescents, who are far from being fully matured.
Due to all these circumstances, adequate physical preparation for gymnasts is paramount. Strength and
power reside at the top of the physical preparation priority list, alongside technical development and
flexibility covered in the last chapter.

This main reason strength and power development are so crucial is because it allows a gymnast to
produce, transfer, and absorb force more efficiently. Being able to handle high amounts of force is how
advanced gymnasts can perform incredible skills and optimize their safety over multiple years.

Gymnasts that are not physically, technically, or mentally prepared for high repetitions of difficult skills
are at very high risk for injuries. They also tend to be set up for frustrations with lack of skill progress
and feel the excessive strain when training or competing. For these reasons, we cannot afford to drop
the ball on strength and power development in young gymnasts.

The desire for gymnasts to compete bigger skills or move up to higher levels at a younger age has
elevated the amount of risk in pre-pubescent gymnasts. When this is combined with issues like early
specialization, year-round training, a lack of workload monitoring, and early recruiting, it creates the
perfect storm for overuse injuries to stack up and burnout to creep in. I have seen this lead to many
gymnasts losing months or years of training, fail to make progress in their skill level, or worst of all, chose
to quit the sport because of the demands this high level of gymnastics requires.

It is now very common to see very young, talented male and female gymnasts speeding through lower
compulsory levels to train level 9, 10, and elite at 11-14 years old.
This creates a situation where we have,

• The most at-risk age group of rapidly developing skeletal systems (9-13 years old females, 10-
14 years old in males).
• Making significant jumps in the amount of force each skill puts on their body (think of the
huge force jump from kip cast handstands, compared to giants, compared to blind fulls,
compared to Jeagers, etc.).
• Also making significant increases in the amount of time they spend training in the gym
(4x/week at 12 hours total for compulsory levels versus 6x/week at 24-30 hours total for
optional/elite levels).
• While often going through drastic body changes (physically, hormonally, neurologically,
developmentally, socially) and not being at their full peak potential strength capacity.

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This is not meant to spook people into stopping gymnastics, but rather to illustrate an important point.
I have come to call this the “Gymnastics - Talent Crossroads.” It is where gymnasts are jumping in level
during their most at-risk years, placing them at extraordinary risk for reduced performance and injury.

While on this topic, I will openly admit I have not coached a nationally ranked, Division 1, or elite level
gymnast. I understand this level of gymnastics performance is unique to the majority of what many
gymnasts look to achieve.

With that being said, I am fortunate to work with and have consulted with many gymnasts or coaches
who do fall into this category. I am lucky that my last five years has allowed me the ground level
experience to work with many gymnasts, coaches, and medical staff from top Division 1 college
programs, highly successful level 10 programs, and a handful of elite level gymnasts or coaches around
the world. In the medical setting, I have consulted with and treated many of these gymnasts for serious
injuries.

Based on all of this, the principles that I will highlight in this chapter related to strength and power have
applied to all these athletes. For this reason, I feel they can be applied to everyone in gymnastics.

My Change in Approach to Gymnastics Strength Programs

Ten years ago, when working only as a coach, I firmly believed that only gymnastics specific conditioning
was required. 90% percent of the strength programs I wrote for gymnasts I worked with comprised
of what I did as a gymnast growing up. They were full of body weight press handstands, pull-ups, rope
climbs, leg lifts, push-ups, squats, lunges, box jumps, and sprints.

Like many other coaches and people involved in the sport, I swore by gymnastics specific body weight
conditioning only. I was openly opposed to the use of external weights, general strength exercises seen
in mainstream fitness media or other means of conditioning.

I believed the myths associated with this mindset, that anything but body weight strength exercises
would cause gymnasts to get bulky, lose their flexibility, and create injuries. I felt the concept of using
external weights or doing more general strength exercises like loaded deadlifting was a waste of time.

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I stood by this idea with the thought that due to gymnastics being a body weight sport with unique
demands for skills, only bodyweight exercises should be trained.

Then over the course of a summer and fall about five years ago, I started to notice something. We had
more and more gymnasts on our team acquiring overuse injuries despite our best efforts. On a weekly
basis, gymnasts we coached were getting diagnosed with stress fractures, growth plate problems,
tendon strains, ligament issues, or other pains that grossly limited their ability to train. As you can
imagine, their inability to practice stunted their progress and ability to train new skills.

I watched as huge groups of gymnasts became frustrated, became disengaged with training, and became
depressed because they could not participate in their primary source of social interaction. Parents
were equally upset to see their kids in this state. As more gymnasts became hurt, coaches too became
disengaged. Practice seemed to become a drag with more kids hurt than healthy, and coaches felt stuck
not knowing what to do to make a difference.

Over months, what started out as a fresh new summer and excitement to train skills slowly turned
into day after day taped ankles, doctors’ visits, constant sore wrists and elbows, and needing to modify
training because of injuries.

This spike in injuries came as a two-way street, with a paralleled drop in performance. Besides those that
couldn’t train due to injury, I also found that many of our gymnasts were not as powerful as I expected
them to be. This problem was despite spending countless hours on strength, cardio, and skill technique
during the week. There were a few athletes that needed to turn up the dial on their training intensity,
but surprisingly many were doing precisely what they were asked. They were showing up to practice
regularly and putting in a ton of work. They left practice every day drained by the strength, cardio, and
skill programs we were asking of them. It’s not that people weren’t making progress. It just was not
nearly at the rate I felt should be seen, based on both their work and our coaches work in training.

I distinctly remember scratching my head, looking at all the training plans from the last months, and
wondering what was happening.

This period of frustration and reflection was all occurring as I had just started my first job working as a
newly licensed Physical Therapist. Through my Physical Therapy career, I began to meet and talk with
more high level “non-gymnastics” coaches, athletes, and strength and conditioning professionals. There
were several long talks over lunch, and video discussions with people I had developed a network with. I
started to have some very eye-opening moments when looking at how all other sports trained and then
reflecting on methods our coaching team applied in our gym.

After these long talks and periods of reflection, I more or less went off the deep end wanting to learn
more. This period caused me to spend almost an entire year studying as much as I possibly could in
strength and conditioning literature. I read books, studied research, went to courses, and asked to
shadow strength and conditioning friends of mine. I also read work from fantastic strength professionals
like Dr. Bill Sands, Mike Stone, Tudor Bompa, Charlie Weingroff, Mike Boyle, and many others.

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 URL Link to Dr. Bill Sand’s Gymnastics Research Studies in Pub Med
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Sands%20WA%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_
uid=26581832 )

The Olympic Weightlifting and Competitive Fitness community also had a huge influence on my
education due to my involvement in a local gym. I was lucky to be able to spend time with some of the
highest level Olympic Weightlifting coaches and athletes within the United States. Between online
education, live courses, and in-person experiences, I became flooded with new information and ideas.

Even though I was learning from many people outside of gymnastics, I continued to study some of the
highest-level JO, elite and collegiate gymnastics programs. I bought and analyzed many of the most
popular educational products on gymnastics strength and conditioning I could find. I then reverse
engineered many gymnastics strength programs I had written before and spent an abundance of time
analyzing other gymnastics strength programs people offered online, at lectures, or in clinics.

Due to my career in Physical Therapy, I was also reading quite a bit in the fields of injury research,
rehabilitation concepts, and surgical textbooks. My motivation was to help patients overcome injuries,
but I found a striking similarity between the language used in the strength and conditioning literature
and what I was studying.

Following all this reading, I came to realize something significant: I was very wrong about gymnastics
strength, conditioning, and injury mechanisms.

The more that I treated gymnasts as a medical provider, studied current strength and conditioning,
and learned colleagues that I had met, the more I realized how misguided my thoughts were. I realized
that all these injuries and issues related to limited power were not because gymnastics was hard, or
gymnasts were not trying hard enough. The truth was found in our approach being nowhere near what
science and expert opinion outlined as the best ways to prevent injuries, develop strength, increase
power, and plan training.

I started to learn how the unbelievably high rates of overuse and traumatic injury in gymnastics came
down to a simple equation: tissue in the body was being loaded at a significantly higher rate than it could

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handle. 1-7

Photo Credit McGill, S. in Low Back Disorders 3rd Edition

(URl Link to Purchase here - https://www.amazon.com/Back-Disorders-3rd-Resource-Evidence-Based-Rehabilitation/
dp/1450472915 )

Despite many factors playing into how much load was being applied, or how much capacity tissues had,
the basic equation was out of balance. At a foundational level, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones
were breaking down because the load being placed upon these tissues repetitively during skills or
routines was too high for them to handle. 8-14

For the issue of lacking power output during skills, the same mismatched dosage of workloads created a
lack of strength adaptations. I read in multiple textbooks how increased strength was the foundation of
power and rate of force development. I learned about how exercise choices, intensity, and volume must
be tailored to the athlete. In our gym, some athletes were under dosed, causing them not to be stressed
enough to increase their strength. Some athletes were over dosed, without the proper recovery
environment or time interval. Both scenarios caused the athlete to not positively adapt to the training.

Most of all, I realized I did not have a system to plan, track, and objectify the workloads that occurred
every day. Textbooks I read had a “mad scientist” approach to how meticulously they planned pieces of
training. The highest-level coaches had strength programs that went from individual sets or repetitions
in one exercise, to four-year plans that aimed to peak athletes for major competitions. I came to learn
about this term, periodization, that existed in all successful sporting programs, and discovered a
considerable body of incredible science on this topic. 15-22

I was not mindful of counting repetitions of skills or routines, tracking strength exercises across multiple
weeks, and considering exactly what cardio workouts we were doing to train specific energy systems.
Similar work had just started emerging on the concept of workload ratios and injury risk in many
other elite level sports. The terminology they use was directly echoing the terminology researchers in
periodization were building their training plans with.

In conclusion, I felt there was not enough emphasis being placed on scientific based physical preparation
for athletes I trained. We were following very excellent coaching expertise on how to build gymnastics
skills but significantly lacked information from this large body of literature about physical preparation,
injury mechanisms, periodization, and workload management.

I took away a few major concepts that I wanted to apply in training. For one, my time spent studying
the literature validated the idea that tissue break down was likely occurring in many gymnasts due to
overuse or under preparation, along with a lack of planning and load monitoring.

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I have always had the gut instinct that there is a “sweet spot” for doing too much or too little, with both
possibly leading to problems. Tim Gabbett, and many other great academic strength and conditioning
researchers helped outline this. 16-27 It appeared that if tissue was under prepared, it created an elevated
risk of break down during sports training. If tissue was being over taxed, it too seemed to elevate the risk
of break down during sports training.

Credit Gabbett, TJ. (URL Link to Open Access Paper http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2016/01/12/bjsports-2015-095788

)

These concepts lined up with the concepts noted above in the periodization literature, which outlined an
optimal dose of work and recovery, so athletes could progress over time and peak for big competitions.
It also seemed to correlate with the abundance of physiological and biomechanical research I studied on
injury rehabilitation. 1,4-5,8,11,19,28-34 It also lined up with the hundreds of gymnasts that I was treated for
similar injuries. It was striking how much of these ideas from seemingly different fields overlapped.

The second major take away I wanted to apply in training was the science of strength and conditioning.
Through these books and research, I learned the neuromuscular physiology of strength training, and
how it was the foundation for explosive power many gymnasts desired. Several academic texts outlined
the need to stress muscle tissue beyond body weight loading. The concept of overload for strength
improvements was present as a theme throughout all the research related to performance progress and
injury management.

It seemed that strength was the foundational base for increasing speed, enhancing explosive power,
and maximizing output. I read about how athletes across multiple sports (some research including
gymnastics) were able to see enormous increases in their power with the proper application of
resistance training. The programs included adequate planning, exercise selection, and a periodized
systematic approach to physical preparation programs.

The third take away I wanted to apply, as I found it most interesting, was the science of cardiovascular
and energy systems training. I learned about specific energy systems like the anaerobic and aerobic
systems, and the complexities included in each system. They work within different time domains, using
different metabolic pathways, have various sources of fuel, have different negative consequences on
human performance, and have varying degrees of contribution to energy usage based on the exercise
task at hand. I saw how these different systems had a particular way of being trained to increase an
athlete’s cardiovascular capacity to create massive power output.

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When I reflected on the stories, gymnasts told me about how their injuries occurred, many times the
word “fatigue” was used. Whether fatigue referred to a “fatigue fracture” or stress fracture in a bone or
fatigue in a floor routine that caused someone to land short and hurt themselves in their last pass, it was
a prevalent theme in injured gymnasts.

All of this made me scratch my head quite a bit. I was shocked to see how much information was
available related to the science of strength, contributing factors to injury and training of energy systems.
When I took a step back to synthesize all the ideas, I was conflicted between what I had been taught in
gymnastics for the first five years of my career, what I was seeing done in gymnastics gyms across the
world, and what the current body of science suggested were the most optimal way to approach these
areas. It seemed that there was a correlation between updating gymnastics strength and conditioning
methods, reducing injury risk, and elevating performance. It also seemed there was a large gap between
the available information and what information was making its way into everyday training.

If you are looking for some of these resources I mentioned, please check the beginning of this chapter
for more fantastic textbooks that have helped me significantly.

I ended up combining my more traditional gymnastics strength programs with aspects of “non-
gymnastics” strength programs, based on expert coaching opinion and the available science. I wanted to
try a newer “hybrid” approach of gymnastics strength and conditioning I felt was desperately needed.
I had seen versions of it in many college programs, including our team in college that lifted 2x/week in
preseason. I had also seen hints of it with other high-level coaches looking to branch out. I wanted to
give it a try but, more by diving in with both feet instead of just dipping my toes in the water.

It appeared the sport of gymnastics might be best served with a model that combines the best and most
essential traditional bodyweight gymnastics strength exercises with proper weight lifting, external
loading, and more general physical preparation approaches. One that also combined the expert opinion
of many great gymnastics and strength coaches with the available science.

I felt the abundance of science related to formal strength and conditioning, as well as the benefits or
external weight lifting, could be married to the traditional gymnastics sport-specific exercises. Myself
and many other gymnastics friends of mine, who themselves were elite or Division 1 gymnasts, felt
that it could be a catalyst for an incredible new approach to gymnastics strength and conditioning. We
collectively felt it could yield much higher levels of performance, as well as lowered injury rates and
longer careers.

