Gymnastics Research by Cheryl Hoffman

VARIOUS RESEARCH ARTICLES

Gymnastics Research

Prepared For International Cheer

Table of Contents Accentuating Acceleration Exercises - 3 Pages Natasha Lothery MS, CSCS, USAW - St Vincent sports Performance Center

Achilles Tendonitis in Gymnastics - 2 pages Holly Heitzman, MS, LAT, ATC, PTA

Acrobatic Gymnastics Periodization Training - 2 pages Ashley Eubanks & Juan Gonzalez, Ph.D., CSCS, HFI

Anaerobic Power Profile - Talent-Selected Female Gymnastics - 5 pages Wm A. Sands, Ph.D., Jeni R. McNeal, Ph.D., Monem Jemni, M.S. U

Ankle Injuries - Prevention and Rehabilitation - 3 pages Wes Norris, CSCS

Ankle Pain Management in Gymnastics - 2 pages Darrell Barnes, MS, ATC, CSCS

Ankle Sprains Rehabilitation - 4 pages Ryan Herber, LAT, ATC, CSCS

Back Pain in Young Gymnasts - 2 pages Vincent Nittoli, MS, LAT, ATC

Backwards - Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Scared to Go Backwards - 1 page Windee M. Weiss, Ph.D

Biomechanical Analysis of the Lower Extremity During a Back Salto - 6 pages William L. Cornelius, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Education University of North Texas

Biomechanical Relationships Within The Shoulder Joint - 4 pages William L. Cornelius, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Education University of North Texas

Body Tension Understanding - 3 pages Meg Warren

Bodyweight Strength Training - 3 pages Darrell Barnes, MS, ATC, CSCS

Concussions in Gymnastics - 3 pages Vincent Nittoli MS, LAT, ATC

Core Vector Training - Gymnastics - 2 pages Robb Rogers M.Ed., CSCS, MSCC

Core - Getting to the Core - 2 pages Chris Kolba MHS, T, CSCS

Hand Position in a Back Handspring - 1 page William A, Sands, Ph.D, Jeni Mcneal, Ph.D

Table of Contents-2 Enhancing Flexibility In Gymnastics - 5 Pages Wm A. Sands, Ph.D., Jeni R. McNeal, MS, CSCS

Function vs. Pain - When to Stop and Take a Look - 1 page Ralph Reiff, M.Ed., LAT, ATC

The Handstand is the Most Important Skill - 2 pages Karen M. Goeller

Getting Hip to Gymnastics - 3 pages Chris Kolba MHS PT CSCS

Improve Balance - Exercises - 2 pages Darrell Barnes, LAT, ATC, CSCS

Internally Motivated Athletes Developing - 2 pages Jason Selk

Knee Injuries - 2 pages James Bicos, M.D.

Knee Pain in Gymnastics - Anterior - 3 pages Sandy Appel LAT, ATC; Missy Eptein MS, LAT, ATC; Vincent Nittoli MS, LAT, ATC; Stacie Feltz LAT, ATC and Lee Lysiuk MS, LAT, ATC

Training Leg Swings: Incorporating Leg Swings into Your Workouts - 4 page Tamara Biggs, Larry Nassar, D.O., A.T.C.

Medicine Ball Drills for Gymnastics - 4 pages David J. Ziemba

Mental Imagery - Using in Gymnastics - 3 pages Brian C. Hite, M.S., Alison Arnold, Ph.D.

Motivational Strategies for Every Stage of Exercise - 2 pages Wendee M. Weiss

Motivational Climate - Creating a Healthy & Effective - 7 pages Marilyn Strawbridge, Ph.D., Nancy Marshall, B.A.

Neuromuscular Activation Warmup - 3 pages Robb Rogers M.Ed, CSCS, MSCC

Myths - Investigating the Top Nine - 2 pages Patty Komara

Psychological Strategies Used by Gymnasts to Overcome Fear of Injury - 5 pages T. Michelle Magyar, Melissa A. Chase, Ph.D.

Plyometric Training for Children & Adolescents - 2 page Avery D. Faigenbaum, Ed.D. FACSM, Donald A. Chu, Ph.D., PT, ATC

Table of Contents-3 Proprioception - Prevention of Injuries to the Ankle - 2 Pages Lee Lysiuk, ms, LAT, ATC

Protein - Know Your Macronutrients - 1 page Caroline J. Cederquist, MD

Protein: Finding the Balance - 2 pages Nancy Clark, MS, RD

Overcoming Psychological Blocking in Gymnastics - 6 pages D.A. Feigley

Psychology and Safety in Gymnastics - 3 pages Dr. Joe Massimo

Rollaway the Tension - 2 pages Chris Kolba, MHS, PT, CSCS, CWT

Rotation, Rotation, Rotation - Part One-Rotational Stability - 2 pages Natasha Lothery

Rotation, Rotation, Rotation - Part Two-Rotational Strength - 3 pages Natasha Lothery

Self-Esteem - Developing Athlete Confidence - 2 page Shawn Byler, Ph.D.

Shape-jumps and Action-reaction - 2 pages Wm A. Sands, Ph.D.

Shins-Split My Aching - 3 pages Gins M. Pongetti, MPT, MA, CSCS, ART-Certified

Shin Splints-Treatment of - 3 pages Therasa Timmons, MS ATC, John Locke, ATC, Jennifer Brennan, ATC, Anna Foster, ATC, Chad Gabbard, ATC, Jennifer Johnson, ATC, Justin Miller, ATC, Richard Santerre, ATC, Craig Stull, ATC

Shoulder Strength and Stability Improvement - 3 pages Darrell Barnes, MS, ATC, CSCS

Snacks-Pre and Post Workout Snacks - 2 pages By Lindsay G. Langford MS, RD

Split Flexibility - 2 pages Wm A. Sands, Ph.D.

Sport Neuropsychology Perspective - 2 pages Chris Carr, Ph.D, Adam Shunk, Ph.D.,

Stick the Landing - 2 pages Brandon Johnson, CSCS, USAW, PES,

Table of Contents-4 Strength Training Fundamentals in Gymnastics Conditioning - 14 Pages James J. Major

Static Stretching Reduces Power Production in Gymnasts - 2 page J. R. McNeal, Ph.D., Wm A. Sands, Ph.D.

Stretching - The New Art of Stretching - 3 pages Gina M. Pongetti, MPT, MA, CSCS

Training Models - A Look at Training Models - 3 pages Wm A. Sands, Ph.D.

Turkish Getup - 2 pages Carol K. Happ, MS, CSCS, RKC, USAW

The Week Before - 3 pages Wm A. Sands, Ph.D.

Wrist Pain Managing - 2 pages John Locke, LAT, MS

EXERCISES ACCENTUATING ACCELERATION By Natasha Lothery MS, CSCS, USAW

cceleration is a force characterized by pushing. To accelerate the athlete must exert force into the ground, a push, in order to move forward. The stronger the force is applied (with optimal technique), the faster the athlete accelerates. Force should be applied with attention to the right muscle groups and right form. The major muscle groups involved in acceleration or applying the push into the ground are the extensors of the hip, knee, and ankle, mainly the glutes and calves. The following are exercises that focus on working these muscles in a fashion similar to accelerating on foot. These can be added as a teaching tool and supplement to your acceleration based training program.

2. Bird dog This is another great exercise promoting hip extension over low back extension. It is important when an athlete is accelerating to put force into the ground via a powerful drive from and extended leg. When running, the goal of the athlete should be to have the ability to extend at the hips while maintaining stability in the low back. The bird dog exercise teaches the athlete to contract the

1. Glute-bridge with alternate marching Have the athlete lay on his or her back with knees bent. Tighten the abdominals, lift the toes, push through the heels and lift the hips off the floor by tightening, or contracting, the glutes. The goal is to open the hips in such a position as to create a relatively straight line between the shoulder, hip and knee. Hold hips in extended position while alternating bent-knee leg lifts. If the athlete feels any cramping in the hamstrings chances Glute are, they are allowing bridge their low back and hamstrings to dominate the act of extension. Have them start from the ground position, tighten their abdominals and glutes, and try again. This exercise teaches the athlete to hold, or stabilize, their body in hip extension while executing hip flexion.

Bird Dog

glutes in order to completely lengthen their leg out. This can not be done if the athlete bends, or extends at the low back. Position the athlete with hands and knees on the floor. Their wrists should be aligned underneath their shoulders and their knees underneath their hips. Bring the right elbow and left knee in towards the navel, and then extend both right arm

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE â&#x20AC;˘ JUNE 2008

ACCELERATION WALL DRILL and left leg as straight as possible by driving out from the shoulder and glutes. Again, the goal is to have the athlete execute this exercise without extending the low back-teach the athlete to drive the legs by extending from the hips instead of from the low back.

3. Mt. Climber To execute this exercise, the athlete will need to position their body in a narrow-grip push-up position with arms extended and on the balls of their feet with legs extended. Wrists need to be Mt. aligned underneath Climber relaxed shoulders (make sure there is no shrugging), and their hips and shoulders should be in a relatively straight line. Make sure that the athlete can hold this position for at least 20 to 30 seconds while maintaining a “braced” or contracted core (tight abdominal and low back muscles). The athlete should be able to hold this position without letting their low back sag (proper maintenance of core stability). Begin with having the athlete flex their right hip, bringing the thigh in towards the navel, with the toes pulled up, and maintaining contact with the ground through the ball of the foot. The left leg should be completely extended from the hip down, with the left ball of the foot in contact with the ground. On cue, have the athlete switch from a right flexed leg and extended left leg, to a left flexed leg, with the right leg extended. The athlete should be able to execute several repetitions of alternating hip flexion and extension without bouncing up and down in the hips, or sagging in their low back. The goal, once again, is to work with the hips while stabilizing the back.

4. Acceleration Wall Drill The purpose of this drill is to take what the athlete learned on the ground to a more upright position. The body needs to be positioned at about a 45-degree angle from the ground. There should be a relatively straight line between the shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. To execute the wall drill, have the athlete flex the right hip bringing the right thigh at an angle parallel to the floor with the toes lifted up. The right shin should be at a 45-degree angle to the ground as well, or parallel to the angle of the body. On cue, have the athlete drive the right leg down by contracting the right glute while driving the left leg up, by flexing at the left hip. The athlete should be able to execute several repetitions of alternating hip flexion and extension without bouncing up and down in the hips, or

JUNE 2008 • TECHNIQUE

sagging in their low back, and maintaining the 45-degree body position to the floor.

5. Acceleration March

TECHNIQUE • JUNE 2008

ACCELERATION MARCH

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The common goal of all of these exercises is to educate the athlete on maintaining proper core posture. The ability to stabilize the torso while performing explosive movements with the limbs is vital not only

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Once the athlete has a certain level of competency in execution of the previous mentioned ground-based and wall exercises they now can be progressed to the acceleration march. Place a restraint or resistance device designed for speed training, such as a ½ inch or 1 inch super rubber band, around the athlete’s waist. Have the athlete lean slightly forward into the same body position as they were in when performing the wall drill (shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in a straight line and at an angle approximately 45-degrees from parallel). Next have the athlete march forward with a tempo, or pace, comfortable to them. There are two main areas of focus in performing the acceleration march correctly: maintenance of core stability and limb execution with proper technique. The athlete should be able to complete a set distance of marching without losing the straight line connection between their shoulders and hips, in other words, as the athlete is marching they should keep their core muscles firmly braced and not allow their low back to sag, or their upper back to slouch. Have them maintain proper posture in their torso. Emphasize to the athlete that their arms should be bent at the elbow creating a right angle between their upper and lower arm. Their shoulders should be relaxed, and forceful swinging should occur from the shoulder joint (make sure that they are not elevating their shoulders, and staying relaxed in the neck). Their goal is to drive their thumbs from “cheek to cheek”. Likewise, the athlete should move their legs in the same fashion as taught in the Wall Drill: forcefully drive the leg down from the hip joint-not the low back. The toes should be pulled up with the ball of the foot coming in contact with the ground. The opposite leg should be driven up with just as much effort as the leg that is driving down. Make sure the thigh is parallel to the ground, and the toes are pulled up as well. The shins should be kept at a 45-degree angle to the ground, similar to the angle of the torso, in order to prevent reaching and pulling with the hamstrings or “putting on the brakes” (this usually happens when the ankle deviates too far in front of the knee). As the athlete is learning to execute this drill properly, use only a very slight amount of resistance, or no resistance at all, with your rubber band-or other restraint device. The waist level restraint device should aid the athlete in awareness as to where their hips are in relation to the other joints of their body (kinesthetic awareness). Once the athlete can perform this drill with a fair level of competency, exercises to progress from the Acceleration March include: the Acceleration Skip (the same drill as Acceleration March, but performed in a more rhythmic fashion), and the Acceleration Run (perform an actual maximal effort acceleration focusing on all the technical aspects). The common goal of all of these exercises is to educate the athlete on maintaining proper core posture. The ability to stabilize the torso while performing explosive movements with the limbs is vital not only for optimal performance, but to maintain joint and muscle health. Teach athletes that the limbs are only as functional as what they are attached to-the core. With attention to the finer details, and repetition with the above stated exercises, athletes may see promising results in their performance.

for optimal performance, but to maintain joint and muscle health.

ACHILLES TENDONITIS IN GYMNASTICS By Holly Heitzman, MS, LAT, ATC, PTA

endonitis is common in gymnastics with multiple repetitions of floor routines, beam routines and sprinting toward the vault. The calf muscles and the Achilles tendons are constantly being worked and stressed. The Achilles tendon provides power when pushing off the foot. A strain can cause injury to the calf muscles or the Achilles tendon. This can happen during a strong contraction of the muscle, as when sprinting toward the vault or when doing a tumbling pass, the foot may be forced upward upon transition of landing to jumping. The strain may affect different portions of the tendon. And the injury can be either an acute injury, occurring immediately, or chronic occuring over a period of time.

The Achilles tendon is the large tendon at the back of the ankle. It connects the calf muscles (Gastrocnemius and Soleus) to the heel bone (calcaneus). An injury may occur at the attachment of the heel or mid-tendon. Many gymnasts have been diagnosed with Achilles tendonitis, bursitis or Sever’s disease. Let’s take a look at each one. Achilles tendonitis – A strain that may occur in the tendon at the point of insertion to the calcaneus or in the mid-section of the tendon. This is no longer thought to be only an inflammatory condition. It is also considered to be degenerated tissue with a loss of normal fiber structure.

Tendocalcaneal Bursitis- A bursa is a fluid-filled sac designed to limit friction. When a bursa sac becomes irritated and inflamed, it is called bursitis. Tendocalcaneal bursa is located under the fibrous Achilles tendon and behind the heel bone (calcaneus). Achilles tendon rupture – In severe cases, a force may even rupture the tendon. The rupture may be preceded by periods of chronic tendonitis. Multiple episodes of tendonitis may weaken the tendon and its fiber structure. Many athletes report that a rupture feels like someone kicked them in the leg. They no longer have the ability to walk or push off. Surgery is the common course of treatment for an Achilles rupture. Sever’s disease – At the site at which the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel, it becomes inflamed and the bone starts to deteriorate. Sever’s disease may be associated with a growth spurt. As the bones get longer, the tendon becomes tighter; therefore, the tendon is pulling on the bone and the bone is adjusting to the tension. CAUSES OF ACHILLES TENDONITIS Participating in activities that involve sudden stops and starts and repetitive jumping such as gymnastics increases the possibility of Achilles tendon irritations. Achilles tendonitis may be caused by a single incident of overstressing the tendon, or it may be due to multiple stresses that produce small tears over time. Conditioning of the athlete, too much too soon and lack of recovery time may affect the athlete’s ability to properly adjust to the stresses on the lower leg. Overuse is the highest risk factor; however, other factors can contribute to the condition. In gymnastics there are no shoes to support the arch of the foot, creating pronation (inward rotation). Athletes are trained to keep their toes and ankles in a pointed position (point) which creates decreased range of

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE

JANUARY 2010

motion at the ankle joint. The decrease in dorsiflexion (toes toward shins) creates tight calf muscles which increases the chance for a muscle or tendon strain. Overpronation or when the feet roll in when running can place an increased strain on the Achilles tendon. As the foot rolls in and flattens, the lower leg also rotates inward which places twisting stresses on the tendon. Continuous high stress of the tendon usually results in a change of the normal arrangement of the fibers of the tendon. Tendons are made up of strands of material named collagen (think of a tendon like a nylon rope and the strands of collagen are the strands of the rope) Some of the individual strands of the tendon become disorganized due to degeneration and other fibers may break due to the tendon losing its strength. The healing processes create scar tissue which causes the tendon to become thicker and less flexible. The area where the tendon is repairing itself can progress and form actual palpable nodules (tendinosis). The area around the scar tissue is the weaker than normal tendon tissue. The weakened tendon sets the stage for the possibility of an Achilles tendon rupture.

Chronic tendonitis can be addressed by working on increasing muscle length with stretching and soft tissue massage (fig.1 -3). Modalities such as ultrasound and joint mobilizations are often used in the rehabilitation process in a clinical setting. And strengthening with good technique and proper progression are the keys to success (fig.4 -6). Eccentric muscle loading is extremely important in the recovery of tendonitis. Eccentric muscle action is a lengthening muscle contraction. The crossbridges (sarcomeres) of the muscle fibers are at their maximal overlap at the beginning of the contraction; therefore, this contraction generates more tension than the other types of contractions. Eccentric exercise is essential for the recovery and prevention of Achilles tendonitis. Fig 1 = the stick Fig 2 = foam roller Fig 3 = eccentric tubing exercise 1 Fig 4 = eccentric exercise 2 Fig 5 = eccentric heel raises standing 1 Fig 6 = eccentric heel raises standing

SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDONITIS - swelling or thickening over the Achilles tendon - tenderness on palpation - decrease in range of motion at the ankle, limited dorsiflexion - occasionally you will feel a squeaking when you palpate the tendon and move the ankle. - painful to heel raise - painful to push off when walking, especially up hill or up steps - pain and stiffness in the tendon, especially after rest - pain with exercise. Acute pain may diminish with activity and chronic pain will remain for the duration of the exercise

FIG 1

FIG 2

FIG 3

FIG 4

FIG 5

FIG 6

TREATMENT OF ACHILLES TENDONITIS It is extremely important for the gymnast to be educated about this injury. The earlier the tendonitis is detected the sooner the treatment can begin. The length of time you have tendonitis will determine the length of time it will take to resolve. Educate the gymnasts to inform the coaches when they are feeling pain during calf stretching and if landing or pushing off is painful. Acute injuries should be evaluated by a physician to be diagnosed properly and to rule out any rupture to the tendon. Treatment includes possible immobilization (boot), ice and medication for the reduction of inflammation. Exercises should be done to increase ankle range of motion, tendon extensibility and strength. And activities should be limited until pain is minimal with walking, running, jumping and landing.

TECHNIQUE

JANUARY 2010

CONCLUSION Early detection of Achilles tendonitis may lead to a quick recovery with less damage to the tendon tissue. Stretching pain free and performing eccentric loading exercises will help prevent and treat chronic Achilles tendonitis. Finally, good technique with landing, stretching, and strengthening exercises during practice will keep athletes healthy and ready for competition.

Periodization training for acrobatic gymnastics Ashley Eubanks & Juan Gonzalez, Ph.D., CSCS, HFI Periodization training is a method to organize volume, intensities, and cycles of training for a sport throughout the season. It is a process of training an athlete in an incremental manner from the post season to peak performance in competitions. The purpose of this article is to show how periodization training can be utilized in Acrobatic Gymnastics to develop a highly organized training program. The periodization table and accompanying graph presented here can be of benefit to those athletes competing at the National level. The macrocycle, as seen in the top row of Figure 1.0, comprises the entire acrobatics season. Mesocycles divide the macrocycle into more specific training periods lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Figure 1.0 arranges this

particular Acrobatic training program into seven mesocycles, and outlines the appropriate training modules which should occur within those mesocycles. The smallest incremental training period is the microcycle, which breaks down mesocycles into periods ranging from a few days to one or two weeks. Microcycles are used to structure specific daily - weekly workouts which will increase in intensity over the length of the macrocycle. Of course though, microcycle training depends on individual athletes and the coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preference of training. Microcycles are not included in illustrations due to this level of detail and variability. When using the periodization table in Figure 1.0, or one produced on your own, it should be noted that it will

FIGURE 1.0: PERIODIZATION TABLE ORGANIZING MAJOR TRAINING COMPONENTS AND FOCUS POINTS. THIS TABLE IS A MODEL OF HOW PERIODIZATION CONCEPTS CAN BE USED TO BRING A HIGHER LEVEL OF STRUCTURE TO TRAINING DURING THE ACROBATIC GYMNASTICS SEASON.

FIGURE 2.0: REPRESENTATION OF TRAINING INTENSITIES DURING THE SEASON. DURING MESOCYCLE V AND VI THE GRAPH REPRESENTS UNDULATING TRAINING. EACH MINOR DECREASE IN INTENSITY DURING THE IN-SEASON PERIOD IS FOLLOWED BY GREATER INCREASES. THIS PATTERN AMOUNTS TO HIGHER INTENSITIES IN TRAINING LEADING UP TO THE HIGHEST PEAK OCCURRING AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

need to allow for some variations in the training schedule. This is because Acrobatic Gymnastics is a sport with two entirely different types of athletes, bases and flyers/tops. For instance, while bases are aiming for muscular hypertrophy, it is more important that a flyer builds lean muscle mass and increases in flexibility. Therefore when designing a periodization program as a coach for your own team, it is important to acknowledge these differences in the athletes and allow for base specific and top specific training. The periodization outline in Figure 1.0 incorporates this concept with the 6th and 7th rows of the table. For most teams the last row of the table will be the primary focus of their training since it outlines the appropriate progression of acrobatic pair/group skills. The accompanying line graph, Figure 2.0, is a visual representation of training intensities during the season. Figure 2.0 includes fluctuations in training intensity during

the in-season portion of the graph. This undulating training is beneficial due to the length of the competition season in Acrobatic Gymnastics. Training athletes by this model allows for a peaking of skills right before a competition, followed by a temporary reduction in training intensities after which training intensities will resume to insure a higher peak for successive competitions. It has been shown that incorporating undulating training for sports with longer competition seasons helps to prevent fatigue and overtraining during the season. In addition this method may aid in reducing the occurrence of overuse injuries. By combining the organizational concepts in Figure 1.0 and Figure 2.0 you will be able to build a successful and structured training program for your athletes that will minimize over training and insure them to peak in their technique level at the appropriate time during the competition season.

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USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Anaerobic Power Profile

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Anaerobic Power Profile Talent-Selected Female Gymnasts Age 9-12 Years Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. USA Gymnastics - Director of Research & Development, Women's Program California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA Jeni R. McNeal, Ph.D. Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation Eastern Washington Univ, Cheney, WA Monem Jemni, M.S. U niversity of Rennes Rennes, France Address Correspondence: Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. USA Gymnastics - Dir Research & Development, Women's Program California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 USA Office: 805.493.3407 FAX 805.493.3860 sands@clunet.edu

ABSTRACT: Anaerobic Power Profile: Talent-selected Female Gymnasts Age 9-11 The purpose of this study was to descriptively characterize the anaerobic power and capacity of young talent-selected female gymnasts. A repeated jumps test was chosen to explore anaerobic power and capacity in an effort to simulate the dominant skills of gymnastics. Sixty-three female gymnasts between 9-12 years old participated in the study. The gymnasts performed a test of repeated jumps for 60 seconds with controlled knee flexion during landing and hands constrained to grasping the waist throughout the test. Data were collected via custom computer software, apparatus, and interface. Results showed that the gymnasts reached peak average power during the 10-20 second time interval. Mean total average power was 28.4 W/kg. No statistically significant difference between age groups, between test time intervals, nor the interaction were found. The results of this study indicate these young gymnasts were more powerful than their Senior National Team counterparts, and that the power values were dramatically higher than those obtained by Wingate-type tests. We conclude that repeated jumps-type tests are worthy of further research.

Portraying the characteristics required for high level performance is often difficult due to a lack of agreement on definitions and the multi-dimensional nature of human performance. While scientists continue to debate the role of the various biochemical pathways in producing the energy needed for muscle tension, a practical framework for evaluating relatively short term power and capacity has been proposed by Bouchard, Taylor, Simoneau, and Dulac (1991). These investigators characterized anaerobic power and capacity as energy production which is dominated by non-oxidative processes. Moreover, the authors described the energy production in three categories: short-term anaerobic performance capacity which occurs during maximal exercise lasting less than about 10 seconds. intermediate-term anaerobic performance capacity which occurs during maximal exercise lasting about 30 seconds. long-term anaerobic performance capacity which occurs during maximal exercise lasting about 90 seconds. Gymnastics involves anaerobic power and capacity in all of these categories. Vaulting is performed in 5-10 seconds, uneven bars in 30-40 seconds, and balance beam and floor exercise are performed in 100 to 120 seconds. Characterizing anaerobic power and capacity capabilities of gymnasts has been undertaken primarily by Wingate or Wingate-type tests (Heller, Tuma, Dlouha, Bunc, & Novakova, 1998; Moffatt, Surina, Golden, & Ayres, 1984; Montgomery & Beaudin, 1982; Sands, et al., 1987a). The Wingate test involves pedaling a bicycle ergometer against a relatively high resistance that is based on body mass (BarOr, 1987; Bar-Or, Dotan, & Inbar, 1977; Bouchard et al., 1991; Smith & Hill, 1991). The Wingate test involves concentric tension almost exclusively, and therefore cannot reflect the stretch-shortening cycle activity that predominates in gymnastics performance.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Anaerobic Power Profile

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Jumping and landing predominates in women's gymnastics. Only the uneven bars emphasizes skills that do not involve jumping and landing movements except for the mount and dismount. In light of this, a jumping test involving repeated jumps over a prescribed duration would appear to be more sport-specific for gymnasts than the typical Wingate test (Sands, W. A., 2000a). Bosco has designed a repeated jumping test involving various durations (Bosco, 1985; Bosco, Luhtanen, & Komi, 1983; Bosco, Mognoni, & Luhtanen, 1983). The purpose of this study was to descriptively characterize the anaerobic power and capacity of talentselected female gymnasts between 9 and 12 years of age using a test that more closely resembles the type of movements used by gymnasts. This study may serve as a starting point to provide useful comparison for future tests of female gymnasts and their anaerobic power and capacity capabilities.

Methods Participants. Approximately seventy of the best gymnasts from an initial population of nearly 1500 were selected by USA Gymnastics and invited to a December 2000 training camp (Sands, W. A., 1993, 1994; Warren, 1995). Sixty-three of the female gymnasts (10.2±1.1 yr; 135.0±7.4 cm; 30.1±5.1 kg) participating in the annual training camp volunteered to participate in this study. This study was approved by California Lutheran University Institutional Review Committee on human subjects. Instrumentation. The gymnasts were assessed for jumping power via custom computer software and custom switch mats. The computer was programmed to record both the ground-time and flight-time of each jump. The switch mats were computer interfaced via the parallel port (Bergsman, 1994). The timing software was accurate to microseconds (Ryle Design, 1995). The duration of the test was also controlled by the computer. The average power for the test duration and the average power for each 10 second interval were calculated and stored. Procedures. Data collection began with height and mass measurements. Age was recorded to the nearest year. The gymnasts then received instructions on test performance. The gymnasts were required to flex their knees to approximately 120 degrees during each landing. The chosen knee angle represents roughly the middle of a range of gymnastics-related tumbling, jumps, and landings based on kinematic analyses (Sands & McNeal, 1997). A plastic goniometer was used to demonstrate the flexion position for each gymnast prior to each test. The investigator then observed all landings during the test and directed the gymnast to bend more or less depending on her landing performance. Gymnasts were instructed and then verbally encouraged to repeatedly jump as high as they could on each jump, return to a 120 degree flexed position on landing, and then jump again as high as they could. The gymnasts were also encouraged to jump as rapidly as they could. The hands of the gymnasts remained on their waists throughout the test to avoid upper extremity contribution to jump height. The duration of the test was 60 seconds. The protocol is described by Bosco and colleagues (Bosco, Luhtanen, & Komi, 1983; Bosco, Mognoni, & Luhtanen, 1983), and listed among tests for elite athletes (Bouchard et al., 1991) and children (Van Praagh & Franca, 1998). Analysis. Due to the exploratory nature of this study descriptive statistics and correlations were calculated. Inferential statistics consisted of a 3 by 6 (age group by test interval) ANOVA with repeated measures on the second dimension. The age groups were: 9 yr (n=20), 10 yr (n=20), 11 yr (n=12), 12 yr (n=11). Due to the disparity in size of the age groups, the 11 and 12 yr ages were analyzed as a single group.

Results The mean total jumps performed by the gymnasts in 60 seconds was 96.2 jumps (±8.4 jumps). Average power over the full test duration was 28.4 W/kg body mass (±6.5 W/kg). Figure 1 shows the means and standard deviations of the average power for each 10 second timing interval of the 60

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second test. Note that the maximum average power achieved during a 10 second interval occurred during the interval from 10-20 seconds and exceeded 30 W/kg body mass. Following the maximum average power there appears to be a gradual decline in average power through the 2040 second intervals, followed by a rapid decline after 40 seconds.

Analysis of these data showed that there were no statistical differences based on time intervals, age groups, or the age groups by time intervals interaction (all p>.05). Table 1 shows the Pearson Product-Moment correlations of the average power during each timing interval and the total average power.

Discussion The magnitude of the power performance of these athletes is quite high. Previous investigation of U.S. Senior National Team members using the same protocol and instrumentation found the mean total average power was 23.7 Âą 5.0 W/kg, and the peak power mean value for the 10-20 second interval was 25.3 Âą 5.7 W/kg (Sands, 2000b). The younger athletes in this study outperformed their senior counterparts by more than 16% in total average power and by 17% in their peak average power. This performance disparity may reflect the decline in strength and power relative to body mass and age that has been seen in female gymnasts as they mature (Irvin, Major, & Sands, 1992; Sands, Mikesky, & Edwards, 1991). The differences may also be due to the talent-selection process that resulted in the sample of young gymnasts studied here. The TOPs program participants are selected based on the physical abilities and not via a competitive score. In contrast, the Senior National Team athletes are selected based on competition scores, and tests such as the Bosco Test are used only to monitor fitness. The average power values obtained using Wingate-type tests have been considerably lower than those obtained in this study. Lower extremity average power in Wingate-type tests were 8.6 W/kg (Heller, Tuma, Dlouha, Bunc, & Novakova, 1998) and 7.1 W/kg (Sands et al., 1987b). These dramatic differences are likely due to the mode of testing. Concentric tension is less likely to produce the levels of force and power that can be achieved during tests involving the stretch-shortening cycle (Aura & Komi, 1986;

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Bosco, Tarkka, & Komi, 1982; Cavagna, Dusman, & Margaria, 1968; Hudson & Owen, 1985; Komi & Bosco, 1978). Bosco found a similar discrepancy due to test mode with the average power of a 60 second jump test of 20 W/kg versus a 60 second Wingate-type test which elicited 7 W/kg and a Margaria test which showed 14 W/kg (Bosco, Luhtanen, & Komi, 1983). The correlation matrix of the various time intervals and the total average power indicate that all the variables are intercorrelated. Moreover, it does not appear that any specific test duration is markedly inferior to the 60 second test duration. However, from the standpoint of ease of administration, it appears that a 30-40 second test may be sufficient to discover the overall anaerobic power and capacity capabilities of these gymnasts. The relatively high correlation coefficients indicate that the various time intervals are measuring the same characteristic. This study has described the average power profile of young talented gymnasts and may serve future research by providing a baseline for comparison of anaerobic power and capacity in this population. Future research should explore the relationship between anaerobic power and capacity and gymnastics routine performance and safety.