It is undeniable that gymnasts need to do a substantial amount of body weight physical preparation
every day, and every week, to be strong enough to perform high-level skills but also stay safe in the
process. Many gymnastic specific exercises such as press handstands, core exercises, pull-ups, rope
climbs, leg lifts, plyometrics, body tension exercises, shaping drills, and others are essential to do in
training.

However, my research and extensive studies have shown me that we also must be exposing a gymnast to
a significant amount of non-traditional gymnastics strength and conditioning exercises. These exercises
often involve using external load during basic movements patterns (squatting, deadlifting, weight
pressing) that don’t look like gymnastics skills. These exercises that are more general involve dumbbells,
barbells, kettlebells, weight vests, and other various loading tools to foster adaptation through overload.

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The physiological science of strength training points to the appropriate application of these tools as
very beneficial. They can assist in creating massive increases in sports performance, mainly through
increasing strength, power, speed, and force transfer through the body. They can also serve to improve
the human body’s ability to handle and disperse load, thus reducing the risk of injury in gymnasts.

This approach is especially true in the upper body where the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints do not
possess nearly the same force absorbing anatomy as the legs. Gymnastics is such a unique sport that
places such a high demand on the elbows wrists and shoulders of gymnasts, often 2-4x body weight or
more. It is this under preparation and excessive loading, paired with the inherent lack of weight bearing
anatomy that sets the stage for many common injuries that plague gymnasts.

These categories include growth plate, cartilage, or soft tissue injuries within the wrist or elbow. 35-36
Many variations of upper body overload injuries exist, but some of the most common are known are

• “Gymnast Wrist” (growth plate or carpal bone injury),

• OCD (Osteochondritis Dissecans)
• stress fractures,
• “forearm splints” in male gymnasts (ulnar bone stress reactions), and
• triceps growth plate traction injuries (olecranon apophysitis).

Due to these widespread injuries, and the enormous need for upper body strength required to perform
high-level gymnastics skills, I feel it’s crucial that we adequately prepare the upper body of young
gymnasts appropriately over time. I think that the proper use of external weights can help bridge the
gap between the limited weight bearing capacity of these joints, and the incredibly high forces placed on
them in gymnastics skills. I feel an openness to this approach will drastically reduce the risk of injury and
enhance performance.

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The question if gymnasts should lift weights during their strength programs is one of the most
controversial topics in our current culture. My opinion is there are many myths and misunderstandings
about the potential role of weightlifting in gymnastics. As a result, I feel we are missing out on brilliant
potential benefits. A close-minded approach to this topic that exists in our current culture is the trap
that I once fell into as noted above.

I feel the misunderstandings about lifting weights, along with a lack of time spent studying academic
work, creates the situation where coaches, medical providers, and gymnasts are missing out on a great
source of potential gain. Here are some things to consider related to the role of using weights during
strength training in gymnastics.

Misunderstanding 1: Lifting Weights Makes Gymnasts Get Bulky and Lose Skills

There is a false assumption that by lifting weights a gymnast will automatically become big, bulky, and
lose their lean body physique. Many fear that this will throw an athlete’s strength to weight ratio off
and cause a loss of gymnastics skills. Although in theory, this does hold some truth, the reality of the
situation is that this thought is very misguided related to how maximal hypertrophy and body mass is
added to an athlete. As Dr. Bill Sands and many other great researchers have outlined, the parameters
of hypertrophy in gymnastics and other sports require precise methods. In his paper, “Should Female
Gymnasts Lift Weights?” he outlines some interesting unpublished research he conducted with US
national team members who did or did not incorporate weight training in their strength programs
leading up to the Sydney Olympics. He notes,

“Anthropometry on gymnasts during preparation camps before the Sydney Olympics indicates that weight
training does not cause gymnasts to bulk up (unpublished data, WA Sands, 2000). The gymnasts were 33 US
national team members, 14 of whom weight trained for two or more sessions per week. In spite of being older
(18.1 ± 2.0 vs 16.5 ± 1.0 y), these gymnasts were lighter (48.0 ± 5.4 vs 52.1 ± 5.9 kg), had a lower body mass
index (20.3 ± 1.9 vs 21.7 ± 1.9), and were slightly shorter (153.5 ± 4.0 vs 154.9 ± 4.3 cm) than the members
of the team who did not weight train. More detailed anthropometry on these gymnasts was not permitted,
owing to concerns about body fat and the potential for triggering eating disorders (Nattiv et al., 1994; Nattiv &
Mandelbaum, 1993; Noden, 1994; Rosen & Hough, 1988; Wilmore, 1996).”

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I do not know the specifics of this research, as it has not been published, but this was incredibly
interesting to me when reading it. This account on elite level gymnasts falls in line with the large body of
research combatting myths of athletes lifting weights and automatically becoming too “bulky” for sport
success.

Research and literature supports particular programming methods must be used to encourage large
amounts of hypertrophy or structural tissue growth. (see this fantastic reviews in the reference sections
for more). Over time with the right coaching, exercises, periodization methods, programming, nutritional
guidance, and training habits, this fear of muscle mass impacting gymnastics skills can quickly be pushed
aside. When a proper approach is taken, a strength program using external weights can be geared
around increasing maximal explosive power in an anaerobic context, which is mostly what gymnastics
requires. 39-42

I’ll be honest, it takes a crazy amount of time and work to learn about the science and correct
application. It requires humility to seek out knowledgeable strength and conditioning professionals who
can learn about gymnastics and be part of the interdisciplinary team. Just as being able to learn about
gymnastic skills and teach them to athletes takes a lot of work and time, so does this concept.

I think this myth is rooted in the fact that people hear “weightlifting” only to picture bodybuilders doing
bicep curls, or powerlifters back squatting ridiculously heavy weight. This is not at all how all strength
and conditioning programs occur. These are two very small niches within the strength and conditioning
field, with particular end goals in mind.

The last decade of strength and conditioning research and practice has evolved enormously. As a result,
scientifically supported methods for useful gains in physical preparation for individual sports has
emerged. Gymnastics is a sport that has less information on this topic, as the culture has mostly pushed
the idea to the side. However, if the science was blended into expert coaching opinion, and people
were willing to try new ideas, an approach that combined the two models would be incredible. Not to
mention, the insanely high rates of overuse injury, acute injury, and burnout in gymnastics demand new
ideas are investigated.

Virtually every college gymnastics program lifts in the offseason and within preseason. I know hundreds
of high-level programs (within the US and internationally) that use the appropriate amount of external
loading alongside their body weight, gymnastics specific training.
I will say I, along with coaching or medical friends of mine, have worked with some high-level programs
that forbid the use of external weightlifting. Just from our experiences (no empirical data to support
this) their rates of overuse injuries and athletes lost are quite a bit higher.

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Since adopting this newer model, every gymnast I have worked within the last five years, either coaching
or for injury rehabilitation, does some form of strength work that utilizing external loading. I feel it is
one of the main reasons progress has been seen following prolonged periods of plateau.

Dr. William Sands, who is an expert in fields of gymnastics biomechanics and strength, summarizes this
idea brilliantly in his article, “Should Female Gymnasts Lift Weights?”

“Coaching folklore condemning weight training for gymnasts is probably misguided. Weight-training workouts
that develop strength with minimal muscle hypertrophy are likely to enhance the performance of female
gymnasts. The current skill-repetition approach to developing strength in female gymnasts may cause more
hypertrophy than a well-designed program of weight training in the short term, but the relative effect of these
forms of training on muscle growth during maturation is unknown.”

I find it very interesting that Dr. Sands highlights how the approach to high volume skill training may be
causing more hypertrophy than a well-designed strength program. Similarly, I like that he highlights the
need to use specific programming and strategies to optimize lean muscle hypertrophy that is ideal for
gymnastics.

We need to train skills for performance, but the high cost of impact forces on young gymnasts’ body
must be considered. I feel the balance of adequately developed technical proficiency in skills, paired
with a hybrid approach to strength and physical preparation, is by far one of the most effective tools we
have to combat injury, burnout, and stalled competition performance in the new era of gymnastics.

Misunderstanding 2: Lifting Weights Causes Injury

There is another false assumption that using weights is dangerous and will cause injury, especially in
younger athletes who have not gone through puberty. First off, remember that the forces in gymnastics
are astronomical, being upwards of 15x body weight. To say that external loading with weights is not
okay due to safety concerns, but hypocritically not address the fact that the same gymnast takes 15x her
body weight in force, hundreds of times per week during landings is a bit of a double standard.

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The reality of the situation is that if you lift weights the wrong way, with no programming, and don’t
understand technique then yes, the risk of injury is high. However, with the proper coaching and
programming, this can be avoided, and injury risk is quite low.

Research and literature are abundant about how with proper programming and supervision for correct
technique, the risk of injury or long-term damage to youth athletes is minimal. 44-46 Also, there is
research that supports the idea that organized strength programs that use external weight lifting may
be one of the most effective methods for injury prevention. 44, 47

When you think practically about it, this makes sense. Remember I highlighted that injury tends to occur
when tissues are underprepared and overloaded, causing damage and injury over time. It’s hard to wrap
our head around this in gymnastics, often because we don’t see the high forces during gymnastics skills.
It’s not like a sport like Olympic Weightlifting, where you can see the amount of weight someone lifts
and the force that goes through their body. Gymnastics skills show an immense amount of power, height,
and amplitude, which make it hard to conceptualize how much force goes through the bodies of athletes.

The fact remains, the force is real, it is incredibly high, and it is placed on the body of a gymnast every
time they do a skill or worse, fall.

There is even more research on the role of formal strength and conditioning with external loading about
enhancing sports performance, reducing burnout risk, and encouraging long-term athletic development.
47-58
Strength training that appropriately uses external loading is beneficial to help increase power, break
up the monotony that often comes with single sport training, and is correlated to athletes remaining in
their sport for a more extended period. This too makes sense, as being able to prepare young gymnasts
for high force skills physically can maintain their long-term potential and add variety to their weekly
routine.

I honestly feel that many gymnasts simply do not possess the strength to handle the forces of
gymnastics. Whether it manifests as the ability to perform skills or unfortunately as being plagued with
injury after injury, I see this in gymnasts on a weekly basis.

There comes the point where only bodyweight exercise or even light dumbbells aren’t enough to
prepare a gymnast’s body for the insanely high forces of gymnastics. This problem is where adjunctive
weight lifting can come into play. Weightlifting and periodization are tools used to systematically teach
the body to handle more force, prepare the tissue for loading of skills, and teach proper movement

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mechanics as a method of injury prevention.

Inevitably when considering age concerns and a developing athlete, growth plate injuries come into
play. Again, the research is well established that with proper programming and intelligent coaching, the
risk of long-term damage or stunted growth to young athletes with external loading can be minimized.
40, 44-47, 52, 56
I will say that in the younger and less developed population, the focus should be much more
about proper movement patterns and not so much moving heavy loads. We are cautious in our gym
and rehabilitation clinic to give younger gymnasts close supervision, as often they do not possess the
maturation and awareness to safety as older athletes.

As with anything else in gymnastics, it’s all about proper mechanics and consistency before intensity.
When we add weight to our younger gymnasts in the gym, it is only when they demonstrate sound
mechanics and understand what they are doing. If they show flawed technique, they do not get weight.
Just as with gymnastics, their goal is more on development and consistency in their movement. If you
work with a strength coach who teaches proper movement patterns, understands programming, uses
the right exercises, applies close supervision, and understands gymnastics, the risk of injury when using
weights with younger athletes is minimal.

Misunderstanding 3: Lifting Weights Makes Gymnasts Lose Flexibility

A third fear I think the gymnastics community has about the use of loading is by training with weights a
gymnast will lose all of their flexibility. Again, when the correct approach and programming is used, this
also is very misunderstood. It is true that following a strength training session, the range of motion may
be acutely reduced from intentional muscle damage to promote adaptation. Even if proper recovery
methods and rest time are given, it may last a few days with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). 63

On the contrary to popular thought, properly executed lifting with an external load in a full range of
motion is actually one of the best ways to maintain or improve mobility, especially when eccentric
contractions are biased. 64-69 This tends to occur for a few reasons, one of which is the change induced
to the muscle itself when placed under eccentric loading. Another mechanism proposed is the
development of full range control from a neurological point of view.

It is thought that by slowly moving through the range of motion with control and appropriate load,
we are convincing the nervous system of safety. It may be that changes in structural tissue and slow
exposure to “take the emergency brake off,” are why eccentric training over time yields progress in
flexibility. If you are interested in more, please see studies on eccentric exercise in the reference section
for much more in-depth histology mechanisms of eccentric training.

If you then take this motion from strength exercises and apply it to sports specific gymnastics technique,
it can do wonders for maintaining a gymnast’s mobility. Interestingly enough, eccentric strength may
also be one huge factor in preventing common types of hamstring, groin, Achilles or other lower body
issues commonly seen in gymnastics. 70-74 Following an assessment and soft tissue care (both in training
and when appropriate in rehabilitation), I frequently prescribe

- Eccentric chin ups for latissimus and teres major mobility

- Eccentric push-ups for pec flexibility
- Eccentric single leg /Romanian deadlifts, and slider fall outs for hamstring mobility
- Eccentric split squats for quad and hip flexor mobility

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 - Eccentric lateral squats for adductor mobility
- Eccentric calf and forearm lowers for ankle and wrist flexibility

A combination of barbell work, along with unilateral exercises via kettlebells/dumbbells and body
control drills, are great ways to go about this eccentric training. The equipment is relatively inexpensive,
can be used for multiple athletes across multiple exercises, and tends to last a long time when taken care
of appropriately.

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I think the notion of losing flexibility is based on the mistaken idea that tissue permanently shortens
when we lift weights and lengthens back out when we do stretching or flexibility work. As I covered
extensively in the flexibility chapter, there is a lot more that goes into gaining and keeping flexibility.
Not to mention the studies combatting the idea that muscle lengthens or changes structurally when we
stretch.

Following lifting workouts, yes there may be temporary reductions in range (as happens with any
strength methods). Inducing muscle damage can cause soreness, reduced force output, and discomfort.
In the long term, when the right exercises, a continuation of soft tissue and mobility work, recovery as
well as nutrition education, and the proper programming are used, this myth related to flexibility can
again be pushed aside.

I have worked with many gymnasts who have undergone 2+ years of external loading from weightlifting
in their strength programs, with no long-term issues related to their mobility. My current thought is
that the losses in flexibility athletes experience come from many of the concepts noted in the chapter
prior: overuse based soft tissue stiffness, natural growth changes, or flexibility methods that may stress
passive structures instead of biasing active structures.

Weightlifting Is Only One Piece Of Our Strength Program

Am I saying weights, barbell, or kettlebell training should replace all traditional gymnastics strength?
Not at all. I actually think that is a very bad idea.

All of the gymnasts I work with for rehabilitation or sports performance, utilize external weights as one
part of their overall strength or metabolic program.

They still do a very high volume of body weight, gymnastics skill specific, and essential shaping strength
on a daily basis. As with most things, the use of external weight lifting with gymnasts must be planned
for and part of the larger picture for gymnastics physical preparation.
Gymnastics specific patterns like press handstands, leg lifts, pull-ups, and other well-known exercises
continue to be staples in strength programs I write.

However, the addition of external loading within these programs can be significant. A few of these
include:

• Building quality movement patterns safely and early for an athlete that is regularly seen in high-
level gymnastics (jumping, landing, squatting, reactive overhead control, traction type loading).

• Systematically loading and adapting a gymnast’s body for everyday high-force situations of
tumbling or dismount landings, high force overhead upper body impact, and high force overhead
upper body swinging.

• Slowly exposing the gymnast’s body to stress so it can adapt and get stronger, increasing
resistance to force overload injuries that are an epidemic in gymnastics.

• Developing 360-degree core bracing and strength strategies that slowly expose the spine to a
compression force, so the gymnast can learn to control it and protect their spines from injury.

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 • Teaching a gymnast neurological control and coordination to express higher force transfer during
skill work, causing increased power and increased amplitude.

• Helping to bridge the gap between lower force compulsory skills, and much higher force skills
optional level or elite skills. I feel the jump between these types of skills and the lack of structural
preparation in a gymnast’s body is a primary driver for sparking overuse injuries.

• Helping to maintain global balance within the body and help create general physical
preparedness to enhance long-term athletic development.

• We also must remember that external weightlifting during strength must be used at the
appropriate time in the competitive season. It must be in conjunction with a long-term plan that
understands the goals of different phases throughout the year. This planning is an essential
component of periodization.

Clearly, a bias towards weight lifting should not be the main focus during competition and championship
season. I feel It should be utilized more in the non-competitive or summer training season, as well as the
pre-season, and then maintained to some degree as appropriate.
If we can get past these myths, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about weightlifting, as well as
be open to the adjunctive use of weight training with our athletes, I think we will see ongoing problems
with injury and the number of gymnasts who fail to make progress in skills.

I highly encourage those readers that are still skeptical about integrating external loading into the sport
to not take my word for granted and look at the research themselves. I want people to analyze the
information out there, rather than blindly follow my advice.
Here are some of the most helpful resources I have found in trying to gather evidence to change my
approach to strength training in gymnasts:

The 2013 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, “The Effectiveness of Exercise Interventions to
Prevent Sports Injuries” by Laurensen, Bertleson, and Anderson 47

(URL Link - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/10/07/bjsports-2013-092538 )

“Conclusions: Despite a few outlying studies, consistently favorable estimates were obtained for all injury
prevention measures except for stretching. Strength training reduced sports injuries to less than 1/3 and overuse
injuries could be almost halved.” 47

The 2016 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, “Effect and dose-response relationships of
resistance training on physical performance in youth athletes” by Lesinski, Preiske, and Granacher. 48

URL Link (http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2016/02/05/bjsports-2015-095497 )

“Summary/conclusions Resistance training is an effective method to enhance muscle strength and jump
performance in youth athletes, moderated by sex and resistance training type. Dose-response relationships for
key training parameters indicate that youth coaches should primarily implement resistance training programs
with fewer repetitions and higher intensities to improve physical performance measures of youth athletes.” 48

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Article by Dr. Sands, “Should Female Gymnasts Lift Weights?” 38

URL Link (http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0003/was.html )

“Conclusion - Coaching folklore condemning weight training for gymnasts is probably misguided. Weight-
training workouts that develop strength with minimal muscle hypertrophy are likely to enhance the
performance of female gymnasts. The current skill-repetition approach to developing strength in female
gymnasts may cause more hypertrophy than a well-designed program of weight training in the short term, but
the relative effect of these forms of training on muscle growth during maturation is unknown.” 38

The 2015 International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on Youth Athletic Development 50
URL Link - (http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/49/13/843 )

Concluding Points (A few of many):

General principles

“Youth athlete development is contingent on an individually unique and constantly changing base
of normal physical growth, biological maturation, and behavioral development, and therefore it must be
considered individually.

Allow for a wider definition of sports success, as indicated by healthy, meaningful and varied life-forming
experiences, which is centered on the whole athlete and development of the person.

Adopt viable, evidence-informed and inclusive frameworks of athlete development that are flexible (using
‘best practice’ for each developmental level), while embracing individual athlete progression and appropriately
responding to the athlete’s perspective and needs.

Commit to the psychological development of resilient and adaptable athletes characterized by mental
capability and robustness, high self-regulation and enduring personal excellence qualities-that is, upholding the
ideals of Olympism.

Encourage children to participate in a variety of different unstructured (i.e., deliberate play) and structured
age-appropriate sport-related activities and settings, to develop a wide range of athletic and social skills and
attributes that will encourage sustained sports participation and enjoyment.”

Conditioning, testing and injury prevention

“Encourage regular participation in varied strength and conditioning programs that are suitably age-based,
quality technique driven, safe and enjoyable.

Design youth athlete development programs comprising diversity and variability of athletic exposure, to
mitigate the risk of overuse injuries and other health problems prompted by inappropriate training and
competition that exceed safe load thresholds, while providing sufficient and regular rest and recovery, to

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 encourage positive adaptations and progressive athletic development.

Maintain an ethical approach to, and effectively translate, laboratory and field testing to optimize youth sports
participation and performance.

Strictly adhere to a “No youth athlete should compete-or train or practice in a way that loads the affected
injured area, interfering with or delaying recovery-when in pain or not completely rehabilitated and recovered
from an illness or injury.”

The United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Associations Position Paper on Youth Resistance
Training 44
URL Link - (https://gse.com/uploads/blog_adjuntos/br_j_sports_med_2014_lloyd_498_505.pdf )

“Summary - A compelling body of scientific evidence supports participation in appropriately designed youth
resistance training programs that are supervised and instructed by qualified professionals. The current article
has added to previous position statements from medical and fitness organizations and has outlined the health,
fitness and performance benefits associated with this training for children and adolescents.

“In summarizing this manuscript, it is proposed that

1. The use of resistance training by children and adolescents is supported on the proviso that qualified
professionals design and supervises training programs that are consistent with the needs, goals, and
abilities of younger populations.
2. Parents, teachers, coaches and healthcare providers should recognize the potential health and fitness-
related benefits of resistance exercise for all children and adolescents. Youth who do not participate in
activities that enhance muscle strength and motor skills early in life may be at increased risk for negative
health outcomes later in life.
3. Appropriately designed resistance training programs may reduce sports-related injuries and should be
viewed as an essential component of preparatory training programs for aspiring young athletes.
4. Regular participation in a variety of physical activities that include resistance training during childhood
and adolescence can support and encourage participation in physical activity as an ongoing lifestyle
choice later in life.
5. Resistance training prescription should be based according to training age, motor skill competency,
technical proficiency and existing strength levels. Qualified professionals should also consider the
biological age and psychosocial maturity level of the child or adolescent.
6. The focus of youth resistance training should be on developing the technical skill and competency
to perform a variety of resistance training exercises at the appropriate intensity and volume while
providing youth with an opportunity to participate in programs that are safe, effective and enjoyable” 44

The chapter by Faigenbaum, Strength Training for Children and Adolescents, in Strength and
Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications 54

(Book Link - https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Conditioning-Biological-Principles-

Applications/dp/0470019190)

The fantastic chapter by Gregory Haff, Dispelling the Myths of Resistance Training for Youths in Strength
and Conditioning for Youth Athletes: Science and Application 40

(Book Link - https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Conditioning-Young-Athletes-application/

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 dp/0415694892 )

I also encourage people in the gymnastics world to seek out qualified strength and conditioning coaches
to assist them in learning about the science for strength training. Guessing or using methods that you’re
unsure about, especially when it comes to proper form and technique, is not only dangerous but also
may leave the gymnasts with untapped potential.

Before moving on and explaining more about changing our culture on resistance training in gymnastics,
here is a fantastic quote from Dr. William Sands to wrap things up. This section can be found on page
303 of The Science of Gymnastics: Advanced Concepts. (URL Link - https://amzn.to/2G2S7aO)

“Finally, while most sports use weight training to enhance strength fitness, gymnastics has been stubbornly
reticent to engage fully in practice, usually for fear of “bulking up.” However, at least one study of female
senior national team gymnasts showed that those who practiced weight training were lighter, leaner, the
same height and yet older than their non-weight training counterparts.”

How This Applies to the Future of Gymnastics Physical Preparation

We can no longer depend on a strength and conditioning model that only emphasizes bodyweight
strength training or very light external loading with gymnasts. We also must move away from using
cardio circuits that are non-specific to the most relevant energy systems of gymnastics and do not
meticulously engineer the framework to target a specific metabolic demand or intended adaptation.

Instead, we must all collaboratively create a more updated model based on professional discussion and
productive disagreement to find the ideal methods. I will offer my exact approach, and all of that I feel
is appropriate for this newer approach in the second half of this chapter. I by no means claim to be right
about what exercises, volume, periodization scheme and balance of resistance training to bodyweight
training is ideal. All I know is that what I have been doing the last ten years isn’t working to actually
reduce injury and make long-term increased in performance. As a result, I have just been swinging
the bat repeatedly over the last four years, look for things that work and don’t work with the goal of
continual improvement. I have found a lot that has helped and a lot that still needs more answers.

By combining the expert opinion of seasoned gymnastics coaches, with the expert advice of non-
gymnastics professionals working in the strength and conditioning field, we can see incredible
innovation. In parallel, we must combine the available expert coaching opinion with the available
database of cutting-edge strength and conditioning science.

I can tell you that from my experiences, more hybrid approaches to strength training are being widely
adopted across multiple collegiate, elite, and Junior Olympic gymnastics teams both in the US and
internationally. These programs take the best ideas from traditional gymnastics training and combine
it with more general based strength work, embracing the appropriate use of external weightlifting via
dumbbells, kettlebells, weight vests, barbells, and more.

By planning carefully for the entire competitive year, they combine General Physical Preparation
(GPP) with Sports Specific Preparation (SPP) in a more systematic fashion. There does not appear to
be a “perfect” answer for how to go about this newer approach, but I am incredibly confident from the

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available science and experiences that I’ve had, that this will be the new future of gymnastics in years to
come.

For myself and many other collegiate or higher-level coaching friends of mine, it’s still very confusing
as to why this approach has not trickled out into all levels of gymnastics in the last decade. When
appropriately used, designed, and monitored for safety, there are research and evidence that combats
every myth associated with youth gymnasts lifting weights.

Both injury and lacking strength or power during skills often occurs because we have not found the
optimal dose for stress on the body from a physical, neurological, endocrinological, and psychological
point of view. I feel that by reflecting on the areas for improvement in gymnastics physical preparation,
we will not only see gymnasts that are experiencing much lower rates of injury but are progressing
faster in their gymnastics development, having a reduced risk of burnout, and are having more longevity
in their careers.

This will only come with combined approaches based approach to gymnastics training which has the
athletes’ health and best interest as a priority. Consistent with a common theme that I’m displaying, it
comes down to all of us being more self-reflective, and open to learning from experts in other disciplines.
I think there is an unbelievable amount of information that can be found from working with strength and
conditioning professionals.

It is not that we must take everything the strength and conditioning field recommends blindly and
change our entire gymnastics strength program. I believe that there is a large amount of the information
that is not relevant to apply to the sport of gymnastics. It is up to us as gymnastics coaches and medical
providers to appropriately synthesize what information is available and then chose the best application.

I firmly believe that we are going to see a massive cultural change in gymnastics strength and
conditioning. Slowly but surely, the sport will adopt this hybrid model being proposed, and see
substantial benefits if followed with proper patience, humility, collaboration, and a growth mindset.

What Does Strength, Power, and Plyometric Training Do To An Athlete?

The Effects and Applications of Gymnastics Physical Preparation

After people have changed their thought process about a new model of strength and conditioning in
gymnastics, they often have many more questions to ask when I’m talking to them.

Many people in the gymnastics community who I speak with are curious to know the basic adaptations
of strength training, power training, plyometrics, and cardio programs.

They want to understand the foundational principles of how gymnast can jump higher, run faster,
become more flexible, or do higher level skills. I think this is of unbelievable importance, and I respect
them for wanting to learn more ways to help their athletes.

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All coaches, support staff, and medical providers should have a basic understanding of how gymnastics
physical preparation programs effect and change the human body. Without this knowledge, it’s like
trying to navigate the forest without a compass. It’s very easy to get lost, and waste hours walking in the
wrong direction.

The way to understand this is by studying basic science of strength and conditioning principles. In
the next section of this chapter, I will try to share some of the basic concepts of the physiology of
strength, power, and plyometric training. In a separate chapter, I will break down the basic physiology of
cardiovascular and energy systems training.

I don’t want to go too deep on this, as entire textbooks are written on these subjects (many in the
references section for those interested), but I do want to give people some basic concepts. Despite some
use of terminology, my goal is not to overwhelm people, but instead, take the complex information and
translate it in a way that is understandable for every day gymnastics training.

If muscle or neurological physiology is not in your wheelhouse, feel free to try and gather the central
concepts and see the summarizing principles below. As with all areas, I encourage people to find local
strength and conditioning professionals to learn more from.

Within each section, I will also touch upon a few notes about practical applications to gymnastics. I will
state outright that almost all this information is taken from the reading materials I mention at the start
of the section. I don’t make any claim to this as original intellectual property.