References Aura, O., & Komi, P. V. (1986). Effects of prestretch intensity on mechanical efficiency of positive work and on elastic behavior of skeletal muscle in stretch-shortening cycle exercise. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 7(3), 137-143. Bar-Or, O. (1987). The Wingate anaerobic test: An update on methodology, reliability, and validity. Sports Medicine, 4, 381-394. Bar-Or, O., Dotan, R., & Inbar, O. (1977). A 30 second all-out ergometer test - its reliability and validity for anaerobic capacity. Israel Journal of Medical Science, 13, 126-130. Bergsman, P. (1994). Controlling the world with your PC. Solana Beach, CA: HighText. Bosco, C. (1985). Adaptive response of human skeletal muscle to simulated hypergravity condition. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 124, 507-513. Bosco, C., Luhtanen, P., & Komi, P. V. (1983). A simple method for measurement of mechanical power in jumping. European

Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 50, 273-282. Bosco, C., Mognoni, P., & Luhtanen, P. (1983). Relationship between isokinetic performance and ballistic movement. European

Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 51, 357-364. Bosco, C., Tarkka, I., & Komi, P. V. (1982). Effect of elastic energy and myoelectrical potentiation of triceps surae during stretchshortening cycle exercise. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 3(3), 137-140. Bouchard, C., Taylor, A. W., Simoneau, J., & Dulac, S. (1991). Testing anaerobic power and capacity. In J. Duncan MacDougall, H. A. Wenger, & H. J. Green (Eds.), Physiological testing of the high-performance athlete (2nd ed., pp. 175-221). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Cavagna, G. A., Dusman, B., & Margaria, R. (1968). Positive work done by a previously stretched muscle. Journal of Applied

Physiology, 24, 21-32. Heller, J., Tuma, Z., Dlouha, R., Bunc, V., & Novakova, H. (1998). Anaerobic capacity in elite male and female gymnasts. Acta Universitatis Carolinae Kinanthropologica, 34(2), 75-81. Hudson, J. L., & Owen, M. G. (1985). Performance of females with respect to males: The use of stored elastic energy. In D. A. Winter, R. W. Norman, R. P. Wells, K. C. Hayes, & A. E. Patla (Eds.), Biomechanics IX-A (pp. 50-54). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Irvin, R., Major, J., & Sands, W. A. (1992). Lower body and torso strength norms for elite female gymnasts. In J. L. McNitt-Gray, R. Girandola, & J. Callaghan (Eds.), 1992 USGF Sport Science Congress Proceedings (pp. 5-12). Indianapolis, IN: USGF Publications. Komi, P. V., & Bosco, C. (1978). Utilization of elastic energy in jumping and its relation to skeletal muscle fiber composition in man. In E. Asmussen & K. Jorgensen (Eds.), Biomechanics VI-A (pp. 79-85). Baltimore, MD: University Park Press. Moffatt, R. J., Surina, B., Golden, B., & Ayres, N. (1984). Body composition and physiological characteristics of female high school gymnasts. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 55(1), 80-84. Montgomery, D. L., & Beaudin, P. A. (1982). Blood lactate and heart rate response of young female gymnasts during gymnastics routines. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 22, 358-365. Ryle Design. (1995). PC Timer Tools. Mt. Pleasant, MI: Ryle Design Sands, B., Eisenman, P., Johnson, S., Paulos, L., Abbot, P., Zerkel, S., & Straker, S. (1987a). Getting ready for '88. Technique, 7, 12-18. Sands, B., Eisenman, P., Johnson, S., Paulos, L., Abbott, P., Zerkel, S., & Straker, S. (1987b). Getting ready for '88. Technique, 7 (1), 4-10. Sands, W. A. (1993). Talent opportunity program. Indianapolis, IN: United States Gymnastics Federation. Sands, W. A. (1994). Physical abilities profiles - 1993 National TOPs testing. Technique, 14(8), 15-20. Sands, W. A. (2000a). Monitoring power. In B. G. Bardy, T. Pozzo, P. Nouillot, N. Tordi, P. Delemarche, C. Ferrand, Y. Léziart, D. Hauw, J. Aubert, M. Loquet, A. Durny, & J. F. Robin (Eds.), Actes des 2èmes Journées Internationales d'Etude de l'A.F.R.A.G.A (2,3,4, Mai 2000 ed., p. 102). Univeristé de Rennes, Rennes, France: L'Association Française de Recherche en Activités Gymniques

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et Acrobatiques (A.F.R.A.G.A.). Sands, W. A. (2000b). Olympic Preparation Camps 2000 Physical Abilities Testing. Technique, 20(10), 6-19. Sands, W. A., & McNeal, J. R. (1997). Biomechanical feedback and study for women's gymnastics via a skill archive. In S. Whitlock (Ed.), 1997 USA Gymnastics Congress Proceedings Book (pp. 76-77). Indianapolis, IN: USA Gymnastics. Sands, W. A., Mikesky, A. E., & Edwards, J. E. (1991, Sep 14). Physical abilities field tests U.S. Gymnastics Federation Women's National Teams. USGF Sport Science Congress Proceedings, 1, 39-47. Smith, J. C., & Hill, D. W. (1991). Contribution of energy systems during a Wingate power test. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 25(4), 196-199. Van Praagh, E., & Franca, N. M. (1998). Measuring maximal short-term power output during growth. In E. Van Praagh (Ed.), Pediatric anaerobic performance (pp. 155-189). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Warren, G. (1995). 1994 National TOPs Report. Technique, 16(1), 38-39.

7ES .ORRIS #3#3

!NKLE INJURIES ARE AN ALL TOO COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS 7ITH LANDINGS FROM BIG HEIGHTS AND OFTEN WITH ROTATION AND ONTO UNSTABLE SURFACES THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ANKLE INJURY OCCURS ON EVERY EVENT 7ITH SUCH GREAT RISK FOR INJURY IT IS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE EXERCISES THAT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THE MUSCLES SURROUNDING THE ANKLE TO MAKE THE JOINT MORE STABLE 7HAT GOOD IS IT TO DO HOURS OF SKILLS ROUTINES AND CONDITIONING ONLY TO HAVE THE SEASON CUT SHORT BY AN ANKLE INJURY 4HIS ARTICLE WILL DISCUSS EXERCISES TO AVOID POTENTIAL ANKLE INJURIES EXERCISES FOR REHABILITATION OF AN ANKLE INJURY AND THE EFFECTS OF THE TAPING BRACING OF A PREVIOUSLY INJURED ANKLE 4HE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS ARTICLE ARE NOT INTENDED NOR SHOULD THEY BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A PHYSICIAN OR PHYSICAL THERAPIST S DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT 5PON SUSPECTING AN ANKLE INJURY AN APPOINTMENT WITH A PHYSICIAN IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

!NY SINGLE LEG EXERCISES SQUATS STANDS REBOUNDS WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THE MUSCLES OF THE ANKLE JOINT 4HESE EXERCISES AS WELL AS CALF STRETCHING SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR DAILY CONDITIONING PROGRAM TO HELP DECREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN INJURY TO THE ANKLE 3O YOU VE READ THIS ARTICLE TOO LATE AND YOU VE ALREADY HAD AN ANKLE INJURY !FTER YOU VE SEEN THE DOCTOR OR PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND HAVE BEEN CLEARED TO GET BACK TO THE GYM TO DO STRENGTH TRY THESE ANKLE STRENGTHENING EXERCISES SEE PICTURES

!NKLE !LPHABET -OVE YOUR ANKLE AROUND SLOWLY AS IF TRACING THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET 2EPEAT FOR LETTERS ! THROUGH : $O SETS 2EPEAT TIMES PER DAY

%XERCISE OF

!NKLE "ALANCE $ISC

0ICK AN EVENT !NY EVENT -EN S OR 7OMEN S %VERY EVENT REQUIRES AT LEAST LANDING ON THE FEET FOR A DISMOUNT )N EVENTS LIKE mOOR VAULT AND BEAM THE FOOT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE GROUND SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE EVENT WITH EVERY FOOT PLACEMENT HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE INJURY TO THE ANKLE

3TAND ON THE FLOOR OR TRAMPOLINE WITHOUT HOLDING ONTO THE WALL AS SHOWN +EEPING FOOT FLAT PRACTICE BALANCING ON ONE FOOT #ONTINUE FOR MINUTES ON AND OFF TIMES PER DAY

.EXT THINK ABOUT HOW MANY ROUTINES YOUR GYMNASTS ARE DOING THROUGHOUT PRACTICE AND MEETS DAILY WEEKLY AND DURING THE SEASON 4HE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IS HIGH UNLESS THE MUSCLES SUPPORTING THE ANKLE AND THE LIGAMENTS TISSUE THAT CONNECTS THE MANY BONES OF THE %XERCISE OF LEG AND FOOT TO ONE ANOTHER ARE STRONG 4HEREFORE IT IS IMPORTANT TO START STRENGTHENING THE ANKLE PRIOR TO INJURY !NKLE )NVERSION %LASTIC 4UBING 4HE MOST COMMON EXERCISE TO HELP STRENGTHEN THIS AREA IS TOE RAISES 9OU CAN DO THEM ON TWO FEET OR ONE FOOT DEPENDING ON THE STRENGTH OF THE GYMNAST 4HEY SHOULD BE PERFORMED WITH THE HEEL HANGING OFF OF A STEP OR BEAM SO THAT THE HEEL DROPS BELOW HORIZONTAL 4HIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE CALF MUSCLE TO BE STRENGTHENED AND STRETCHED THROUGHOUT ITS FULL RANGE OF MOTION 4O MAKE IT MORE CHALLENGING TRY THEM ON A TRAMPOLINE OR 4UMBLE 4RAC 4RY THEM ON A BALANCE DISC OR AN EIGHT INCH SOFT LANDING MAT SKILL CUSHION 4HIS WILL ADD AN INSTABILITY FACTOR TO THE EXERCISE 3INGLE LEG STANDING WITH THE EYES CLOSED IS ANOTHER EXCELLENT EXERCISE 7HEN IT BECOMES EASY STAND ON THE INCHER AGAIN !S YOU BALANCE FEEL ALL OF THE SMALL MUSCLES IN YOUR ANKLE CONTRACTING TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING 4RY IT AT HOME ON A FOLDED PILLOW *UST MAKE SURE YOU RE OUT OF THE WAY OF THE COFFEE TABLE

3IT IN A CHAIR WITH YOUR HEEL ON FLOOR ,AY A TOWEL FLAT AS SHOWN WITH A BOOK OR WEIGHT AT THE FAR END 0LACE THE BALL OF YOUR FOOT ON THE TOWEL AND USING ONLY YOUR ANKLE MAKE THE TOWEL SLIDE SO THAT THE BOOK WEIGHT MOVES TOWARDS YOUR FOOT

+EEP YOUR HEEL ON THE FLOOR PICK UP THE BALL OF YOUR FOOT AND REPEAT THE MOVEMENT UNTIL THE BOOK WEIGHT IS CLOSE TO THE FOOT 2EPEAT TIMES $O TIMES PER DAY

4%#(.)15% â&#x20AC;¢ - !9

%XERCISE OF

!NKLE %VERSION %LASTIC 4UBING 2EPEAT PREVIOUS EXERCISE THIS TIME PLACING THE TOWEL AND WEIGHT AT THE INSIDE OF YOUR FOOT $O THIS EXERCISE SO THAT THE FOOT IS PULLING THE WEIGHT WITH THE ANKLE MOVING OUTWARD 2EPEAT TIMES $O TIMES PER DAY

%XERCISE OF

$ORSIFLEXION 2ESISTED 3ITTING IN A CHAIR PLACE ONE FOOT ON TOP OF THE OTHER FOOT 7ITHOUT LETTING THE BOTTOM FOOT MOVE TRY TO PULL IT UPWARD AGAINST THE TOP FOOT 2EPEAT TIMES SETS $O THIS EXERCISE TIMES PER DAY

4HE PRE HABILITATION EXERCISES TOE RAISES SINGLE LEG STANDS AND CALF STRETCHES CAN BE DONE NOW AS WELL

%XERCISE OF

0LANTAR &LEXION 4OE 2AISES

3TAND WITH FEET INCHES APART 2AISE UP SLOWLY ONTO YOUR TOES AS HIGH AS YOU CAN 2EPEAT TIMES SETS 7HEN TOLERATED RAISE UP AND DOWN ON ONE FOOT ONLY $O THIS EXERCISE TIMES PER DAY

%XERCISE OF &OR A VERY ACUTE JUST HAPPENED ANKLE INJURY SMALL MOVEMENTS MAY STILL BE CHALLENGING ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE BEEN OFF OF THE FOOT FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME )F MOVEMENT IS STILL LIMITED TRY SIMPLY WRITING THE ALPHABET IN THE AIR WITH YOUR FOOT WITH THE MOVEMENT OCCURRING AT THE ANKLE 2EPEAT TIMES

! FEW WEEKS INTO REHABILITATION OF YOUR ANKLE INJURY AND AFTER THE DOCTOR ALLOWS YOU TO PUT FULL WEIGHT ON THE INJURY START WITH SOME LIGHT JOGGING ON A 4UMBLE 4RAC OR TRAMPOLINE 4HE BOUNCE OF THE TRAMPOLINE WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE TO DO LESS PUSHING OFF THAN YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO ON THE mOOR AND ALSO PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THE STABILIZATION OF THE ANKLE TO PREVENT THE ANKLE FROM ROLLING SIDE TO SIDE 4RY TWO FOOTED REBOUNDS ON THE 4UMBLE 4RAC PROGRESSING TO HOPPING (OPPING SHOULD ONLY BE DONE WHEN THE ANKLE IS PAIN FREE AND ALL OF THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED EXERCISES HAVE BEEN BEING PREFORMED REGULARLY !NOTHER GOOD TRAMPOLINE EXERCISE IS A STAR JUMP $RAW A STAR WITH CHALK ON THE TRAMPOLINE BED ABOUT FEET TOP TO BOTTOM DEPENDING ON THE ATHLETE S HEIGHT 3TARTING AT THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER DRAW A NUMBER $RAW A AT THE TOP POINT A AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT A AT THE LEFT POINT AND A AT THE RIGHT 3TART AT NUMBER AND HOP ON ONE FOOT IN SEQUENCE AND REPEAT TIMES 4HEN START AT AND GO IN REVERSE ORDER AND REPEAT TIMES !LL OF THESE EXERCISES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY MINUTES OF ICING THE ANKLE CONTINUED ON PAGE

)NVERSION USING A PIECE OF THERAPEUTIC ELASTIC BAND TIE IT IN A LOOP AROUND A STATIONARY OBJECT 0UT YOUR FOOT IN THE LOOP AND WITH YOUR HEEL PLANTED ON THE mOOR MOVE YOUR FOOT INWARD AGAINST THE RESISTANCE OF THE BAND %VERSION USING THE SAME BAND ATTACHED TO THE SAME OBJECT TURN AROUND SO THAT WHEN YOUR FOOT IS IN THE BAND YOU WILL NOW PLANT THE HEEL AND MOVE THE FOOT OUTWARD AGAINST THE RESISTANCE OF THE BAND $ORSImEXION SAME BAND ONLY THIS TIME YOU ARE FACING THE OBJECT THE BAND IS ATTACHED TO 0LACE YOUR FOOT IN THE LOOP AND WITH HEEL PLANTED PULL YOUR TOES TOWARDS YOUR SHIN !LL OF THESE EXERCISES SHOULD BE DONE FOR SETS OF REPETITIONS 4HEY CAN BE DONE EVERYDAY )F A BAND OR PIECE OF TUBING IS NOT AVAILABLE SPREAD A TOWEL OUT ON THE mOOR &LOOR MUST BE SMOOTH NOT CARPETED TRAMPOLINE BED OR LANDING MAT WOULD WORK TOO 0UT A WEIGHT OR A HEAVY BOOK AT ONE END OF THE TOWEL 7HILE SITTING IN A CHAIR PLANT THE HEEL PLACE THE BALL OF THE FOOT ON THE TOWEL AND SLIDE THE TOWEL INWARDS OR OUTWARDS SO THAT THE TOWEL DRAGS THE WEIGHTED OBJECT ,IFT THE TOES AND REPEAT UNTIL WEIGHT HAS SLID ALL THE WAY IN 2EPEAT TIMES AND THEN SWITCH DIRECTIONS 4%#(.)15% â&#x20AC;¢ - !9

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

ANKLE Â TAPING !NKLE TAPING OR BRACING SHOULD BE DONE AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DOCTOR OR THERAPIST -OST WILL SUGGEST TAPING FOR THE l RST THREE MONTHS OF A SIGNIl CANT INJURY 3TRENGTHENING AND REHABILITATION OF THE ANKLE SHOULD BE DONE WITHOUT BRACING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE UNLESS OTHERWISE TOLD BY THE PHYSICIAN 7HEN THERE IS AN ANKLE SPRAIN SOME OF THE LIGAMENTS HAVE BEEN STRETCHED /NCE THEY ARE STRETCHED THEY REMAIN STRETCHED )T IS SCARRING THAT ADDS TO THE STABILITY OF THE JOINT AS WELL AS THE STRENGTHENING OF SOME OF THE MUSCLES IN THE LOWER LEG AND FOOT AND THE REBUILDING OF COLLAGEN l BERS !THLETIC TRAINERS AND ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS DIFFER ON THEIR BELIEFS IN LONG TERM ANKLE TAPING OR BRACING -ANY BELIEVE THAT AFTER THREE MONTHS OF REHABILITATION AND WITH THE ATHLETE BEING ABLE TO PERFORM ALL SKILLS WITH ZERO PAIN THAT ANKLE TAPING OR BRACING MAY NO LONGER BE NECESSARY 3OME BELIEVE HOWEVER THAT THERE IS NO NEGATIVE AFFECT OF LONG TERM BRACING AND IF IT MAY DECREASE THE CHANCES OF RE INJURING THE ANKLE THEN BRACING SHOULD BE DONE -Y CONCERN IS THAT OTHER THAN COSTING A LOT OF MONEY IN TAPE LONG TERM TAPING BRACING CAN INHIBIT THE FULL RANGE OF MOTION THE ANKLE NEEDS TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO PERFORM A SKILL TO ITS MAXIMUM AMPLITUDE 4ALK WITH YOUR COACH PHYSICIAN OR TRAINER TO SEE IF THEY RECOMMEND TAPING AFTER THREE MONTHS FROM THE INJURY DATE )F THEY RECOMMEND TAPING OR BRACING STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT ANKLE TAPING LOSES ALMOST ALL OF ITS SUPPORTIVE FACTORS AFTER THE l RST MINUTES "RACING IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND CERTAINLY MORE ECONOMICAL !NKLE INJURIES ARE TOO COMMON IN OUR SPORT 4HERE ARE HOWEVER THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT AN INJURY FROM HAPPENING #ONDITIONING IS DONE TO IMPROVE THE BODY S PERFORMANCE IN THE SPORT AND TO HELP THE ATHLETE PERFORM BETTER !NKLE STRENGTHENING EXERCISES SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO YOUR CONDITIONING ROUTINE TO HELP PREVENT AN INJURY AND TO INCREASE THE ATHLETE S FOOT STRENGTH 7ES .ORRIS HAS A "ACHELOR S DEGREE IN %XERCISE 3CIENCE FROM #ENTRAL #ONNECTICUT 3TATE 5NIVERSITY (E IS A #ERTIl ED 3TRENGTH AND #ONDITIONING 3PECIALIST #3#3 THROUGH THE .ATIONAL 3TRENGTH AND #ONDITIONING !SSOCIATION .3#! (E HAS COACHED LEVELS ELITE FOR OVER YEARS AT SEVERAL CLUBS INCLUDING 4AMPA "AY 4URNERS IN &LORIDA AND #!43 IN #ONNECTICUT (E IS CURRENTLY A &ITNESS 3PECIALIST FOR (ARTFORD #4 (OSPITAL

4%#(.)15% â&#x20AC;¢ - !9

MANAGING ANKLE PAIN IN GYMNASTICS By Darrell Barnes, MS, ATC, CSCS - St. Vincent Sports Performance Center

FIGURE 1

The pain is caused by the Talus pinching against the Tibia

Figure 1. Signs and symptoms Symptoms include pain with any activity that forces the foot into dorsiflexion (toes toward shin), which includes landings and calf stretches. It usually begins with soreness but can progress to significant pain, swelling and loss of function. Early identification and treatment can significantly decrease the incidence of a more significant acute injury. It is important to educate gymnasts to speak up when calf stretching and landing hurt or when they don’t feel a stretch in the calf at all because it feels like they are stuck in the front.

Causes of anterior ankle pain Acute anterior ankle injuries are commonly caused by landing short which can actually cause a bruise to the surface of the bone (fig.1). Chronic irritations stem from repeated jumping, landing and tight calf muscles (gastroc/ soleus) due to overemphasis of plantar flexion (point). Over time, calf tightness decreases the ankle joint’s ability to glide posteriorly (back) which increases the “pinch” between the talus and tibia. This is not to say that having a gymnast in a point position is bad. Point position is a very important part of the art of gymnastics, but over time can cause an imbalance in the lower extremity strength, flexiblity and joint mobility. You can identify an imbalance by measuring the amount of dosiflexion or looking at the ability to squat and land. Ankle dosiflexion needs to be at least 10-15 degrees with the knee straight and 15-20 with the knee slightly bent. When squatting, you will see an inability to keep the heels flat on the ground and the feet may turn out. When landing you will see an increase in knee movement in front of the toes, toes may turn out and knees may cave inward (fig 2). Not only will repetitive landing like this increase the risk of anterior ankle pain, it also increases the chance on knee, hip and back pain.

FIGURE 2

nkle pain is very common in gymnastics. Tumbling, jumping and landing without the support of athletic shoes put excessive stress on the ankle joint. Many gymnasts experience ankle pain on a daily basis and most are able to push through it until it becomes so painful it affects performance. Most people think of ankle pain as a result of a sprain or “I rolled my ankle.” Many times this is true, but this article will examine anterior ankle pain. Anterior ankle pain is located between the ankle bones on the front side of the ankle. The pain is caused by the Talus pinching against the Tibia

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

MANAGING ANKLE PAIN IN GYMNASTICS

FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4

Conclusion Chronic anterior ankle pain can limit an athlete’s ability to perform, but it is preventable. Even the extent of an acute injury may be decreased if good landing form is practiced and flexibility, strength and joint mobility is maintained.

FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7 FIGURE 8

improve calf pliability enhances the ability of the stretches to increase range of motion (fig. 4 & 5). Foot/ankle strengthening exercises such as balance activities and elastic band exercises in 4 directions (pulling in, out, up and down) are needed to increase ankle stability and control (fig.6 & 7). Finally, exercises to improve squat mechanics and landing are very important to decrease front side dominance and minimize anterior pinching of your ankle joint (Fig.8).

FIGURE 5

Treatment Acute ankle injuries that cause pain with walking or any gymnastics skill needs to be evaluated by a physician to rule out damage to the bony surfaces. Treatment includes reducing the inflammation with ice and medication. Exercises should be done to increase ROM, joint mobility and foot/ankle strength. Activities should be limited until pain is minimal with walking, running and landing. Chronic soreness needs to be addressed by working on correct landing technique, increasing ankle joint mobility, soft tissue massage and stretching to the calf and foot/ankle strengthening (fig 3-8). Ankle joint mobilizations are routinely done by athletic trainers and physical therapists by posteriorly gliding the foot/ankle while the athlete ankle pumps (fig. 3). Soft tissue massage, foam rolling or using “the stick” to

TECHNIQUE • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

REHABILITATION FOR

ANKLE SPRAINS

,Þ> Ê >ÀLiÀ]Ê /]Ê / ]Ê - St. Vincent Sports Performance

nkle sprains are no stranger in the sports world. Sprains are classified into grades 1, 2, 3, which generally correspond to mild, moderate, or severe. More severe ankle sprain injuries, including complete tears of the ligaments and fractures of the bone may need different treatment and rehab than a simple ankle sprain. Athletes who have persistent symptoms should be evaluated by their doctor to ensure there is no more serious injury, such as a fracture or high ankle sprain that could be causing these problems. The most common symptoms of an ankle sprain are pain and swelling. Athletes often notice bruising over the area of injury. As gravity pulls the blood downwards, the bruising will move down the foot towards the toes in the days after the injury. See your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following: UÊ9 ÕÀÊv ÌÊLi `ÃÊ>ÌÊ> Ê>L À > Ê> } i° UÊ9 ÕÀÊv ÌÊ ÃÊV ]Ê«> i]Ê ÀÊV > }iÃÊV À° UÊ9 ÕÊvii Ê Õ L iÃÃÊ ÀÊÌ } }Ê ÊÞ ÕÀÊv ÌÊ ÀÊÊ toes that lasts after the initial injury. You should see your doctor after an ankle sprain if you notice any of the following: UÊ i>À`Ê>Êº« «« }»ÊÃ Õ `Ê>ÌÊÌ iÊÌ iÊ vÊ ÕÀÞ° UÊ `iÀ>ÌiÊ ÀÊÃiÛiÀiÊ«> Ê ÀÊÃiÛiÀiÊÃÜi }Ê ÀÊ bruising around your ankle. UÊ > ½ÌÊÜ> Ê ÀÊ«ÕÌÊÜi } ÌÊ ÊÞ ÕÀÊ>vviVÌi`Êv Ì]Ê or your ankle feels unstable. UÊ9 ÕÊ >ÛiÊÀi` iÃÃ]ÊÃÜi }]Ê ÀÊ«> Ê ÊÞ ÕÀÊ i}Ê ÀÊ groin. These can be signs of a blood clot.

UÊ,iÃÌ\ÊÊ/ iÊv ÀÃÌÊÓ{ {nÊ ÕÀÃÊ>vÌiÀÊÌ iÊ ÕÀÞÊ ÃÊÊ considered a critical treatment period and activities need to be curtailed. Gradually put as much weight on the involved ankle as tolerated and discontinue crutch use when you can walk ÊÊÊÜ Ì Ê>Ê À > Ê}> ÌÊ Ê > ÊÌ Ê Ê«> Ê ÀÊ «° UÊ Vi\ÊÊ ÀÊÌ iÊv ÀÃÌÊ{nÊ ÕÀÃÊ« ÃÌ ÕÀÞ]Ê ViÊ«>V Ê and elevate the ankle sprain 20 minutes at a time ÊÊÊiÛiÀÞÊÓ ÎÊ ÕÀÃ°ÊÊ À âi ÊÛi}iÌ>L iÃÊ>ÀiÊ>Ê} `Ê alternative if you don’t have access to ice! UÊ «ÀiÃÃ \ÊÊ1Ã }Ê> Ê ViÊL> `>}i]ÊÜÀ>«ÊÌ iÊ ankle from the toes to the top of the calf muscle. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the foot and ankle. UÊ iÛ>Ì \ÊÊ ii«ÊÞ ÕÀÊ> iÊÃ«À> Ê } iÀÊÌ > Ê your heart as often as possible. REHABILITATION: 1. Range of Motion Exercises: Ê L â>Ì ÊV> Ê cause significant problems after ankle sprains. ÊÊÊ," ÊiÝiÀV ÃiÃÊÃ Õ `ÊLiÊ « i i Ìi`ÊÜ Ì Ê ÊÊÊ{n ÇÓÊ ÕÀÃÊ>vÌiÀÊ ÕÀÞÊLiV>ÕÃiÊ vÊÌ iÊÌi `i VÞÊ vÊ tissues to contract following trauma. UÊAchilles stretch: While seated or lying down, take a towel and loop it around your toes. Pull the ends of the towel, pulling your toes upwards, and feel the stretch in the back of the ankle. Perform this ÊÊÊÎ {ÊÌ iÃÊ>Ê`>ÞÊv ÀÊÃiÛiÀ> Ê ÕÌiÃ°

TREATMENT: >À ÞÊÌÀi>Ì i ÌÊ vÊ>ÊÃ«À> Ê ÃÊÌ iÊº, »Ê iÌ `\ St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org 10

TECHNIQUE

JUNE 2010

UÊ/ Üi Ê ÕÀ Ã\ÊÊ i} ÊÜ Ì Êv ÌÊv >ÌÊ ÊÌ iÊv À°ÊÊ ÊÊÊ ii« }Ê ii Ê Êv À]ÊÀi«iÌ Ì Ûi ÞÊºÃVÀÕ V ÊÕ«»ÊÊ the towel. Each time you curl your toes equals one repetition. Perform 3 sets of 20 repetitions, 3 times a day.

UÊ « >LiÌÊÜÀ Ì }\ÊÊ7 iÊÃi>Ìi`Ê ÀÊ Þ }Ê` Ü ]ÊÜÀ ÌiÊ the alphabet (in big letters) in the air with your toes.

2. Muscle-Strengthening Exercises\ÊÊ" ViÊÀ> }iÊ of motion is attained, and swelling and pain are controlled, the patient is ready to progress to the strengthening phase of rehabilitation. Strengthening of weakened muscles is essential to rapid recovery and important in preventing ÊÊÊÀi ÕÀÞ°ÊÊ

UÊ ÛiÀÃ \Ê7 Ì Ê« ÜÊ>}> ÃÌÊÜ> ]Ê«ÀiÃÃÊ outer border of foot into pillow.

UÊ ÛiÀÃ \Ê*ÀiÃÃÊ iÀÊL À`iÀÃÊ vÊviiÌÊ Ì Ê pillow.

UÊ* > Ì>Àv iÝ \Ê*ÕÃ Êv ÌÊ Ì Ê« Ü°

A. Isometric exercises:Ê `ÊxÊÃiV `Ã]ÊÌ i ÊÀi >Ý°ÊÊ ÊÊÊ,i«i>ÌÊx £äÊÌ iÃ° UÊ ÀÃ v iÝ \Ê7 Ì ÊÀ i`Ê« ÜÊLiÌÜii Ê ÊÊÊviiÌ]ÊÃµÕiiâiÊviiÌÊÌ }iÌ iÀ°

B. Resisted tubing exercises:ÊÊ1ÃiÊ> Êi >ÃÌ VÊL> `ÊÊ that is tied to a heavy object, resistance exercises should be done in all directions. Perform 20 ÊÊÊÊÀi«iÌ Ì Ã]ÊÓ ÎÊÌ iÃÊ>Ê`>Þ°ÊÊ

TECHNIQUE

JUNE 2010

UÊHeel and Toe Walking\ÊÊÊ7> Ê ÊÞ ÕÀÊÌ iÃÊv ÀÊ one minute, then on your heels for one minute. Alternating walking on your heel and toes, work up to a total of 10 minutes, 3 times a day. Dorsiflexion

Plantarflexion 3. Proprioceptive Training: Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of your body and its limbs in space. As the athlete achieves ÊÊÊvÕ ÊÜi } Ì Li>À }ÊÜ Ì ÕÌÊ«> ]Ê«À «À Vi«Ì ÛiÊ training is initiated for the recovery of balance and postural control.

Eversion

UÊ ÀVÕ >ÀÊ7 LL iÊ >À`\ÊÊ ÊÃ ÌÌ }Ê« Ã Ì ]ÊÀ Ì>ÌiÊ board clockwise and counterclockwise using one foot and then both feet; in standing position, rotate board using one leg and then both legs. Exercises can be performed with added weight / ÊÊÊiÞiÃÊ «i Ê ÀÊV Ãi`°ÊÊ*iÀv À Ê£x ÓäÊÀi«iÌ Ì Ã]ÊÓÊ times a day.

Inversion UÊToe Raises\ÊÊ-Ì> `Ê Ê>ÊÃÌ> ÀÊ ÀÊ i`}iÊÜ Ì ÊÞ ÕÀÊ heel over the edge. Stand up on your tip toes, then in a controlled manner, let the heel rest ÊÊÊ` Ü °ÊÊ,i«i>ÌÊ£ä ÓäÊÌ iÃ]Ê{ÊÌ iÃÊ>Ê`>Þ°

UÊ7> }Ê Ê vviÀi ÌÊ-ÕÀv>ViÃ\Ê7> Ê Ê À > Ê ÀÊ ÊÊÊ ii Ì Ì iÊv>Ã Ê ÛiÀÊÛ>À ÕÃÊÃÕÀv>ViÃÆÊ«À }ÀiÃÃÊ from hard, flat floor to uneven surface – perform ÊÊÊÜ Ì ÊiÞiÃÊ «i Ê ÀÊV Ãi`°Ê7> ÊÕ«ÊÌ ÊxäÊviiÌÊ twice per day. UÊTraining for Return-to-Activity\ÊÊ VÌ Û ÌÞ Ã«iV v VÊ exercises may include simply walking, jogging, or

JUNE 2010

TECHNIQUE

COMMON APPEARANCE OF AN ACUTE ANKLE SPRAIN Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;ÂŤÂŤÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; i}Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;`Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;]Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x153;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2022;ÂŤÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; iĂ&#x203A;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x2022;`ìÂ&#x2DC;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;VĂ&#x20AC;i>Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x160;iÂ&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160; intensity or duration of your activity. UĂ&#x160; Â&#x153;}}Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}\Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;xĂ¤ÂŻĂ&#x160;Â?Â&#x153;}}Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;xĂ¤ÂŻĂ&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x153;>Ă&#x20AC;`Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;L>VÂ&#x17D;Ă&#x153;>Ă&#x20AC;`Ă&#x160;`Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;iVĂ&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x2020;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x160;ÂŤ>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;ÂiÂ°}Â°]Ă&#x160;VÂ&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;VÂ?i]Ă&#x160;vÂ&#x2C6;}Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;iÂ&#x2021;iÂ&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;Ă&#x152;ÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;-Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x153;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;VĂ&#x20AC;i>Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;VÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;>Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x160;>VĂ&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x192;ÂŤiVÂ&#x2C6;vÂ&#x2C6;VĂ&#x160;iĂ?iĂ&#x20AC;VÂ&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x192;Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2DC;VĂ&#x20AC;i>Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x160; Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;`Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;>Â&#x2DC;ViĂ&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;VĂ&#x20AC;iÂ&#x201C;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;ÂŁĂ&#x2030;nĂ&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2C6;Â?iÂ° UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;Â&#x201C;ÂŤĂ&#x160;,Â&#x153;ÂŤi\Ă&#x160;-Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;ÂŤÂ?iĂ&#x160;Â?Ă&#x2022;Â&#x201C;ÂŤÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;ÂŤÂ?>ViĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;ÂŤiÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; ``Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;ìÂ&#x2021;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;ìĂ&#x160;Â?Ă&#x2022;Â&#x201C;ÂŤĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;iĂ&#x203A;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2022;>Â?Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Â?iĂ&#x160; leg hops as the athlete progresses. /Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Â?iĂ&#x152;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Â?`Ă&#x160;Â?iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x160;ÂŤ>Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;LiĂ&#x160;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x2030;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;}Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2C6;ìĂ&#x160;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x2030;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;}Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;}Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x160;ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;}Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x201C;Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;"Â&#x2DC;ViĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x192;iĂ&#x160; activities can be done at full speed with no pain, athletes can resume their sport. More specific exercises can be given by a coach, certified athletic trainer, or physical therapist that is familiar with the physical demands of the sport.

TECHNIQUE

JUNE 2010

"!#+ 0!).

IN YOUNG ATHLETES By Vincent Nittoli, MS, LAT, ATC Licensed and Certified Athletic Trainer St. Vincent Sports Medicine

any athletes experience lower back pain at some time during their careers. Most of the time it’s not serious and they quickly recover. However, there are times when lower back pain should not be ignored and a proper diagnosis should be made in order to receive the correct treatment.

Although back pain in athletes can pain are due to spondylolysis. Most be from many different reasons, such likely this is because the adolescent as muscle strains or ligament sprains, spine is still developing and not as sometimes it can be from a small strong as an adult’s. It can develop on fracture or break in the weakest part one or both sides of the spine and it of the vertebrae, called usually bothers the person a spondylolysis. most during backward The fracture bending. In sports that require does not have repetitive backward Training with back bending, such as a quick onset, pain for too long can gymnastics, there is a be detrimental. If a and pain is greater stress on the spondylolysis is present, not severe at aggravating stresses will weak part the vertebrae. first, so many cause it to get worse. Over time this extra stress may eventually athletes assume “Persistent back pain in cause the vertebrae to it’s not serious adolescents should not be fracture. The fracture ignored,” says Dr. Joel Kary, and normal does not have a quick a physician with St. Vincent training is onset, and pain is not Sports Medicine and severe at first, so many Team Physician for Butler resumed. athletes assume it’s University and Lawrence not serious and normal North High School in training is resumed. Unfortunately, Indianapolis. if the spondylolysis is not detected “Any back pain lasting longer and properly treated, it can progress than 3 weeks should be evaluated. to spondylolisthesis (the forward If symptoms such as fever or night slippage of the vertebrae), nerve pain are present then they should be damage, or disc degeneration. evaluated sooner.” Any of these complications may Ideally, a sports medicine specialist require surgery, and a greater loss of (MD or DO) should be seen for the competitive time. best chance at a correct diagnosis. Spondylolysis is more common in Spondylolysis is a difficult diagnosis those younger than 20. In fact, one to make because many cases do study even showed that nearly 50% not show on a regular X-ray. This of adolescent athletes with low back results in many misdiagnoses and

“

”

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

T E C H N I Q U E • J U LY 2 0 0 8

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improper treatment. More extensive imaging such as an MRI, CT Scan, or a bone scan is often needed. Advanced imaging like this can also catch the precursor to the spondylolysis, called a stress reaction. Discovery of this before there’s an actual crack in the bone will result in a quicker recovery for the athlete. “Early recognition of spondylolysis is very important because

back to competitive levels will vary greatly depending on how well healing occurs and the severity of the initial injury. There are a number of things athletes can do to try to prevent spondylolysis and other causes of back pain. Facilities are available that specialize in the performance enhancement of athletes. Usually, they have qualified professionals

control,” says Barnes. Here again, special exercises will be prescribed which target core muscles to build strength and help protect the spine during vigorous activities. In addition to flexibility and strengthening, it is also very important to consume the proper amounts of food which promote good bone health. Active

“Early recognition of spondylolysis is very important because the chances of healing are improved the earlier it is diagnosed and treated.”

the chances of healing are improved the earlier it is diagnosed and treated,” adds Dr. Kary. After the diagnosis is made, the exact treatment will vary depending on how far the injury has progressed. If it’s in the stage of stress reaction, resting from normal training levels may be enough along with maintaining cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and strength using non-aggravating methods. Beyond the stress reaction phase, a special brace and therapeutic exercises may be needed before returning to normal training. Bracing also may be required while gradually returning to normal training. The total amount of time it will take to get

who have expertise in injury prevention. Proper flexibility and strengthening is extremely important. “I commonly see gymnasts that compensate hip flexor flexibility with lumbar extension,” says Darrell Barnes, LAT, ATC, CSCS, Performance Center Coordinator at the St. Vincent Sports Performance Center in Indianapolis. This compensation will put excessive pressure on the lumbar vertebrae and over time may lead to a spondylolysis. To combat this, Barnes will use certain exercises to stretch their hip flexor muscles well before and after training, in hopes of releasing the pressure on the vertebrae. “I also see many gymnasts with decreased glute activation and poor lower abdominal

- Dr. Kary

adolescents should eat at least three servings of low-fat dairy products a day. Some examples of a serving include one cup of milk, a slice of cheese, or one cup of yogurt. If possible, dairy products should always be chosen over supplements since the body absorbs nutrients more efficiently from food sources. Though back pain is relatively common among athletes, paying attention to the signs of a serious condition will pay off in the long run. Proper prevention strategies and seeking expert medical care when necessary are the keys to staying in the game.

J U LY 2 0 0 8 • T E C H N I Q U E

I’m Scared to Go Backwards

(ELPFUL STRATEGIES FOR COACHES TO STOP THIS STRANGE PHENOMENON First, why do gymnasts develop a fear of going backwards?

By Windee M. Weiss, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, School of Health, Physical Education, & Leisure Services University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

S A FORMER GYMNAST AND COACH AND NOW A SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ) HAVE SEEN YOUNG GYMNASTS WHO DEVELOP THE hFEAR OF GOING BACKWARDS v 4HE CAUSES OF THIS PHENOMENON ARE NOT ALWAYS CLEAR SOMETIMES THE GYMNAST CRASHES WHILE PERFORMING A PARTICULAR SKILL WHEREAS OTHER TIMES THIS hFEARv APPEARS SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE )N MANY INSTANCES THIS FEAR SEEMS TO BE ISOLATED TO ONE PARTICULAR SKILL OR TO ONE EVENT BUT IN OTHER CASES THIS FEAR BEGINS WITH ONE SKILL AND EVENTUALLY SPREADS LIKE AN UNWANTED VIRUS TO ALL EVENTS AND SKILLS THAT REQUIRE THE GYMNAST TO GO BACKWARDS 4HIS IS INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL FOR NOT ONLY THE GYMNAST BUT ALSO HIS HER COACH AND PARENTS 4HE STRATEGIES OR hTRICKSv ) AM SUGGESTING HAVE WORKED WELL IN THE PAST WITH SEVERAL GYMNASTS OF VARYING AGES AND COMPETITIVE LEVELS IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TIME hLOSTv DEALING WITH THIS FEAR AS WELL AS HELPING GYMNASTS hLOSE THEIR FEAR OF GOING BACKWARDS v -Y HOPE IS THAT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AND STRATEGIES MAY HELP DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ANGUISH SPENT DEALING WITH THIS ALL TOO COMMON FEAR ÈÊÊ 4 % # ( . ) 1 5 % Ê • Ê 1 9 Ê Ó ä ä È

! SCARY FALL OR INJURY SUSTAINED WHILE PERFORMING A BACKWARDS ELEMENT 0ROBABLY THE MOST OBVIOUS AND EASIEST FOR COACHES TO UNDERSTAND CAUSE OF DEVELOPING A FEAR IS WHEN THE GYMNAST HAS A FALL OR CRASH THAT MAY OR MAY NOT CAUSE INJURY BUT DEFINITELY SCARES THE GYMNAST ! BREAK IN CONCENTRATION WHILE PERFORMING A BACKWARDS ELEMENT !NOTHER COMMON CAUSE FOR DEVELOPING A FEAR ABOUT A PARTICULAR SKILL OR GOING BACKWARDS IS WHEN THE GYMNAST EXPERIENCES A LAPSE IN CONCENTRATION WHILE PERFORMING THE SKILL 4HE GYMNAST MAY STILL EXECUTE THE SKILL SUCCESSFULLY HOWEVER AT SOME POINT DURING THE SKILL THE GYMNAST MAY HAVE FELT hOUT OF CONTROLv OR BEEN hLOSTv IN THE AIR 4HIS SENSATION CAN BE FAIRLY FRIGHTENING FOR MANY GYMNASTS ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT CAUSED THEM TO FEEL THIS WAY 4O MAKE MATTERS WORSE MANY GYMNASTS THEN BEGIN TO hRE LIVEv THE EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY WAIT THEIR TURN TO GO AGAIN AND OR BY TELLING THEIR TEAMMATES ABOUT HOW hAWFULv THE PAST PERFORMANCE FELT 4HE GYMNAST IS EXPERIENCING STRESS IN SOME ASPECT OF HIS HER LIFE COULD BE GYMNASTICS RELATED BUT THIS STRESS COULD ALSO STEM FROM FAMILY SCHOOL ETC 0ROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT POTENTIAL CAUSE TO DETECT FOR DEVELOPING A FEAR ESPECIALLY FOR COACHES IS THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THE GYMNAST IS EXPERIENCING 4HAT IS IF A GYMNAST IS EXPERIENCING HIGH AMOUNTS OF STRESS AND IF HE SHE DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE COPING SKILLS TO DEAL WITH THIS INCREASED STRESS THEN MANY TIMES THE ONLY OBSERVED BEHAVIOR OR OUTCOME RELATED TO THIS STRESS THAT WE SEE IS DEVELOPMENT OF A FEAR 3OME CAUSES OF STRESS FOR A GYMNAST COULD BE DOING POORLY IN A CLASS AT SCHOOL ARGUING WITH THEIR BEST FRIEND OR TEAMMATES TRAVELING DEMANDS DURING THE COMPETITIVE SEASON AND DISTRACTING CONFLICTS AT HOME BETWEEN PARENTS 0OTENTIALLY THIS STRESS COULD LEAD TO A BREAK IN CONCENTRATION WHICH THEN CAUSES THE GYMNAST TO FEAR A SKILL -ANY TIMES EVEN THE GYMNAST DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING OR EVEN WHAT HE SHE IS AFRAID OF "OTTOM LINE IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS UNDER STRESS IT WILL REVEAL ITSELF IN A CHANGE IN PERSONALITY ENERGY LEVEL HEALTH AND SOMETIMES IN THE GYM THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF A FEAR

Second, what can coaches do to help minimize the effects of this fear?

4RY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STRESS AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PERFORMING THAT PARTICULAR SKILL OR BACKWARD ELEMENT )F A GYMNAST SEEMS TO BE EXPERIENCING A FAIRLY hCHRONIC CASEv OF FEAR ABOUT A PARTICULAR SKILL OR GOING BACKWARDS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS A COACH CAN DO IS HELP MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF NEGATIVE FEELINGS AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR SKILL )N MY COACHING DAYS ) READILY ADMIT USING VARIOUS TYPES OF PUNISHMENT TO GET A GYMNAST TO hJUST GOv SUCH AS DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF SKILLS THEY HAD TO PERFORM GIVING THEM STRENGTH CONDITIONING MAKING THEM STAY ON THAT EVENT UNTIL THE ASSIGNMENT WAS COMPLETE OR EVEN MAKING THE GYMNAST LEAVE PRACTICE EARLY 3OMETIMES THESE STRATEGIES WORKED (OWEVER FOR THOSE INSTANCES WHERE WE WERE TRULY DEALING WITH A CHRONIC CASE OF FEAR THESE STRATEGIES JUST MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE ) WAS INCREASING THE STRESS AND NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PARTICULAR SKILL ) WAS MAKING OUR hUPHILL BATTLEv INTO THE hCLIMBING OF -T %VEREST v 4HUS ) SUGGEST TRYING A MORE POSITIVE APPROACH TO DEALING WITH THIS SITUATION 0ROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT HELPING WITH PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES DEVELOPING POSITIVE SELF TALK AND IMPLEMENTING GOAL SETTING CAN ALL HELP TO INCREASE THE GYMNAST S CONFIDENCE 1-/, / " -Ê 9Ê< /, Ê , -

2EMEMBER THE GYMNAST IS NOT hTRYING TO DO THIS ON PURPOSEv AND THIS IS PROBABLY MORE UPSETTING FOR HIM HER THAN IT IS FOR YOU /N MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHEN ) WAS COACHING AND NOW WHEN ) OBSERVE COACHES IN THE GYM ) HAVE NOTICED SOME COACHES INCLUDING MYSELF SEEM TO TAKE THE hLOST SKILLv ISSUE PERSONALLY 4HAT IS SOME COACHES BEHAVE AND REACT TO THE SITUATION AS IF THE GYMNAST IS TRYING TO DO THIS ON PURPOSE TO DRIVE THE COACH CRAZY .INE TIMES OF OUT TEN THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE ,OSING A SKILL OR BEING AFRAID OF SOMETHING CAN BE INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL AND UPSETTING TO ANY GYMNAST RESULTING IN SEVERAL POTENTIALLY HEALTH COMPROMISING BEHAVIORS LOSS OF SLEEP LOSS OF APPETITE DEPRESSION AND HIGH ANXIETY !S COACHES IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THE GYMNAST THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME AS QUICKLY AND EASILY AS POSSIBLE

Third, here are some “tricks” or strategies that you may want to implement with your gymnast who seems to be having problems overcoming his/her fear of a particular skill or moving backwards.

4HE FOLLOWING TWO CASE STUDIES ARE TRUE STORIES ABOUT GYMNASTS ) HAVE WORKED WITH THAT DEVELOPED A FEAR OF GOING BACKWARDS ) REFER TO THESE TWO EXAMPLES AS WAYS OF ILLUSTRATING THE STRATEGIES USED #!3% *ULIA WAS A YEAR OLD ,EVEL GYMNAST 3HE HAD SUCCESSFULLY BEEN COMPETING FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS WHEN SHE DEVELOPED A FEAR OF HER BACKWALKOVER ON HIGH BEAM 3HE DID NOT FALL OR CRASH RATHER JUST ONE DAY QUIT PERFORMING HER BACKWALKOVER 3HE STILL HAD NOT QUALIFIED TO STATE MEET SO WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING HER READY FOR HER LAST TWO COMPETITIONS PRIOR TO STATE MEET #!3% (EATHER WAS A YEAR OLD ,EVEL GYMNAST 4HIS WAS HER FIRST YEAR COMPETING AS A ,EVEL AND PREVIOUSLY AS A ,EVEL WON STATE MEET (EATHER DEVELOPED A FEAR OF GOING BACKWARDS ON NEARLY EVERY EVENT (ER FEAR BEGAN ON FLOOR WHILE TUMBLING 3HE hBALKEDv DURING A TUMBLING PASS WHICH LED TO HER NO LONGER TUMBLING BACKWARDS ON FLOOR 7ITHIN A MONTH SHE COULD NO LONGER PERFORM HER TWO BACKHANDSPRING SERIES ON BEAM AND WAS BEGINNING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HER FLYAWAY DISMOUNT ON BARS ,ATER BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH (EATHER AND HER COACHES IT WAS REVEALED THAT (EATHER S PARENTS HAD JUST DIVORCED ABOUT MONTHS PRIOR TO HER PROBLEMS IN THE GYM #REATE A GOAL SETTING hLADDERv OR PATH WITH THE GYMNAST 'OAL SETTING CAN BE INCREDIBLY MOTIVATIONAL FOR BOTH THE COACH AND THE GYMNAST "Y CREATING A LIST OF GOALS OR A hPATHWAYv FOR THE GYMNAST TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO PERFORM A SKILL AGAIN WE CAN HELP SHOW THE GYMNAST HOW MUCH THEY HAVE ACHIEVED HOW FAR THEY HAVE LEFT TO GO AND PROVIDE THEM WITH hLITTLE SUCCESSESv ALONG THE WAY )N BOTH INSTANCES AS DESCRIBED ABOVE THE GYMNAST AND ) CREATED A hLADDERv WITH RUNGS /N EACH RUNG WAS A GOAL CONCERNING THAT PARTICULAR SKILL !T THE TOP OF THE LADDER WAS THE hULTIMATE GOAL v IN THE INSTANCE OF *ULIA THE ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO COMPETE HER BACKWALKOVER ON HIGH BEAM BY THE NEXT INVITATIONAL 3O WE STARTED OUT WITH *ULIA TRYING BACKWALKOVERS ON THE LOW BEAM FOR TWO WORKOUTS THE FOLLOWING RUNG WAS STICK BACKWALKOVERS ON A LOW BEAM AND TRY ON THE MEDIUM BEAM FOR TWO WORKOUTS %VERY TWO WORKOUTS *ULIA WAS CHALLENGED TO hMOVE UPv HER BACKWALKOVER TO A HIGHER BEAM 4HE KEY TO MOVING UP WITH *ULIA WAS THAT HER hATTEMPTSv HAD TO COUNT FOR SOMETHING 7E FOUND THAT IF SHE WAS REQUIRED TO hSTICKv A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BACKWALKOVERS ON THE NEW HEIGHT SHE hFROZE UPv AND ACTUALLY REGRESSED 7HEN SHE ACHIEVED EACH GOAL SHE WOULD RECEIVE A hCOOL STICKERv NEXT TO THAT GOAL AS A SIGN OF HER ACHIEVEMENT -AKE A hSCRAPBOOKv TO HELP INCREASE POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND SELF TALK /NE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES WE ARE DEALING WITH WHEN IT COMES TO FEAR IS WHAT THE GYMNAST IS THINKING OR SAYING TO HIM HERSELF ABOUT THE SKILL -ANY TIMES OUR OWN MINDS AND THOUGHTS ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY 4HUS IN ORDER TO GET BOTH *ULIA AND (EATHER TO CHANGE WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THESE SKILLS WE HAD THEM MAKE A hSCRAPBOOK v %ACH DAY TIMES A DAY AT RANDOM TIMES THE GYMNASTS HAD TO

WRITE DOWN ON A SCRAP OF PAPER THE DATE THE TIME AND A POSITIVE AFFIRMATION STATEMENT &OR *ULIA THE FIRST WEEK SHE HAD TO WRITE h) LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON BACKWALKOVERS ON BEAMv AND (EATHER WROTE h) ENJOY DOING BACKHANDSPRINGS v 4HESE STATEMENTS WERE CHOSEN TO GET THE GYMNASTS TO AT LEAST THINK TIMES PER DAY SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT PERFORMING THESE SKILLS 4HE GYMNASTS BROUGHT THEIR SCRAPS TO WORKOUTS EACH DAY OR WHENEVER THEY HAD PRACTICE WE THEN TAPED GLUED THE SCRAPS TO FUN CONSTRUCTION PAPER DECORATED WITH STAMPS AND STICKERS FOR EACH DAY 4HUS WE BEGAN BUILDING THEIR BOOK MADE OF SCRAPS !FTER THE FIRST WEEK THE STATEMENT FOR *ULIA WAS CHANGED TO h) AM GOOD AT BACKWALKOVERS ON HIGH BEAMv EVEN THOUGH SHE STILL WAS NOT PERFORMING THE SKILL YET AT THAT HEIGHT &OR (EATHER WE CHANGED HER STATEMENT TO h) M GOOD AT TUMBLING BACKWARDS v %VENTUALLY BOTH GYMNASTS ACTUALLY BEGAN hBELIEVING THEMSELVESv IN TERMS OF THESE STATEMENTS 4HIS WILL NOT NECESSARILY FIX THE OVERALL PROBLEM BUT AT LEAST WE ARE NOT FIGHTING AGAINST THEIR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE SKILL +EEP THE GYMNAST GOING BACKWARDS AT SOMETHING EVEN IF YOU MUST RESORT TO VERY BEGINNER LEVEL SKILLS /NE OF THE BEST THINGS WE CAN DO FOR OUR GYMNASTS IS TO KEEP THEM GOING BACKWARDS OR PERFORMING THE SKILL SOMEWHERE EVEN IF IT IS JUST THE LOW BEAM OR A LINE ON THE FLOOR &OR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID OF GOING BACKWARDS IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THEM GOING BACKWARDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO PREVENT LOSING ANY MORE SKILLS 3O BECAUSE (EATHER WAS HAVING SO MANY DIFFICULTIES WITH TUMBLING AND MULTIPLE BACKWARD SKILLS EVERY DAY SHE BEGAN HER PRACTICES WITH BACKWARD ROLLS BACKWALKOVERS STANDING BACKHANDSPRINGS AND STANDING BACK TUCKS !S SHE FELT MORE COMFORTABLE AND LESS STRESSED WE ADDED CONNECTIONS OF TWO BACK HANDSPRINGS THEN THREE BACK HANDSPRINGS AND SO ON %VENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO ADD THE BACK TUCK AFTER ONE BACK HANDSPRING %VEN THOUGH SHE STILL WAS NOT PERFORMING HER HIGH LEVEL TUMBLING SKILLS EACH DAY THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO hADDv A SKILL OR MAKE THE PASS MORE DIFFICULT SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING 4HUS SHE CAME TO WORKOUTS THE FOLLOWING DAY MORE MOTIVATED TO DO BETTER THAN THE DAY BEFORE !S A LAST RESORT FIND TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS OR ALTERNATIVE SKILLS FOR THAT GYMNAST !S A COACH ) HATED TO FIND hALTERNATIVEv SKILLS THAT A GYMNAST WAS WILLING TO PERFORM (OWEVER IN THE INSTANCE WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL IS SO SCARED OF GOING BACKWARDS THAT WORKOUTS HAVE BECOME A STAGNANT UPHILL BATTLE IT MAY BE WORTH IT FOR YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR GYM RULES 4HIS BECOMES A LITTLE TRICKIER WITH YOUR COMPULSORY LEVEL GYMNASTS WHERE YOU CAN NOT MODIFY WITHOUT SERIOUS DEDUCTIONS HOWEVER WITH YOUR OPTIONAL LEVEL GYMNASTS YOU HAVE SOME ROOM TO PLAY WITH &OR (EATHER S UPCOMING COMPETITION WE MODIFIED HER TUMBLING PASSES ON FLOOR TO GO FORWARDS AND CHANGED HER BEAM SERIES TO FRONTWALKOVER ROUND OFF (EATHER UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE WERE ONLY hTEMPORARYv CHANGES AND SHE WAS ALLOWED TO COMPETE AS LONG AS SHE KEPT UP HER END OF THE BARGAIN IN TERMS OF HER hSCRAPBOOKv AND REACHING THE GOALS ON HER GOAL LADDER /VERALL THE COMBINATION OF THESE STRATEGIES HELPED *ULIA AND (EATHER 7ITHIN ONE MONTH *ULIA WAS BACK UP ON HIGH BEAM COMPETING HER ,EVEL ROUTINE AND QUALIFIED TO STATE MEET &OR (EATHER THE OVERALL PROGRESSION PROBABLY TOOK ABOUT WEEKS BUT SHE HAD NOT BEEN TUMBLING BACKWARDS FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS PRIOR "Y ALLOWING (EATHER TO COMPETE OR PERFORM OTHER SKILLS THAT FULFILLED SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS THIS DECREASED THE STRESS SHE WAS EXPERIENCING 7ITH LOWER STRESS LEVELS (EATHER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL HER THOUGHTS AND APPROACH HER BACKWARDS TUMBLING MORE POSITIVELY %VENTUALLY (EATHER BEGAN TO TUMBLE BACKWARDS AGAIN 4HAT IS SHE PERFORMED A LOT OF POWER HURDLE TUMBLING PASSES BECAUSE IF WE ADDED THE RUN BEFORE THE ROUND OFF TOO SOON SHE SEEMED TO GET SCARED AGAIN (OWEVER WITH PATIENCE (EATHER COMPETED AND PERFORMED BEAUTIFULLY AT STATE MEET 1 9 Ê Ó ä ä È Ê•Ê4 % # ( . ) 1 5 % Ç

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Biomechanical Analysis of the Lower Extremity Du... Page 1 of 6

Biomechanics

Biomechanical Analysis of the Lower Extremity During a Back Salto William L. Cornelius, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Education University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

There are a number of biomechanical considerations in the lower extremity during gymnastics performance. The gymnastics coach can provide a significant contribution to effective performance by being aware of how these considerations can enhance skills and combinations. This could apply to improving gymnastics technique or in reducing a predisposition to injury. The biomechanical structural units such as, the iliosacral, hip, knee, ankle, subtalar, and metatarsophalangeal joints play a primary role in how effectively the gymnast performs These structural units must possess both stability and mobility if the gymnast is to move explosively, artistically, and with control. The purpose of this discussion is to examine the anatomical and mechanical aspects of the lower extremity during the performance of a handstand snap-down to a back salto, pike position (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Purpose and Movement Classification The handstand snap-down to a back salto, in pike position, can be performed in floor exercise and on the balance beam. The overall purpose of this combination is to project the gymnast for maximum vertical height while completing one revolution. This particular movement can be classified in the general movement pattern of jumping. The entire movement pattern is performed in the sagittal plane and around the mediolateral axis. A back salto is a discrete skill because it has a definite beginning and an end and is adapted to the constraints of the event or apparatus. The gymnast performs a particular back salto technique by incorporating a pike position in Figure I (frames 5-6). The open pike position is the style of performance and is considered to be an individual adaptation of the technique (Kreighbaum and Barthels, 1996). Discrete Phases and Mechanical Purposes

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A skill can be effectively observed and analyzed when separated into principal phases The major phases of a skill can be referred to as preparation, execution, and recovery (Kreighbaum and Barthels, 1996). Each phase should contribute to the subsequent phase; therefore, all phases are important to the overall performance. Each principal phase requires different consideration, but lends to completion of the overall purpose (Luttgens, Deutsch, and Hamilton, 1992). The preparation phase acts as a way to initiate angular momentum and to effectively position the gymnast for take-off into the back salto (frames 1-3). This can vary depending on the mechanical purpose. The mechanical purpose in this case is to create the greatest possible ground reaction force at the completion of the preparation phase. A second major component of the total performance is the execution phase (frames 4-10). This is essentially the movement that projects the gymnast vertically and provides a 360 degree rotation. Consequently, the mechanical purpose of the execution phase is to move the gymnast in the optimum prescribed back salto pattern. The remaining phase consists of the recovery (frames 10-11). The mechanical purpose of the recovery phase is to negatively accelerate the gymnast to a controlled position in frame 11.

Anatomical and Mechanical Analysis Preparation Phase The preparation phase is depicted in Figure 1, frames 1-3. Frame 1 illustrates a quick stretch of the soft tissue crossing the anterior aspect of the pelvis and sacroiliac joint. This results in positioning the pelvis for producing the increased force magnitude needed in subsequent hip flexion (frame 1 to 2). The abdominal muscles help stabilize the sacroiliac joint during this maneuver (Table l) by counteracting anterior tilt of the pelvis as the hip flexors pull on their origin of attachment at the ilium, all lumbar vertebra, and twelfth thoracic. Consequently, a stable pelvis acts as the firm base upon which the hip flexors move the legs explosively at the hip joint. Table 1. Lower Extremity During the Preparation Phase of the Back Salto Frames Joints 1-2 sacroiliac 1-2 hip 1-2 all others

2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3

sacroiliac

Actions Contractions stabilized isometric flexion concentric stabilized isometric

stabilized

hip stabilized knee flexion knee flexion ankle dorsiflexion subtalar stabilized

isometric eccentric concentric eccentric concentric isometric

Muscles abdominal group hip flexor group knee extensors, ankleplantar flexors, inverters and everters, metatarsophalangeal flexors abdominal group, both erector spinae and quadratus lumborum hip extensors hamstring group and gastrocnemius quadriceps group dorsiflexion group inversion and eversion groups

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2-3

metatarsophalangeal

flexion

eccentric

metatarsophalangeal flexors

Slight pelvic posterior tilt precedes stabilization of the sacroiliac joint. This plays an important role in facilitating hip joint flexion in frame 2. Reduced rotational inertia accompanies the hip flexion. This occurs by decreasing the distance between the segmental center of gravity of the legs and the axis of rotation (center of the hip joint). The resulting effect of reduced rotational inertia is to decrease the moment arm (resistance arm), permitting the motive force produced by the hip flexors to be more effective in increasing angular acceleration of the legs toward the takeoff point in frame 3. Table 1 provides the relationship between lower extremity joints, actions, and the type of contraction for particular muscle groups recruited during the preparation phase from frame 1 to 3. A force couple made up of the abdominal and hip extensor muscle groups counteract the ability of the hip flexor and back extensor muscle groups from moving the pelvis into anterior tilt during the explosive hip flexion maneuver in frame 2. A subsequent control mechanism, provided by eccentric contraction of the gluteal and hamstring muscle groups, limits the degree to which hip flexion occurs up to floor contact in frame 3. Angular momentum continues without additional segmentation at the hip joint. This reciprocal muscle relationship provides the control needed for the optimum position necessary in an explosive action at takeoff Additional hip flexion would place the pelvis beyond the base of support in frame 3, create a lower angle of projection in frame 4, and result in decreased vertical displacement of the total center of gravity. The knee, ankle, subtalar, and metatarsophalangeal joints remain stabilized throughout the preparation phase until immediately prior to floor contact. Ankle dorsiflexion is necessary at this point in order for the toes to clear the floor and facilitate the optimum position for a quick plantar flexion maneuver in frame 3. Dorsiflexion places the plantar flexor muscle group on a quick stretch resulting in increased force during plantar flexion. Slight knee joint flexion is essential immediately prior to floor contact, through concentric contraction of the hamstring muscle group and gastrocnemius, but subsequent contraction of the quadriceps muscle group negatively accelerates knee joint flexion. Static and dynamic stability is of major concern in reducing the chance of injury to the subtalar and ankle joint (Arnheim and Prentice, 1993). Both ligament integrity and muscle strength are primary components in stabilizing these joints. Lateral and medial muscle groups assist in reinforcing joint stability and help prevent unwanted inversion or eversion during floor contact. Joint stability helps assure the best possible facilitation of the critical takeoff maneuver in frame 3. Normal range of motion and muscular strength in the subtalar and ankle joint movers and stabilizers prevent a predisposition to injury and are necessary for effective plantar flexion in vertical displacement from frame 3 to 4. Table 2. Lower Extremity During the Execution Phase of the Back Salto Frames Joints 3-4 sacroiliac 3-4 hip 3-4 knee 3-4 ankle

Actions Contractions Muscles stabilized isometric abdominals and hip extensor group extension concentric hip extensor group extension concentric knee extensor group plantarflexion concentric plantarflexor group

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3-4 4 5-6 4-6 4-9 6

6-8 7-8 8 8-9 9-10 9-10 9-10 9-10 9-10 10 10 10 10 10

metatarsoflexion phalangeal sacroiliac posterior tilt sacroiliac stabilized hip flexion all except stabilized hip sacroiliac anterior tilt to normal alignment hip extension sacroiliac anterior tilt sacroiliac stabilized

concentric

metatarsophalangeal flexors

concentric isometric concentric isometric

abdominal group abdominal group hip flexor group agonist and antagonist cooperation

concentric

back extensor group

concentric eccentric isometric

hip hip knee ankle subtalar metatarsophalangeal hip knee ankle subtalar metatarsophalangeal

flexion flexion flexion dorsiflexion stabilized extension

concentric concentric concentric concentric isometric concentric

hip extensor group hip flexor group abdominal group and both errector spinae and quadratus lumborum hip flexor group hip flexor group hamstring group and gastrocnemius dorsiflexor group inversion and eversion group metatarsophalangeal extensors

flexion flexion dorsiflexion stabilized flexion

eccentric eccentric eccentric isometric eccentric

hip extensor group knee extensor group plantar flexor group inversion and eversion group metatarsophalangeal extensors

Execution Phase The execution phase is illustrated from frames 3-10 (Figure 1). Table 2 indicates lower extremity joint actions, the type of muscle contractions, and the muscle groups involved in the execution phase. The action taken from frame 3 to 4 is critical to the vertical translation achieved during execution. Consequently, all lower joints are involved in assisting with carrying out this maneuver. The entire lower extremity is stabilized on a vertical line (mechanical line) in frame 4. Joint stabilization is continued through frame 9 with agonist and antagonist cooperation. The sacroiliac joint is stabilized in order that the pelvis is able to act as a firm base upon which subsequent hip flexion may occur. Concentric contraction of the abdominal and hip extensor muscle groups move the pelvis to the mechanical line before assisting with stabilization. The hip and knee joints are extended, while the ankle joints are plantar flexed, and the metatarsophalangeal joints are flexed (frames 3-4). This sequence provides the action force into the take off surface in order to receive the needed equal and opposite external reaction force and to align the body in frame 4 for subsequent rotation around the mediolateral axis.