Effects of Strength and Power Training on the Body

Reading Resources:

• Strength and Conditioning of Young Athletes, Lloyd and Oliver

o Chapter 5 - Strength Development in Youth Athletes
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning, Turner and Comfort
o Chapter 2 - Developing Strength and Power
• The Physiology of Training for High Performance, MacDougall, and Sale
o Chapter 4 - Muscle Physiology
o Chapter 5 - Neuromuscular Bases for Performance
• Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, Jeffreys and Moody
o Chapter 2 - The Structure and Function of the Neuromuscular System
• Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications - Cardinale, Newton,
Nosaka
o Chapter 1.1 - Skeletal Muscle Physiology
o Chapter 1.2 - Neuromuscular Physiology
o Chapter 1.3 - Bone Physiology
o Chapter 1.4 - Tendon Physiology
o Chapter 2.1 - Neural Adaptations to Resistance Exercise
o Chapter 2.2 - Structural and Molecular Adaptations to Training
o Chapter 2.3 - Adaptive Responses in Human Bone and Tendon

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I view the entire neuromuscular system as being broken into three general categories:

1. the actual muscle tissue (containing contractile units called sarcomeres)

2. the neurological system (nerves, motor units that transmit signals to fire muscle tissue, and the
larger controller of the brain)
3. the energy systems that fuel muscle tissue (ATP molecules and various metabolic pathways for
ATP replenishment)

In its most basic form, strength training aims to overload neuromuscular, bone, and cartilage tissue, to
cause adaptations. 67,70-72 It is well known that all tissues within the human body require some form of
loading to stimulate adaptation and growth. This is why so many people partake in sports, do regular
exercise, and try to push themselves within their athletic training regimes.

The appropriate dosage of stress (strength exercises, plyometric drills, external loading) followed by
the proper recovery dosage, signals the body to respond to the overload and improve itself. 72-77 This
happens through many complex signaling pathways, depending on mechanical, metabolic, or hormonal
stress, that I do not wish to cover in depth here.

The takeaway point is this - periods of optimal stress, followed by periods of optimal recovery, is how
bones grow stronger, muscles grow in their force generating ability, and cartilage increases its ability
to handle the load. 77-80 This is well known in gymnastics and is why many people spend so much time on
physical preparation. We want gymnasts to have stronger muscles, ligaments, bones, and cartilage to
perform skills and absorb force safely.

With these proper workloads, recovery, and training parameters, certain adaptations lead to increased
strength and power over time.71 I will be lumping the categories of strength and power together for it to
be better understood, but keep in mind strength and power have many differences in their specific body
adaptations. Some of the most prominent principles for adaptation include the following.

Aspects of Muscle Architecture Changes in Response to Strength and Power Training

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Muscle Cross-Sectional Area

A muscle’s force producing capacity is primarily dictated by the amount of muscle tissue present,
combined with neurological factors (covered below), and energy systems factors (included later). From
a muscle tissue point of view, the more cross-sectional area a muscle develops, the more potential it has
to create force. 41-42

Many people’s minds jump to thoughts of hypertrophy or massive muscle bulk as seen in bodybuilders
when they think about strength training. In reality, with intelligent programming, proper nutrition, and
the right balance of mixed training, lean muscle mass can be created that is not massively detrimental to
the body weight demands of gymnastics.

Strength training, typically in the form of resistance training or other advanced bodyweight demands,
has been shown to increase the cross-sectional area within muscles, thus creating an increased potential
for more force production. 41-42 This serves as a foundational component of muscular strength.

Based on the type of exercises, the number of sets or repetitions, the total volume, the kind of
contraction and other intensity related factors, progress in cross-sectional muscle area can be achieved.

Muscle Architecture

Outside of changes in cross-sectional area, many other factors contribute to overall force output of
muscles. Some elements are modifiable through training, and others are not.

Some of these non-modifiable factors include inherent pennation angle, fascicle length, elastic stiffness,
muscle temperature, and sarcomere number. 80 I used the word “generally” on purpose, as the research
does have many conflicting thoughts on how these aspects of muscle architecture can change over time.
I just have not spent that much time searching the archives of muscle physiology to state clearly with
research what is valid.

Although I don’t want to overwhelm people with the physiology of this, readers should keep in mind
many things go into baseline muscle strength. I have left out several other factors to be considered and
encourage readers to check out the books listed if they are interested in more information.

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 Neural Aspects of Strength and Power Training

Increased Motor Unit Recruitment

A motor unit is defined as “an alpha motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it innervates.” 41 In lay
terminology, that means the nerve that transmits a signal to a specific section of a muscle.

Motor units range in size and have generally been shown to be recruited from smallest to largest, based
on the activity demand. 82 Smaller Type I fibers (slower twitch and more aerobic) are typically recruited
at lower demands first, followed by larger Type II fibers (faster twitch and more anaerobic) as higher
demands and force rates are required.

The type of activity (slower or faster contraction speed, less or more resistance, concentric versus
eccentric contraction) will bias certain muscle types and their motor units. Due to the nature of many
activities, often Type I, and slow twitch fibers are recruited first at a lower force demand. As the
demands of the activity increase, the larger Type II fast twitch fibers and motor units are recruited for
additional force output. 42

Gymnastics primarily requires very fast, high power, demands of Type II fast twitch fiber. However, there
are also many important times in gymnastics when slower, type I, more aerobic fibers are required to
perform skills over an extended period of time.

Increased Motor Unit Firing Frequency (also called rate coding)

The firing frequency of motor units has to do with the rate of impulse signaling that occurs. If a motor
unit fires with much faster frequency, it may enhance overall force output. With more strength and
power training, the rate of firing frequency of motor units can be improved. This can lead to more rapid
and more significant total force production within a muscle.

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Increased Motor Unit Synchronization

Similar to the number of motor units being recruited and the firing rate of those motor units, strength or
power training can help improve the efficiency of motor units firing together. 41

With more coordination between groups of motor units in surrounding musculature, we may see
significant jumps in strength or power over time. As synchronicity develops within a muscle or between
adjacent muscles, force output increases.

On a more global level, this may also happen between joints. Muscle groups along the kinetic chain can
be taught to fire with improved coordination as specific patterns of movement are repeatedly trained,
and the brain adapts. A clear example would be power increase over time because an athlete learns to
use their core, hip, knee, and ankle at the same time during a squat jump. 41 This concept is mostly seen
in gymnastics skill training. A demonstration of this would be when a gymnast learns to use their arms,
core, and hips together during tumbling to increase power. Along with the mastery of technique, the
increase in strength seen overtime has roots that are traced back to neuromuscular physiology.

Decreased Neuromuscular Inhibition

Our bodies have a built-in braking system with regards to how much maximal force our brain allows our
muscles to exert. This aspect is an effort protect us from ourselves. Think about stories of moms lifting
cars off their children in times of emergency. Or think of more unfortunate situations where individuals
with epilepsy disorders suffer seizures where involuntary muscle contractions cause dislocated joints
and broken bones.

The two situations represent positive and negative aspects to this built-in brake being lifted at certain
times. It allows our muscles to tap into more force output in times of need. Strength and power training
can help to lift this “brake” from the muscular system, as the brain starts to feel comfortable with the
strength output more consistently. 41-42 This concept is referred to as disinhibition.

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 Effects of Strength and Power Training on Bone

When correctly implemented, strength training has also been shown to have a very beneficial impact on
bone health. Bone development is directly dependent on mechanical loading. 82 As force is placed on a
bone through compression, shear, axial loading, and other mechanisms, the cells of bones (osteocytes)
respond to that stress. 82-83

The signals of force are turned into chemical inputs, a concept known as mechanotransduction. As a
result, slowly over time as these stress and recovery cycles continue, the body works to grow new bone
tissue to support future demands of a similar nature. This adaptation is commonly known as “Wolff’s
Law.”

When the stress or recovery is inappropriately dosed, we see many familiar bone injuries surface. These
include,

• Spondylolisthesis (spine stress fracture)

• Osgood Schlatters (knee growth plate inflammation)
• “Gymnast Wrist” (wrist growth plate inflammation) and
• OCD (cartilage damage of the elbow)

These are all injuries that occur when these stress to recovery cycles are not optimally implemented.
3,11,56
The bone or cartilage is overstressed due to too much training, improper loading mechanics, or
insufficient recovery, and over time inflammation or structural changes transpire.

Remember that on the other side of the coin exists. The positive effects of bone loading when
adequately dosed gymnastics progressions, strength training, and overload occur. This approach can be
a beneficial way to help bridge the gap between excessive loading from high force gymnastics skills and
lacking loading capacity within bones.

Performance Point: Why This Matters for Gymnastics - The reason all the information covered matters

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for gymnastics is that progressive overload with the right exercises and program design can elicit these
well-known adaptations of strength or power training.

By doing physical preparation programs, we can help gymnast increase muscle cross-sectional area,
increase motor unit discharge rates or synchronicity, tap into larger motor units typically associated
with fast twitch type II fibers, and help build the skeletal systems resilience.

Theoretically, strength training with resistance or other forms of overload can tap into the larger,
less recruited motor units. We can also increase cross-sectional area of lean muscle tissue, and when
combined with concepts above, increase strength output. These muscle and neurological adaptations
then can be used down the road in rate of force exercises (jumping, sprints, explosive drills) to help see
increases in power during gymnastics skills.

For example, using dumb bells for push pressing can serve as 1/5th the force a gymnast may take on
their wrists during a handstand push up or front handspring vault. By slowly loading and progressing
these push presses over a few months, while continuing to optimize skill technique, we may be able to
increase the wrist and elbow joints capacity to handle weight bearing forces.

This could increase bone and muscle strength, as well as improve the ability to produce force through
the arms and core. This may help reduce the risk of injury resulting from numerous vaults or handstand
impact skills, as well as build up a gymnast ability to transfer force and increase power during their skills.

Increasing foundational strength serves as the first step to developing many other aspects of physical
preparation like power or explosive speed. Increases in the baseline levels of strength serve as the base
for other important athletic qualities. The ability to sprint faster for vault or floor, the ability to tap
harder on bars, and the ability to sustain longer endurance-based holds for handstand shaping, all have a
commonality increasing the foundational strength level of a gymnast.

Many people in gymnastics want to see more power in their gymnasts during skills and routine
performance. Regarding classic physics, power is a product of work done over time. It can also be viewed
in the context of power is equal to force x displacement over time. I by no means claim to be an expert in
physics, but the basic concepts can still be considered.

Therefore, to increase power output, we must either manipulate increasing the force expressed
by a muscle, see increased distance traveled, or reduce the amount of time over which this work is
performed. 41 The most scientifically supported method for increasing the force a muscle can produce
is through strength training. 70 This is performed with a goal of achieving the adaptations mentioned
previously.

The other way that we can increase power is through the manipulation of time. This is often done with
specific gymnastics technique drills, plyometric training, and exercises that emphasize rapid movements
to increase a muscles rate of force development. For this reason, power, the rate of force development,
speed, agility, and metabolic capacity all have some dependence on fundamental strength.

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I feel due to the importance of foundational strength following short periods of complete rest; gymnasts
should focus on increasing maximal strength during noncompetitive times of the year. Placing more
emphasis on foundational strength programs in the first few months of summer, as compared to only
doing new drills and skills, may be one of the most important parts of the entire training year.

Following this gain in strength over 3-4 months, gymnasts can then be put through more specific power,
the rate of force development, ballistic, and plyometric type training blocks. This helps translate the
strength gains made to more gymnastics particular goals, like explosive bodyweight power. I feel this
will help many athletes more optimally develop power for skills and routines, along with not overloading
them excessively in the offseason with high force skills.

The most outstanding example is training proper squatting and hinging patterns through goblet squats
or deadlifts in summer training. These exercises are well known to build up the strength of the quads,
hamstrings, glutes, and core. 85 The strength gains can be used on top of teaching gymnasts how to land
correctly.

The increase in muscular strength, along with knowing how to move properly, may take a significant
strain off young gymnast’s growth plates, tendons, and ligaments during the upcoming eight months
where they will likely be put through 1000’s of repetitions of landings on hard surfaces that have been
recorded at 10-14x body weight. (This will be covered in depth in the medical chapter but see the
Science of Gymnastics: Advanced Concepts for the research on this).

The strength gains seen from training these movements can also be applied in the preseason for squat
jumps, jumping lunges, kettlebell swings, or speed deadlifts, to increase power output in the legs. This
can be transferred very quickly to gymnastics specific technique during tumbling and vaulting. By
moving from a systematic strength cycle with squatting and deadlifting, to more power and rate of force
development cycle, all while still working skill technique, may create incredible progress in skill power as
well as performance.

For more information specific to strength and conditioning in pediatric youth athletes, please see
chapter 13 of Strength and Conditioning For Sports Performance by Jeffreys and Moody.

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 Plyometric Training Effects

Reading Resources

• Strength and Conditioning or Young Athletes, Lloyd and Oliver

o Chapter 6 - Speed Development in Youths
o Chapter 7 - Plyometric Development in Youths
o Chapter 8 - Agility Development in Youths
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning, Turner and Comfort
o Chapter 3 - Stretch Shortening Cycle and Muscle Tendon Stiffness
• The Physiology of Training for High Performance, MacDougall, and Sale
o Chapter 5 - Neuromuscular Bases for Performance
o Chapter 8 - Training for Strength, Power, and Speed
• Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, Jeffreys and Moody
o Chapter 2 - The Structure and Function of the Neuromuscular System
o Chapter 13 - Plyometric Training: Theory and Practice
• Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications, Cardinale, Newton,
Nosaka
o Chapter 2.8 - The Stretch-Shortening Cycle

Plyometric training incorporates more rapid, fast twitch type exercises. The primary goal of this type of
training is to increase a muscles ability to accept, absorb, and return force efficiently.

Typically, plyometric exercises are grouped into low, medium, and high impact. This categorization all
has to do with the speed of repetition, and the force produced or absorbed by the body. They are also
largely dosed based on their number of ground contacts, amount of loading per repetition, and many
other factors that are specific to the athletes training or developmental age.

In gymnastics, plyometric training is regularly seen with panel mat lines, bounding jumps, and squat
jump variations. However, there are many other very important applications of plyometrics beyond just
these in the lower body, as well as in the upper body (push up shaping hops, handstand blocking) and the
core (medball reactive throws and rebounds). These are less commonly used in gymnastics, but I think
we will see change more in the future.

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Just as with the strength and power section, the central adaptations from plyometric training can be
split into muscle architectural effects, and neural effects.