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When sufficient angular momentum is created at take-off from frame 3 to 4, a pike position can result in an effective means of conserving angular momentum from frames 4 to 6 when the hip flexor muscle group concentrically contracts to create flexion at the hip joint. This leg flexion maneuver is preceded by posterior pelvic tilt in frame 4 and accompanied by stabilization in frames 5 to 6. Strong abdominal muscles are essential in the posterior pelvic tilt maneuver in order to position the hip joint (acetabulum) in a favorable position for accommodating the femoral head. Posterior pelvic tilt is necessary because of the extent of the 90 degree hip flexion action in frame 5; otherwise, the head of the femur would be obstructed by the upper margin of the acetabulum. Hip extension occurs from frame 6 to 8 with concentric contraction of the hip extensor muscle group (Table 2). Slight anterior pelvic tilt precedes this maneuver to begin to reposition and stabilize the pelvic girdle (frame 6) for subsequent hip extension. Repositioning the pelvis serves to accommodate the femoral head during hip extension and assists in stabilizing the point at which the hip extensor muscle group originates. The hip flexor muscle group serves to decelerate hip joint extension by controlling the pelvis to a normal position of alignment through eccentric contraction (frames 7-8) Isometric contraction of the abdominal and back extensors then stabilizes the pelvis in frame 8. Conservation of angular momentum occurs from frame 8 to 10 with a slight decrease in rotational inertia. This is facilitated with concentric contraction of the hip flexors and a stabilized pelvis (Table 2). Lower extremity biomechanical structural units distal to the hip joint, such as the knee, ankle, subtalar, and metatarsophalangeal joints are all stabilized from frames 4 through 9. There is a change in status leading into frame 10, however, in order to absorb the impact force of contacting the landing surface. Slight hip flexion, knee joint flexion, ankle joint dorsiflexion, and metatarsophalangeal extension begin immediately prior to floor contact. These maneuvers are essential to a safe, controlled landing. Full knee joint extension is undesirable in frame 10. This very stable knee joint position is expedited by the lock-home mechanism that accompanies a secure position between the femoral condyles and the fossa of the tibial plateau (Arnheim and Prentice, 1993). Slight outward rotation of the femur and tibia accompany the lock-home mechanism. The knee joint is quite vulnerable to hyperextension, valgus, and varus stresses when fully extended. Effective absorption of the landing impact force is possible only as the knee flexes. Ankle joint dorsiflexion positions the feet for contact. Eccentric contraction of the hip and knee extensor muscle groups assist in negatively accelerating the gymnast in frame 10. Eccentric contraction of these antigravity muscles of the lower extremity reduces angular momentum and accompanies the plantar fascia and four arches of the feet in further absorbing impact forces. Maintaining the line of gravity within the base of support allows the gymnast to claim static equilibrium in frame 10. Recovery Phase The recovery phase is represented in frames 10 and 11 (Figure 1). Control is maintained with static equilibrium being secured in frame 11. A stable pelvis, held over the base of support, is an important consideration in this phase. Concentric contraction of the hip and knee extensors move the body to the controlled, standing position. Plantar flexor and metatarsophalangeal flexor muscle groups add significantly to control in this phase. Concentric contraction provides the internal motive force necessary to keep the line of gravity within the base of support.

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Implications Understanding relationships between joints, actions, type of muscle contractions, and the muscle groups involved in manipulating body segments, is essential for skill analysis and for designing conditioning activities specific to the task. Gymnastic coaches would be well advised to become students of Biomechanics, basing their advice on anatomical and mechanical principles of human motion. Figure 1 was prepared by Steve Whitlock based on drawings by James Stephenson in the Men's Program 1984-1988 Junior Olympic Age Group Compulsories.

References Arnheim, D.D., & Prentice, W.E. (1993). Principles of Athletic Training (8th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby Year Book. Kreighbaum, E., & Barthels, K.M. (1996). Biomechanics: A Qualitative Approach for Studying Human Movement (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Luttgens, K., Deutsch, H., & Hamilton, N. (1992). Kinesiology: Scientific Basis of Human Motion (8th ed.). Dubuque, Iowa: W.C. Brown and Benchmark. This article appears in the July/August 1996 issue of Technique, Vol. 16, No. 7.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Biomechanical Relationships Within The Shoulder ... Page 1 of 4

Biomechanical Relationships Within The Shoulder Joint by William Cornelius, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Education, University of North Texas

The shoulder joint consists primarily of the glenoid fossa of the scapula and humeral head. Relationships between the humerus and scapula are particularly apparent in successful gymnastics performance. Although humerus movements are more obvious than scapula actions, the scapula plays an integral part in productive shoulder joint function. There would be little success during gymnastics performance without a scapula that fully accommodates movements of the humerus. A problem arises when there is inadequate cooperation between these bony segments at the shoulder joint. Gymnastics performance typically is associated with a wide range of humerus movements, from such action patterns as hyper-flexion to hyperextension and from hyper-abduction to adduction. Less than adequate scapula involvement will create inevitable problems. The gymnast is predisposed to injury as a result. One example of this situation can come from a lack of cooperation as the humeral head contacts the acromion process or grinds the glenoid labrum lining the glenoid fossa. Consequently, every effort should be made to understand how the scapula relates to and cooperates with humerus movement.

Shoulder Joint Identifying and understanding shoulder joint interactions can be important when trying to understand how the gymnast moves from one skill to the next. Gymnastics combinations typically involve a close relationship between bony segments within the shoulder joint and are associated with a wide variety of movements around three principal axes. Consequently, basic biomechanical considerations that deal with anatomical and mechanical principles are essential to this process in dealing with joint interactions. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate some of the multiple actions of the humerus at the shoulder joint that are associated with gymnastics performance. MOVEMENTS ABOUT AXES. The shoulder joint is multi-axial or triaxial and possesses the greatest range of motion of any human joint. A good example of the multidimensional shoulder joint is illustrated in Figure 1. Movements in frames 1-2 demonstrate left and right humerus extension around the mediolateral axis. Frames 2-3 illustrate a combination of all three axes as the left humerus moves further into extension, while medially rotating around the longitudinal axis and abducting about the anteroposterior axis. The right humerus demonstrates transverse adduction in frames 3-5 around the longitudinal axis. At release in frame 3, the left arm first moves into slight transverse abduction and then quickly returns to the bar through transverse adduction. Both movements of the left humerus are around the longitudinal axis. The right humerus duplicates these actions in frames 3-5.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Biomechanical Relationships Within The Shoulder ... Page 2 of 4

A handstand position can be reached in Figure 1, frame 5, when sufficient angular momentum about the mediolateral axis is produced from frame 1-3. No further increase or decrease in angular momentum is possible once the bar has been released at frame 3. External torque is not present when the gymnast is free of support. Superior shoulder joint flexibility will allow the gymnast to swing through greater angular displacement on the left humerus in frame 3 and will permit a transfer of angular momentum to the longitudinal axis into frame 4. An opportunity to produce greater angular impulse is provided when the left hand remains on the bar longer. This can have a positive influence on increasing angular momentum and in controlling transfer of angular momentum from axis to axis.

The resistive effect of the force of gravity has a profound influence on the forward upward swing in Figure 1, frames 3-5. This resistive influence is particularly effective when the gymnast is free of support (frame 4). When there is no further angular momentum remaining forward around the mediolateral axis, the gymnast must begin to prepare for the downward swing in frames 5-7. Preparation is to distribute the mass away from the hands with a diagonal action of both the right and left humerus in frames 5-6. This results in a combination of humerus flexion (mediolateral axis) and transverse abduction (longitudinal axis). Frame 7 simply results in a static position at the shoulder joint as the upper arms come in contact with the parallel bars in order to resist the pull of gravity. Angular momentum is increased in moving from frame 5 to 7 when the net torque is increased with an extended body (gravity provides a motive torque) as well as with an upward action force from the hands to the bars. The resulting reaction torque from the bars provides increased angular momentum around the mediolateral axis at the bar contact points. ANATOMICAL COOPERATION. The gymnast relies on cooperation between the scapula and the humerus when performing most gymnastics skills. Successful cooperation of these two anatomical segments of the shoulder joint hinge on a 2:1 ratio (Amheim and Prentice, 1997; Kreighbaum and Barthels, 1996). Consequently, when the humerus moves 90 degrees within the glenoid fossa, the scapula moves approximately 45 degrees. This translates as an important scapulohumeral rhythm that exists in a biomechanical relationship. The scapula cooperates with the humerus in several ways. First, the scapula provides a firm base for shoulder joint muscles to attach at their origin. This outfits the humerus with a means to translate around the various axes and to overcome inertia. Figure 1 (frames 2-3) and Figure 2 (frames 3-5), provide examples of explosive humerus movement into hyperextension (left) and abduction (right and left), respectively. Figure 2, frames 3-4, further illustrates overcoming inertia as the body is moved upward against gravity. Second, muscles that move the scapula provide a means of cooperation by aligning the glenoid fossa in order to accommodate humerus movement. Cooperation is further established by the rotator cuff muscles as they stabilize and fine tune the position of the humeral head in the glenoid fossa.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Biomechanical Relationships Within The Shoulder ... Page 3 of 4

HUMERUS AND SCAPULA RELATIONSHIPS. There is a close relationship between movements of the humerus and scapula during gymnastics performance. For example, when the humerus moves into extension in Figure 2, frames 1-3, the scapula rotates downward and depresses to better position the glenoid fossa for the moving humeral head. Frames 3-4 illustrate humerus transverse abduction as the rings are moved outward and the body rises above the rings. This is only possible as the scapula accommodates the humeral head by moving into adduction, downward rotation, and medial tilt. The humerus then begins moving into abduction from frames 4-5 with pressure downward on the rings. The scapula aligns the glenoid fossa by moving into abduction, upward rotation, and elevation. A stabilized and elevated scapula is necessary in frames 5-7 to allow the gymnast to swing fluently through the bottom. The gymnast reaches maximum angular momentum in frame 7 followed by conservation of angular momentum in frames 8-9 as the humerus moves into extension. This is associated with a simultaneous decrease in rotational inertia (moment of inertia) at the shoulder joint. The distribution of the gymnast's mass is reduced in this upward swing to permit increased angular velocity as the angle at the shoulder joints decrease. Movement of the scapula provides the appropriate relationship with the humerus as it downwardly rotates and depresses slightly. Further external torque is now needed from the rings during the upswing in frames 9 to 10 as the angle at the shoulder joint increases. Additionally, this change demands an external motive torque because a larger overall rotational inertia now results as the torso lengthens. The external motive torque required near the completion of the sequence acts to maintain sufficient angular momentum to combat the increased rotational inertia and the resistive external torque from gravity.

Shoulder Joint Trauma The gymnast is subject to shoulder joint trauma when the scapula does not fully cooperate with the humerus during high resistance and repetitive joint range of motion activities. Progressive resistance exercise and a wide variety of preparatory and lead-up activities can improve the relationship between the humerus and scapula. Associated connective and muscle tissue quality is enhanced when appropriate, pain-free gymnastics activities are balanced with year-round conditioning and periodic health assessments. Rotator cuff impingement syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome are examples of injuries that can develop when the athlete is not properly conditioned and inappropriate medical decisions are allowed. Predisposition to injury is likely when a lack of shoulder joint stability is coupled with limited understanding of how the shoulder joint functions. The shoulder joint lacks inherent stability because of the shallow glenoid fossa and limited ligamentous

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Biomechanical Relationships Within The Shoulder ... Page 4 of 4

support. Well prepared shoulder joint connective and muscle tissues provide needed stabilization for increasing joint integrity. Therefore, healthy connective tissue and rotator cuff muscles are particularly needed and well suited for allowing the gymnast to perform at a high level. References Amheim, D.D., & Prentice, W.E. (1997). Principles of athletic training (9th ed.). Madison, Wisconsin: Brown and Benchmark Publishers. Kreighbaum, K., & Barthels, K.M. (1996). Biomechanics: a qualitative approach for studying human movement (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. This article appears in the May 1998 issue of Technique, Vol. 18, No. 5.

USAGO: Technique: Understanding Body Tension

Page 1 of 3

Understanding Body Tension Meg Warren Reprinted by permission of the Association of British Gymnastics Coaches 66 Hinckley Road, Burbage, Leicestershire England LE10 2AQ 01455 632207 Isometric contraction is tension. Tension is a vital part of any gymnasts conditioning program. The British National Coaching Foundation book, Physiology and Performance, describes isometric contraction as: iso = same metric = length When a muscle contracts isometrically, it develops tension, but there is no resulting movement, because the tension in the muscle exactly balances the opposing force. This statement can be illustrated as follows: Gymnast A stands with a slouching body and muscles looking soft. Gymnast B stands erect with abdominal and gluteal muscles contracted but no significant change in body shape is made. This posture is desirable for a gymnast. Gymnast A will probably do a handstand like this: if she can't hold herself straight in the upright position, she has little chance of doing so in the inverted position. Gymnast B has more chance of doing a handstand like this.

How do you teach a gymnast to have a good body tension? Pre-requisite The abdominals must be strong, so first teach the sit-up. Make sure you isolate the abdominal muscles. If the legs are bent as shown the work of the hip flexors (ilio psoas) should be cut-out. If the

USAGO: Technique: Understanding Body Tension

Page 2 of 3

hands are kept on the back of the head, then a swinging action will be avoided. This exercise must be done buy lifting the upper half of the body. Arms can also be crossed on the chest. If the hips are kept firmly on the ground and not swung upwards as the gymnast lies down in order to act as a counter balance to the upper body and make lifting easier, then only the abdominals will work. This exercise is one that the gymnast should repeat often. This is not a tension exercise, but abdominal strength is vital for mid body tension. 1. This is one of the first exercises that should be given to gymnasts. Whatever discipline, whatever age, the gymnast must be able to maintain this shape.

2. Holding this position requires tension in the buttocks (gluteals).

3. Here pressure is applied to the gluteals by the coach or partner. This pressure must be constant and not sudden jerking. Note the weight must be applied to the rounded part of the bottom and not the waist or middle of the back.

4. With the feet just slightly off the floor, the coach presses down at the ankles. Often the gymnast only survives two or three presses.

5. Again the hand is placed on the soft part of the gluteals. Press gently yet firmly. As soon as the back gives, the coach should lower the gymnast to the floor.

USAGO: Technique: Understanding Body Tension

Page 3 of 3

6. This similar exercise tests and improves tension in the shoulder joint. This is very important for handspring actions. The shoulder must not move forwards.

7. First the ankles are just held for about 10 seconds. When the gymnast is familiar and okay with these positions, then the ankles can be released alternately. Again, the coach should watch the body shape, particularly the waist area when the gymnast is on the hands. Watch for creases in the leotard at this point-a smooth leotard is correct. This article appeared in Technique magazine, January 1996, Vol. 16, #1, pp. 24-25.

BODYWEIGHT STRENGTH TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR GYMNASTS

By Darrell Barnes, MS, ATC, CSCS - St. Vincent Sports Performance Center

A FIGURE 1

s a rule, most gymnasts do not do much, if any, traditional strength training. The bodyweight training in the gym is generally sufficient for creating the strength needed for the sport. However, how do we increase the quality of the repetitions in terms of strength development for gymnasts? Where do we start in terms of repetitions and sets? What movement patterns are prescribed to increase strength for competition? The patterns of movement involved in gymnastics are sprinting, bounding, jumping, pushing, pulling, bending, rotating, flexing, extending, arching and tumbling, to list a few. What exercises increase the ability to do these movements? The general movements for the lower body include squatting, lunging, stepping-up, squat jumping and single leg squatting. When prescribing bodyweight exercises, the repetition number at bodyweight is usually anywhere from 10-20 reps for two leg movements and 5-20 reps for single leg movments. The training stimulus is created by volume of repetition as well as speed of movement and the range of motion of the movement. For example, let’s look at the squat along the speed continuum. Static squats can be executed by doing a squat and pausing Static

Slow

Medium

Squat

Hold at various angles

3 sec. eccentric concentric movements

1-2 sec. eccentric concentric movements

at ¼ of the way down, at the full squat range of motion and pausing again on the way up at ¼ of the way up. These pauses can be up to 8-10 seconds in length. Additional load can be added by having a coach or partner hold the athlete at the waist and push down to load the hips and legs. Another way to add load is to add a mediball held in front or a weight vest. Many times hold and pause training will cause the athlete to experience heavy legs for the next day or two dependant upon the volume prescribed. Volume is determinant upon the athletes’ training age, maturation and strength level. The slow, medium and fast movements can also be increased in difficulty by adding the mediball and/or weight vest. The assisted squat jumps are done by looping a large rubber band over an apparatus in the gym and having the athlete pull the rubber band with the arms which in turn lightens their bodyweight as they jump. This will teach the athlete to get off of the ground quicker. The holds and slow movements will help the athlete absorb more force. To increase the load even more, having the athlete squat, lunge or step-up using only one leg will create a much greater stress in terms of loading the hips and Fast Assisted Fast legs. Again, utilizing the strategy of holds, slow Squat Squat Jumps movements, speed and assisted movements <1 sec. Rubber Bandwill train the pattern in fast as fast as possible all ranges of the speed possible continuum. The lunges and step-ups can be done in multiple patterns. For example, lunges can

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE • JANUARY 2009

and step-ups can be done in multiple patterns. For example, lunges can be done laterally, reverse diagonally, linearly and forward diagonally. The key to these movements is to keep the pillar posture in the core and bend at the hip, knee and ankle. Step-ups can be done linearly, laterally as well as in a crossover fashion. Keep the knee over the foot (don’t let it drift laterally on the lateral and crossover step-ups) and flat as you step-up. Do not step up with the heel elevated off of the box or bench as this will load the front side (knee) rather than the back side (hip/ butt) and reinforce poor force absorption/production movement patterns. Single leg squats can be executed as a step down squat off of a box or a bench in which the athlete reaches out in front and the swing leg never contacts the ground, as a single leg sit down squat onto a box or bench standing on the ground or as a rear leg elevated split squat action in which most of the load is centered on the front leg. Again, additional weight can be added via a mediball or weight vest. Bendover exercises are exercises such as good mornings, dead lifts, kettle bell swings, back raises, glute-ham raises and reverse hypers. These are all commonly used to train the back side “chain” in athletic weight rooms around the world. Good mornings and dead lifts are hip dominant exercises used to train the hamstrings, glutes and back musculature to control bend over, hip dominant

movements and support the core. In gymnastics it is usually best to have the athlete execute many of the movements on one leg such as a single leg good morning or reverse hyper. Most of the other exercises are two legs in execution. Pauses and holds can be prescribed as well as adding load with weight vests, mediballs, and rubber bands around the neck/shoulder region and under the arch of the foot. Contrast training can also be implemented to enhance the ability to absorb and produce force in combination as you strength train. An example of contrast training is using the hold in conjunction with the squat jump. Have the athlete hold in the low position for 2-10 seconds and then execute 1-10 squat jumps. Another application is to squat hold, jump, squat hold, jump, etc., until the set is complete. Another way to implement contrast training is to do sets of holds for x seconds followed by assisted squat jumps using the big stretch rubber band. How many sets and reps? Again, it is different for every athlete. Why is it different for every athlete? Because gymnastics requires explosive, powerful athletes to execute the skills inherent to the sport. Athletes possess varying levels of genetic potential that matures at different rates and is trained at multiple sites around the country. The answer to the set and rep question is when the quality of movement drops, the

Exercise

Untrained Load

Novice Load

Intermediate Load

Advanced Load

Athletic Load

Step – Up Increment Change

Bodyweight (20)

10% of BW

25% of BW

40% of BW

55% of BW

Bodyweight (20)

10% of BW

25% of BW

40% of BW

55% of BW

Bodyweight (20)

2.5% of BW

5% of BW

7.5% of BW

10% of BW

Bodyweight (20)

5% of BW

10% of BW

15% of BW

20% of BW

– 5% of Bodyweight

Lunge Increment Change – 5% of Bodyweight

Jump Squat For Power Increment Change – 2.5% of Bodyweight

Jump Squat For Strength Increment Change

Scorpion Lunge

Linear Lunge

Reverse Diagonal Lunge

– 5% of Bodyweight

JANUARY 2009 • TECHNIQUE

Linear Lunge Reaching with a Ball Single Leg Bendover and Reach with a Dumbbell

Cross-Over Step-Up

Single Leg Squat with the Rear Leg Elevated

In-Line Lunge Crossed Over a Line

Lateral Lunge or Squat

BODYWEIGHT STRENGTH TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR GYMNASTS

Exercise

Untrained Load

Novice Load

Intermediate Load

Advanced Load

Pull – Ups

Assisted 50% of BW

Assisted 25% of BW

Bodyweight (5)

Bodyweight (15) Bodyweight +5% + pauses + holds

Increment Change Assisted 10 – 15%

Reps + 3-5 per set

reps are done and when the quality of the set drops the sets are concluded for that session. Pushing can be prescribed as a variety of push-up movements with holds and pauses that are executed on a variety of implements in a variety of angles. Push-ups can be executed on rings, mediballs and stability balls to increase strength and stability. The feet can be on the ground which makes the pushing movement almost a “decline” movement, on a box which makes it more of a “bench” movement, elevated higher than the shoulders which makes the push more of an “incline” movement or even overhead in a handstand making the push a “military” press movement. To increase the stress through the core, instead of using a ball, bench or box, have a coach or partner hold both or one leg and require the athlete to maintain pillar core while executing the pushing movement. Pulling can be prescribed as a variety of movements using bars or rings with a variety of grips that require the athlete to lift the body closer to the implement. In order to increase the

TECHNIQUE • JANUARY 2009

Athletic Load

+Weight 2.5% or Pause ea. ¼ rep

stress through the core, the athlete can rest both or one foot on a stability ball or have a partner or coach hold both or one leg during the execution of the movement. Again a variety of body angles need to be addressed to fully train the back and posterior shoulder. In addition, pulling with the elbows out wide as well as in close to the ribs will stress different parts of the back musculature. Pauses and hold may be used as well as the addition of weight vests in order to increase the stress and load to the back. As you can see from the variety of exercises and the variety of strategies available to bodyweight strength train, there is a large menu of choices available to train everyone from the novice to the elite. The key to the exercise prescription is to challenge the athlete with the appropriate exercise that will create the desired training effect over time. As long as the quality of the movement is emphasized over a strict volume prescription of sets and reps, the training effect will support the graceful power inherent to the sport of gymnastics.

ConCussions in

GymnastiCs "Y 6INCENT .ITTOLI -3 ,!4 !4#

HE WORD CONCUSSION PROBABLY BRINGS TO MIND visions of high impact collisions in sports SUCH AS FOOTBALL OR ICE HOCKEY 7HILE IT S TRUE the majority of concussions occur in these sports, gymnastics claims its fair share of this sometimes detrimental and potentially life-threatening INJURY 4HOUGH NOT THE MOST COMMON INJURY AMONG GYMNASTS IT IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS !LSO THE numbers may be deceiving, since many concussions ARE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND NEVER REPORTED 3INCE concussions do occur in gymnastics, everyone involved WITH THE SPORT SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT A CONCUSSION IS HOW TO RECOGNIZE ONE AND HOW IT SHOULD BE MANAGED to prevent long term dysfunction or even death. ! COMMON MYTH STILL PERPETUATED IN ATHLETIC CIRCLES IS THAT A CONCUSSION IS EQUATED WITH BEING hKNOCKED OUT v )N ACTUALITY THE VAST MAJORITY OF CONCUSSIONS INVOLVE NO LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS ! CONCUSSION CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS A HEAD INJURY WITH A TEMPORARY DISRUPTION OF BRAIN FUNCTION WHICH CAN DISPLAY A VARIETY of physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments. /FTEN TIMES THESE IMPAIRMENTS ARE SUBTLE AND IT TAKES A trained health care provider to determine a concussion has even occurred. In the unfortunate event that an athlete does have loss of consciousness, the emergency

MEDICAL SYSTEM SHOULD BE ACTIVATED I E CALL immediately. Once a concussion is sustained, the most important thing to avoid is receiving another CONCUSSION WHILE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE FIRST 4HIS can lead to second-impact syndromeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a rare but DEVASTATING CONDITION IN WHICH ARTERIES SWELL AND pressure builds in the brain, and may lead to coma OR DEATH )N THERE WERE TWO REPORTED CASES RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE ATHLETES "OTH OCCURRED IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO RETURNED TO PLAYING STATUS IN JUST DAYS OR WEEKS AFTER SUFFERING CONCUSSIONS )N ONE OF THE CASES IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ATHLETE TOLD A TEAMMATE HE WAS STILL FEELING HEADACHES AFTER HE WAS CLEARED BY HIS DOCTORS TO RETURN TO PLAY 3ADLY THESE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF numerous cases that have been documented over the years. $ECREASING THE RISK OF SUCH TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES STARTS WITH THE TIMELY RECOGNITION THAT A CONCUSSION has occurred. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to realize concussions ARE NOT ALWAYS CAUSED BY OBVIOUS REASONS .OT only are they caused by a direct impact, such as a gymnast hitting her head on the balance beam, but they are also caused by indirect forces, such as a

Continued on pg. 30

ConCussions in GymnastiCs #ONTINUED FROM PG gymnast landing hard enough on her feet resulting in a SHAKING OR MOVEMENT OF HER BRAIN INSIDE HER SKULL Countless signs and symptoms are possible in INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION 3OME OF the most common are headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, sensitivity to light or noise, difficulty BALANCING FEELING hDAZED v RINGING IN THE EARS COGNITIVE difficulties, memory problems, and vision disturbances. !NY OF THESE MAY BE EVIDENT IMMEDIATELY OR IN SOME instances, be delayed for hours or even days. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also POSSIBLE FOR ATHLETES TO HAVE JUST ONE OR TWO AT FIRST AND THEN PROGRESSIVELY ATTAIN MORE PERHAPS WITH INCREASING SEVERITY 4HEREFORE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WITH ANY HEAD INJURY NO MATTER HOW MINOR IT MAY SEEM THE ATHLETE IS REPEATEDLY QUESTIONED TO AVOID OVERLOOKING A significant injury. -ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS DEPEND ON A TRUTHFUL RESPONSE AND UNFORTUNATELY ATHLETES ARE NOT ALWAYS HONEST WHEN ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ESPECIALLY IF THEY THINK IT MAY RESULT IN BEING HELD FROM COMPETITION OR PRACTICE )T IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ASK AN ATHLETE hARE YOU /+ v AND THEN LEAVE IT AT THAT )N ADDITION TO SPECIFICALLY ASKING ABOUT COMMON SYMPTOMS some simple tests can be used to more objectively ASSESS THE SITUATION &OR EXAMPLE INSTEAD OF ASKING THE

ATHLETE hARE YOUR EYES BLURRY v YOU COULD HAVE THE ATHLETE READ NUMBERS OR WORDS OFF A DRIVER S LICENSE OR SOME OTHER ITEM 4O TEST COGNITIVE ABILITIES HAVE THE ATHLETE SAY THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR IN REVERSE ORDER -EMORY CAN BE CHALLENGED BY GIVING THE ATHLETE A FEW SIMPLE WORDS TO BE RECALLED AFTER TO MINUTES IN ADDITION TO remembering such things as the current year or his/her OWN NAME 4HE PRESENCE OF ANY OF THESE SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS IS enough to suspect a concussion and the athlete should immediately be seen by a certified athletic trainer or PHYSICIAN $O NOT HESITATE TO CALL IF SYMPTOMS ARE QUICKLY GETTING WORSE h)F THE ATHLETE DOES SEE A PHYSICIAN they should be evaluated by a sports medicine physician WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF SPORTS RELATED CONCUSSIONSv SAYS $R *OEL +ARY A PHYSICIAN WITH 3T 6INCENT 3PORTS -EDICINE IN )NDIANAPOLIS AND TEAM PHYSICIAN TO "UTLER 5NIVERSITY )NDIANA )NVADERS 4RACK #LUB AND ,AWRENCE .ORTH (IGH 3CHOOL h4HE UNIQUE DEMANDS OF ATHLETIC COMPETITION AND POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER INJURY REQUIRE A THOROUGH CLINICAL EXAM AND POSSIBLY THE ORDERING OF APPROPRIATE TESTS #4 OR -2) scans of the brain are rarely needed in the evaluation of concussions, but may be necessary if there is any concern FOR PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN v

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not sufficient to ask an athlete, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;are you oK?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and then leave it at that.â&#x20AC;? Once the diagnosis of concussion is made by a QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PERSON HAS THE FINAL SAY AS TO WHEN THE ATHLETE CAN RETURN TO practice or competition. Due to the serious nature of WHAT S AT STAKE IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE for all involved. Since the current recommendation is that the athlete be free of all signs and symptoms, both before and after physical exertion, careful evaluation PROCEDURES AND CONTINUED COMMUNICATION MUST TAKE PLACE h-ANAGEMENT OF A CONCUSSION IS A TEAM APPROACH AND REQUIRES EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE physician, athletic trainer, athlete, coach, and parents in ORDER TO ATTAIN THE BEST OUTCOME v ADDS $R +ARY 4O HELP IN THIS REGARD COMPUTER PROGRAMS THAT TEST BRAIN FUNCTION HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND ARE QUICKLY becoming the standard of care. Certified athletic trainers and physicians may use these programs to greatly enhance their ability to objectively measure reaction time, memory, and other cognitive processes. Ideally, THE ATHLETE WILL HAVE BASELINE DATA FROM THESE TESTS ON record and post-concussion data can then be compared. )N MOST CASES THE TESTS WILL SHOW SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FOR THE WORSE INITIALLY BUT ATHLETES GENERALLY RETURN TO THEIR BASELINE OR BETTER WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS 3PEAK WITH A SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN OR CERTIFIED ATHLETIC

TRAINER ABOUT GETTING A COMPUTER BASED PROTOCOL SUCH AS )M0!#4Âť IMPLEMENTED IN YOUR FACILITY h4HE ADDITION of computerized testing in managing concussions has significantly improved our ability to return athletes to their sport in a safe and timely manner. Determining WHETHER AN ATHLETE HAS RETURNED TO THEIR hBASELINEv ON computerized testing has proven to be a very useful tool IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CONCUSSIONS v ADDS $R +ARY In some instances a condition called post concussion syndrome may develop and cause a longer recovery time. 4HIS IS BASICALLY WHEN ATHLETES EXPERIENCE PROLONGED SYMPTOMS FOR WEEKS MONTHS AND OCCASIONALLY YEARS Referrals to a neurologist and/or neuro-psychologist may BE NECESSARY FOR FURTHER TESTING AND TREATMENT h) REALLY feel the incidence of post concussion syndrome can be decreased by promptly reporting any signs or symptoms of concussion and treating it appropriately from the very BEGINNING v CONTINUES $R +ARY 5NFORTUNATELY CHILDREN SEEM TO HEAL QUICKER WITH everything except concussions. Injured athletes may NEED TO SIT OUT LONGER THAN DESIRED BUT WITH THE THREAT of second-impact syndrome and long term brain damage, WE MUST BE DILIGENT WITH THEIR CARE 4HEIR LIVES MAY depend on it.

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CORE VECTOR TRAINING

FOR GYMNASTICS By Robb Rogers M.Ed., CSCS, MSCC - St. Vincent Sports Performance Center

he core is an area of the body roughly defined as the region from the armpits to the knees. Most of our movements occur through the core after beginning somewhere else. For instance, in jumping the area of the core will move toward the ground as the arms reach back or up and the legs flex. Upon forceful extension of the arms and legs the body is propelled upward with the force moving through the core to the blocked arms. In sprinting approaches for the vault and floor routines the arms and legs are dynamically moved throughout the range of motion in order to develop the velocity of the body, moving the core forward. These ballistic arm and leg movements occur around a generally stationary strong core. If the core lacks proprioceptive strength, (strength with balance and stability) then energy leakage can occur upon force production or force absorption and the power generated by the limbs and transferred through the core can be lost, resulting in less speed or height generated for an event, routine or technique. During force reduction, the compensation pattern to accommodate these weaknesses can lead to injury. In training the core it is important that the many vectors of stress and planes of motion be addressed as the demands of

gymnastics occur at high speeds and a variety of angles. Training the core in the variety of angles needed is similar to the angles of attack in martial arts. The attack vectors of martial arts are up and down; diagonally up and down; across the body; and straight in, which is unnecessary for core development. If we can train the core in these various angles with a variety of implements then the core will better be able to withstand as well as transfer the forces needed in preparation and competition. The labels for the various vectors are as follows: Straight Down ---------- Slams Straight Up ---------- Scoops Side to Side ---------- Twists Diagonal Up ---------- Lift Diagonal Down --------- Chop The stances are relatively simple to master as there are four basic stances with three levels of difficulty. There is the lunge stance (kneeling or standing), the squat stance (kneeling or standing), diagonal variations off of each of these and the single leg stance. Begin wider than hip width in the squat stance for ease, move to hip width to increase the difficulty and less than hip width for the most difficult position. The narrower the base

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

Techni

“THE STANCES ARE RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO MASTER AS THERE ARE FOUR BASIC STANCES WITH THREE LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY.” the more difficult it is to maintain core stability. Needless to say 1-2 foot widths wider than, or away from the opposite knee. The next level of difficulty the foot/knee is on one side of a line and the opposite foot/knee on the other side of the same line. The most difficult lunge stance is the one in which the foot/knee and opposite foot/knee are on the same line, as if on a balance beam. In the squat stance start out wider than hip width, move to hip width and the most difficult stance in order to maintain core stability during a strength movement is with the feet less than hip width. Needless to say, the single leg stance is the most difficult of all to maintain balance and execute pillar core training. As for modalities used to implement core training, the Keiser Functional Trainer is excellent for the constant variety of speeds and loads at any angle and it has a power output reading. Most of us are not so fortunate to be able to afford a Keiser, so substitute some light to medium resistance tubing in order to give resistance in the proper ranges of motion. Medicine balls are excellent in order to mimic the movements in the various vectors and stress the ability to maintain a tall pillar core without arching or collapsing with rotation. The medicine ball can also be thrown to the floor or off of a wall in the various vectors in order to increase the power developed and force transfer through the core. The most stressful implement to use in core vector training is the water ball. The water ball is simply a small stability ball with about a gallon or 8.8 pounds of water. Get a small piece of tubing and fill the sink with water. Inflate the smaller stability ball to about ¾ full and insert the tubing into the sink and siphon the water into the tube to begin the flow of water. Insert the tube into the ball in order to siphon the water from the higher sink into the lower ball on the floor. Keep adding water until about a gallon of water is added into the ball. During the movements the added water will move about inside the stability ball and cause the core to react and proprioceptively stabilize in order to execute the movements. Another way to execute core vector training is by using dumbbells and ankle weights and moving the limbs through a variety of movement vectors while maintaining a long, strong pillar core on the floor for front side training or on a stability ball for back side core. A 2-5 pound dumbbell and 2-5 pound set of

TECHNIQUE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

ankle weights are sufficient for most any athlete. While on the back, the dumbbell is extended above the head and the opposite leg is extended while the same side leg is flexed at the knee. The athlete will bring the dumbbell and ankle weight up in a long arm and leg movement and meet in the middle for a sit-up type movement. As the dumbbell and ankle weight are returned to the ground it is imperative the athlete get long through the core but does not arch the back. The second vector is to move the arm out to “2 o’clock” position and the opposite leg out to the “8 o’clock” position and now execute the same sit-up type movement in a diagonal type vector. The final movement starts from a totally different position. The arm is extended above the shoulder straight up at the ceiling while the opposite leg is extended up above the hip in a similar fashion. The arm moves away from the body toward the “3 o’clock” position and the leg moves away from the center of the body toward the “9 o’clock” position. Neither the arm nor leg will touch the floor as the core of the body fights to keep the belly button facing straight up to the ceiling. Do not let the belly button follow the long, straight leg away from center is one cue, the other being to maintain ground contact with both hips throughout the movement. The same concept can be utilized on a stability ball for the “super man” type of exercise. However, we will change the vectors and emphasis of motion. Just about everyone is familiar with the “superman” exercise. However, we will add a dumbbell in one arm and ankle weights as well as provide a different aiming point and cue for technique execution. Most people will coach and execute the movement by reaching up for the ceiling with the arm and leg. The optimal execution is to reach the foot and hand for the meeting point between the wall and floor and let the long stable core support the shoulder extension at the deltoid and hip extension at the glute. The foot should not get higher than the glute and the hand should not get higher than the deltoid. The cue is to “reach” and get “longer” through the back side core. The vectors are the normal superman with either the same arm or opposite arm involved. The second vector is the arm at “2 o’clock” and the leg at “8 o’clock” and the final vector is with the arm at either 3 or 9 o’clock and the opposite leg at either 6 or the opposing 8 or 4 o’clock angles.

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-OST WOULD AGREE THAT A STRONG hCOREv IS ESSENTIAL TO ALL SPORTING ACTIVITIES AND TASKS OF DAILY LIVING 7HAT IS THE CORE AND HOW DO WE TRAIN IT TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE 'ENERALLY SPEAKING THE CORE CONSISTS OF THE LOWER BACK LATERAL TRUNK AND ABDOMINAL RECTUS ABDOMINUS OBLIQUES TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS MUSCULATURE &OR YEARS LARGELY BASED ON TRADITIONAL ANATOMY LESSONS AND BODY BUILDING ROUTINES WE BELIEVED THAT ENDLESS SIT UPS AND HYPEREXTENSIONS WERE THE WAY TO GO !S OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN MOVEMENT AND SPORTS PERFORMANCE HAVE GROWN WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT TRAINING FOR PERFORMANCE OFTEN REQUIRED A DIFFERENT APPROACH n HENCE THE TERM hSPORT SPECIl Cv TRAINING 3IMPLY STATED THE MORE AN EXERCISE LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE THE ACTIVITY TO BE PERFORMED THE GREATER THE CARRY OVER TO THAT ACTIVITY 7HEN DESIGNING EXERCISES TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE ONE MUST LOOK AT THE ACTIVITY OR SKILL AND ASK n HOW DOES GRAVITY GROUND REACTION FORCES AND MOMENTUM EFFECT THE BODY AND HOW DO ALL THE MUSCLES AND JOINTS INTERACT TO COMPLETE A SKILL OR MOVEMENT )N THE TRADITIONAL SIT UP ONE LIES ON THEIR BACK AND ATTEMPTS TO BRING THE SHOULDERS UP TOWARDS THE PELVIS IN ESSENCE CONTRACTING ONLY THE ABDOMINALS &OR PERFORMANCE FUNCTION WE WOULD ASK n WHEN IN GYMNASTICS DO YOU LAY ON YOUR BACK AND DO THIS !RE THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCES THE SAME !RE THE GROUND REACTION FORCES THE SAME )S THE MOMENTUM THE SAME $O ALL THE BODY PARTS INTERACT SIMILAR TO A GYMNASTICS SKILL 4HE ANSWER IS RARELY IF AT ALL )N GYMNASTICS THE BODY IS PRIMARILY IN A VERTICAL POSITION WITH VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF SPIN AND ROTATION ACTING AGAINST GRAVITY UTILIZING AND ABSORBING GROUND REACTION FORCES AND MOMENTUM 4HEREFORE TRAINING THE CORE IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WOULD BE A BETTER CHOICE TO

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FACILITATE GREATER MUSCLE JOINT AND BALANCE RECEPTOR ACTIVITY ULTIMATELY LEADING TO GREATER CARRY OVER TO THE SKILL OR ACTIVITY )T ALSO FACILITATES MORE EFFECTIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN ALL THE MUSCLES AND JOINTS INVOLVED IN THE SKILL NOT JUST ONE OR A FEW AS SEEN IN THE TRADITIONAL SIT UP OR HYPEREXTENSION EXERCISE 4HE OBJECT BEING TO ENHANCE THE BODY S ABILITY TO LOAD TO EXPLODE 4HE TRUE FUNCTION OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES IS TO DECELERATE OR CONTROL BACKWARD BENDING AND ROTATION OF THE TRUNK 9OU DO NOT NEED THEM TO FORCIBLY m EX THE TRUNK FORWARD AS A SIT UP DOES BECAUSE GRAVITY WILL DO THIS FOR FREE 4HE MUSCLES OF THE LOW BACK HELP DECELERATE FORWARD m EXION AND ROTATION OF THE TRUNK 4HE RESPECTIVE MUSCLES OF THE TRUNK RELY ON VARIOUS OTHER MUSCLES TO ASSIST THEM WITH THE TASK AT HAND /NE COMMON THEME THAT IS CRITICAL FOR HUMAN MOVEMENT AND SPORT IS THAT ALL MUSCLES NEED TO BE ECCENTRICALLY ELONGATED RELATIVELY QUICKLY LOADING TO ENHANCE THEIR CONCENTRIC CONTRACTION EXPLODING 4HINK OF A RUBBER BAND THE MORE YOU PULL IT THE HARDER AND FASTER IT SNAPS BACK 9OUR MUSCLES UTILIZE THE SAME PRINCIPLE CALLED THE STRETCH SHORTENING CYCLE TO ENHANCE THE MUSCLES ABILITY TO MOVE THE BODY EXPLOSIVELY !N EASY EXAMPLE OF THIS IS IN JUMPING 9OU ALWAYS hSQUATv DOWN OR LOAD l RST TO ENHANCE YOUR ABILITY TO JUMP OR EXPLODE HIGHER 4RY JUMPING UP HIGH WITHOUT BENDING YOUR KNEES OR ANKLES l RST ITS IMPOSSIBLE 0RESENTED HERE ARE WHAT WE CALL THE -ED "ALL EXERCISES 4HEY ARE DESIGNED TO TRAIN THE CORE MORE APPROPRIATELY TO ENHANCE THE SKILLS PERFORMED IN GYMNASTICS )NITIALLY FOCUS ON CORRECT

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FORM CONTROL AND FULL RANGE OF MOTION 7ORK FROM SLOW TO HIGHER SPEEDS OF MOVEMENT 3TART WITH LIGHT AND PROGRESS TO MODERATE RESISTANCE )NITIALLY BEGIN WITH REPS OF EACH 'RADUALLY WORK UP TO SETS OF USING A LIGHT TO MODERATE MED BALL DEPENDING ON SIZE AGE OF GYMNAST .EVER SACRIl CE FORM FOR SPEED OR RESISTANCE 4HIS ONLY LEADS TO POOR RESULTS COMPENSATIONS AND INJURY 2EMEMBER THE IDEA IS TO HELP INCREASE THE MUSCLES ABILITY TO LOAD IN ORDER TO MORE FORCEFULLY EXPLODE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CLOSELY MIMICS WHAT THE MUSCLES AND JOINTS WILL EXPERIENCE IN THE ACTUAL SKILL

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'YMNASTS OFTEN LEARN A BACK HANDSPRING RELATIVELY EARLY IN THEIR CAREER AND THE SKILL IS AN ENORMOUS FEATHER IN THEIR CAP 5NFORTUNATELY ATHLETES OFTEN LEARN A BACK HANDSPRING FROM FRIENDS ON THE LAWN OR WITH INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE LESS THAN OPTIMAL /NE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF SAFE PERFORMANCE IN THE BACK HANDSPRING IS PLACEMENT OF THE HANDS DURING THE HAND CONTACT PHASE 3HOULD THE FINGERS OF THE HANDS AND THUS HAND ORIENTATION BE POINTING DIRECTLY FORWARD OUTWARD TO THE SIDE OR INWARD TOWARD EACH OTHER )N JUDGING THE BEST POSITION FOR THE HANDS WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS MECHANICAL AND ANATOMICAL FACTORS BEFORE DESCRIBING WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE OPTIMAL HAND POSITION

#ARRYING ANGLE 7OMEN AND MEN ON AVERAGE HAVE NATURAL ANATOMICAL DIFFERENCES IN THEIR ELBOW STRUCTURE 4HE ELBOW STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCE HAS BEEN NOTED IN AN hOLD WIVES TALE v 4HE ANGLE OF THE ELBOW IS CALLED A hCARRYING ANGLEv BECAUSE IT WAS THOUGHT THAT WOMEN WERE BETTER DESIGNED TO CARRY BUCKETS FROM A WELL WITH THIS ANATOMICAL hDIFFERENCE v 4HE OLD TALE INDICATED THAT THE LATERALLY ORIENTED FOREARM I E MORE TO THE SIDE OF THE FEMALE WOULD RESULT IN LESS CHANCE OF THE BUCKET HITTING THE LEG DURING CARRYING &IGURES AND SHOW THE ELBOW STRUCTURE OF A FEMALE AND MALE

7HEN THE GYMNAST LANDS ON HIS HER HANDS IN A BACK HANDSPRING CONSIDERABLE FORCE IS PLACED ON THE HANDS +OH 'RABINER AND 7EIKER SHOWED THAT GROUND REACTION FORCES ON THE HANDS DURING A BACK HANDSPRING AVERAGED APPROXIMATELY TIMES BODY WEIGHT AND THAT VALGUS FORCES FORCES DIRECTED LATERALLY OR TOWARD THE REAR RESULTING IN BENDING THE ELBOWS REACHED TIMES BODY WEIGHT &ORCES SEEN AT THE HAND AND FLOOR INTERFACE TRANSFER TO THE WRIST ELBOW AND SHOULDER (OWEVER THE VALUES OF THESE FORCES ARE NOT EASILY DETERMINED &ORCES OF TIMES BODY WEIGHT AS SEEN IN THE BACK HANDSPRING ARE HIGHER THAN THOSE SEEN IN THE LOWER EXTREMITY DURING AEROBIC DANCE TIMES BODY WEIGHT hLOW IMPACTv AND TIMES BODY WEIGHT hHIGH IMPACTv

iVย >ย ย V>ย ร >Vร ย ร ร 4HE PURPOSE OF A BACK HANDSPRING IS TO INCREASE HORIZONTAL MOMENTUM OF THE BODY IN THE OVERALL TUMBLING PASS AND TO CONVERT SOME OF THE HORIZONTAL MOMENTUM TO VERTICAL DURING THE TAKE OFF FROM THE FEET 4HIS FINAL ACTION OF REDIRECTING MOMENTUM CAN BE MADE CONSIDERABLY EASIER BY AN EFFECTIVE PUSH FROM THE HANDS "OSCO IN REVIEWING A THESIS ON THE BIOMECHANICS OF THE ROUND OFF BACK HANDSPRING AND SOMERSAULT BY (OLMES WROTE THAT EXPERT GYMNASTS EXCEEDED LESSER GYMNASTS IN ALL OF THESE ASPECTS ! STUDY BY 9UEN OF THREE HAND POSITIONS IN THE BACK HANDSPRING SHOWED THAT WHEN THE HANDS WERE TURNED IN TO ROUGHLY A DEGREE POSITION THE RESULTING VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE CENTER OF MASS FOLLOWING TAKE OFF FROM THE FEET WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHEN THE HANDS WERE PLACED WITH FINGERS FORWARD OR FINGERS OUTWARD )NTERESTINGLY 3ANDS INDICATED THAT GYMNASTS SHOULD USE THE POSITION FOUND TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE BY 9UEN IN A COACHING BOOK (OWEVER THIS JUDGMENT WAS BASED ON COACHING EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN DATA

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&IGURE $R -C.EAL S ELBOW STRUCTURE .OTE THAT HER ELBOWS ALMOST TOUCH I E THE hCARRYING ANGLE v &EMALE ATHLETES OFTEN SHOW A MORE PRONOUNCED CARRYING ANGLE AND MAY EASILY TOUCH THEIR ELBOWS AND THE LENGTH OF THEIR FOREARMS

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)N THIS POSITION WITH FINGERS FORWARD THE BEND OF THE ELBOWS ON HAND CONTACT DOES NOT REDUCE HYPEREXTENSION OF THE WRIST )N FACT HYPEREXTENSION OF THE WRIST MAY BE ENCOURAGED BY THIS POSITION 7HILE THERE CAN BE CONSIDERABLE VARIATION IN THE MAGNITUDE OF CARRYING ANGLES AMONG INDIVIDUALS THE RESULT OF THE CARRYING ANGLE IS THAT FEMALES AGAIN ON AVERAGE ARE AT A GREATER RISK OF ELBOW INJURY BECAUSE OF THEIR ELBOW STRUCTURE THAN MALES 4HIS PROBLEM OFTEN BECOMES APPARENT WHEN A GYMNAST FALLS ON AN OUTSTRETCHED ARM USUALLY WHILE FALLING BACKWARD 0OTENTIAL FOR )NJURY 0REVENTION "Y TURNING THE HANDS hIN v THE GYMNASTS PARTICULARLY FEMALES CAN REDUCE THE PROBLEM OF INJURING AN ELBOW DUE TO THE CARRYING ANGLE AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE WRIST BY REDUCING WRIST HYPEREXTENSION (YPEREXTENSION OF THE WRIST HAS BEEN LINKED TO AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF WRIST INJURY 4HE BASIC IDEA IS THAT BY TURNING THE FINGERS IN SLIGHTLY THE GYMNAST S ELBOWS ARE SIMPLY MORE LIKELY TO BEND 4HIS MAY SEEM COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BUT THE ELBOW BEND DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PRONOUNCED 4HE MAJOR POINT IS THAT THE ELBOWS CAN BEND IF THE GYMNAST LANDS hSHORTv OR UNDERROTATED )N ORDER TO VISUALIZE THE CONTRAST &IGURES AND SHOW A hSHORTv IMPACT ON A GYMNAST WITH TWO HAND POSITIONS FINGERS FORWARD AND FINGERS TURNED INWARD

4HE ANATOMICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE HAND POSITION IN THE BACK HANDSPRING SHOW THAT TURNING THE HANDS hINv SLIGHTLY RESULTS IN REDUCTION OF IMPACT FORCES ON THE ELBOW DUE TO MORE EASILY ALLOWING THE ELBOWS TO BEND -OREOVER BY TURNING THE HANDS IN SLIGHTLY THE ABILITY TO BEND THE ELBOWS ON A SHORT LANDING HELPS PROTECT THE WRIST BY MOVING THE WRIST AWAY FROM EXTREME HYPEREXTENSION 4HIS IS ACCOMPLISHED WHEN THE FOREARMS MOVE CLOSER TO THE FLOOR BY PERMITTING ELBOWS TO BEND ON HAND IMPACT

ย ย Vย ร ร ย ย ย "OTH MECHANICAL AND ANATOMICAL INFORMATION SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT THE BEST POSITION FOR THE HANDS DURING A BACK HANDSPRING IS SLIGHTLY TURNED IN 2ESEARCH INTO THE MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF HAND POSITION IN THE BACK HANDSPRING HAVE SHOWN THAT TURNING THE HANDS IN RESULTS IN A HIGHER CENTER OF MASS ON TAKE OFF FROM THE FEET WHEN COMPARED TO A FINGERS FORWARD OR FINGERS SIDEWARD POSITION 4HIS TRANSLATES TO A BETTER hSNAP DOWNv AND A MORE EFFECTIVE RISE OF THE TORSO DURING THE TAKE OFF !NATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS ALTHOUGH PERHAPS HARDER TO VISUALIZE SHOW THAT BY TURNING THE HANDS IN THE ELBOWS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BEND DURING A hSHORTv LANDING ON THE HANDS 4HE ELBOW BEND TAKES THE FOREARMS AWAY FROM THE HYPEREXTENSION POSITION OF THE WRISTS AND THUS HELPS PROTECT THE WRISTS FROM EXTREME HYPEREXTENSION

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&IGURE .OTE THAT IN THIS POSITION AS THE GYMNAST S ELBOWS BEND THE FOREARM MOVES CLOSER TO THE FLOOR AND THE WRIST MOVES AWAY FROM HYPEREXTENSION TOWARD A STRAIGHTER WRIST FOREARM POSITION 4HIS TAKES PRESSURE OFF OF THE EXTREME HYPEREXTENSION POSITION OF THE WRIST OFTEN ENCOUNTERED BY GYMNASTS WHEN LEARNING THE BACK HANDSPRING

"OSCO *3 4HE EFFECTS OF GYMNASTICS ON VARIOUS PHYSICAL FITNESS COMPONENTS ! REVIEW )NTERNATIONAL 'YMNAST $I&IORI *0 0UFFER *# -ANDELBAUM "2 -AR 3 &ACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH WRIST PAIN IN THE YOUNG GYMNAST !MERICAN *OURNAL OF 3PORTS -EDICINE +OH 4* 'RABINER -$ 7EIKER '' 4ECHNIQUE AND GROUND REACTION FORCES IN THE BACK HANDSPRING !MERICAN *OURNAL OF 3PORTS -EDICINE -ANDELBAUM "2 'RANT 44 .ICHOLS !7 7RIST PAIN IN A GYMNAST 4HE 0HYSICIAN AND 3PORTSMEDICINE 2ICARD -$ 6EATCH 3 #OMPARISON OF IMPACT FORCES IN HIGH AND LOW IMPACT AEROBIC DANCE MOVEMENTS )NTERNATIONAL *OURNAL OF 3PORT "IOMECHANICS 3ANDS " #OACHING WOMEN S GYMNASTICS #HAMPAIGN ), (UMAN +INETICS 9UEN '% 4HE BACK HANDSPRING COMPARISON OF KINEMATIC VARIABLES OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY FOLLOWING THREE DIFFERENT HAND PLACEMENTS 53'& 3PORT 3CIENCE #ONGRESS 0ROCEEDINGS 3EP

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USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Enhancing Flexibility in Gymnastics

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Enhancing Flexibility in Gymnastics 1999 John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships - Women By Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. USA Gymnastics Director of Research and Development Vice Chair Research - US Elite Coaches Association for Women's Gymnastics By Jeni R. McNeal, MS, CSCS Department of Exercise and Sport Science University of Utah Most gymnastics coaches would agree that flexibility is an essential aspect of gymnastics training and performance. Flexibility is frequently included in talent identification and screening measures for gymnasts, divers, and dancers (2, 10, 11, 16, 20, 21). In spite of a fairly universal recognition of the need for flexibility in gymnastics, surprisingly little research has been done on enhancing flexibility among elite performers. The simple answer to how one develops flexibility (i.e., range of motion) is to stretch. However, the problem of increasing flexibility to enhance gymnastics performance may be more complicated. Clearly, because the rules of assessment in gymnastics performance call for deductions when a gymnast cannot achieve a specific position, the role of flexibility training to achieve certain positions is important (13). Some years ago, Dr. Gerald George provided a thought-provoking lecture regarding the expression of strength and flexibility, starting with these characteristics as separate and finally showing that they were conceptually very similar. That range of motion is dependent on both strength and flexibility is commonly understood, but how to train both qualities for the elite gymnast in particular, has not been well researched. Interestingly, stretching activities of various types may be the single exercise activity in gymnastics that consumes the greatest percentage of conditioning time. In spite of this, our gymnasts are often viewed as being inflexible when evaluated by the National Coaching Staff and judges. Training elite gymnasts with regard to flexibility proves problematic for at least two reasons. First, highly trained athletes are usually near their performance ceiling in many physical abilities (ceiling effect), and therefore are unable to show consistent improvement of large magnitude. Second, flexibility training has consisted almost exclusively of stretching exercises with little attention devoted to strengthening the prime movers in the extreme ranges of motion (one dimensional thinking). Perhaps only proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques (PNF) have found much of a following in elite gymnastics training (1, 14, 15). The research literature on flexibility has offered paradoxical results when compared to typical coaching understanding of flexibility. For example, Russell (18) compared six methods of stretching and found that passive stretching approaches were superior to active stretching approaches in increasing hip flexion range of motion. Another study by Cornelius and Hayes (3) showed that when using PNF techniques, multiple maximal contractions at the extreme range of motion were not better than a single contraction. Hutton showed that much of the current understanding of the neuromuscular activity during stretching (i.e., PNF) was poorly understood or simply incorrect (12). In a comparison of pelvic position and static versus PNF stretching techniques, Sullivan, et al., found that pelvic position was more important than the stretching technique in improving hamstring flexibility. Our current simple understanding of "flexibility" as the range of motion of a joint, or a related series of

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joints, may be misguided and betray a more complex mechanism (7-9). The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a ballistic stretching/strengthening approach would improve already highly trained gymnasts' split leap leg positions. A simple split leap was chosen due to its fundamental nature and the fact that gymnasts rarely do a simple split leap in their typical routine training. The split leap served as a skill that all gymnasts had performed in the past, but suitably novel that improvement could still be possible. Through the cooperation of seven gymnasts at the Olympus School of Gymnastics and their head coach, we undertook a training study using Theraband(tm) elastic strips. The gymnasts were all Level 10 and Elite gymnasts currently training approximately 25-30 hours per week. The training lasted one month. The athletes were in the combination preparation stage of their yearly periodized program (19, 22, 25). The elastic bands consisted of the black commercially available Theraband strips. Each strip was approximately 5 ft, 6 inches in length (167 cm) and was cut from a standard commerical roll. (Theraband strips can be purchased at a Medical Supply store or ask an athletic trainer to help you find it.) Black Theraband represents the second stiffest Theraband. We attempted all the other colors of Theraband before settling on black. The other colors (representative of their varying stiffness) appeared to be too easily stretched to provide the gymnast with sufficient stimuli for strengthening the hip muscles. We used trial and error to determine that black was the appropriate resistance. The next higher resistance Theraband (Gray), would also be appropriate in later stages of training and for those athletes already strong in the extreme ranges of motion. After cutting the Theraband, double knots were tied in each end forming a small loop for the athlete's foot to enter. The loop was small so that the fit was snug to the gymnast's ankle. The small loop helped prevent the Theraband from sliding up the gymnast's leg while performing the stretching exercises. The gymnast placed a loop of the Theraband around each ankle. Following placement of the Theraband, the gymnast performed the following movements on both legs: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Kicks forward Kicks sideward Kicks rearward Straddle jumps Split jumps

The gymnasts began with 5 repetitions per set and 3 sets. The number of repetitions gradually increased to 15 repetitions per set for 3 sets. The increasing number of repetitions per set was spread over the four week training period. We were initially concerned about potential hip flexor or other groin injuries and chose to cautiously proceed. The exercises were performed at the end of practice approximately daily, with a few exceptions due to individual and program schedules. The athletes were encouraged to "kick" rather than "lift" their leg, maintain good form and alignment, and maximize their effort during the kick -trying to kick as high as possible. The evaluations of the split leaps were done by video recording the leaps from the side with an 8mm camcorder. The gymnasts performed three trials of split leaps using both strong-side and weak-side leaps. The gymnasts were assessed in a pre-test, post-test format. The video tapes were analyzed by first converting them to computer video files (.AVI), and then digitizing the split leap angle drawn from forward knee to the forward leg hip joint center to

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the rearward knee. Knees were chosen as the angle end points due to some athletes bending their knees during the pre-test evaluation. The angle midpoint (forward leg, hip joint center) was chosen to maintain consistency and due to familiarity with this position via previous digitizing experience. On completing the angle digitization, the computer software (NEAT Systems, Inc.) automatically displayed the angle of the two digitized lines.

Results and Discussion Analysis of the data from the digitized split leaps began by determining reliability of the trials data. Each gymnast performed three test trials on each side. Because the gymnasts' performances were likely to vary somewhat, it was important to determine an "average" or "overall" performance level for further data analysis (6). Cronbach's alpha statistic was calculated on the three trials for each condition: pre-test strong-side, pre-test weak-side, posttest strong-side, and post-test weak-side. The resulting coefficients ranged from alpha=.84 to alpha=.98 indicating good to excellent reliability or "stability" across the trials (5). The statistical procedure, analysis of variance (ANOVA), was also calculated on the trials data to determine if there were any differences between trials that might reflect a learning or fatigue effect. None of the ANOVAs were statistically significant indicating that none of the trials were uniformly unusual. The trials data was then summarized by calculating the average of the three trials for further data analysis. In order to determine if there was a difference between the pre-test and post-test measures, or a difference between strong-side and weak-side, or a more complicated result indicating that the results depended on whether one was referring to the pre- or post-test, or the strong- or weak-side, a repeated measures (2x2) ANOVA was used as the statistical test. Repeated measures means that the comparison involved the same people doing the same thing at each testing. The 2x2 information means that there were two levels of "sides"-strong and weak, and two levels of test-pre-test and post-test. The results of the ANOVA calculations showed that the gymnasts improved from pre-test to post-test (F(1)=14.589, p=.009 eta2=.709), and that their strong-side was better than their weak-side (F(1)=20.055, p=.004, eta2=.77). There was no statistically significant interaction. Figure 1 (right) shows the average and standard deviation information. The improvements were approximately 3.9% for the strong-side, and 3.4% for the weak-side. Note the range of motion improvement during the split leap on both strong side and weak side. The amount of improvement was similar regardless of side. The average difference between conditions was approximately 6 degrees.

Figure 2. The images (left) show a split at 165 degrees on the left and 170 degrees on the right. The average difference in performance between pre-test and post-test on

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Enhancing Flexibility in Gymnastics

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the strong side was slightly more than 6 degrees.

The results of this study showed that split leap range of motion can be improved. Although no control group was used due to a perceived ethical problem of withholding a useful technique from teammates, it is clear that these gymnasts have been stretching diligently for several years with only modest improvement, if any. The lack of a control group (which would have tested but not participated in the Theraband stretching) results in an inability to state with certainty the cause of the enhanced split leap performances. However, the causeeffect relationship is strengthened by the temporal ordering of events and the novel nature of the split leap. Subjective observation showed that these athletes demonstrated dramatic improvement in split leaps, kicks, straddle jumps and similar skills. Perhaps the most obvious observation of improvement came on balance beam where the different shape-jumps demonstrated dramatic increases in leg height and amplitude. Although a three to four percent improvement in performance might be considered small, among elite athletes such an improvement is large. A 3.5 percent difference at the most recent World Gymnastics Championships was the difference between 1st and 20th place in the women's all-around (4, 17, 23, 24). Figure 2 shows two images representative of increasing the angle of the split leap by 5 degrees. Further research needs to be performed with an adequate control group. A four week training period is rather short, therefore a longer training program is warranted and the gymnastics groups could be expanded to include less highly trained gymnasts. Acknowledgement: The authors would like to express their appreciation to Mary Wright and the gymnasts at Olympus Gymnastics in Salt Lake City for their kind participation in this effort.