Both of these effects tend to come under the umbrella of something known as the Stretch Shortening
Cycle.86-87 This relates to the combination of active eccentric and concentric contractions with a
relative isometric period between to handle force.

Muscle Architectural Effects of Plyometric Training

Muscle Hypertrophy

There have been some recent reviews that outline changes in whole muscle and individual fiber
hypertrophy through plyometrics training.80 It is possible that over time training plyometrics influences
power output in this way. Due to the limited amount of research in this category and my need to more
fully understand this concept, I will not outline it more than stating its existence in the research.

Increased Elastic Tendon Energy Storage and Changes in Stiffness

One of the most frequently discussed mechanisms for increasing the stretch-shortening cycles ability to
produce power is through changes in elastic stiffness. It has been outlined that with adequately dosed
training, elastic tissues can be adapted to tolerate more force, as well as increase their efficiency in
storing and releasing energy. 88-89

Optimal tendon stiffness, combined with the ability to have very fast coupling times (limited time
between eccentric and concentric contractions know as an amortization phase) may be the main
mechanism in increasing the energy storage of tendons working with muscles.

There is controversy among the gymnast world about the “optimal” amount of tendon stiffness. Some
degree of tendon stiffness is important for energy transfer and skill power.

On the other side of the fence, is the argument that too much tendon stiffness may predispose overload
and injury. This is a tricky line to walk with relation to long-term athletic development in athletes, which
is why more information needs to be studied about plyometric training dosage in gymnasts.

To this day, I am still gathering my thoughts on the best approach to seeking out strength and
conditioning experts to learn more. However, in my gut, I feel that we should lean on the side of slightly
less structural tendon stiffness, and more on training the neuromuscular system to produce rigidity
during skills. I feel that gymnasts that do not have optimal strength or technique rely on their passive
tissues to produce and store the massive amounts of energy seen in gymnastics skills. Over time this
may create tough spots related to chronic injury.

I have seen this anecdotally when lots of plyometric exercises or impact skills are trained, and gymnasts
cannot get past chronic rotator cuff tendon, patellar tendon, and Achilles tendon issues. Given the
intimidating rate of tendon ruptures in gymnastics for both the shoulder and lower body such as the
Achilles, it is essential we work together for the best answer. Again, I am still investigating this topic and
hope to keep growing my thoughts on the matter.

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 Neurological Effects of Plyometric Training

Increased neural firing rate and motor unit recruitment

Just as strength and power training offers an opportunity to enhance the motor unit efficiency, so does
plyometric training. As we coach and educate gymnasts on the proper technique, and increase the
challenge of plyometrics, the nervous system may help adapt to more power output. Motor units for
contraction can increase their ability to fire, and more coordination between motor units may occur just
like with strength training. 88-89

Local Increased Stretch Reflex Excitability

This is the most widely known thought behind why plyometric training helps increase reactive power.
The stretch reflex is triggered by rapid elongation of muscles and tendons, which sparks a reflex for
shortening of the muscle to prevent injury.

Despite conflicting thoughts, it has been proposed that through progressive training, plyometric
drills can enhance the stretch-shortening cycle by tuning reflexes. 88-89 This may be very beneficial for
gymnastics, as skills seen on floor, vault, and bars happen at tremendous speeds.

Increased intramuscular and kinetic chain coordination

Just as noted in the strength and power section, with more repetitive training and movement practice,
different joint segments may be more optimally synchronized to produce, transfer, and release energy.
This is often seen in gymnastics as plyometric exercises are coached to increase body tension or
stiffness, which helps to enhance force output. 88

Increased Central Nervous System through Disinhibition Effects

This concept parallels what was mentioned in the strength training section, but with some different
applications. There has been some research that suggests over time with more plyometric training; the
brain may become more anticipatory in its preparation for bounding. This is thought to be because pre-
activation of muscle firing may enhance with training. Primarily, the brain and nervous system learn to
anticipate contractions rather than simply react to them. Many people refer to this as a gymnast being
able to “tune” the equipment and respond to force transfer more efficiently.

More information related to the dosage of plyometric training (frequency, intensity, and volume) for
youth athletes can be found in Chapter 7 in Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes: Science
and Application by Lloyd and Oliver. 91 For full chapters on plyometrics see Chapter 13 of Jeffreys and
Moody 89, and Chapter 16 of Comfort and Turner. 88

Performance Point: What This Means for Gymnastics - When used in the proper dosage with an
understanding of the training effects, plyometric training can be of enormous benefit to gymnasts. This
is even truer when it is built into the proper periodization and formal strength program structure.

Plyometrics have been widely used in gymnastics, but I often fear due to our lack of physiological

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understanding of what it does to the body, we easily get carried away regarding suddenly spiking the
amount of plyometric work done by increasing the intensity of exercises rapidly and not considering
total volume.

We must remember we are working with children and adolescents who have not fully developed. We
certainly want to prepare gymnasts for the massive forces and impacts that come with competing high-
level skills. However, we need to keep in mind proper progression, a gradual increase in intensity, and
dosage.

Just as with gymnastics skills, we would never do a full skill without the proper technique training, drills,
progressions, and physical preparation. It may undermine the performance and safety of the athlete.
The same remains true for plyometric exercises, strength training, and power training with young
gymnasts. There are proper techniques, drills, progressions, and baseline physical preparations before
we go crazy with very challenging exercises or high volumes.
If we do not respect the forces and demands of these exercises, we may be causing more harm than
good.

Formal Program Design: Periodization to Specific Strength, Power, and Plyometric

Exercise Examples

I know many people want to learn more about specific exercises or drills for strength, power, and
plyometric training to use with their gymnasts. Many also want to know how to formally create strength
programs they can use with large groups, constrained time, limited space and limited equipment.

To help bring these nerdy concepts back down to earth about what we do in daily gymnastics training,
here are some thoughts on designing strength programs and exercise ideas.

Reading Resources

• Strength and Conditioning or Young Athletes, Lloyd and Oliver

o Chapter 11 - Periodization Strategies for Youth Development
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning, Turner and Comfort
o Chapter 8 - Periodization
o Chapter 9 - Workload Monitoring and Athlete Management
• The Physiology of Training for High Performance, MacDougall, and Sale
o Chapter 9 - Peaking, Tapering, and Overtraining
• Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, Jeffreys and Moody
o Chapter 17 - Essentials of Periodization

First, let’s start with how to implement information emerging on strength exercises and program design.
I feel the first place to start is with planning and organization rather than talking about specific exercises
(I promise I will offer all this information at the end of this chapter). A considerable error I used to make

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is trying to find the “best exercise” before discussing goals, time of the season, equipment availability,
space and coach availability. Far too many times people look for exercises online and get excited to try
them, to be disappointed when they don’t have time, space, equipment or alignment with current season
goals. Ambitions fade, and people get frustrated with this opposite approach. To avoid this mistake, I will
begin with program design and then break into specific exercises for people to consider.

Physical Preparation Program Design: Periodization, Goals and Timelines

The formal word for this concept is periodization. It highlights the systematic modulation of training
intensity to promote progressive adaptation. 16, 22, 72, 92

When periodization models are properly implemented, we see a slow downward trend of energy and
performance levels with strenuous training, followed by a slow return to full recovery. When optimaly
designed, the body does not return to the same baseline. It adapts to be more prepared for when a
similar level of challenge occurs. This concept is known as supercompensation.

In the picture above, red represents a training load, green represents recovery, and the purple “change”
level denotes supercompensation. This model is extreamly basic, but in the most simple form this is what
we are aiming for in gymnastics. This is often referred to as “functional over reaching” or in stress theory
“allostatic load” with tolerable stressors. As you can see, all the way on the far left the cumulative change
with a “T” next to it represents total change, which is in the positive.

In contrast, when we either over dose stressors or under dose recovery, we do not see the same curve.
Instead of seeing a full recovery, and supercompensation, we may see a slow downward trend. This
usually can manifest as over use injuries, excessive fatigue, under performance, and in the most severe
casese complete burnout.

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As you can see, the green recovery lines are much smaller and due to the application of another stressor,
the overall purple change trends negatively. This can be seen on the left, when the “T” is now under the
original line each session. This is often referred to as “nonfunctional over reaching” or in stress theory
“allostatic overload” with toxic stressors.

This happens in gymnastics when we have multiple training days that cumulatively tax athletes,
when recovery methods outlined in the Recovery chapter are not utilized, or when athletes have
high cumulative stress load in their lives. Sometimes super compensation can be missed from an
underdosage of stressors in gymnastics, but that tends to be the minority of cases.

I feel to achieve the more optimal result in the first picture with supercompensation, the best option
for readers is first to take a gigantic step back and look at yearly training programs as well as overall
goals. From there, programs can be broken down into monthly, weekly, and daily workouts based on
what fits for the gymnasts, coaching staff, and facility. If this is not done first, trying to implement the
overwhelming amount of information in the strength and conditioning research can feel both chaotic
and frustrating.

I will outline this in bullet point and template form, and then for visual learners include a summarizing
picture.

The process starts with the big picture of a multiyear goal and then moves to yearly goals. From here
the year is broken up into multi-month blocks. From this, it proceeds to individual month blocks and into
weekly chunks. Lastly, individual practices are outlined, followed by the specific work load prescription
for individual events, days of strength, or energy systems training. This last step is done with the specific
drill, skill, or routine assignments, or specific sets and repetitions for physical preparation.

Keep in mind; there is large variability in this based on the goals of the gym, the staff or resources
available, the gymnasts within the gym, other programs within the gym, space available, and time of
training.

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I suggest that people focus on the principles, and then mold it to what fits in their gym based on all these
factors. Here are some questions to work through for strength and conditioning planning.

What are the multi-year goals of our gym?

• Youth recreational level or noncompetitive gymnastics

• Youth semi-competitive gymnastics
• Adult recreational gymnastics
• Youth compulsory level competition
• Youth optional level competition
• Youth excel level competition
• Provide youth with collegiate gymnastics opportunities
• Provide youth with elite, national, or international level gymnastics opportunities

Based on the outlined multiyear goals, what should the individual training year look like? What are
the individual yearly goals?

• When is the most important competition?

• states, regionals, or nationals for most competitive levels
• may be different for college or elite gymnasts

By working backward from the season peak, how many months are designated for each training block
of the season?

• How much time is needed to perfect routines, taper, and peak for championship meet
season - Competitive Season B

• How much time is needed to train and compete for routines in the non-championship
meet season - Competitive Season A

• How much time is needed to prepare for the start of competition season - Pre-Season B

• How much time is needed to transition from offseason training to preseason training -
Pre-Season A

• How much time in offseason to learn new skills, drills, do strength and general energy
systems training - Non-Competitive Off Season

• How much time is needed for complete deloaded training following previous competitive
season - Deload Recovery

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(Current) referred to when I was outlining this yearly template in our rest weeks, so disregard it. I know
that piece is confusing.

**An Important Point Moving Forward**

In the initial planning stage of the training year, I recommend people go backward from the peak
competition. This approach is to help look at yearly, monthly, and weekly goals.

Once this yearly plan is outlined, I find it more helpful to work forwards from the rest period following
a competition season, moving into the next training year. I think following chronological order allows
everyone involved to see the logical progression of training and helps to build specific programs more
effectively.

For this reason, for the remainder of this explanation, I will be moving forwards in the year starting
from the rest period (Deload) and ending with the peak competition (Competitive Season B). Keep this
in mind, or it may feel a little confusing.

Please also keep in mind, this is just an example of my experiences. I primarily work in a competitive
team setting for women’s compulsory and optional levels. This will look different for other variants of
gymnastics including excel, high school, college, elite, men’s compulsory or optional gymnastics, as well
as any other levels or age groups.

Given the training blocks (month or multi-month), what is the main goal of training during this time?

For all gymnastics programs, I follow four main subcomponents to training as you will see in the chart.

• Gymnastics Specific –
o actual gymnastics skill development, technical drills or progressions, routines, meet
preparation, etc.
• Strength, Power, and Flexibility –
o physical preparation subset training
• Energy Systems –
o metabolic pathway training
• Athlete Wellness –
o overall athlete physical, mental, and emotional well being

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(Remember now starting from the end of the competitive year and moving forward to build training year
plan)

Deload/Recovery (1 month, typically May) - 2 week rest + 2 week slow ramping

• Gymnastics Specific -
o Complete rest for two weeks
o Followed by two weeks of skill basics, shaping, soft impact, dance, choreography

• Strength, Power, and Flexibility -

o Complete rest for two weeks
o Followed by basic strength exercises, shaping, flexibility and education about the first
training block for any new movements or exercises

• Energy Systems -
o Complete rest for two weeks
o Followed by basic aerobic fitness, soft impact
o Education about first training block for new movements or exercises

• Athlete Wellness -
o Full movement screens
o Referral to proper medical care for resolution of injuries from last season
o Education to athletes about customized injury management and injury prevention
program to be done in offseason

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Non Competitive / Building Season - (3 months, typically June/July/Aug)

• Gymnastics Specific -
o Identify the level of competition for next year
o Education on new skill technique/drills
o Acquisition of new skills

• Strength, Power, and Flexibility -

o Two weeks of strength and flexibility training to prepare the body for upcoming heavy
training cycles
o Followed by ten weeks of Max Strength, with a focus on General Physical Preparedness,
and techniques to optimize flexibility for skills needed
o Biases non-gymnastics strength but still trains essential gymnastics demands (handstands,
presses, body weight core, basic shaping, etc.)