References 1. Bloomfield, J., and G. Wilson. Flexibility in sport. In: Training in sport, edited by B. Elliott. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1998, p. 239-285. 2. Brodie, D. A., and J. Royce. Developing flexibility during childhood and adolescence. In: Pediatric anaerobic performance, edited by E. Van Praagh. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1998, p. 65-93. 3. Cornelius, W. L., and K. K. Hayes. A comparison of single vs repeated MVIC maneuvers used in PNF flexibility techniques for improvement in ROM. J. App. Sport Sci. Res. 1(4): 71-73,1987. 4. Frederick, E. C. In search of the asymptote: Projecting the limits of human performance. I.J.S.B. 2: 15,1986. 5. George, D., and P. Mallery. SPSS/PC+ step by step: A simple guide and reference. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 1995. 6. Henry, F. M. "Best" versus "Average" individual scores. Res. Quar. 38(2): 317-320,1967. 7. Holt, J., L. E. Holt, and T. W. Pelham. Flexibility redefined. In: Proceedings XIII International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports, edited by T. Bauer. Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia: International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, 1995, p. 170-174. 8. Holt, J., L. E. Holt, and T. W. Pelham. What research tells us about flexibility - I. In: Proceedings XIII International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports, edited by T. Bauer. Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia: International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, 1995, p. 175-179. 9. Holt, J., L. E. Holt, and T. W. Pelham. What research tells us about flexibility - II. In: Proceedings XIII

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Enhancing Flexibility in Gymnastics

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

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International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports, edited by T. Bauer. Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia: International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, 1995, p. 180-183. Hubley, C. Testing flexibility. In: Physiological testing of the elite athlete, edited by J. D. MacDougall, Wenger, H. A., and Green, H. J. Ithaca, NY: Mouvement Publications, 1982, p. 117-132. Hubley-Kozey, C. L. Testing flexibility. In: Physiological testing of the high-performance athlete, 2nd ed., edited by J. Duncan MacDougall, Wenger, H. A., and Green, H. J. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1991, p. 309-359. Hutton, R. S. Neuromuscular basis of stretching exercises. In: Strength and power in sport, edited by P. V. Komi. Oxford, England: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1992, p. 29-38. International Gymnastics Federation. 1997-2000 Code of Points Women's Artistic Gymnastics. Indianapolis, IN: International Gymnastics Federation, 1997. Lustig, S. A., T. E. Ball, and M. Looney. A comparison of two proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques for improving range of motion and muscular strength. Isokinet. and Exer. Sci. 2 (4): 154-159,1992. McAtee, R. E. Facilitated stretching. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1993. O'Brien, R. Preliminary talent identification test development: Physical performance measures of Junior Olympic Divers. In: U.S. Diving Sport Science Seminar 1993 Proceedings, edited by R. Malina, and Gabriel, J. L. Indianapolis, IN: U.S. Diving Publications, 1993, p. 17-25. Portnov, G. What do figures tell us? Mod. Athl. Coach 33(2): 36-39,1995. Russell, K. Comparison of six methods of stretching on the passive range of hip flexion. International Congress of Sports Sciences July 25-29: 70,1978. Sands, W. A. National women's tracking program pt. 2 - response. Technique 10: 23-27,1990. Sands, W. A. Physical readiness. In: USGF gymnastics safety manual, 2nd ed., edited by G. S. George. Indianapolis, IN: U.S. Gymnastics Federation, 1990, p. 63-68. Sands, W. A. Physical abilities profiles - 1993 national TOPs testing. In: 1994 Congress, USA Gymnastics Proceedings Book, edited by S. Whitlock. Indianapolis, IN: USA Gymnastics, 1994, p. 2934. Sands, W. A., R. C. Irvin, and J. A. Major. Women's gymnastics: The time course of fitness acquisition. A 1-year study. J. Str. and Cond. Res. 9(2): 110-115,1995. Shephard, R. J. What can the applied physiologist predict from his data? J. Sports Med. 20: 297308,1980. Simpson, H. W., and A. W. Pauson. A method for the statistical prediction of athletic performance. In: Sports science, edited by J. Watkins, Reilly, T., and Burwitz, L. London, England: E. & F.N. Spon, 1986, p. 357-362. Ukran, M. L., V. S. Cheburaev, and L. K. Antonov. Scientific work in the U.S.S.R. gymnastics team. Yessis Rev. Soviet Phys. Ed. and Sprts. 5(1): 1-6,1970.

This article appears in the May 2000 issue of Technique, Vol. 20, No. 5.

Function vs. Pain. When to stop and take a look. "Y 2ALPH 2EIFF - %D ,!4 !4# $IRECTOR 3T 6INCENT 3PORTS 0ERFORMANCE )NDIANAPOLIS )NDIANA

raining of the gymnast rightly occupies the majority of time involvement in the sport of gymnastics. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;father of athlete trainingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S.E. "ILIK -$ IN HIS FIRST EDITION OF THE 4RAINERS Bible states that physical training is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;to put the body with extreme and exceptional care under the influence of all the agents which promote its health and strength, in order to enable it to meet extreme and exceptional demands.â&#x20AC;? 0HYSICAL TRAINING REQUIRES TIME TO LEARN TECHNIQUE create repetitions that are correct and allow for the development of a neuromuscular memory pattern that allows for fluid functional performance. The trained eye of the masterful coach can identify proper form, posture AND MOVEMENT #RITICALLY IT IS ALSO THIS SAME @EYE THAT WILL identify the most telling and critical factor in determining the presence of a physical barrier that precipitates an injury or is the symptom of an injury. Training consistency is critical to technique development as well as mental health and a feeling of progress and inclusion in the program. As such each athlete, parent and coach encourages the athlete to follow an intense training regimen. In the gyms across America our gymnasts push themselves and appropriately are encouraged by coaches to meet new standards of personal development. In the training process of obtaining new levels the body reacts with sensations of muscle soreness, muscle and structural fatigue and some level of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;injury.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Injury by definition is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;damage, wound, trauma.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; By my definition injury is any intrusion into the normal function of the human body which precludes normal performance. It is my experience that every gymnast either has been injured, is injured or will become injured; therefore, having a process to delineate the actual status of an athlete is important. THE ISSUE The question being asked in every gym and home in America regarding training and competition is how to manage the gymnast who experiences injury. Knowing that pain is part of the injury process we have allowed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;painâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to be the telling guide of when to stop or alter THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY 0AIN AS A GENERAL INDICATOR FOR ALL individuals is an unfair assessment. While it is perhaps safe to lump all decisions into this category, it should also be noted that pain is an emotion which varies greatly

from person to person. #ULTURE HAS ALSO ALLOWED PAIN TO BECOME A BADGE of honor. The adage of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no pain, no gainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and stories of ATHLETES OVERCOMING PAIN TO ACHIEVE A GOAL 0AIN CAN ALSO be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;faked,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; exaggerated and down played by the athlete. 0AIN BY DEFINITION IS hAN UNPLEASANT SENSORY AN emotional experience associated with, or described in terms of, actual or potential tissue damage.â&#x20AC;? THE GOLDEN RULE In my 30 plus years in sports performance health management the golden rule on when to stop training and evaluate is the loss of normal function in movement. s &UNCTION IS THE MOST ACCURATE INDICATOR OF AN ISSUE THAT needs to be addressed. Any alteration to the normal function of an athlete indicates a root cause effect (injury) to the normal function of a joint or muscle group. Training for professionals in healthcare, specifically certified athletic trainers, for the assessment of an injured athlete is to include the observation of functional movement. It is this element that is inherent to the neuromuscular system that an individual cannot â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hide, alter or fake.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; When pain associated with a loss of normal function ranges from very low to very high the altered function of the athlete is very consistent. Therefore it is an excellent measure of when to address the athlete with questions and seek professional consultation. The most telling outcome of allowing function to be the guide is that the professional health care provider and coaches can work together to identify the actual root cause of the malfunction. THE OUTCOME Establishing a protocol within your gym and a culture among your coaches and parents you can utilize â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;functional movement patternsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as your guide to when to stop the gymnast and evaluate the cause. Seek a healthcare provider in your area that has a functional movement appreciation and works with you to understand how to correct the barriers found in the root cause evaluation. Getting to the root cause of a malfunction will lead to better outcomes for your performers in injury prevention and performance elevation.

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE

J U LY 2 0 0 9

(ANDSTAND

4HE

IS THE

-OST

)MPORTANT

3KILL

"Y +AREN - 'OELLER 'YMNASTICS$RILLS COM

4HE (ANDSTAND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL IN OUR SPORT AND REMAINING TIGHT IS ESSENTIAL 'YMNASTS OF ALL LEVELS PERFORM THE HANDSTAND SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THEIR WORKOUT 7HILE PERFORMING MANY SKILLS IN GYMNASTICS THE GYMNAST MUST ACTUALLY PASS THROUGH THE HANDSTAND OR VERTICAL PHASE SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY 7ITHOUT A GOOD HANDSTAND A GYMNAST MAY HAVE TROUBLE BUILDING SKILLS AND THEREFORE PROGRESSING THROUGH THE SPORTS MANY LEVELS SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY

4HE HANDSTAND INVOLVES SO MANY MUSCLE GROUPS WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY AND IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT FOR THE NEW GYMNAST TO FULLY MASTER THE HANDSTAND PRIOR TO BEING EXPECTED TO PERFORM EVEN MORE DIFFICULT SKILLS /FTEN TIMES THE ENTHUSIASM LEVEL IN MANY GYMNASTICS CLUBS DRIVES THE COACHES AND ATHLETES TO MOVE ON TO MORE DIFFICULT SKILLS PRIOR TO THE MASTERY OF THOSE ALREADY INTRODUCED SUCH AS THE HANDSTAND !ND ALL TOO OFTEN THE NEW GYMNAST HAS TROUBLE KEEPING THEIR ABDOMINAL SECTION TIGHT OR THEIR LOWER BACK IN THE CORRECT POSITION BECAUSE THE FOCUS HAS CHANGED AWAY FROM THE HANDSTAND AND ONTO DIFFERENT SKILLS (ERE ARE SOME DRILLS THAT SHOULD HELP YOUR GYMNAST LEARN TO PULL IN THEIR LOWER ABDOMINAL SECTION WHILE ELONGATING THEIR LOWER BACK FOR A MORE STRAIGHT AND TIGHT HANDSTAND POSITION

Photograph Â© Steve Lange

"ELLY "UTTON ,IFT (AVE YOUR GYMNAST LIE ON THEIR STOMACH FACE DOWN (AVE THEM PLACE THEIR ARMS UP BY THEIR EARS KEEPING THEIR ARMS STRAIGHT AND HANDS PALMS ON THE FLOOR )NSTRUCT YOUR GYMNAST TO KEEP EVERYTHING ON THE FLOOR INCLUDING THEIR HANDS PALMS ARMS CHIN ARMPITS CHEST HIPS THIGHS AND POINTED FEET /NCE YOUR GYMNAST IS COMPLETELY FLAT INSTRUCT THEM TO LIFT THEIR BELLY BUTTON OFF THE FLOOR LEAVING EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE FLOOR 2EMIND YOUR GYMNAST AGAIN TO KEEP THEIR HANDS PALMS ARMPITS CHEST HIPS THIGHS AND FEET DOWN WHILE THEY LIFT THEIR BELLY BUTTON UP /NCE YOUR GYMNAST LIFTS THEIR BELLY BUTTON YOU SHOULD SEE THEIR LOWER BACK ELONGATE INTO THE CORRECT POSITION FOR A HANDSTAND 4HEIR BUTTOCKS SHOULD BE UNDER ONCE THEIR BELLY BUTTON IS LIFTED OFF THE FLOOR 9OUR GYMNAST HAS JUST BEGUN TO LEARN THE hPELVIC TILT v (AVE YOUR GYMNAST RELAX AND THEN REPEAT THIS DRILL WITH ENOUGH FREQUENCY SO THAT THEY COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HOW TO PULL IN THEIR BELLY BUTTON AND ELONGATE THEIR LOWER BACK -AKE SURE YOUR GYMNAST KEEPS EVERYTHING ON THE FLOOR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BELLY BUTTON AREA ONCE LIFTED

4%#(.)15% â&#x20AC;¢ 3%04 /#4

Photograph Â© Steve Lange

!NOTHER DRILL TO HELP YOUR GYMNAST UNDERSTAND HANDSTAND SHAPE IS THE /CTAGON 4UCK (AVE YOUR GYMNAST STAND IN FRONT OF AN OCTAGON OR BARREL TYPE MAT )NSTRUCT THEM TO STAND WITH THEIR BACK TO THE OCTAGON .EXT HAVE YOUR GYMNAST PLACE THEIR HANDS ON THE FLOOR AND THEN ONE SHIN AT A TIME ON THE OCTAGON 9OUR GYMNAST SHOULD NOW BE IN A HAND SUPPORT WITH THEIR SHINS ON THE OCTAGON 9OUR GYMNAST S LEGS HIPS AND CHEST SHOULD BE OFF THE FLOOR .EXT INSTRUCT YOUR GYMNAST TO START WITH THEIR BODY LEGS AND ARMS STRAIGHT /NCE YOUR GYMNAST IS COMPLETELY STRAIGHT WITH THEIR SHINS ON THE OCTAGON INSTRUCT THEM TO SQUEEZE THEIR BUTTOCKS AND TO PULL THEIR BELLY BUTTON IN JUST AS IF THEY WERE PERFORMING THE "ELLY "UTTON ,IFT 9OU SHOULD SEE THEIR LOWER BACK ELONGATE INTO THE CORRECT POSITION FOR A HANDSTAND .EXT INSTRUCT YOUR GYMNAST TO PUSH DOWN ON THE FLOOR SO THAT THE PORTION OF THEIR BACK BETWEEN THEIR SHOULDER BLADES RISES TOWARDS THE CEILING 9OUR GYMNAST WILL NEED TO LEARN THE SHOULDER SHRUG FOR THE HANDSTAND AS WELL AS FOR MANY OTHER SKILLS IN THE FUTURE 9OUR GYMNAST HAS JUST PERFORMED THE hPELVIC TILTv AND WILL NOW BE EXPECTED TO HOLD THE PELVIC TILT SHAPE WHILE IN MOTION /NCE IN THE CORRECT SHAPE INSTRUCT YOUR GYMNAST TO SLOWLY TUCK THEIR KNEES IN TOWARD THEIR CHEST KEEPING THAT ROUNDED SHAPE THEIR HANDS IN ONE PLACE THEIR ARMS STRAIGHT AND THEIR UPPER BODY STATIONARY .EXT INSTRUCT YOUR GYMNAST TO KEEP THE ROUNDED SHAPE AND TO OPEN THEIR HIPS AND KNEES AGAIN 9OUR GYMNAST MUST KEEP THE ELONGATED LOWER BACK PELVIC TILT AS THEY ARE OPENING THEIR HIPS AND AFTER THEY HAVE COMPLETELY OPENED THEIR HIPS (AVE YOUR GYMNAST REPEAT THIS DRILL FREQUENTLY ENOUGH SO THEY COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HOW TO KEEP THE ELONGATED LOWER BACK WHILE TUCKING AND THEN OPENING THEIR HIPS AGAIN 9OU CAN HAVE YOUR GYMNAST PERFORM THIS DRILL ON OCTAGONS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND THEN IN THE HANDSTAND FOR A MORE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING ON HOW TO ELONGATE THEIR LOWER BACK AND KEEP THAT SHAPE

2EMEMBER THE GYMNAST SHOULD FIRST LEARN HOW TO GET TIGHT FORM THE CORRECT SHAPE AND HOLD THE TIGHT SHAPE LYING DOWN OR STAND UP BEFORE WE CAN EXPECT THEM TO DO SO SAFELY UPSIDE DOWN OR WHILE IN MOTION 4AKE IT SLOW AND BE SURE TO PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL THE HANDSTAND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL IN THE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS

4%#(.)15% â&#x20AC;¢ 3%04 /#4

This article discusses the lumbopelvic hip area and will review the anatomy and the functional relationships of the musculature. The article also describes stretches and exercises to address the problems described in the lumbopelvic hip area.

he lumbopelvic hip area consists of the lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip joints. The major muscles include the low back, abdominals, gluteals, and hip flexors. Optimal strength and flexibility are required for all parts to function efficiently and harmoniously in an effort to complete a task. Compensation patterns and faulty movement occur as a result of flexibility deficits and muscle imbalances. This in turn leads to decreased performance and increased risk of injury. The hip flexors, calves, hamstrings and chest muscles are most prone to tightness simply due to the patterns of daily living. For example: sleeping in the fetal position 6-8 hours per night, sitting in school all day, driving, sitting to read, eat, study, etc. Not to mention fatigue and over training. The human body is very adaptable and efficient. When flexibility deficits or muscle imbalances are present, the system cannot operate efficiently. But the body will find a way (compensate) to get the job done. For example; when the hip flexors are tight, the gymnast will not be able to fully extend the hip and will compensate by increasing extension through the low back. Over time this can lead to low back pain and stress fractures.

back increases which puts increased stress on the joints. This stress coupled with the repetitive back bending and twisting can lead to pain and stress fractures. Also, any time you need to extend through the hip (move the hip forward or the leg backward), the tightness in the hip flexor will not allow it and guess where you will get the extension…that is right, through the low back. When the pelvis tilts forward it increases tension in the hamstrings by causing them to lengthen. This creates a higher risk of hamstring strains and contributes to weakness/ decreased control of the abdominals. Ultimately leading to poor trunk control. An interesting neurological phenomenon occurs as a result of muscle tightness. It is called reciprocal inhibition. Simply stated, it means that if a major muscle is tight it will inhibit the muscle that opposes it. In our example, when the hip flexor is tight it will limit the gluteus maximus muscles function. That would mean the gluteals ability to powerfully extend the hip (take off, jumping), absorb shock upon landing, and control motion of the entire lower extremity, especially rotation would be diminished. You can imagine the performance and injury risks this poses to the athlete. Tightness in the low back will inhibit the deep abdominal muscles that are important for trunk and lumbar stability.

Many female gymnasts are observed to have an increased curvature of the low back, a pelvis that tilts forward and a lengthened abdominal area. Let’s look at the functional relationships of this posture and discuss how this can lead to a myriad of movement/ performance problems.

So, not only does tightness lead to compensation but also interferes with strength. For example, when doing a split leap, the front leg is at risk for a hamstring strain because it is tight from the anteriorly tilted pelvis and it will be very difficult to get the fully extended position of the back leg/ hip due to tightness of the hip flexor.

An anteriorly tilted pelvis is usually associated with tight hip flexors, weak abdominals, tight low back muscles, tight hamstrings and weak gluteals. Tight hip flexors will pull the pelvis forward. As a result, the curve in the low 6

T ECH N I Q U E • MAY 2004

What we will present here are a few examples of how to stretch muscles dynamically in all three planes of motion to better prepare a muscle to move in those planes and complete a skill such a back hand spring without unwanted compensations that could lead to injury. The benefits of dynamic stretching include increased neurophysiologic input to the system which enhances its ability to perform a task or series of tasks and maintain flexibility. This is because the muscle and the joint are getting stimulated similarly to the activity taking into account momentum, gravity and ground reaction forces in three planes. These are the things that turn on and drive the muscles.

Ca lf Stretch Figure A

USA GYMNASTICS PHOTOGRAPHY ÂŠ STEVE LANGE

Lean forward onto wall keeping back heel on ground until stretch is felt. Arms should be shoulder height or higher. Bring front knee/ hip high into flexed position. Rotate body from side to side in controlled manner 20-30 times. Repeat 3-5 sets.

With proper stretching and strengthening many of the above mentioned problems can be avoided and proper muscle activation and control can be achieved. With gymnastics requiring a combination of flexibility, strength, power and balance/ control; it is important to recognize the functional relationships and devise exercise strategies that are effective in optimizing performance and minimizing injury.

Figure A

Additionally, the gymnasts will have decreased strength to push off the ground to get airborne and the gluteus maximus will not have the strength (reciprocal inhibition from the tight hip flexor) to extend the hip by pulling the leg back. The gymnast will most likely compensate by extending through the low back, not to mention hurry to get her feet back on the ground due to lack of height off the ground from a diminished push off. One more thing, while we are on the subject; tightness in the hip flexor will limit maximum extension of the hip while jumping in which the body will compensate, often by hyper extending the knees thereby leading to patellar tendonitis and knee pain. Keep in mind there are just a few examples relating to the hip/ pelvis that can lead to compensation, injury and poor performance.

Hip Flex or Stretch Figure B Place front foot on block. Back leg should be straight and turned in. Reach arms high overhead and back. Once stretch is felt in upper thigh/ hip, gently side bend (towards forward leg side) and return 2030 times. Repeat 3-5 sets.

Hopefully, this article shows how one tight muscle can lead to a series of compensations and altered muscle firing patterns that effect strength and control around the hip/ pelvis area. Now we will focus on a few flexibility and muscle activation exercises to address the problems identified above.

Figure B

Initially, once a muscle tightness is identified it should be stretched utilizing the "traditional" static stretches. Paying close attention to posture and form to ensure the appropriate area is being stretched. Unfortunately this is the only way many continue to stretch. The next step should be to incorporate dynamic multi plane flexibility exercises. Knowing that gymnastics requires dynamic movement in all three planes of motion simultaneously, a question to ask is why do we only do static stretching that is isolated to one plane of motion? Yes, it can increase flexibility, but is it the best way to improve, maintain and carry over flexibility to performance? Maybe not.

(continued on page8) T ECH N I Q U E â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 2004

Rectus Femoris Stretch Figure C Place back leg behind on block or chair and position front leg under the body in stable position. Bend front leg to get desired stretch on anterior thigh/ hip of back leg. Place arms behind head with body upright or reach up overhead. Gently rotate body from side to side in controlled manner 20-30 times. Repeat 3-5 sets.

Allowing opposite knee to be lifted can decrease stress in low back. Keep in comfortable/ controllable range. When mastered can add small weights in hands. 12-15 reps for 3-5 sets.

Figure E

Figure C

Tra nsverse Abdomina l Activa tion Ex ercise Figure D Lay on back with knees bent. Pull belly button in towards spine (drawing in) and hold 30 seconds. Do 3-5 sets. Use Styrofoam cup over belly button for visual feedback. Should see cup move downward if done correctly. Can add ball squeeze between knees to increase pelvic floor strength/ activity. Progress to all fours and tall kneel.

Again, these are just a few examples but hopefully provide an introduction to the concept of dynamic stretching and peak your interest to investigate further.

REFERENCES Janda V. Muscle strength in relation to muscle length, pain and muscle imbalance. In Harms-Rindahl K. editor. Muscle Strength, New York: Churchill Livingston; 1993. Janda V. On the concept of postural muscles and posture in man. Aust J Physiother 1983; 29(3):83-4. Janda V. Muscle function testing. London: Butterworths; 1983. Clark MA. Optimum Performance Training. Thousand Oaks, CA. The National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2001. Clark MA. Integrated Flexibility Training. Thousand Oaks, CA. the National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2001.

Figure D

Single Leg Ba la nce w ith O verhea d Posterior Rea ch Figure E Great for balance, functional abdominal and hip training. Stand on one leg with arms overhead. Push hips forward and try to reach backwards as far as able and return without loss of balance. Can toe touch opposite foot if unable to maintain balance. Watch for excessive arch in low back or pain possibly due to tight hip flexor. 8

AUTHOR Chris Kolba MHS PT CSCS Masters Degree in Health Science in Physical Therapy Certified Strength/ Conditioning Specialist Full time physical therapist in sports medicine clinic located in Columbus, OH with 14 years experience Strength and conditioning consultant for Buckeye Gymnastics in Columbus, OH National speaker and lecturer on topics of strength, conditioning and rehabilitation

T ECH N I Q U E â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 2004

ExErcisEs to improvE BalancE By Darrell Barnes, LAT, ATC, CSCS

alance is a fundamental skill needed in gymnastics. It is defined as the ability to control the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center of gravity over its base of support. There are many physiological contributions to balance including: visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive input. Sensory information is processed by the brain and sent back to the muscles. Neuromuscular control is the ability of the muscles to use that information and control the body in all planes of movement. Balance training begins with teaching the athlete to form a stable base with the foot. I use a tripod as an example where the ball of the foot, 5th metatarsal and the heel are my points of contact on the floor (see figure 1). To train the foot to be a stable tripod we begin with an arch raise exercise (Fig. 2). Start with the foot in a relaxed, flat foot position and have the athlete slightly raise the arch by pressing down with the big toe (not toe gripping). The athlete should feel all three points of the tripod pressing into the ground. This will put the arch in a more neutral position and increase neural information to the brain and improve muscular control.

FIG 1 TRIPOD

FIG 2 ARCH RAISE

Once they have a stable tripod, the next step is to teach correct knee, hip, and trunk alignment. Most gymnasts lock the knee out when balancing. Locking the knee is easier, but is not as functional as maintaining a slight bend at the knee and at the hip. The knee should be in line with the second toe and trunk should be neutral, not flat or too rounded. This position increases neuromuscular control and is much more functional (fig 3). The athlete should practice holding this position until they lose balance or become fatigued and unstable. After correct static balance is mastered, then balance training becomes much more fun. Balance progressions can involve many variations but should include dynamic balance in all planes and then

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE

MARCH 2010

FIG 3 CORRECT ALIGNMENT progress to unstable surfaces such as a Dynadisc or Bosu ball. I like to begin with a simple balance squat and reach, squat and lateral leg reach, and then a diagonal leg reach. This allows the athlete to train in all 3 planes of motion (fig 4, 5, 6)

FIG 6 SQUAT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DIAGONAL REACH Adding external resistance such as elastic cords, dumbbells and body blades to balance exercises significantly increases the level of difficulty and allows you to make it a total body exercise (Fig 7). Utilizing stability pads or Bosu balls to provide an unstable surface increases neuromuscular control and is more functional to the gymnasts that must have the ability to stick landings on an unstable exercise mat.

FIG 4 SQUAT AND REACH

FIG 7 RESISTED ROTATION In conclusion, balance training is an essential part of gymnastics skill development. By focusing on a good tripod stance and proper body alignment, balance training becomes a total body exercise. It increases body awareness, increases neuromuscular control, and even helps to decrease injuries. FIG 8 BOSU

FIG 5 SQUAT - LATERAL LEG REACH MARCH 2010

TECHNIQUE

Developing

Internally Motivated

Athletes

By Jason Selk

Jason is a Licensed Psychotherapist and Professional Sports Psychology Consultant. He’s also the Head Men’s Coach at St. Louis Gymnastics Center. Imagine how enjoyable it would be to come to the gym everyday and work with individuals who never missed practice and trained as hard and efficiently as possible. Every correction and assignment you give them they carry out in full. Rarely would you ever make a correction or have to teach the technical execution of a skill twice, and when you did it was only because the athlete did not hear you the first time. Wow, would life be grand. This is what it would be like to have a team of ultra-internally motivated athletes. Most coaches already know there are two types of motivation; internal and external. However, do coaches know that it is the way they administer external motivation that determines the development of internally motivated athletes? Many coaches believe their athletes should be at least as internally motivated as they are, without realizing their responsibility to teach or develop internal motivation. Research suggests that individuals are born with the potential for internal motivation; however, without the proper encouragement the potential will not be fully achieved. It is important to understand both external and internal motivation before trying to teach athletes to become internally motivated. Research identified internally motivated athletes as possessing the following three attributes: 1. They believe they are good at their sport. 2. They have fun while training and competing in their sport. 3. They use goals.

USA GYMNASTICS PHOTOGRAPHY © LARRY GIBSON

The potential for an athlete to believe they are good at what they are doing, having fun in training and competition, and using goals is largely dependent upon the type of external motivation used by the coach. There are two basic types of external mot i vat i on- - aversi ve control and positive control. Aversive control is using punishment or the threat of punishment to motivate individuals to behave a certain way. Positive control emphasizes the rewards or the promise of rewards to motivate 6

behavior change. For example, a coach using aversive control may tell a gymnast he/ she will do 25 push-ups if he/ she does not do the giant swing with straight legs. Whereas the coach using positive control would promise the athlete five minutes of free time if he/ she does the giant swing with straight legs. Researchers have identified positive control as the most effective method of producing positive achievement affect and positive social comparisons which are essentially the variables that contribute to athlete’s perception that he/ she is good at his/ her sport. Additionally the use of rewards or promise of rewards is conducive to creating a fun environment for training. For example, it is much more fun for a gymnast to strive for the learning of a new skill when the coach has made it into a game with potential for rewards rather than learning the new skill to avoid punishment. Aversive control can be an effective motivational strategy if used correctly. As many coaches know, using punishment or the threat of punishment can push an athlete to try harder and even make new skills or refine existing skills. The problem with aversive control is that it has a long-term negative affect on the development of an athlete’s self-esteem and can also damage the coach-athlete relationship. For these two reasons, aversive control in most literature is said to be something to avoid. However, the latest research is providing the coaching community with guidelines of how to use positive control and aversive control together to produce the most internally motivated athletes.

G ui d e li ne s fo r A d m i ni ste r i ng Ex te r na l M o ti v a ti o n

Create a training climate of fun and achievement. • Set up training programs that are centered around competition games and rewards. Be as innovative as possible when coming up with new competition games in practice that help achieve preset training goals. For example, place a new skills chart on the wall in the gym showing that each athlete has 2 new skills on each event to learn. Every time an athlete learns a new skill, his/ her team gets a point; the winning team receives a desirable prize at the end of the competition. • Use a positive coaching technique that emphasizes the following: when an athlete performs a skill, say a specific positive comment on what they did well, give a suggestion of how to improve it next time, then give a general positive comment about what they did well. For instance, I really like how you kept your legs straight on the giant; next time I would like for you to try to keep your head in; all in all that looks really good. This contributes to the athlete’s perception that they are good at what they are doing and motivates the athlete to make the specific correction for future success.

T ECH N I Q U E • MARCH 2004

• Use daily, weekly, and monthly practice and competition goals to give strategic direction and motivation to training and competition. If unsure of how to do this, consult with a Sport Psychology Consultant or a publication of how to set effective goals.

Communicate behavioral expectations and subsequent rewards and consequences. Let each athlete know in advance what behaviors are expected from them and let them know what will happen when they do or do not meet those expectations. Creating a reward and consequence protocol is an effective method of letting athletes know what to expect. For example, a coach may instruct the team that for every new skill learned during practice, the entire team receives five minutes of free time (reward protocol). The coach may also let the team know that missing a turn will result in a warning for the first offense, sitting out 10 minutes for the second offense, and going home from practice early for a third offense (consequence protocol).

Athlete and coach must have congruent evaluations of effort based on behavioral definitions. It is essential that both the coach and athlete agree on whether or not the behavioral expectations are being met. For example, an athlete who is sent home for goofing around will not learn from the experience unless the athlete believes he/ she was goofing around. Never take for granted that your athletes know what you expect unless you have behaviorally defined it for them. Behavioral definitions are concrete, measurable definitions created for abstract terms. For instance, a behavioral definition for effort may be 80% attendance, no more than 10 seconds pass without someone taking a turn, and an athlete always does at least 5 skills in a turn.

USA GYMNASTICS PHOTOGRAPHY © STEVE LANGE

Create an effective balance of positive control and aversive control. The recommendation is to apply 85% positive control and 15% aversive control. Use positive control whenever possible and reserve using aversive control for times when athletes are not giving 100% effort. Use rewards or competition games (positive control) for times when athletes are trying to learn new skills or improve existing skills. Use aversive control when athletes are not following gym or team rules. For example, if an athlete continues to miss turns because he/ she is goofing around, then it is appropriate to use discipline (sitting out for 10 minutes) with the athlete.

No anger yelling or humiliating. It is important for athletes to feel safe and liked in the training environment. One sure way to undermine this is to get angry with or humiliate (especially amateur) athletes. Coaches can exerci se di sci pl i ne without anger yelling or humiliating and still achieve the goal of motivating athletes to change behavi ors. The consequence protocol really helps control the negative energy in the gym but yelling and humiliating reintroduces it very quickly. Try to remember to stay calm and coach/ teach what you would like to see happen next time rather than getting mad about what just happened. Prearranged consequences will be far more effective than making an athlete feel unsafe or disliked.

USA GYMNASTICS PHOTOGRAPHY © STEVE LANGE

Ref rences Gould, D., & Weiss, M.R. (1987). Advances in Pediatric Sport Sciences. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Harter, S. (1980). The development of competence motivation in the mastery of cognitive and physical skills: Is there still a place for joy? In C.H. Nadeau (Eds.), Psychology of Motor Behavior and Sport, (pp. 3-29). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Erlbaum. Harter, S. (1983). The development of the self-system. In M. Hetherington (Eds.), Handbook of Child Psychology: Social and Personality Development, (Vol. 4). New York: Wiley. Harter, S. (1990). Competence motivation theory. In R.H. Cox (Eds.), Sport Psychology: Concepts and Applications,(p. 206). Dubuque, Iowa; Wm. C. Brown. Heyman, G. D. & Dweck, C. S. (1996) Development of motivation. International Encyclopedia of Developmental and Instructional Psychology. 209213. Martin, G.L., & Hyrcaiko, D. (1983). Behavior Modification and Coaching: Principles, Procedures, and Research. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas. Reynolds, D. K. (1994). Motivation. Encyclopedia of Psychology 2, 429-433. Smith, R. E., Smoll, F.L., & Smith, N. J. (1989). Parents’ Complete Guide to Youth Sports. Costa Mesa, California: HDL Publishing Co. Smith, R. E. (1993). A positive approach to enhancing sport performance: Principles of positive reinforcement and performance feedback. In J. M. Williams (Eds.), Applied Sport Psychology (pp.25-36). California: Mayfield Publishing Company. Smoll, F. L. (1993). Enhancing coach-parent relationships in youth sport. In J.M Williams (Eds.), Applied Sport Psychology (pp. 58-68). California: Mayfield Publishing Company. Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Self-efficacy: An essential motive to learn. Contemporary Educational Psychology 25, 82-91.

T ECH N I Q U E • MARCH 2004

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MANAGING ANTERIOR

KNEE PAIN IN GYMNASTICS By Sandy Appel LAT, ATC; Missy Eptein MS, LAT, ATC; Vincent Nittoli MS, LAT, ATC; Stacie Feltz LAT, ATC and Lee Lysiuk MS, LAT, ATC

o you or one of your gymnasts experience knee pain when running, jumping or landing? Is the knee pain centered around the knee cap «>Ìi >®¶ÊÊ ÊÞ ÕÊvii Ê a grinding sensation of the outside part of the knee cap? If one or more of these are true you might be suffering from a condition called patella femoral syndrome, or PFS. In layman’s terms, this means that the patella for which it is known in medical terms, is not moving properly through the groove at the bottom end of the thigh bone (femur). See Fig. 1.

of these factors that causes the PFS. ÊÊÊÊÊ iÌiÀ }ÊÜ V Ê vÊÌ iÃiÊ ÃÃÕiÃÊ>ÀiÊV>ÕÃ }Ê your PFS can be broken down into three easy evaluations. For the VMO, have the gymnast sit with his/her legs straight. The gymnast should point his/her toes towards the ceiling and tighten the thigh muscle (quadriceps muscle). Now feel the VMO. A strong VMO should feel very taut. A good rule of thumb for how taut, is place your thumb and pinky finger together and pinch them together as hard as you can. Now feel the muscle at the base of the thumb. See how that does not give? That is how taut the VMO should be. Now compare both VMOs. Is one bigger than the other? Is one harder to depress than the other? If this is true the athlete may have a weak VMO (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2

Fig. 1 PFS can be caused by a number of different factors. We will focus on the three major factors which cause this condition. The first is weakness in the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) which is the inner most quadriceps muscle. It is the one that makes the tear drop shape just above and to the inside of the patella. The second is tightness in the vastus lateralis or the outer most quadriceps muscle. Lastly, is a weakness in the gluteus medius or the hip muscle that takes the leg away from your body from the mid line. Usually it is more than one

Now evaluate the vastus lateralis or the outside quadriceps muscle (Fig. 3). Have the gymnast lay on his/her side with the affected leg on top. Once he/she is relaxed feel his/her outside quadriceps. You will have to push and feel moving from the top of the outside quadriceps down to the table.

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St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE

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Fig. 3 muscle cause the gymnast discomfort? When the gymnast tries to stretch the quadriceps, does he/ she feel the stretch in the outer part of the muscle first? These are all signs of a tight vastus lateralis. For the final test have the gymnast stand on one leg and squat (Fig. 4). The knee should stay over the foot and should not pass the toes when he/she squats. When he/she squats does his/her knee turn inward? If the knee moves inward past the foot or forward past the toes this is a sign of a weak gluteus medius. Another good sign to test the gluteus medius is to watch the gymnastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landings off of an apparatus. When he/she lands is his/her knees pointed towards one other? If they are, this shows signs of a weak gluteus medius muscle. Now that we have figured out the problem, here are some simple ways to help combat them. For the VMO have the gymnast do a toe out straight leg raise (Fig. 5). Have the athlete sit with the unaffected leg bent and the other straight

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

THESE EXERCISES ARE THE FIRST STEPS ON YOUR WAY TO RECOVERY. with their toes pointed out at 45 degrees from the mid-line. Have the gymnast hug his/ her bent leg. Now ask the gymnast to slowly lift his/her straight leg about 6 inches while keeping his/her knee completely straight. Have him/her count to three and repeat for three sets of 10 repetitions. For the vastus lateralis you will need a foam roller to treat the muscle tightness most effectively (Fig. 6). Lay the foam roller on the ground and have the gymnast lay across it with the outside of his/her knee on the foam roller. Now have the gymnast roll over the roller with it rolling up until it almost reaches his/ her hip. Have the gymnast roll for 60 seconds. This should be done five times. The gymnast can also rotate forward on the roller to involve more of the quadriceps. There are a number of strengthening exercises for the gluteus medius. Beginning with simple exercises such as “clam shells” can greatly benefit the athlete (Fig. 7). To perform the “clam shell” exercise, have the athlete lay on his/her side on a table. The athlete’s spine should be in a neutral position with the knees bent to 90 degrees. Place a theraband around the legs just above the knees. The athlete should keep his/her feet together while “opening” the knees. This movement should be done in a slow and controlled movement. This exercise can be done in three sets of 15 repetitions. Weights can be placed on the top knee to increase the intensity of this exercise. Next we can progress to a single leg step-up with an elastic cord to activate the VMO. This should be done with the knee in line with the toes and the knee should not go forward past the toes (Fig. 8). These exercises are the first steps on your way to recovery. As pain decreases and strength increases the gymnast can return to sport specific skills and conditioning. If things are not improving over a period of two to three weeks, seek the advice of a Certified Athletic Trainer or physician for a more in depth evaluation.

TECHNIQUE

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Fig. 6

Fig. 7 Fig. 8

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Training Leg Swings: Incorporating Leg Swings int... Page 1 of 4

Training Leg Swings: Incorporating Leg Swings into Your Workouts By Tamara Biggs, Women's National Team Coaching Staff and Larry Nassar, D.O., A.T.C. There are many areas in gymnastics to incorporate leg swings, which I like to call leg drives because they should be very dynamic leg kicks, not lifts. Most of the skills done in gymnastics are not slow and holding but fast and dynamic so the leg kicks should simulate the action of the legs during the skills. This also will eliminate some of the unnecessary injuries the athletes incur and make the skills easier to achieve. In this article we'll discuss the many different types of leg swings, where to put them in a workout, and which skills the leg swings relate to. Every gym is different, from the layout to the number of hours of training to the level of athletes and the amount of time and space available during the workout. Use this information to fit your gym and fulfill your athletes' needs. I. The first type of leg swings are most commonly utilized during a warmup. 1. Sit on the ground, leaning back on the elbows with one leg bent and one leg straight out in front. Swing the straight leg very aggressively forward over the head and down, then swing the leg sideways to shoulder and down. This is repeated 4-8 times with good body alignment! (Full range of motion, proper body alignment and speed is a must.) Then repeat with the other leg. 2. Get on the floor on hands and knees with one leg extended straight backward. Drive the leg up as high as the leg can go without arching the back or losing good body alignment; and then drive the leg back down to the floor. Now drive the leg sideways to the shoulder and back down to the floor in back. The stomach should be held tight and the back held flat during the entire exercise. (Later this moves into more advanced leg positions.) This is done 4-8 times on both sides. 3. Lie in a prone position with hips pressed to the floor and stomach in. Drive the legs up and down one at a time very aggressively, 4-8 times each. Then drive the legs at the same time. (More advanced leg swing in this position comes later.)

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Training Leg Swings: Incorporating Leg Swings int... Page 2 of 4

4. Sit on the right hip with the right leg bent and the left leg straight to the side. Swing the left leg all the way forward in front of head and all the way backward as far as possible, keeping the leg straight at first, then bend the leg when it's in back. This is also done 4-8 times. Repeat on each side. 5. Lie on the back with the legs straight out. Perform fast shaping of the legs in a tuck, pike and straddle, shaping to the position very quickly and opening very quickly. Do 5-10 of each shape. First find the correct shape you want to achieve during your tumbling, dance, dismounts and so on before the shapes are done fast. When the athlete gets better and faster, she needs to be on a soft surface or on panel mats so her heels don't hit the ground. It's very important to keep the lower back down on the ground at all times and the ribs in and flat. (Later there are more advanced shaping drills.) 6. Stand up in a pike position with the hands on the floor. Perform one leg kick to a needle scale, (5-10 on each side) with the legs straight, then bend both legs on the way down and straighten on the way up to the needle scale. Repeat in this position 5-10 times. 7. From a stand, step forward on the right foot and kick the left leg over the head. Then step backward on left foot, put hands on floor by left foot, and kick right leg to a needle scale in the back. Stand up and step forward and repeat 4-8 times. Then repeat on other side. 8. Moving across the floor, step forward on the right foot, kick the left foot very fast to full range over the head and bring the leg down just as quickly. Step forward with the left foot and turn a quarter turn to the left and quickly kick the right leg sideways over the head, then bring the right foot down just as fast. Continue to step on the right foot and make another quarter turn to the right and kick the left leg back to arabesque very quickly and as high as possible. Take a step with the left leg and make a quarter turn to the right again to repeat on the other side. Do this all the way across the floor alternating sides. This can also be done on the beam. II. The next leg swing can be done at the ballet bar or at the beam area. 1. Grand battements forward, sideways and backward. These are to be done in the dance positions 1st and 5th. 2. They can be turned out and in parallel position. 3. Leg swings should simulate all leg positions used in gymnastics (ring, attitude, sheep, etc.) 4. Leg swings should be done a) with straight leg swings pushing off the feet; b) straight leg swings with foot free of floor; and c) bent leg swings with foot pushing off the

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Training Leg Swings: Incorporating Leg Swings int... Page 3 of 4

floor. 5. From a stand or kneeling position on one knee on the beam, execute leg swings simulating a leap or jump. III. The next leg swings can be done during the events or anywhere else you can fit them into your workout. 1. Lie in a prone position on a vaulting horse with your legs hanging off. Execute leg kicks from the hanging position up to the height of the horse. Drive the legs up aggressively. Start with a small number and work up to 10, then add tubing to increase the speed and dynamics. 2. Stand on the floor with one foot on a block. Execute very quick knee lifts as you stand up on the block. Repeat 10 times. When this is successfully achieved, jump up off block as knee lifts up and go back down to stand. 3. Stand on the ground with one foot on a block (knee or hip high). Stand up on block and kick other leg to the back at a 90 degree angle (arabesque). 4. Hang on a high bar or a stall bar so the back is kept from swinging. Execute fast leg kicks in a tuck position, pike position and a straddle position. Do 5-10 in a row. 5. Hang on a high bar. Execute very fast leg drives in a split position. Do right side, left side, then switch from right to left. Do 5-10 in a row. Also can be done in a pike, wolf, and ring shape.

Pike

Tuck

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Training Leg Swings: Incorporating Leg Swings int... Page 4 of 4

Straddle

6. Lie on a panel mat on your back so the legs hang off (to prevent heels from hitting the floor). Execute very fast leg drives into a tuck, pike and straddle and back to straight position. Do 5-10 of each shape. When the gymnast can execute this drill easily, then add tubing to increase speed and dynamics. 7. Perform fast leg drives on trampoline or tumble track in all the shapes for leaps and tumbling. (For example, switch leg jumps, tuck kick-out jumps, pike jumps, etc.) Do 5-10 of each shape.

The video entitled, "Incorporating Leg Swings Into Your Workout" item #2127 is available for $20.00 by calling USA Gymnastics Member Services at 1-800-345-4719. This article appears in the August 1998 issue of Technique, Vol. 18, No. 8.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Medicine Ball Drills for Gymnastics

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Medicine Ball Drills for Gymnastics By David J. Ziemba Strength and Conditioning Coach University of Denver

While observing the sport of gymnastics, it becomes evident that the gymnast is a very powerful athlete. A study by Sands et al. (1994) concluded that strength and power are extremely important for the gymnast's performance. The authors went on to recommend that gymnasts concentrate more on peak strength and power rather than anaerobic power and capacity. With this advice to focus on increasing power during physical training, it becomes essential to define power. Brancazio (1984) states that power is the rate of doing work; that is, it takes into account the time required to do a given amount of work. The definition of work is force times distance, hence, power is composed of three components (1) Force; (2) Distance; and (3) Time. In the training milieu, it may be difficult for the coach and athlete to comprehend how force, distance, and time, relate to performance. So converting these terms to understandable training jargon is helpful; force is equal to strength; distance is equal to agility; and time is equal to speed. These terms are more applicable to the coach and athlete, but how they contribute to power may be confusing. A functional definition of power given by Radcliffe (1996) states that in order to be most powerful, you (a) have to possess strength enough to exert optimal amounts of force versus the effects of gravity; (b) have to do so throughout the greatest distance (agility) allowed by your body either pushing or pulling across the torso; and (c) do so in the least amount of time (speed). With this definition, the coach can now select the class of exercises which will ameliorate the ability of the gymnast to display power. Incorporating medicine ball drills into the gymnast's training is an excellent method for increasing both general and specific power. Specific medicine ball drills are those drills which simulate the movement pattern used by the gymnast during a particular gymnastics skill. General medicine ball drills are those drills which stress posture, balance, flexibility, and stability, but may not stimulate the movement patterns used by gymnasts. These general medicine ball drills develop strength and power throughout the torso, laying the foundation for the future use of specific medicine ball drills. This article will define general drills. Three categories of general medicine ball drills include (1) hand-offs; (2) tosses/passes; and (3) throws. Hand-offs are defined as transfer movements of the upper torso and limbs. Tosses/passes are projecting movements of the upper torso and limbs which take place below and/or in front of the head (Radcliffe, 1996). Throws are projection movements of the upper torso and limbs which occur above and/or across the head (Radcliffe, 1996).

Hand-offs Half Twist

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Medicine Ball Drills for Gymnastics

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Two athletes standing inches apart have their feet firmly planted on the ground and knees slightly flexed. One athlete is holding a medicine ball with the arms flexed 90 degrees at the elbow joint. The partner's arms are flexed 90 degrees ready to receive the ball (Fig. 1). Upon command both athletes rotate their torsos 90 degrees in opposite directions and the ball is handed-off. This sequence is then repeated in the opposite direction (Fig. 2). The athletes need to keep their knees slightly flexed and their feet firmly planted to insure maximal rotation through the torso. A prescribed number of rotations are performed one direction and then reversed. Figure 1 Figure 2

Full Twist The same start position as the half twist except the athletes are a few feet apart (Fig. 1). Both athletes rotate beyond 90 degrees in the same direction and hand the ball off. This is then repeated in the opposite direction (Fig. 2). The athletes need to keep their feet flat, knees slightly flexed, and perform the rotations quickly. Figure 1 Figure 2

Over/Under This drill's starting position is comparable to the full twist, but the athlete with the medicine ball is holding the ball overhead (Fig. 1). Upon command both athletes perform extension of the torso handing the ball off overhead. Immediately, after hand-off, both athletes perform flexion at the torso handing the ball off between their legs (Fig. 2). This continues for a prescribed number of repetitions and then the direction is reversed. The hand-offs should be completed with flexion and extension of the torso. At the overhead position watch the elbow joint. If the joint is flexed beyond 170 degrees, it is compensating for lack of extension at the torso.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Medicine Ball Drills for Gymnastics

Figure 1

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Figure 2

Tosses/Passes Shovel Toss The athlete starts on both knees with the ball placed on the ground directly in front. The arms are straight and the hands are cupped around the back of the ball. The shoulders are slightly in front of the ball, back is flat, and hips are back (Fig. 1). The athlete then thrusts the hips and extends the torso explosively, shoveling the ball with long arms (Fig. 2). The athlete should focus on the hip and torso extension and catch themselves in a push-up position. Figure 1

Figure 2

Scoop Toss The athlete assumes a semi-squat position, placing the ball on the ground and between the legs. The hands are placed underneath and to the sides of the ball. The back is straight, shoulders slightly in front of the ball, and the arms are straight (Fig. 1). The ball is scooped off the ground by thrusting the hips forward and up. The shoulders move back and the arms remain straight (Fig. 2). Full extension of the hip, knee, and ankle occur as the athlete lifts off from the ground tossing the ball directly upward (Fig. 3). Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Throws Scoop Throw This drill is performed similar to the scoop toss with the exception of the release point being over the head (Fig. 1 & 2). The athlete in this drill performs greater extension of the torso and the release point is above the head and behind the body resulting in the ball traveling backwards (Fig. 3). Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

References Brancazio, P.J. (1984). Sport Science: Physical laws and optimum performance (pp. 160163). New York, New York: Simon and Schuster. Radcliffe, J.C. (1996). The atlas program power development clinic (pp. 2). Radcliffe, J.C. (1996). Medicine ball drills for football. American Football Quarterly 1 (4) (pp. 58-60). Sands, W.A., Major, J.A., Irvin, R.C., Hauge Barber, R.L., Marcus, R.L., Paine, D.D., Cervantz, R.D., Ford, H.R., & McNeal, J.R. (1994). Physical abilities profiles: U.S. Men's National Team, May 1993. Technique vol. 13, #5 (pp. 34-37). This article appears in the November/December 1997 issue of Technique, Vol. 17, No. 10.

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BELIEVE THAT MOST PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPORT WOULD AGREE THAT SUCCESS IN GYMNASTICS REQUIRES ATHLETES TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH ISSUES SUCH AS FEAR ANXIETY AND OUTSIDE DISTRACTIONS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DEVASTATE THEIR LEVELS OF MOTIVATION SELF CONFIDENCE AND PERFORMANCE !S COACHES OUR TASK IS NOT LIMITED TO SIMPLY PROVIDING OUR ATHLETES WITH THE PHYSICAL TOOLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS WE MUST ALSO PROVIDE OUR ATHLETES WITH THE MENTAL TOOLS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO HANDLE THE COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES INHERENT IN COMPETITIVE GYMNASTICS /NE SUCH TOOL IS MENTAL IMAGERY WHICH IF USED PROPERLY CAN POSITIVELY AFFECT SKILL DEVELOPMENT AROUSAL MOTIVATION AND CONFIDENCE 'LIKSKY ET AL *ONES ET AL .ICHOLLS ET AL 4HE GOAL OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO INTRODUCE SOME BENEFITS OF MENTAL IMAGERY DISCUSS SEVERAL FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN USING MENTAL IMAGERY AND OFFER SOME SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW MENTAL IMAGERY MAY BE INCORPORATED INTO TRAINING AND COMPETITION

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/NE OF THE MOST WELL DOCUMENTED BENEFITS OF MENTAL IMAGERY IS ITS ABILITY TO AID IN SKILL ACQUISITION 3TUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT VISUALIZATION IS CAPABLE OF CONTRIBUTING TO MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND MAY BE PARTIALLY SUBSTITUTED FOR PHYSICAL PRACTICE WITH NO DECREASES IN PERFORMANCE (ALL 4HEREFORE WHEN PHYSICAL 1-/, / " Ê 9Ê< /, Ê , -

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PRACTICE IS LIMITED BY INJURIES TRAVEL ETC VISUALIZATION CAN HELP ATHLETES MAINTAIN OR EVEN ENHANCE THEIR LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE 4HE LEARNING PROCESS FOR A GIANT ON BARS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION IN WHICH MENTAL IMAGERY MAY BE USEFUL FOR SKILL ACQUISITION 5SING THIS EXAMPLE ATHLETES CORRECTLY VISUALIZING EACH PIECE OF THE SKILL ALONG WITH ITS ACCOMPANYING FORM AND BODY POSITION REQUIREMENTS EXPERIENCE GREATER AWARENESS OF THEIR MOVEMENTS DURING THEIR PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AND MORE MEANINGFUL PHYSICAL AND VERBAL FEEDBACK

STATE EITHER BY hPSYCHING UPv OR CALMING DOWN TO ARRIVE AT THE STATE OF AROUSAL SUITABLE FOR THE IMAGINED ACTIVITY &OR EXAMPLE AN ANXIETY INDUCING SCRIPT MAY INVOLVE THE GYMNAST ARRIVING LATE TO A MEET OR A SPECIAL FAMILY MEMBER WATCHING HER PERFORMANCE

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4HERE ARE TWO TYPES OF GOAL ORIENTATIONS TASK MASTERY AND EGO )NDIVIDUALS WITH A TASK MASTERY ORIENTATION ARE PRIMARILY MOTIVATED BY ACCOMPLISHING PERSONAL GOALS AND ACQUIRING NEW SKILLS WHILE INDIVIDUALS WITH AN EGO ORIENTATION ARE PRIMARILY MOTIVATED BY PLACING IN COMPETITIONS AND DEMONSTRATING SUPERIORITY OVER THEIR PEERS %ACH ATHLETE HAS A NATURAL TENDENCY TOWARD ONE OR THE OTHER AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MENTAL IMAGERY DESIGNED TO INCREASE MOTIVATION IS CONTINGENT UPON THE COACH S AWARENESS OF EACH OF HIS HER ATHLETES GOAL ORIENTATIONS -ANY RESEARCHERS ADVOCATE THE EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TASK MASTERY ORIENTATION HOWEVER DUE TO THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF ATHLETICS A PREFERABLE OPTION IS THE COMBINATION OF BOTH TASK ORIENTED AND EGO ORIENTED MOTIVATIONAL EFFORTS %LIOT "Y UNDERSTANDING ATHLETES GOAL ORIENTATIONS IMAGERY SCRIPTS SUCH AS STANDING ON THE PODIUM BEING AWARDED A MEDAL EGO ORIENTATION OR RECEIVING THE CONGRATULATIONS OF THEIR TEAMMATES AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING A NEW SKILL TASK MASTERY ORIENTATION CAN BE DESIGNED THAT PLACE ATHLETES IN THE MOTIVATIONAL SITUATIONS TO WHICH THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND

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4HROUGH MENTAL IMAGERY ATHLETES CAN FEEL THE POSITIVE EMOTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING DIFFICULT SKILLS OR MANAGING DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THEIR LEVELS OF SELF CONFIDENCE (ALL !N IMAGERY SCRIPT IN WHICH AN ATHLETE REPEATEDLY FALLS ON A PARTICULAR SKILL DURING WARM UP REGROUPS AND HITS THE SKILL PERFECTLY DURING COMPETITION IS AN EXAMPLE THAT SHOULD BOLSTER SELF CONFIDENCE

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4HE FINAL BENEFIT OF MENTAL IMAGERY THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED IS AROUSAL CONTROL -ANY GYMNASTS EXPERIENCE INTENSE POTENTIALLY CRIPPLING ANXIETY WHEN THEY ARE ABOUT TO ATTEMPT A NEW SKILL AND BEFORE WHILE THEY COMPETE !LSO QUITE A FEW GYMNASTS HAVE TROUBLE SUMMONING THE ENERGY THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT DURING THEIR DAY TO DAY TRAINING 6ISUALIZATION SCRIPTS CAN BE CREATED TO HELP GYMNASTS LEARN HOW TO RAISE THEIR INADEQUATE LEVELS OF AROUSAL AND TO COMBAT MANAGE AND EVEN UTILIZE THEIR HEIGHTENED STATES OF AROUSAL IN ORDER TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE *ONES ET AL $URING AROUSAL CONTROL IMAGERY ATHLETES SHOULD EXPERIENCE AN EMOTIONAL STATE THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE ACTIVITY IN WHICH THEY ARE PARTICIPATING I E EITHER TOO RELAXED OR TOO ANXIOUS AND THEN ALTER THAT EMOTIONAL nร ร 4 % # ( . ) 1 5 % ร โ ข ร 1

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2EGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF IMAGERY UTILIZED THERE ARE SEVERAL COMMON ASPECTS OF EFFECTIVE VISUALIZATION &IRST STUDIES SHOW THAT IMAGERY IS MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN PRECEDED BY RELAXATION EXERCISES 3HORT ET AL THEREFORE INSTRUCT YOUR ATHLETES TO TAKE SEVERAL DEEP RELAXING BREATHS BEFORE GUIDING THEM THROUGH A VISUALIZATION SCENARIO

FSFAKBPP 3ECOND THE IMAGES USED SHOULD BE AS VIVID AS POSSIBLE AND INCORPORATE INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE SENSES -URPHY 4HAT IS AN ATHLETE SHOULD NOT JUST VISUALIZE ONE ASPECT OF A SKILL OR ROUTINE BUT ALSO THE SETTING IN WHICH THE SKILL OR ROUTINE IS COMPLETED THE COLOR AND TYPE OF LEOTARD SHE IS WEARING THE LOCATION OF THE JUDGES COACHES AND OTHER ATHLETES THE SOUNDS OF HER TEAMMATES CHEERING ETC

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4HIRD IMAGERY MODALITY I E VISUAL OR KINESTHETIC SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN DESIGNING AN IMAGERY SCRIPT 2ESEARCH IN THIS AREA SUGGESTS THAT BOTH THE VISUAL AND KINESTHETIC IMAGERY TYPES ARE CAPABLE OF ENHANCING PERFORMANCE UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES 'LISKY ET AL 6ISUAL IMAGERY TENDS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR NEW TASKS THAT REQUIRE THOUGHT WHILE THE KINESTHETIC IMAGERY IS MORE EFFECTIVE FOR ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN LEARNED &OR EXAMPLE A GYMNAST WHO IS JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN HOW TO TWIST MAY BENEFIT MORE FROM WATCHING HERSELF CORRECTLY PERFORM THE SKILL WHILE A GYMNAST WHO HAS ALREADY MASTERED THE BASICS MAY BENEFIT MORE FROM hFEELINGv THE TWIST

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&OURTH THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE IMAGERY MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT 4HE TWO TYPES OF PERSPECTIVE ARE EXTERNAL A THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW IN WHICH THE ATHLETE WATCHES HERSELF PERFORM A SKILL OR ROUTINE FROM THE JUDGE S CHAIR OR ON A MOVIE SCREEN AND INTERNAL A FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW IN WHICH THE ATHLETE VISUALIZES WHAT HE SHE WOULD SEE THROUGH HIS HER OWN EYES AND FEEL IN HER OWN BODY DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF A SKILL OR ROUTINE 2ESEARCH INDICATES THAT hxTHE MORE THE SUBJECT IS SKILLED AND THE MORE ACQUAINTED HE OR SHE IS WITH THE PHYSICAL TASK THE GREATER PROBABILITY OF HIM HER ACHIEVING ACTUAL PHYSICAL PROGRESS THROUGH INTERNAL IMAGERY v 0IE ET AL PP (ENCE INTERNAL IMAGERY MAY BE MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THOSE

ATHLETES WHO HAVE A FIRM GRASP ON THE SKILLS THEY ARE TRAINING WHILE EXTERNAL IMAGERY MAY BE MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THOSE ATHLETES WHO ARE STILL MASTERING THE BASICS

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&INALLY PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT 6ISUALIZATION IS A SKILL AND JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SKILL REQUIRES MULTIPLE REPETITIONS IN ORDER TO DEVELOP PROFICIENCY 7HEN WORKING WITH CHILDREN 3HORT ET AL RECOMMEND SESSIONS LASTING THREE TO FIVE MINUTES HOWEVER SESSIONS UP TO MINUTES MAY BE USED WHEN WORKING WITH ADOLESCENTS OR YOUNG ADULTS $RISKEL ET AL

-AKING 6ISUALIZATION A .ORMAL 0ART OF 0RACTICE AND #OMPETITION

4O BEGIN TEACHING YOUR ATHLETES TO VISUALIZE ASK THEM TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND THEM CLOSE THEIR EYES AND PICTURE IN THEIR MINDS WHAT THEY SAW HEARD AND FELT !SK QUESTIONS WHILE THEY ARE FORMING THEIR IMAGES THAT REMIND THEM TO INCLUDE AS MANY DETAILS AS POSSIBLE .EXT LEAD THEM THROUGH A SHORT VISUALIZATION SCRIPT THAT UTILIZES A FAMILIAR SETTING !SK THE GYMNASTS TO IMAGINE THEMSELVES ALREADY AT AN EVENT AND ABOUT TO PERFORM A SKILL 4HEN TALK THEM THROUGH THE SKILL ASKING THEM TO hSEEv AND hFEELv EACH PIECE 4HIS SHOULD BE A VERY SHORT VISUALIZATION

SESSION BUT WITH CONSISTENT USE IT WILL ALLOW THE GYMNASTS TO BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MENTAL IMAGERY /NCE THE ATHLETES BECOME MORE PROFICIENT YOU CAN BEGIN TO CREATE MORE ELABORATE SCRIPTS THAT TARGET MOTIVATION CONFIDENCE AND ANXIETY IN ADDITION TO SKILL DEVELOPMENT &OR SEVERAL REASONS THE BEST TIME TO CONDUCT VISUALIZATION EXERCISES IS JUST BEFORE THE ATHLETES BEGIN WARMING UP ON AN EVENT &IRST BECAUSE MENTAL IMAGERY HAS BEEN SHOWN TO STIMULATE MANY OF THE SAME NEURAL AND MUSCULAR SYSTEMS THAT ARE ACTIVE DURING PHYSICAL PRACTICE -URPHY USING VISUALIZATION BEFORE WARMING UP FOR AN EVENT CAN HELP ATHLETES TO TRANSITION BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY FROM ONE EVENT TO ANOTHER 3ECOND THE PERIOD OF PHYSICAL INACTIVITY WHILE VISUALIZING WILL NOT SERVE AS A hCOOL DOWNv PERIOD DURING THE MIDDLE OF A ROTATION 4HIRD BY HAVING THE ATHLETES VISUALIZE AT THE BEGINNING OF A ROTATION THEY WILL BE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY APPLY THE BENEFITS OF THE IMAGERY I E MOTIVATION SELF CONFIDENCE AROUSAL CONTROL SKILL DEVELOPMENT TO PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE &ACILITATING MENTAL IMAGERY WITH THE ENTIRE GROUP IS BENEFICIAL BUT THE ATHLETES SHOULD ALSO BE ENCOURAGED TO USE IMAGERY ON THEIR OWN THROUGHOUT THEIR WORKOUTS AND COMPETITIONS /NE GREAT WAY TO HELP THEM DO THIS IS TO HAVE THEM INCORPORATE VISUALIZATION INTO THEIR PRE ROUTINE ROUTINES &OR EXAMPLE ON VAULT AND BARS ) USE THE TERM hON DECKv TO DESCRIBE THE PERSON WHO IS hNEXTv AND THE TERM hON DECK CIRCLEv TO DESCRIBE A SPACE AWAY FROM THE GROUP WHERE THE ATHLETES GO TO VISUALIZE THEIR VAULT OR ROUTINE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO PERFORMING 4HESE PRE ROUTINE ROUTINES PROVIDE THE ATHLETES WITH A STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO REFOCUS THEIR ATTENTION CONTROL THEIR ANXIETY AND PHYSICAL AROUSAL AND IMMEDIATELY RECREATE THE TECHNIQUE AND POISE PRESENT IN THEIR MENTALLY REHEARSED VAULTS AND BAR ROUTINES &URTHERMORE THIS CONCEPT CAN BE UTILIZED AT MEETS AS WELL AS PRACTICE BY DESIGNATING A SPOT AT EACH EVENT THAT WILL SERVE AS THE hON DECK CIRCLE v

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"Y TEACHING YOUR ATHLETE TO VISUALIZE AND MAKING MENTAL IMAGERY A REGULAR PART OF YOUR ATHLETE S TRAINING AND COMPETITION REGIMENT YOU CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH A VERSATILE EASY TO USE TOOL THAT CAN HELP THEM DEVELOP NEW SKILLS CONTROL THEIR ANXIETY AND INCREASE THEIR LEVELS OF MOTIVATION AND CONFIDENCE "RIAN # (ITE - 3 IS A MENTAL TRAINING CONSULTANT A TEAM COACH AT 7ALLER S 'YM*AM !CADEMY IN 3OUTHERN #ALIFORNIA AND A DOCTORAL STUDENT AT 7ALDEN 5NIVERSITY !LISON !RNOLD 0H $ IS A 0EAK 0ERFORMANCE #ONSULTANT TO 53! 'YMNASTICS &OR MORE INFORMATION ON HER WORKBOOKS AND SEMINARS SEE WWW HEADGAMES WS

2EFERENCES $RISKELL * % #OPPER # -ORAN ! $OES MENTAL PRACTICE ENHANCE PERFORMANCE *OURNAL OF !PPLIED 0SYCHOLOGY PP %LIOT * & -OTIVATION 4HE NEED TO ACHIEVE )N 3 -URPHY %D 4HE 3PORT 0SYCH (ANDBOOK PP #HAMPAIGN ), (UMAN +INETICS 0UBLISHERS )NC 'LISKY - , 7ILLIAMS * - +IHLSTROM * & )NTERNAL AND %XTERNAL -ENTAL )MAGERY 0ERSPECTIVES AND 0ERFORMANCE ON 4WO 4ASKS *OURNAL OF 3PORT "EHAVIOR 2ETRIEVED !PRIL FROM 1UESTIA DATABASE HTTP WWW QUESTIA COM 0- QST A O D (ALL # 2 )MAGERY IN SPORT AND EXERCISE )N 2 3INGER ( (AUSENBLAS #

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-OTIVATIONAL 3TRATEGIES &OR %VERY 3TAGE OF % ERCISE "Y 7INDEE - 7EISS 0HOTOS BY 'RATANA 0ERRY

7HY IS IT THAT SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE TO EXERCISE AND OTHERS DO NOT )NCORPORATING A hDAILY DOSEv OF EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SOUNDS EASY ENOUGH BUT YET MILLIONS OF US IN THIS COUNTRY STILL FAIL TO EXERCISE ON A REGULAR BASIS /NE WAY OF EXAMINING THE EXERCISE DILEMMA IS FROM THE TRANSTHEORETICAL MODEL PERSPECTIVE WHICH SUGGESTS THAT ANY BEHAVIOR CHANGE SUCH AS ADOPTING AN EXERCISE PROGRAM DOES NOT OCCUR QUICKLY BUT RATHER IT IS A GRADUAL PROCESS 0ROCHASKA $I#LEMENTE 0ROCHASKA ET AL 0ROCHASKA 6ELICER 4HAT IS WE MOVE THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES ON OUR ROAD TO BECOMING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