• Energy Systems -
o Two weeks of general anatomical adaptation
*Anatomical adaptation simply refers to a built-in the slow ramp-up period of a new
program. It is more general preparation work, rather than heavy intensive loading,
that allows athletes to learn the movement patterns first and perform them with
high quality, before intensive training being prescribed.
o Followed by ten weeks of Aerobic Conditioning/Anaerobic Conditioning blend in General
Physical Preparedness context

• Athlete Wellness -
o continued resolution of injuries as needed
o Ten weeks of human movement care
o Integrated preventative rehabilitation, athlete education, self-soft tissue care, recovery
techniques, nutritional strategies, mental and emotional training

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Pre-Season A - (2 months, typically Sept/Oct ) - Transfer of Off Season Progress to Competition
Training

• Gymnastics Specific -
o Construction of basic routines
o The movement to 3 skill combinations and half routines at the end of the training block
o Generally, on softer surfaces or with harder new skills to a modified surface as needed

• Strength, Power, and Flexibility -

o Half maintenance care of Max Strength, half transfer of Max Strength Phase to general
Power and Rate of Force Development Phase.
o Introducing more plyometric, fast twitch exercises and power emphasis
o Incorporates both gymnastics specific and non-gymnastics exercises

• Energy Systems -
o Transfer of general aerobic/anaerobic base to general anaerobic fitness

• Athlete Wellness -
o Increase in recovery education, implementation, and strict monitoring of work to rest
ratios to avoid injury onset typical to preseason training

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Pre-Season B - (2 months, typically Nov/Dec) Preparation for Competition Season

• Gymnastics Specific -
o Movement from half routines to full routines
o Adjustment of basic routines as needed
o By the end of training block simulating pressure sets/ competition environments

• Strength, Power, and Flexibility -

o Biases focus on body weight Explosive Power, Rate of Force Development, and gymnastics
specific body weight exercises
o Regular active flexibility and optimization of hip/shoulder motion for skills

• Energy Systems -
o Biases focus on gymnastics specific anaerobic fitness typically through interval training
with one day of active aerobic recovery

• Athlete Wellness -
o Regular screening for losses of range of motion through soft tissue adaptations,
maintenance care of accessory strength and balance, mental and emotional health,
recovery/nutrition habits, and stress management strategies for the upcoming season

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Competitive Season A - (3 months, typically Jan/Feb/March) - Start to Middle of Competition Season.

• Gymnastics Specific -
o Focuses on full routines, pressures sets, and planning training weeks for competition
settings
o Evolution of routines to add new skills as appropriate in advanced routines

• Strength, Power, and Flexibility -

o Focuses on continued Explosive Power and Rate of Force Development, but begins to
become more maintenance care of adaptations rather than sustained overload
o Maintenance of flexibility and focus on transfer to skills and routines

• Energy Systems -
o Focuses on continued gymnastics specific anaerobic capacity with aerobic recovery
as needed, but begins to become more maintenance care of adaptations rather than
continued overload

• Athlete Wellness -
o Hyper vigilance to start with injuries, maintenance care for physical/emotional/
psychological wellness
o Education on strategies for peaking during next block of the championship season

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Competition Season B - (2 months, typically April/May) Peaking for End of Competition Season

• Gymnastics Specific -
o Focus on advanced routines as appropriate, % of hit routines, planning training weeks
around peaking at championship meets

• Strength, Power, and Flexibility -

o Maintenance care for strength and power adaptations focus on routines and competitions
o Continued maintenance of flexibility for routines

• Energy Systems -
o Maintenance care, focus on routines and competitions

• Athlete Wellness -
o Increased focus on physical, mental, and psychological recovery as well as training to
handle peak competitions

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Starting with this information above, we begin to see how the entire year can be broken up into smaller
multi-month components based on the training goals, and adaptations intended. From here, we move on
to individual months of training.

Start to consider: Given the broader goals of each month, the athlete level, the age of the athlete, and
how many hours of training per week, what will a monthly program design and work to rest ratio look
like?

Off Season Example:

o Week 1 - Building Week

o Week 2 - Building Week
o Week 3 - Building Week
o Week 4 - De Load Week

In Season Example

o Week 1 - Building Week

o Week 2 - Meet Week
o Week 3 - ½ Recovery ½ Building Week
o Week 4 - Meet Week

Keep in mind; you do not always need to plan in 1-month increments. I often plan for 6-week blocks to
better fit the meet season schedule. It all depends on the goal of training, and how long it may take to see
adaptations or progress with skills, strength, flexibility, or energy systems training.

From the single month or six-week increment, we then move to planning single training weeks.

What will an individual weekly program design look like? Take into consideration, the more significant
goals of the week (meet week vs. building week vs. recovery week), how many days/hours of training,

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the athlete level, and time in the season. What will the work to rest ratios and intensity modulation look
like?

Monday - Heavy Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o Full Event Training Workload
• Strength
o Full Strength Day 1 Workload
• Energy Systems
o Full Energy Day 1 Workload
• Athlete Wellness
o Athlete Recovery Time at the end of Practice (Soft Tissue, Stretching, etc.)

Tuesday - Light Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o Drills, Technique, Skills to Soft Surface or Pit
• Strength
o Shaping, Technique, Injury Prevention Programs
• Energy Systems
• None or Light Aerobic Recovery
o Athlete Wellness
• Athlete Recovery Time at the end of Practice (Soft Tissue, Stretching, etc.)

Wednesday - Medium Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o Full Event Training Day 1 Workload
• Strength
o Full Strength Day 2 or
• Full Energy Systems Day 2 or
o Medium of Both
• Energy Systems
o Full Strength Day 2 or
o Full Energy Systems Day 2 or
o Medium of Both
• Athlete Wellness
o No Blocks Outlined Specifically

Thursday - Off Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o None, Recovery at Home

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 • Strength
o None, Recovery at Home
• Energy Systems
o None, Recovery at Home
• Athlete Wellness
o Recovery at Home

Friday - Medium Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o Full Event Training Workload
• Strength
o Full Strength Day 3 or
o Full Energy Systems Day 3 or
o Medium of Both
• Energy Systems
o Full Strength Day 3 or
o Full Energy Systems Day 3 or
o Medium of Both
• Athlete Wellness
o No Blocks Outlined Specifically

Saturday - Heavy Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o Full Event Training Day 4 Workload
• Strength
o Full Strength Day 4 Workload
• Energy Systems
o Full Energy Day 4 Workload
• Athlete Wellness -
o Athlete Recovery Time at End of Practice (Soft Tissue, Stretching, etc)

Sunday - Off Day

• Gymnastics Specific
o None, Recovery at Home
• Strength
o None, Recovery at Home
• Energy Systems
o None, Recovery at Home
• Athlete Wellness
o Recovery at Home

Keeping with the trend, we then move from the training week to plan for the individual practice
or training unit.

Next, what will the individual training days look like? Consider, the broader goals of the week,
how many hours of training will occur, the scheduled events, the athlete level, and time in the
season,

Women’s Example
• Monday – Heavy

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 o Vaults, Bars, Beam, Strength, Energy Systems, Flexibility Cool Down
• Tuesday - Light Day
o Bars, Beam, Floor Choreography, Shaping, Aerobic Recovery, Flexibility
• Wednesday - Medium Day
o Vault, Beam, Bars, Strength or Energy Systems
• Thursday - Off
o None
• Friday - Medium Day
o Floor, Bars, Vault, Strength or Energy Systems
• Saturday - Heavy Day
o Beam, Vault, Floor, Strength, Energy Systems, Flexibility Cool Down
• Sunday - Off Day
o None

Men’s Example
• Monday – Heavy
o Floor, Pommels, Rings, Strength, Energy Systems, Flexibility Cool Down
• Tuesday - Light Day
o Pommels, Light Rings, Shaping, Drills, Injury Prevention
• Wednesday - Medium Day
o Vault, Pbars, High Bar, Strength or Energy Systems
• Thursday - Off Day
o Off
• Friday - Medium Day
o Floor, Pommels, Rings, Strength or Energy Systems
• Saturday - Heavy Day
o Vault, Pbars, High Bar, Strength, Energy Systems, Flexibility Cool Down
• Sunday - Off Day
o Off Day

Now from the individual training day, we can then plan out specific event assignments, training loads,
strength programs, flexibility assignments, energy systems workouts, or instructional time blocks.

What will the actual assignment or workout look like? Take into consideration, the larger goals of the
event, strength session, energy systems training session, or flexibility training session.

I will include a picture of an individual workout taken from our strength program, but will go into this
much more in depth in the last piece of this chapter.

Strength and Metabolic Program Design Example

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We will continue this last step in a more detailed approach, as this relates to writing daily strength
programs.

Strength Exercise Examples

Reading Resources

• Strength and Conditioning or Young Athletes, Lloyd and Oliver

o Chapter 5 - Strength Development in Youth Athletes
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning, Turner and Comfort
o Chapter 2 - Developing Muscular Strength and Power
• The Physiology of Training for High Performance, MacDougall, and Sale
o Chapter 8 - Training for Strength, Power, and Speed
• Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, Jeffreys and Moody
o Chapter 11 - Developing Strength and Power
• Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications, Cardinale, Newton,
Nosaka
o Chapter 4.1 - Resistance Training Modes: A Practical Perspective

So far, I have covered a much larger overview into how I approach gymnastics program design. It also
builds in a lot of the current science on periodization, work to rest ratios, and overall holistic long-term
athletic development.

When we zoom in all the way down to the individual training level, there is a massive amount of
variability that comes into play with regards to gymnastics specific training load. The warm-ups, skills,
drills, progressions, and routine assignments have infinite possibilities due to the nature of gymnastics.

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Despite me referencing gymnastics skills and progressions in each chapter of the book, I do not want to
make this about the specific teaching of skills. The part that I want to conclude this chapter on relates to
strength and conditioning program exercises. This is because the second most common question I get
following, “I like these concepts, where do I start,” is “okay what exercises should I use, and how many of
them should we do.”

One important caveat to this question; just as there is a need to individualize skill training to a gymnast,
there is a need to individualize strength, flexibility, and energy systems training to a gymnast. Every
athlete is different. Despite there being solid foundational principles of both skill training and strength
training, not every gymnast will take the same path to reach their end goal.

With this in mind, I always respond first to the question of “what exercises should I use, and how many
should I have athletes do” with “it depends.” This answer is not to dodge the question, but more rather be
honest and transparent.

When a gymnast tries to learn a giant, there are foundational principles they need to master (body
tension, proper cast handstand, tap swing mechanics, timing, etc.). However, there may be different
coaching cues, drills, shaping corrections, and troubleshooting thoughts for each athlete.

The same goes for strength program design. When a gymnast tries to get a stronger lower body, there
are certain foundational principles they need to master (core control, body weight squat and hinge
patterns, holding load correctly, breathing, body tension, etc). But just like with skills, there may be
different coaching cues, regressions or progressions, and modifications they may need to master the
exercise. Some common changes include different exercise selections based on anatomy, sets, reps, and
total volume for specific exercises.

Just as athletes have individual strengths or areas for improvement on specific skills or events, they also
have individual strengths or areas for improvement in their physical preparation programs. We must
apply the principles of scientific strength and conditioning, but also use the art of coaching to make sure
we are molding to the needs of our gymnasts.

Keep this in mind as you read. I am happy to offer my thoughts and suggestions. But in reality, when
working with gymnasts both coaching or in the rehab setting, I am always tweaking things on the fly as
needed to fit their personal needs best.

Once you get down to the weekly and daily creation of actual strength programs, I think it’s best to
break things into basic movements of the human body. For strength programming, below are the
movement categories I have been taught to use with regards to the upper body, lower body, and core.

Each category is followed by gymnastics bodyweight exercise examples (SPP) and non-gymnastics
exercise examples (GPP) examples. Remember GPP stands for “General Physical Preparedness,” and
SPP stands for “Specific Physical Preparedness.” I am going to limit the number of pictures included for
the ease of following along, but keep in mind almost every exercise here can be found either through the
text books offered or on my website, SHIFT Movement Science.

Upper Body

• Horizontal Pushing
o SPP Gymnastics:

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 Push Ups, Slider Crawls (stomach facing floor), Bar Shaping
o GPP Non-Gymnastics:
Dumbbell Floor Presses

• Horizontal Pulling
o SPP Gymnastics:
Tumbling/Vaulting Take off Shaping Drills
o GPP Non-Gymnastics:
Horizontal Rows, Band Pull Aparts, Renegade Rows

• Vertical Pushing
o SPP Gymnastics:
Handstands, Handstand Push Ups, Press Handstands, Blocking Drills
o GPP Non-Gymnastics:
Dumbbell Presses or Push Presses

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• Vertical Pulling
o SPP Gymnastics:
Rope Climbs, Pull-Ups, Leg Lifts
o GPP Non-Gymnastics:
Band or Weight Stack Pull Downs

• Accessory Work
o Rotator Cuff Strength such as Dumbbell Sidelying ER, Full Can Raises
o Dynamic Stability Drills such as Turkish get ups, rhythmic stabilizations, handstand weight
shifts

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Lower Body

Note, these are typically broken into different categories in formal strength and conditioning fields.
Some different types include hinge versus squat patterns, anterior versus posterior dominance, hip
versus knee dominance, or above versus below knee. I will leave it at the general levels rather than
making it too confusing.

• Hip/Knee Dominant Pushing

o SPP Gymnastics:
Technique Drills, Single or Double Leg Jumping, Floor Bounding Drills, Hollow
Based Shaping
o GPP Non-Gymnastics:
Single and Double Leg Squat Variations, Lunging Variations, Split Squat Variations,
Step Ups

• Hip/Knee Dominant Pulling

o SPP Gymnastics:
Technique Drills, Single or Double Leg Landings, Floor Bounding Drills, Arch Based
Shaping
o GPP Non-Gymnastics:
Hip Bridges, Single and Double Leg Hip Lifts, Single and Double Leg Deadlifting

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 Variations, Kettlebell Swings, Nordic Hamstring Curls

o Lateral and Rotary Plane

Single leg squat or deadlift variations, lateral lunges, unilateral of offloaded carries,
variations of side bridges

o Accessory Work
Deep hip rotator or glute strength as seen with clamshells, side leg lifts, ½ kneeling
variations, dynamic stability or balance drills

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Core: When targeting the core people generally lump exercises into two categories. One refers to
creating movement such as flexing, extending, and side bending. While the other refers to resisting
movement such as anti-flexion, anti-rotation. Both are significantly relevant to gymnastics. To perform
a powerful kip cast handstand or toe shoot on bars, you need to create movement with the core into
flexion or a pike shape. However, to hold your feet up on the glide swing or maintain a hollow shape in
the drop of a giant, you need the core musculature to work in the opposite manner of anti-extension, to
resist gravity and not lose the shape.

Countless examples of the need to train creating core movement and resisting core movement are
seen in gymnastics skills. For this reason, we need to use both gymnastics specific core exercises and
non-gymnastics core exercises to train both dimensions of this critical area in strength. I know it can
be a little confusing, but with more examples illustrating this concept, I think it will make more sense to
readers. There are many exercises, but I will only highlight some of the most common.

• Anterior Core
o Creating Flexion
SPP Gymnastics
• V-Ups, Leg Lifts, Press Handstands
GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Curl Ups, Reverse Tuck-Ins anterior loaded squatting or lunging variations

o Resisting Extension
SPP
• Reverse Plank Holds off Block, planks, fall shapes on bars, tumbling snap
down drills
GPP
• Sled pushing, certain squatting and lunging variations with back or posterior
loading

• Posterior Core
o Creating Extension
SPP Gymnastics
• Arch Ups, Reverse Leg Lifts or Leg Drivers
GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Back Extensions

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 o Resisting Flexion
SPP Gymnastics
• Plank holds off a block, candle stick shaping
GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Sled Pulling, Glute Ham Raises, Deadlifting, Good Mornings, anterior loaded
squatting or lunging variations

• Lateral Core
o Creating Side Bending
SPP Gymnastics
• Side plank up downs
GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Variations of medball work

o Resisting Side Bending

SPP Gymnastics
• Side plank hold variations, single leg landings
GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Suitcase carries, lateral sled dragging

• Rotational Core
o Creating Rotation
SPP Gymnastics
• Around the Worlds, twisting drills
GPP Non-Gymnastics

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 • Medball rotational throws
o Resisting Rotation
SPP Gymnastics
• Single leg jumps, leaps, and single arm handstand drills
GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Palov Press Outs, Plank Drag Through

• Global Core (for bracing against compression and traction forces)

o SPP Gymnastics
• Landing drills, handstand, swinging drills
o GPP Non-Gymnastics
• Farmers carries, various squatting or lunging drills, various sled pushing/
pulling drills

This is not an exhaustive list. There are hundreds of exercises that can be programmed into a training
routine. There are also multiple combinations and variable categories available in the literature. This is
only the tip of the iceberg.

To get started, consider the categories themselves and try to organize exercises based on the movement
or muscles involved. In general, approaching the body based on movements is more practical for
planning, but there are certainly many times where individual isolated muscle strengthening is essential.

Also, I understand the lower body can be utterly confusing. The most important aspect to the lower
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body is that we are programming equally if not more posterior chain work (glutes in all planes,
hamstrings, deep hip rotators) to the commonly overdeveloped anterior chain (quads, inner thigh or
adductors, hip flexors). Gymnastics places a huge demand on the lower body, and it must be trained
appropriately with equal balance in all motions.

The most significant take away here is not to find the best exercise for a gymnast’s strength program.
It is more to make sure everyone is categorizing, planning, and tracking the types of exercises in their
strength programs to keep the gymnasts’ body balanced. Once you understand global categories of
exercises, you have the building blocks to start creating a strength program.

To help create a well-balanced offseason where general strength is the emphasis, I try to have each
category of the upper body, the lower body, and the core represented. I then add in gymnastics specific
essentials like handstands, presses, men’s ring shoulder strength and women’s beam/floor hip strength.

Combining my personal experience with what I have learned from others, I like to bias upper body
gymnastics shaping basics, upper body horizontal pulling (for scap strength), local hip work that targets
the glutes as well as deep hip rotators, and extra core work. I find they are typically overlooked and the
lowest hanging fruit for improvement as well as injury prevention.

There are many different schools of thought on how to plan sets, reps, and overall volume of strength
exercises. Once again, “it depends” is my most honest answer. The number of exercises to use, the sets,
repetitions, amount of rest in between sets, and the times per week for individual exercises is highly
variable. I hope the pages about have highlighted the need for gymnastics to embrace working with well
qualified strength and conditioning coaches.

Given this, I personally use a variety of approaches, but mainly design couplets or triples for exercises.
I also may use circuits during certain parts of the season. A couplet/triplet is when one main exercise
is done first, followed by a secondary exercise, and then possibly followed by an accessory or core
movement. This picture below from our strength program has a triplet, followed by a doublet.

The picture below is taken from a high-level gymnast I worked with for rehabilitation following a
surgical repair of a dislocated elbow and torn UCL. You can see it has a triplet, two couplets, and then a
larger circuit.

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I find that in a group setting with a lot of athletes and limited time, working in this fashion of couplets
and triples is the best way to dose our athletes optimally. The main exercise can be followed by a
secondary exercise or accessory exercise in most cases. It also helps with organization and the ability to
adjust programs as needed. Personally, I find it less stressful to program in this way to make sure all the
exercises that need to be done are in place.

There are times when focusing on the strength we may start a program with a single exercise, such as
5x5 of goblet squats, to focus on the effort in a single exercise with appropriate rest. However, this is
quite rare.

About specific sets or repetitions, there are more global approaches. For general strength start with
3-4 sets of 10 - 12 repetitions. As an exercise becomes more challenging or power oriented, the sets
or repetitions may decrease and the rest increase. For example, four sets of 5 explosive jumps with
2-minute rest between. On the contrary, the sets or repetitions may increase and rest decrease if the
exercises are less challenging or endurance oriented, as in 3 sets of 20 repetitions with 30-second rest.
It all largely depends on the training goal intended, the desired adaptations, and the age/level of the
athlete.

It is beyond the scope of this book to really outline every concept of set, repetition, rest, or intensity for
each exercise. The chapters on strength program design, periodization, and exercise prescription found
in the resources sections have entire chapters dedicated to this concept for readers to investigate.

To practically apply this information, each athlete in our gym has their own binder with printed out
sheets for each week, month, and block for strength assignments. I create the programs in advanced
based on level, and then each athlete has their copy. This approach allows them to check off sets and
reps, write down weights or level of resistance bands used, record changes in exercises for individuality,
or to jot down general notes.

We chose to use binders because as a gym, we firmly believe in athletes taking autonomy in their own
training. Strength programs are a valuable time to foster this discovery. This also provides a source of
objective tracking for each athlete, to reflect upon when positive or negative bumps in the road occur.
We keep a global spreadsheet of all the months of training on our wall, so coaches and athletes are in the

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loop.

Just as the season progresses from general strength to more power-based exercises, now I will cover
some exercise examples for this category.

Power Exercise Examples

Reading Resources

• Strength and Conditioning or Young Athletes, Lloyd and Oliver

o Chapter 6 - Speed Development in Youth Athletes
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning, Turner and Comfort
o Chapter 2 - Developing Muscular Strength and Power
• The Physiology of Training for High Performance, MacDougall, and Sale
o Chapter 8 - training for Strength, Power, and Speed
• Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, Jeffreys and Moody
o Chapter 11 - Developing Strength and Power
• Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications, Cardinale, Newton,
Nosaka
o Chapter 4.1.3 - Strength, Explosive Strength, and Power

Power training is intended to use the baseline levels of strength present and teach the neuromuscular
system to produce force rapidly. This adaptation is accomplished through adaptations in the mechanical,
neurological, and energy systems within the muscular tissue.

Primarily, we are helping muscles learn to turn on very quickly, activate their motor units, produce
considerable amounts of force, and transfer/absorb energy. Building off the strength section, I
wanted to include some examples for power or rate of force development exercises. Many of these are
commonly used in gymnastics, while some are more nontraditional exercises not widely used.

Following a strength cycle, I typically like to start gymnasts with more challenging versions of power
exercises where they are only able to use specific body segments (arms or legs) vs. their entire body.

As an example, if the lower body is the focus, I may have athletes place their arms across their chest
during squat jumps from a box, so they cannot use their arms to swing and assist. If the upper body is the
focus, I may have athletes sit down when doing overhead medball throws so they cannot use their legs
to assist.

Although this typically does not look nearly as impressive in relation to power output, it helps
significantly narrow in training to the specific body parts intended. Then, as a progression or within
another training cycle, exercises can be progressed to involve the whole body or be more dynamic.

From a physiological point of view, we are theoretically aiming to activate the local motor units within a
muscle group, enhance their rate coding or discharge frequency, and encourage disinhibition to create
more force output. We are also looking to encourage local muscle architecture changes and improve
metabolic pathways to support the work output. As each piece is optimized, it then can be added to
more whole-body progressions that encourage energy storage and transfer throughout the entire body.

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I will outline the power exercise examples in this fashion. You will also see the categories for the lower
body broken down into vertical force (jumping for height) and horizontal force (sprinting speed).

Lower Body

• Local without arm swings

o Vertical force
Double leg and single leg squat jumps from a block, arms across the chest for no
counter swing
Low height box jumps (must land in proper squat position) starting from a seated
position with arms across chest
Speed deadlifts (although arguably arm involvement and horizontal force)
Speed cable or band pull through (although arguably arm involvement and
horizontal force)

o Horizontal force
Double leg or single leg hip lift jumps with upper back on a block, and opposite knee
hugged to the chest to limit arm assistance or lower back hyperextension
Explosive sled pushes with only legs, arms outstretched in a static position
Explosive sled pulls with only legs (strap around waist), arms across chest
Double leg broad jumps front and sideways, arms across the chest for no counter
swing

• Adding arms and upper body

o Vertical force
Double leg and single leg squat jumps from a block, arm swing and trunk lean
allowed
Moderate height box jumps (must land in proper squat position) arm swing and a
trunk lean allowed

o Horizontal force
Double leg or single leg hip lift jumps with upper back on block arm swing and trunk
lean allowed
Kettlebell swings, arm swing and trunk lean allowed
Double leg broad jumps front and sideways, arm swing and trunk lean allowed
Explosive sled pushes or pulls with leg and arm drive
Overhead medball throws and slams from a static start

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• Adding whole body, external load, or energy storage

o Vertical force
Advanced gymnastics jumping and leaping drills
Candle stick roll to double leg and single leg squat jumps off panel mat using arms
Multiple bounding double leg or single leg squat jumps
Multiple bounding body tension jumps to panel mats of blocks
Tuck or other jumps over blocks/hurdles
Light weights or weight vest additions as appropriate
Battling rope slams and jumps
Higher level kettlebell, Olympic Weight Lifting, or jumping drills
Moderate height double box jumps focusing on minimal ground contact
Depth jumps from blocks with forwarding, vertical, or lateral broad jump (must land
in proper squat position) using arm swing and trunk lean allowed
Full overhead medball throws and slams

o Horizontal force
Advanced gymnastics jump or leap drills
Multiple double legs or single leg hip lift jumps with upper back on a block
Kettlebell swings (Russian style)
Bounding broad jumps or depth jumps
Multiple double leg broad jumps front and sideways, arms and trunk lean allowed
Full body sled pushes and pulls
Sprinting drills
Higher level kettlebell, Olympic Weight Lifting, or jumping drills

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Upper Body

• Local without leg use

o Vertical Force
Medball overhead in a seated position to partner
Seated overhead handstand shrugs against a wall
Seated battling rope slams
Speed pull-ups or rope climbs with no leg use
Seated weight pulls with towing rope
Seated overhead medball throws
Seated battling rope waves

o Horizontal Force
Medball chest passes on back to partner
Medball chest passes to a wall in a seated position
Push up shape bounces on knees, trampoline, springboard, or floor
Speed horizontal rows, legs on a block
Seated sled pulls with towing rope

• Adding legs and lower body

o Vertical Force

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 Medball overhead in a seated position to partner
Handstand shape bounces on a tramp, springboard, or floor
Tall kneeling or half kneeling battling rope slams
Tall kneeling medball slams and overhead throws
Speed pull-ups or rope climbs with no leg use
Tall kneeling battling rope waves
Kneeling medball slams

o Horizontal Force
Medball chest passes to a wall in tall kneeling position for hip extension power
Push up shape bounces on the floor, on feet
Speed horizontal rows, feet on a block
Tall kneeling and half kneeling sled pulls with rope
Seated sprinting drills

• Adding whole body, or energy storage

o Horizontal Force
Advanced gymnastics shaping drills
Pushups with hop
Speed horizontal rows with a weight vest
Sled pull with a horizontal row with ropes standing
Medball chest pass with step
Medball overhead throw with step
Explosive sled pushes, full sled pushes and pulls
Sprinting drills
Higher level kettlebell, Olympic Weight Lifting, or jumping drills

o Vertical Force
Advanced gymnastics shaping drills
Speed handstand push-ups
Speed pull-ups and rope climbs
Medicine ball squat thruster with a throw
Multiple standing overhead medball throws and slams
Higher level kettlebell, Olympic Weight Lifting, or jumping drills Battling rope
slams and jumps

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Core

• Local without arm or leg use

o Many great gymnastics shaping drills, from a static position
o Basic body tension drills
o Basic core control activation drills in various positions (on back, on stomach, hanging, etc.)

• Adding arms and legs

o Arch hollow snaps hanging
o Arch hollow snap medicine ball throws
o Rotational medicine ball scoop throws
o Side to side overhead medball slams
o Side to side battling rope jump and slams
o Explosive chops and lifts in half kneeling

• Adding whole body, or energy storage

o Advanced tumbling, vaulting, or bar drills
o Sideways shuffle to rotational medball throws
o Reactive medball scoop throws to wall
o Reactive overhead medball catch and throws
o Kettlebell swings
o Sled pushing, pulling and sideways dragging
o Sprinting drills

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Just as with the section above, I know there are hundreds of other creative power, rate of force
development, or explosive exercises that could go into these categories. These are just a few examples
of what I have found beneficial. I again suggest readers take the principles and mold them into what they
see helpful or best fitting to the athletes they train.

Plyometric Exercise Examples

Reading Resources

• Strength and Conditioning or Young Athletes, Lloyd and Oliver

o Chapter 7 - Plyometric Development in Youth Athletes
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning, Turner and Comfort
o Chapter 16 - Plyometric Training
• The Physiology of Training for High Performance, MacDougall, and Sale
o Chapter 8 - Training for Strength, Power, and Speed
• Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, Jeffreys and Moody
o Chapter 13 - Plyometric Training: Theory and Practice
• Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications
o Chapter 4.2 - Training Agility and Change of Direction Speed

I mentioned in the section above that for the reasons related to the muscle and neural adaptation to
strength training; I usually like to do plyometric and power exercises following strength block cycles.
With that said, there will always be some degree of plyometric training occurring in gymnastics due to
the nature of the sport and skill training.

There is a surplus of quality low, medium, and high-intensity plyometric exercises that can benefit a
gymnast during strength programs. I will also include links to articles on these ideas below. Here are
some of my “go to” exercises, keeping in mind many of the moderate to higher energy exercises overlap
into the power section above. For this sake, I won’t repeat them.

Low Energy

• Lower Body Examples

o Small hops in place, one and two-legged
o Jump roping in place
o Traveling jump roping forwards, backward

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 o Side to side, front to back, lateral, and multi-directional hops
o Quick taps to small mat front to back, plate hops up and down, side to sideline mini hops
o Skipping and hopping progressions

• Upper Body Examples

o Push up hops on trampoline or springboard
o Handstand bounces on trampoline
o Overhead shaping arch - hollow snaps

• Core Examples
o Tight arch hollow snaps, many vaulting, and tumbling drills
o Chest and overhead medball bounces

Moderate Energy

Lower Body Examples

o Panel mat two feet and one-foot bounces, up and down
o Moderate height straight, tuck, and leap jumps in place
o Depth drops, reactive depth jumps, and two foot bounding

• Upper Body Examples

o Plyometric pushups (floor or between elevated surfaces)
o One handed and two handed medball bounces, throws, and catches
o Seated battling rope slams, waves
o Seated medball rebounds overhead or chest passes

• Core Examples
o Ballistic medball chops and lifts (without throwing)
o Seated battling rope slams, waves
o Seated medball rebounds overhead or chest passes

High Energy

• Lower Body Examples

o Single leg jumping lunges, split squat jumps
o Tuck jumps, straight jumps over blocks or hurdles
o Double leg and single leg depth jumps to rebound jumps
o Double and triple box jumps, double and single leg variations
o Double and triple broad jumps, double and single leg variations
o Punching and bounding tumbling drills

• Upper Body Examples

o Plyometric pushups with hops
o Explosive medball slams with rebound and catch
o Explosive battling rope slams and waves with the whole body
o Swinging and shape changing bar drills

• Core Examples

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 o Advanced gymnastics shaping, swinging, or jumping drills
o Explosive medball slams with rebound and catch
o Reactive medball catch and throws
o Advanced kettlebell, dumbbell, Olympic lifting, or medball drills
o Drills in above upper and lower section

Dosage and volume of plyometrics training are commonly decided based on the intensity (low, medium,
high), the number of ground contacts made, and if body weight or external loading is used.

For those interested, page 322 of the Jeffreys and Moody Strength text offers an excellent outline
of periodization of plyometrics throughout the competitive season. Although it is not specific to
gymnastics, the principles can be beneficial for organizing the framework of training.

Despite the variability, plyometrics can be roughly calculated and tracked to reduce the risk of sudden
spikes in training volume. This can be helpful to reduce the risk of growth plate and tendon irritation
that is common in many young gymnasts.

We often see programs throw a ton of running or plyometrics at gymnasts after watching their
gymnastics and deciding they are not “fast enough.” While I respect the observation and connection
to changing training, we must be cautious not to throw a ton of high intensity plyometric at athletes
aggressively.

It may not show problems in the short term, but I commonly see a week or two into the addition of high
volume plyometrics (numbers or intensity) many athletes start to complain of pain in their feet, shins,
knees, hips or lower back. Monitoring the number, and slowly ramping up from low ground contacts or
intensity to moderate, to high, can be very helpful to prevent this from occurring in young athletes. We
also must make sure athletes are closely monitored for fatigue, as not to let their quality of movement
dissipate.

URL Links to Strength, Power, and Plyometric Articles on SHIFT

• 5 Leg Exercises to Build Explosive Power for Gymnastics

http://shiftmovementscience.com/5-leg-exercises-to-build-explosive-power-for-gymnastics/
• 5 Non-Traditional Core Exercises Every Gymnast Should Use
http://shiftmovementscience.com/5-non-traditional-core-exercises-every-gymnast-should-use/
• Build Power and Core Control with These 3 Medball Exercises
http://shiftmovementscience.com/build-core-power-with-medball-slams/
• Video Quick Tip: 1/2 Turkish Get Up to Overhead Walk
http://shiftmovementscience.com/video-quick-tip-turkish-get-up-to-overhead-walk/
• The Best Strength Exercise Gymnasts Aren’t Using - The Deadlift
http://shiftmovementscience.com/the-best-strength-exercise-gymnasts-arent-using-the-deadlift/
• Applying Hip Strength Drills For Reduced Pain and Increased Flexibility
http://shiftmovementscience.com/applying-hip-strength-drills-for-reduced-pain-and-increased-
flexibility/
• Increase Leg Power and Safety with Reactive Depth Jumps
https://shiftmovementscience.com/increase-leg-power-and-safety-with-reactive-depth-jumps/

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 Concluding Thoughts

Keep in mind; there is no “right” strength program design or periodization style for strength, power,
or plyometrics training outside safety and common sense. I have seen many different programs and
approaches to periodization be successful over the last ten years of working in gymnastics. Where
people fall apart is the background education, studying the science, planning, consistency, and exercise
technique.

The key factor to all of this is people planning the global training program, understanding basic concepts
of exercise categories and including some form of periodization or overload followed by rest. From here,
it just requires consistently doing physical preparation with the quality of movement as the priority, with
a sprinkle of patience from both coaches and gymnasts.

It is tempting to keep changing the exercises or adding new ideas. While this is good to maintain variety
and prevent the monotony of training, I urge readers to balance this with sufficient time and consistency
in physical preparation to see positive progress.

I personally aim to change conditioning every 4 - 6 weeks based on the progressions and time of the
season. If this is done well with a supportive approach, a growth mind set, and a positive culture, there
are no doubt gymnasts will positively respond.

As a concluding thought, remember that actual program design implementation and execution depends
upon:

• Training goals and age of athletes

• Exercise knowledge of athlete and coaches
• Time per day of strength programs (30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc.)
• Days per week for strength programs (3x/week, 4x/week, 5x/week, etc.)
• Equipment and staff Available
• Time of season

As a general rule of thumb, I write programs to plan for future more complex exercises (speed rope
climbs, plyometric push-ups, handstand push-ups, kettlebell swings, med ball throws). As for younger
athletes, I feel they need to focus on doing the basics really well, consistently, and with good quality. It
is the basics that prepare them for more complex exercises in the future. This refers to both essential
gymnastics strength (shaping, core, handstands, presses, etc.) as well as essential non-gymnastics
strength (squatting pattern, hinging pattern, dumbbell pressing mechanics, etc.). From this foundation
of basic movement, core strength and control, and gymnastics technique, they are prepared to make
significant progress down the road.

General preparation with a mix of gymnastics/non-gymnastics movements is the focus of offseason.

I would say it’s a 50% - 50% mix during the summer. This is a valuable time to create a durable well-
rounded athlete through the incorporation of weights, general movements, and more nontraditional
exercises.

As the season progresses training transitions from general preparation too much more gymnastics
specific preparation. Usually, once the season begins, we are doing all body weight and gymnastics
specific exercises. The split of non-gymnastics to gymnastics strength and power is generally about
30% to 70%. Then finally, as the competitive season comes into full force, the ratio shifts to almost all

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gymnastics specific conditioning with a few foundational exercises (squat, deadlift, horizontal rowing in
the upper body). The percentage becomes more 20% to 80%.

I feel this is the best way to help mold the athlete into higher performance and longevity. The cycle
continues with postseason moving back to almost all general base work again.

Again, keep in mind this is just my approach to designing strength and power programs for gymnasts.
I have already outlined my approach to flexibility and will cover my thoughts on energy systems in the
next chapter. Several other versions or approaches work effectively. I am continually learning more
from literature, other coaches, and strength and conditioning friends. Even in the last five years, I have
completely changed how I approach specific areas.

Please just think about the principles I have outlined, and how it best fits your athletes. Once you have
covered this, sit with all the staff and brainstorm collaboratively on the best approach. Due to how
crucial physical preparation is for gymnastics performance and overall health, we must be highly focused
on improving this area of training.

The first few chapters covering fundamental values, forging a positive culture, flexibility methods, and
this section on strength and conditioning evolution are areas that I feel can have the most substantial
impact in gymnastics. We cannot be afraid to break from the mold of doing what we have always done in
fear of the unknown or seeing something fail to work immediately.

We do not have to abandon the traditional models of gymnastics physical preparation. We just need to
dissect the approaches to take with us what works, leave behind what does not, infuse the best available
scientific methods/support, and collaborate with other disciplines to find the best approach.

The unbelievable amount of possible benefits to gymnasts is compelling. The massive impact an updated
model of physical preparation can make on gymnasts’ health and performance is even more substantial.

I hope that this chapter has helped summarize the very overwhelming, but crucial concepts related to
strength, power, plyometrics, and periodization in gymnastics.

Key Take Away Concepts

• Due to how demanding the sport of gymnastics is becoming, the rate of injuries in gymnastics,
and the number of gymnasts who see limited progress in skills despite their work, adequate
strength programs are essential to gymnastics.

• We now see younger athletes doing harder skills, progressing in levels faster, doing more
repetitions of skills, and training for more hours per week than ever before. Along with
addressing the cultural issues related to the safety of this, we must also make sure young
gymnasts are physically prepared for the huge amount of force that comes from training in this
manner.

• Due to a very large body of research and experiences studying some of the most successful
sports teams in the world, I feel the traditional model of gymnastics strength training needs
substantial updating.

• In contrast to only using body weight or gymnastics specific exercises, I feel a new hybrid

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 approach should be created that blends traditional gymnastics strength with the appropriate
application of non-traditional strength training.

• Commonalities between increased injuries, reduced performance, and burnout rates in gymnasts
exist in the lack of progression of gymnastics strength programs in line with new science or
expert coaching opinions.

• Despite common belief, properly designed and supervised resistance training programs are not
seen in literature to cause athletes to become “bulky”, cause injuries, or lose their flexibility
• Similarly, the common belief that resistance training is unsafe for youth athletes is also seen
to be inaccurate in the research; pending that programs are properly designed, implemented,
supervised, and progressed in according with appropriate periodization.

• The traditional model of gymnastics strength should not look to be “replaced” as there are many
tried and true essentials of gymnastics exercises that are essential like shaping, core work, press
handstands, body weight jumps, rope climbs, leg lifts, and so on. These exercises should however,
be carefully dosed as to not cause large muscular imbalances within the body.

• Instead, the traditional model of gymnastics strength should look to be “optimized” based on the
massive body of research, science, and expert coaching opinion that supports aspects of general
physical preparation, resistance training, external loading, and periodization.

The main adaptations and goals of strength or power training, include:

o Increased muscle cross-sectional area
o Muscle architecture
o Increased motor unit recruitment
o Increased motor unit firing
o Increased motor unit synchronization
o Decreased neuromuscular inhibition
o Promotion of increased loading capacity for bone, tendons, and cartilage

The main adaptations and goals of plyometric training include:

o Muscle hypertrophy
o Increased elastic tendon energy storage and changes in stiffness
o Increased neural firing rate and motor unit recruitment
o Local increased stretch excitability
o Increased intramuscular and kinetic chain coordination
o Increased central nervous system through disinhibition effects

• Alongside learning more about the science of strength and conditioning, the use of periodization
and formal strength program design is essential for gymnastics.

• Those in gymnastics should start the planning process with overall facility goals and multi-year
goals, and then work their way down all the way to the creation of individual strength, power,
plyometric, skill, and cardiovascular workouts

• Physical Preparation Programs are best aimed to break the yearly season down into smaller,
more month or multi-month blocks including:
o Complete rest
o Summer Training

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 o Pre-Season Training A
o Pre-Season Training B
o Competitive Season A
o Competitive Season B (Championships for many)

• Following month to month goals, each individual month should be broken down into varying
levels of intensity based on the basic principles of human physiology and adaptation cycling.
Examples include:
o Week 1, 2, 3, and 4 of varying in intensity
o Monday to Sunday of varying in intensity
o Daily training days include events that vary in intensity
o Different subsets of a training day varying in intensity

• In line with periodization and injury prevention research, people should look to vary the
workload, intensity, and relative recovery periods of workouts during the week and month. This
allows for optimal adaptation, but also a reduced risk of injury and psychological burnout.

• Following the planning process, conversations related to which strength, power, or plyometric
exercises take place.

• Strength exercises are typically best viewed as movements over muscle groups, although
isolation does play a role in many instances.

Upper body (GPP and SPP)

• Horizontal pulling and pushing
• Vertical pulling and pushing
• Double arm versus single arm, as well as dynamic stability drills
• Accessory rotator cuff or isolation work

Lower body
• Hip Dominant Pushing or Pulling
• Knee Dominant Pushing or Pulling
• Lateral and Rotatory Plane Stability
• Accessory glute, deep hip rotator, isolation work

Core (GPP and SPP)

• Flexion and Anti-Extension
• Extension and Anti-Flexion
• Lateral Flexion and Anti-Lateral Bending
• Rotation and Anti-Rotation
• Global bracing for compression and traction

• Strength exercises can be programmed based on single exercises, couplets, triplets, circuits, or
other variations based on the goal.

• Power exercises can follow similar movement categories above, but it is also helpful to consider
local isolated involvement first, followed by incorporation of the entire body. It is also helpful
to categorize lower body power exercises in terms of the end goal to produce more vertical or
horizontal force.

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 Lower body
o Locally without arms
o Vertical and horizontal force
o Adding arms and upper body
o Adding whole body, external load, or energy storage
Upper Body
o Locally without arms
o Vertical and horizontal force
o Adding legs and lower body
o Adding whole body, external load, or energy storage
Core
o Local without arm or leg use
o Flexion, Extension, Sidebending, Rotation, Compression, Traction
o Adding legs, lower body, arms, and upper body
o Adding whole body, external load, or energy storage

• Plyometric again can build within movement categories but may best be considered by low,
medium, and high intensity force coupling.
Low Energy
o Lower Body
o Upper Body
o Core
Medium Energy
o Lower Body
o Upper Body
o Core
High Energy
o Lower Body
o Upper Body
o Core

• Plyometric, but also all aspects to strength and power training, should be closely monitored for
dosage, the appropriate challenge, and avoidance in sudden spikes in training volume.

• As a theme in this book, changing the strength and conditioning culture in gymnastics is a
monstrous undertaking. However, given the importance and gravity of issues gymnastics
continues to face related to injuries, stalled performance, and burnout, it is of monstrous
importance we start to progress our methods.

• This requires a growth mindset, humility to seek out those who may have more information in
other disciplines, a willingness to “fail” at attempts multiple times, and the conscious dedication
to continuing education.

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