3TAGE 0RECONTEMPLATION

)NDIVIDUALS WHO ARE hPRE CONTEMPLATORSv HAVE NO DESIRE TO BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM IN FACT INCORPORATING EXERCISE INTO THEIR LIFE IS NOT EVEN A THOUGHT )F ANYTHING INDIVIDUALS IN THIS STAGE PROBABLY SEE EXERCISE AS HAVING MORE NEGATIVES ASSOCIATED WITH IT THAN POSITIVESn THAT IS THE CONS OUTWEIGH THE PROS 4HIS STAGE SEEMS TO BE RELATIVELY STABLE THUS SUGGESTING THAT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR SOME TYPE OF INTERVENTION THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL REMAIN SEDENTARY

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3TAGE #ONTEMPLATION )NDIVIDUALS WHO ARE hCONTEMPLATORSv ARE THINKING ABOUT AND AT LEAST CONSIDERING STARTING SOME TYPE OF EXERCISE REGIMEN WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS 4HEY HAVE INTENTIONS TO EXERCISE BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET WALKED THROUGH OR OUT THE DOOR YET TO BEGIN &OR THE MOST PART THESE INDIVIDUALS REALIZE THEY SHOULD EXERCISE BUT YET STILL SEE THOSE CONS OR BARRIERS AS POTENTIALLY TOO MUCH TO OVERCOME

3TAGE 0REPARATION )NDIVIDUALS IN THE PREPARATION STAGE HAVE ACTUALLY BEGUN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING TO EXERCISE BOUGHT A GYM MEMBERSHIP PURCHASED NEW WORKOUT SHOES AND APPAREL AND MAYBE SEEN THEIR PHYSICIAN ABOUT EXERCISE 4HESE INDIVIDUALS MAY ALSO ACTUALLY START WORKING OUT AND EXERCISING HOWEVER THEY TEND TO BE VERY INCONSISTENT AND SPORADIC ABOUT THEIR EXERCISE 4HIS STAGE IS CONSIDERED TO BE FAIRLY UNSTABLE THAT IS ONCE INDIVIDUALS BEGIN TAKING THESE TINY STEPS TOWARD INCORPORATING EXERCISE INTO THEIR LIFE THEY USUALLY WILL PROGRESS TO THE NEXT STAGE

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3TAGE !CTION

$URING THE ACTION STAGE INDIVIDUALS ARE EXERCISING )N FACT THESE PEOPLE TEND TO BE HIGHLY MOTIVATED EARLY ON AND EAGERLY INCORPORATE A REGULAR CONSISTENT EXERCISE PROGRAM INTO THEIR DAILY LIFE !N INDIVIDUAL IS SAID TO BE IN THE hACTION STAGEv WHEN THEY HAVE ADOPTED REGULAR EXERCISE MINUTES OF MODERATE INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK FOR LESS THAN SIX MONTHS /F THE FIVE STAGES THE ACTION STAGE SEEMS TO BE THE MOST UNSTABLE BECAUSE PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN THIS NEW EXERCISE ROUTINE 4HAT IS WE ARE FIGHTING NOT TO FALL BACK INTO OUR SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE

3TAGE -AINTENANCE

4O ACHIEVE MAINTENANCE INDIVIDUALS MUST HAVE BEEN EXERCISING CONSISTENTLY AT OPTIMAL LEVELS FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS "Y THIS POINT INDIVIDUALS DO NOT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN THEIR EXERCISE ROUTINE AND FOR THE MOST PART THIS REGIMEN HAS BECOME hHABIT v /NE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT VIEWING EXERCISE FROM THIS STAGE PERSPECTIVE IS THAT HOW WE MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT INCORPORATE AND MAINTAIN EXERCISE VARIES DEPENDING ON WHICH

STAGE EACH INDIVIDUAL IS IN &OR EXAMPLE WE NEED TO USE DIFFERENT MOTIVATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR PRE CONTEMPLATORS THAN WE DO FOR PREPARATION INDIVIDUALS

3TRATEGIES TO HELP PRE CONTEMPLATORS TO BECOME CONTEMPLATORS s %DUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION 7E NEED TO EDUCATE THESE INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HARMFUL EFFECTS OF A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN /NCE A MONTH GYM OWNERS COULD SEND HOME INFORMATION FLYERS OR HANDOUTS PROVIDING FACTS ABOUT HOW PHYSICAL ACTIVITY E G GYMNASTICS CAN HELP OFFSET OBESITY DEPRESSION HEART DISEASE AND OTHER HEALTHnRELATED PROBLEMS !DDITIONALLY REGULAR EXERCISE CAN HELP WITH MOOD STATE SELF ESTEEM AND GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH !NOTHER WAY TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO YOUR CLIENTELE WOULD BE TO CREATE POSTERS WITH INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN BOTH THE LOBBY AND THROUGHOUT THE GYM s /NE ISSUE THAT MIGHT KEEP PRE CONTEMPLATORS FROM THINKING ABOUT EXERCISE COULD BE THAT THEY HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE IN THE

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EACH MACHINE AND TEACH THEM WHAT BUTTONS TO PUSH HOW TO FIGURE OUT THE CORRECT WEIGHT HOW TO MANEUVER THROUGH SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT 7HEN YOU SHOW THE INDIVIDUALS HOW TO DO THIS ALLOW THEM TO PUSH THE BUTTONS AND TRY EVERYTHING OUT 4HIS WILL ONLY INCREASE THEIR SELF CONFIDENCE THAT THEY COULD GET GOING WITHOUT YOUR BEING AROUND /R YOU COULD JUST DESIGNATE AN EMPLOYEE THAT TAKES EACH hNEWBIEv AROUND DURING THEIR FIRST WORKOUT TO TEACH THEM 4HIS MIGHT INCREASE THE CHANCES THAT WHEN THE NEW PERSON HAS A PROBLEM OR QUESTION THEY WILL COME AND ASK FOR HELP RATHER THAN GET FRUSTRATED AND QUIT

3TRATEGIES TO HELP PREPARERS TO GET TO ACTION s .OW THAT WE HAVE THEM GOING WE NEED TO KEEP THEM GOING /NE OF OUR BIGGEST OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME IS BOREDOM )NDIVIDUALS CAN ONLY SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON A TREADMILL OR STAIRMASTER WITHOUT GOING INSANE $URING THIS TIME IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE OFFER ALTERNATIVES OR VARIATIONS IN THE EXERCISE REGIMEN 4HIS IS MORE THAN JUST CHANGING THE ORDER OF EXERCISES -AYBE YOU INTRODUCE A NEW SKILL ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO SIGN UP FOR AN AEROBICS PILATES OR STRENGTH TRAINING CLASS 9OU COULD OFFER MULTIPLE hOPEN GYMSv DURING THE COURSE OF THE WEEKnAN HOUR AT THE END OF THE EVENING THREE NIGHTS A WEEK 4HIS WILL PROVIDE AN EXTRA OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO NOT ONLY PRACTICE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE EVEN MORE ACTIVE AND TRY NEW THINGS

3TRATEGIES TO GET THEM FROM ACTION TO MAINTENANCE PASTnEITHER THEY FAILED TO ADOPT A REGULAR EXERCISE PROGRAM THEY DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY WERE VERY GOOD AT EXERCISE OR SPORT OR THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM HAD A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE ON THE INDIVIDUAL 4O OVERCOME THIS ISSUE WE NEED TO PROVIDE THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH A POSITIVE EXPERIENCEnHOPEFULLY ONE WHERE THEY HAVE SOME FUN FIND IT ENJOYABLE AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES /NE WAY WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THIS IN THE GYM COULD BE TO LET CURRENT PARTICIPANTS BRING A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER TO CLASS WITH THEM 3ELECT ONE WEEK OUT OF THE TERM SESSION IN WHICH THESE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MAY PARTICIPATE 4HE FOCUS OF THAT WEEK S SESSION WOULD BE TO EXPOSE THE INDIVIDUALS TO THE FUN CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF OUR SPORT AND EXERCISE )F WE CAN PROVIDE THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE THEY MAY BEGIN TO CONSIDER EXERCISE OR GYMNASTICS IN THE FUTURE

3TRATEGIES TO HELP CONTEMPLATORS TO BECOME PREPARERS s 4HESE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOW CONSIDERING STARTING BUT WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THAT LITTLE PUSH TO GET THEM GOING ! GREAT STRATEGY IS TO PROVIDE hDEALSv OR hDISCOUNTSv ON MEMBERSHIPS AND FEES &OR EXAMPLE hPAY FOR THE FIRST SESSION GET THE SECOND SESSION HALF PRICE v /R PROVIDING A DISCOUNT FOR THE SECOND MEMBER OF THE FAMILY OR WAIVE INITIATION FEES ETC 4HESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE DECIDED THEY SHOULD BEGIN TO EXERCISE NOW WE JUST NEED TO HELP THEM WALKING THROUGH THE DOOR s /NE REASON SOME PEOPLE NEVER BEGIN AN EXERCISE PROGRAM IS DUE TO A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT TO DO HOW TO DO IT AND HOW THE HECK DO YOU WORK THIS MACHINE &OR EXAMPLE HOW MANY OF YOU hJUST KNEWv HOW TO WORK THE TREADMILL OR STAIRMASTER 4HERE IS SOME LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO BEGIN THUS WE NEED TO HELP THEM BY REMOVING THIS BARRIER 9OU COULD PROVIDE AN hINTRO NIGHTv OR CLASS WHERE YOU TAKE ANYONE CONSIDERING JOINING OR BEGINNING THROUGH

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s !N ISSUE THAT PREVENTS INDIVIDUALS FROM CONTINUING EXERCISE OR ACTIVITY IS THAT ONCE THEY MISS A CLASS OR A WEEK DUE TO HECTIC SCHEDULES OR ILLNESS THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE FAILED 4HUS THEY QUIT COMING ALTOGETHER 3OME IDEAS THAT MIGHT HELP GET THESE INDIVIDUALS GOING AGAIN COULD BE TO SEND LITTLE POSTCARDS TELLING THEM YOU MISSED THEM THIS WEEK AND HOPE TO SEE THEM ON -ONDAY OR PROVIDE MAKEnUP CLASSES AT NO EXTRA CHARGE A COUPLE OF TIMES A MONTH !NOTHER STRATEGY COULD BE TO HELP THEM RE EVALUATE THEIR GOALS MAYBE ALTER TARGET DATES FOR ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS TO EASE THE ANXIETY ASSOCIATED WITH hMISSING A DEADLINE v s 3OCIAL SUPPORT IS A HUGE FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO CONTINUING AN EXERCISE REGIMEN 7AYS TO INCREASE SOCIAL SUPPORT IS ORGANIZING WORKOUT GROUPS NOT LIKE A CLASS WHERE THERE IS AN INSTRUCTOR BUT RATHER FORMULATING GROUPS TO COME IN AT THE SAME TIME TO EXERCISE 3OMETIMES IT JUST TAKES SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT THE FACILITY TO ORGANIZE IT BUT THEN THE GROUP TAKES CARE OF WHAT THEY DO WHILE THEY EXERCISE -AYBE ON SOME DAYS THEY ALL DO THE SAME THING AND ON OTHER DAYS THEY EXERCISE ON THEIR OWN 4HIS CREATES A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY IF THEY ARE EXPECTING ME TO BE THERE ) M MORE LIKELY TO BE THERE s !NOTHER GREAT STRATEGY TO HELP PEOPLE CONTINUE TO EXERCISE IS TO ASK THEM IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PERSONAL TRAINER TEACHER OR INSTRUCTOR 4HIS MAY HELP REJUVENATE THEIR MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE AS WELL AS ELIMINATE THAT BOREDOM ISSUE 3OME OF OUR BEST TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTORS WERE ONCE PRE CONTEMPLATORS 4HEY UNDERSTAND THE OBSTACLES AND BARRIERS THEIR CLIENTS ARE WORKING THROUGH

7INDEE - 7EISS 0H $ !SSISTANT 0ROFESSOR 3PORT 0SYCHOLOGY 3CHOOL OF (EALTH 0HYSICAL %DUCATION ,EISURE 3ERVICES 5NIVERSITY OF .ORTHERN )OWA #EDAR &ALLS )!

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USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Creating a Healthy & Effective Motivational Climate Page 1 of 7

Creating a Healthy & Effective Motivational Climate By Marilyn Strawbridge, Ph.D. & Nancy Marshall, B.A. In a perfect world, each child that signs up for a youth sports program would enter the season motivated to learn and compete, emotionally equipped to process failure and setbacks, focused on working hard and putting forth his best effort, possessing strong self-esteem and an optimistic outlook. Indeed, in the report, "The Implications of the Motivational Climate In Gymnastics: A Review Of Recent Research", Dr. Joan Duda identifies six characteristics of a motivated athlete. *They are: 1. "...strives for optimally challenging goals, rather than goals which are too easy (so she is guaranteed success) or much too difficult (so she, like others, won't reach these goals)." 2. "...performs up to her potential on a consistent basis." 3. "...rebounds from mistakes, defeats and set-backs. In other words, such occurrences enhance her motivation rather than make her feel like giving up." 4. "...gives her best effort and enjoys working hard." 5. "...looks forward to continued participation in sport and does not want to drop out." 6. "...feels competent to accomplish what the sport demands of her and feels in control of her gymnastics experience." Most coaches would agree people possessing these six characteristics are usually the most successful and well adjusted athletes. But, we don't live in a perfect world where these attributes are acquired at birth. As Dr. Duda points out, motivated athletes are not born that way. "Motivation is a product of an athlete's socialization in and out of sport." With coaches of competitive athletes having a major influence over that socialization, the question becomes, "What is the most effective and healthy way to motivate gymnasts?" Experts in sport psychology have identified two types of motivational environments that are present, to varying degrees, in the sport setting. Dr. Duda explains, the predominantly task-involving climate is one in which athletes feel like the coach: "Rewards high effort" emphasizes colloboration between teammates" makes everyone feel like they play an important role on the team or in the gym" views mistakes as part of the learning process and teaches athletes to do the same." In the ego-involving climate, athletes perceive the coach: "gives most of her or his attention to the best athletes" "fosters rivalry between teammates" "punishes the gymnast when she makes a mistake in training or competition." Likewise, an athletes' individual goal orientation (how she defines success) can vary. Athletes who are predominantly task oriented determine their success by how hard they try and how much their skills and performance improves. They feel successful when they do their best, are able to improve their technique and feel they contribute to the team. They generally like who they are and are confident to do what is required in the sport. An athlete who is predominantly ego-oriented focuses on normative goals.

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Athletes feel successful if they have shown superior ability (or equal ability with less effort). There is more emphasis on outcome than process. It is important to note that "gymnasts vary in their degree of task and ego orientation. These orientations are not bi-polar opposites; an athlete can be high in both orientations, high in one and low in the other, or low in both orientations." In any case, the athletes goal orientation is influenced by the type of motivational environment in the gym and the research clearly confirms, it is the task-involving climate which should predominate. The predominately ego-involving oriented environment has been related to athletes having greater performance anxiety and self doubt and other behaviors which are counter productive to both physical health and gymnastics success. With the task-oriented motivational climate coaches are more likely to produce athletes who are confident, coachable, willing to work hard for commonly agreed upon goals, and who enjoy gymnastics. USA Gymnastics has devoted a great deal of time and resources to the study of motivational climates in gymnastics. Dr. Duda and colleagues have studied a wide spectrum of athletes. Each study had a unique focus but all shed light on this issue. The results confirm the motivational atmosphere in the gym can greatly affect performance effort and success and long term participation in the sport. More specifically, the findings indicate how the gymnast perceives herself, how she responds to anxiety, to what extent she practices healthy behaviors, and her personal goal orientation is significantly influenced by the motivational orientation in the gym and the behaviors of both the coach and parents. In the report, Dr. Duda summarizes, "the studies highlighted provide a rationale for why we should reduce the ego-involving features and enhance the task-involving characteristics of the motivational climates which envelope female and male gymnasts." To that end, the balance of this article will identify practical suggestions for structuring the atmosphere in the gym to set the stage for the task-involving motivation to thrive. Factors to consider are: General standards for interaction in the gym Types of Feeback Quality of relationships Use of authority: empowering athletes to take responsibility for their sport experience Value and enjoyment in the "task"

General Standards for Interaction in the Gym The general climate of a task-involving setting is one that is well organized, communicates respect for the athletes and parents, and operates under standards of fairness and impartiality. Following are more specific examples of these characteristics: Well Organized Program goals and performance goals are clearly communicated for each level of athlete. (ie., team and parents meetings, club brochure's, team handbook) Athlete knows what is the expected behavior for workouts and competition (ie., tasks are easily defined and understood, training schedule is well thought out and followed, consequences for inappropriate behavior are given).

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Communicating Respect for Athletes and Parents Display unconditional acceptance of the athlete (regardless of performance). Show a concern for other aspects of the athlete's life (besides gymnastics). Provide opportunities for parents to be involved in gym activities. Arrange goal setting conferences with athlete and parent. Communicate respect for individual differences of athletes and their families. Operate with standards of fairness and impartiality "We knew our coach had high expectations but some-how he remained kind, gentle and fair. His coaching style built national champions and strong self esteem at the same time." - Joyce Tanac & Cleo Carver, 1968 Olympians about their coach, George Lewis Communicate unconditional acceptance of athlete regardless of performance. As far as it is possible, give each athlete equal time and attention. Ensure that the consequences for inappropriate behavior are the same for all.

Types of Feedback "As an enthusiastic beginner, I was told everything I needed to do. As an elite Olympian, my coach would often say very little. Sometimes, good coaching means saying nothing." - Peter Vidmar, 1984 Olympic Pommel Horse Champion Another critical area that defines the predominant motivational climate is the type of feedback given to athletes. The task-involving climate will have responses which emphasize effort, improvement and skill mastery. The ego-involving climate will focus on the win-loss record and the athlete's ability. Suggestions for developing a predominantly task-involving environment include: Feedback Focus on already established strengths and learned skills. Improve weaknesses in small steps. Recognize even small improvement in technique as part of a learning process. Emphasize what is wanted, discourage what is not wanted. Give constructive, skill-specific feedback instead of attacking some aspect of their performance or personality. Practice eliminating negative thoughts and expressions of self doubt (see The Athlete Wellness Book, Chapter 3, Mental Skills Development). Eliminate "luck" from thoughts about performance. Be so confident that luck is not a factor. Use humor to diffuse tense situations. Change activities if plagued by recurring problems. Keep the atmosphere light and goal oriented. Avoid showing disappointment and discouragement. Never focus on a characteristic the athlete can't change (ie., physical characteristic, family circumstances). Discourage gymnasts from comparing themselves with others. Never allow the gymnast to dwell on a failure. Encourage him to learn from mistakes and move forward.

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Discourage worrying or distressing over some aspect of competition or performance. Place more emphasis on meeting pre-determined performance goals rather than beating a rival athlete or team. Recognize good effort by rewarding hard work. Rewards Provide privileges in the gym. Schedule well earned breaks. Plan social time with fellow team members. (Outside of workout time.) Serve healthy snacks. Create personal "mastery" charts that are recorded and monitored by the gymnast. Give awards for effort (t-shirts, trinkets, posters, photographs, best effort for the day award). Recognize an athlete who has helped teammates or competitors (congeniality, spirit, most inspirational award). Provide time for mental skills instruction (see The Athlete Wellness Book, Chapter 4, Mental Skills Development). The following adaptation highlights different verbal responses in a task-oriented vs. ego-oriented environment. Responses Which Emphasize... Task Orientation (Effort/Improvement/Skill Mastery)

vs.

Ego Orientation (Ability/Winning & Losing)

"How did you perform?" or "Did you have fun?" vs. "Did you win?" "It's too bad you didn't stand up your double back today."

"You're really nailing those beam dismounts."

vs.

"You were a real encouragement Sam/Sue."

vs. "You're better than Sam/Sue. "

"You really stayed positive even though the scores were so low."

vs.

"You probably would have won today if the scores weren't low."

"I was proud of the way you stayed determined vs. "That team from across town was lucky!" and focused throughout the whole meet."

(Adapted from Skill Builder exercise in Motivating Kids: Balancing Learning, Fun and Ego. By Mary C. Walling, Ph.D. and Joan L. Duda, Ph.D. PerformanceEdge 1995. Volume 4, No. 6)

Relationships With and Among Athletes Task-involving and ego-involving climates can also be identified by the type of emphasis placed on relationships within the gym. The task-involving climate emphasizes colloboration between teammates and makes everyone feel like they play an important role on the team or in the gym. The ego-involving climate is one where the coach gives more attention to the best athletes and fosters rivalry between teammates. As Dr. Duda cites, "Studies of athletes from a variety of sports at different competitive levels have found that when athletes perceive their team climate as a more task-involving, they report greater enjoyment of their sport, rate their coach more favorably and believe that one needs to work hard to get ahead in that activity." Healthy relationships are key to this type of satisfaction. Following are

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some practical ways coaches and parents can contribute to this type of climate. Hold team meetings to strategize and set goals. Provide opportunities for and reward teammates for helping one another. Encourage gymnasts to aid each other in skill development by giving feed-back on technique. Discourage making comparisons between and among teammates and competitors. Allow gymnasts to use creativity in their interaction and occasionally allow them to organize practice. Allow gymnasts to hold their own team meetings and encourage athlete leadership. Model the behavior you desire. Hold athletes accountable for the way they treat others in the gym. Provide social opportunities for friendships to build outside workout. (ie., gym sleep-overs, end of the year parties, volunteer as a team for a local cause.)

Use of Authority: Empowering Athletes to Take Responsibility for Their Sport Experience An effective coach needs to use her expertise to compile training schedules, set goals and expectations, know when to push and when to back off. Coaching, like parenting, requires a keen sensitivity to know when to exercise authority and when to give the athlete control over his own decisions. There is no magic formula that calculates how much independence each athlete should have. But, research in sport psychology and many related fields overwhelmingly supports the environment that encourages athletes to take some control over athletic goals and participation. (See Chapter Two: Child Development As It Relates To Gymnastics and Chapter Five: The Female Athlete Triad). Encouraging the athlete to focus on what she can control leads to a more confident and self-directed person. In contrast, an athlete who feels she has no control over her circumstances can resort to unhealthy behavior such as eating disorders (an attempt to control something), mood swings, temper tantrums, and depression, to name a few...hardly the profile of a motivated athlete. When examining the characteristics of the two types of motivational climates it is the task-involving climate that encourages athlete-initiated behavior. High effort is rewarded, cooperation is encouraged, contributions are applauded, and mistakes and failures are examined and learned from. The egoinvolving climate minimizes the control an athlete has over his/her experience. She has little control over who the coach chooses to train, how teammates treat her, and there is a small margin for error without experiencing punitive consequences. Suggestions on how to encourage athletes to take responsibility for and exercise control over circumstances and emotions include: Give the gymnast a chance to make some decisions regarding training (ie: choose the intensity or duration of practice on a given day). Give the gymnast some choices regarding workout plans (what event takes priority). Allow choices in the order of events practiced. Allow input in scheduling, practices, competition, travel and other activities. Provide choices in training aids and other equipment when possible. Provide choices in the use and kind of music. Incorporate mental skill training into the workout. Partner with health care providers (nutritionist, sport psychology consultant, athletic trainer) so the coach is not perceived as the authority on health issues.

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Empowering Gymnasts To Control Anxiety Gymnasts of all levels can find themselves anxious and emotionally out of control. When this happens, anxiety causes muscular tension that deters the body from doing that it is trained to do. Effective coaches enable gymnasts to address the challenges and exercise control over their emotions. Strong selfconfidence and a clear sense of direction will result. It is the essence of the task-oriented approach to sports and life. It is the opposite of the ego-oriented approach where athletes see themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control or at the whim of others they perceive to be in control.

Practical Tips for Coaches to Help Athletes Control Anxiety 1. Encourage the athlete to practice short periods of deep breathing to calm himself, to get centered and to bring about a more relaxed state. 2. Suggest the gymnast take a "time out" to think about the task at hand and to remove unrelated thoughts. Example: Focus on the technique of the beam mount and block out thoughts of, "What will happen if I don't get this." 3. Make positive imagery a common component of practice. Visualize performing the skill and "feeling" it successfully performed in the mind. Example: Get a good mental picture of a stuck dismount. 4. Encourage the gymnast to engage in positive self talk to develop an internal mechanism that will guide her through a difficult combination or competitive situation. Example: "Square my hips over the beam." 5. Teach the gymnast to devise her own plan to rid her mind of negative influences. Create a mantra that breaks the pattern of self defeating thoughts. Example: "Think strong," "Focus." 6. Teach the athlete to be aware of his thought process during a successful performance. Implement what works. 7. Practice blocking out internal and external distractions. Example: create as near to a real competition experience as possible and create typical distractions while the athlete is performing her routine. 8. Encourage athletes to compartmentalize their focus. Example: When at practice teach them to ignore unrelated events that may be happening in their life. This is an especially helpful skill for adolescents. 9. Develop a pre-competition routine that provides stability and familiarity even in the midst of the most stressful and / or unfamiliar environment. Example: Perform the same warm-up routine, eat the same pre-competition meal, listen to the same motivational tape. 10. Teach, practice and exude optimism. Coaches who model optimism create a positive atmosphere that breeds perseverance and success. Giving gymnasts some control in their training enables their own personalities to grow. This growth will be evident in both confident performance and strong self-esteem which benefits both gymnastics and personal development.

Teaching Value and Enjoyment in the "Task" "I liked that we were always reminded that gymnastics could be fun. My coach always wanted us to retain the love for gymnastics and that motivated me." - Elizabeth Crandell, National Team Member 1987-1993 The challenge of the "task" in sports is especially apparent in gymnastics where each new skill presents a new task to be mastered. A task oriented environment is one where the athlete is taught to find as

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much satisfaction in the journey (learning process) as she derives from reaching her destination (fulfilled goals). If an athlete enjoys the journey, her level of commitment will be greater, her response to mistakes and failure will be tempered with perseverance, and her motivation will be fueled by endurance. The coach has a significant influence on whether or not the journey is a rewarding one. How do you make someone enjoy what at times can be a tremendously grueling and difficult road? Look for opportunities to celebrate. (ie., mastering a trick, overcoming fear for the first time, creating an original skill.) Encourage relationships. Since gymnastics is predominantly an individual sport it can be a lonely pursuit. Friendships, even if only one or two, can enhance any sports endeavor and make the journey more enjoyable. Find ways for athletes to integrate other interests into their gymnastics experience. (ie., schedule an exhibition at their school, hire the older gymnasts to teach the younger classes, schedule siteseeing time during out of town meets, help with gymnastics-related school projects.) As Dr. Duda states, there is still much to be studied about the most optimum conditions for motivating athletes. But enough is known about the satisfaction and achievement of athletes who perceive to be training in a task oriented environment to confirm its value over a predominantly ego-oriented motivational climate. Hopefully the research findings from within our sport and the suggestions in this overview will encourage the gymnastics professional to invest in the task oriented environment.

Dr. Marilyn Strawbridge is a former gymnastics competitor and coach. She is currently a fitness education consultant and on the faculty at Butler University. Nancy Marshall is the developer and Manager of USA Gymnastics Athlete Wellness Program. The above chapter is an exerpt from The Athlete Wellness Book, the newly published text for USA Gymnastics Athlete Wellness Course. The book can be ordered through USA Gymnastics Merchandising Department by calling 1-800-345-4719." *(Unless otherwise noted all the above quotes are from The Athlete Wellness Book, Appendix V, "The Implications of the Motivational Climate In Gymnastics: A Review of Recent Research" by Joan Duda, Ph.D.) This article appears in the March 1999 issue of Technique, Vol. 19, No. 3.

Neuromuscular Activation WARM-UP Robb Rogers M.Ed, CSCS, MSCC St. Vincent Sports Performance

everal years ago many highly regarded educators in the field of physical therapy began to expound on the theory that neural recruitment of muscle groups in sequential order is paramount in injury prevention as well as optimal performance. In other words, it is very important for the proper muscles to do the job they were designed to do in the optimal order in relation to the movement skill being executed. Physical therapist Mike Clark, President and founder of NASM is quite versed in this theory and has spent the last several years of his career researching as well as teaching methods in relation to this theory. Over the years many physical educators, athletic trainers and physical therapists have grown to accept this theory. Most injuries are related to poor technique, muscle imbalances and overuse. However, there have always been those few nagging injuries that occur at the most inopportune time and seem to occur and recur with maddening frequency for no apparent reason. Many times seemingly equal athletes will display a vast disparity in strength, power, speed and summation of force, even when trained similarly and seeming to possess similar genetic potential for performance. What is the piece of the puzzle that when implemented can impact both performance as well as injury prevention? Gray Cook of www. FunctionalMovement.com, one of the leading physical therapists and educators in this field relates the concept to hardware and software issues. If the injury or symptom is caused by hardware problems, then possibly joint mobilization, chiropractic manipulation, massage therapy and/or surgical 18

TECHNIQUE ! FEBRUARY 2007

intervention is mandated. However, if it is a software problem, then neural recruitment re-training in order to enhance the enervation and contractibility of the muscle group as well as re-coordinate the recruitment pattern may be the key to overcoming that odd or recurring injury as well as provide the spark for peak performance power.

If we accept the following: s 4HE CENTER OF ALL POWER IS SEATED IN THE lumbo-pelvic-hip complex. s 0OWER IS GENERATED BY AND FROM this area. s 4HIS POWER IS EXPRESSED FROM THE BASE of support through the hands, feet or sport implement.

me here, as we all compensate from joint to joint in our everyday movements. Compensation in and of itself is not a negative. Compensation is how we move. Compensation is how we perform. The master compensators are the ones that we enjoy watching execute the skills of gymnastics as elite level sport in any form requires movements and forces that put tremendous strain on the human body. What we want to do is create a menu of pre-training/competition exercises that will “re-wire” the software and energize the

Front Side Activation

s 4HEREFORE THIS IS THE REGION OF THE body in which to focus our attention.

Some general concepts: Movement Control

Back side muscles control front side movement. For example, when you bend at the waist in an RDL movement, this activity is controlled by the backside musculature of the body (calves, hamstrings, glutes and back musculature). Conversely, if you lean back as in a reach back hand stand, this movement is controlled by the front side musculature of the body (anterior calf, quad/hip flexor, abdominal musculature). If we accept this, then inside muscles control outside movements and outside muscles control inside movements. The inside or inner unit muscles are the transverse abdominus, multifidus and the internal oblique. For example, when one leg is supporting the body in a stance and the hip shifts laterally, this movement is controlled by the inner unit above the pelvis and the adductors of the hip below the pelvis. Conversely, when one leg is supporting the body and the knee collapses medially in a valgus maneuver, this movement is controlled by the outer unit musculature which include the Quadratus Lumborum, external oblique, Ilio-psoas above the hip and below the hip the lateral hip abductors, specifically the gluteus medius.

Muscle Recruitment

If the correct muscles are not recruited in the proper order to do the job they were designed to do then the software patterns of movement become corrupted with compensation “bugs” that over time can create imbalances that can lead to “-itises” and injuries. Don’t misunderstand 20

TECHNIQUE ! FEBRUARY 2007

neural recruitment pattern of the muscle groups of the body. This “re-wiring” will allow the body to move as fluidly as possible through the joint ranges of motion and movement skill patterns the work bout demands. The beauty of the drills is that they are relatively easy to do, require very little equipment and with minor focus on a few specific techniques these drills can unlock the joint and unleash the optimal movement patterns that will optimize performance in preparation as well as competition. continue on p.45

Prone Press Down Scissors 1) With Abs “activated” go onto forearms into a prone plank. 2) Lift the leg approximately four inches off the ground. 3) Keep hips level. 4) Do not let hips rotate. 5) Alternate sides.

Back Side Activation

Bridge Up Series –Two Leg Bridge Ups 1) Lift hips up by squeezing glutes together. 2) Dorsiflex (toes toward ceiling) ankles. 3) Do not hyperextend the back and do not let the hips sag. 4) Straight line from shoulder, hip and knee.

One Leg Bridge Ups Leg Straight 1) Elbow underneath the armpit, lift hips up in the air. 2) Abduct the top leg without dropping hips and rotating the shoulders. 3) Straight line from head, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle

CONTINUED FROM P s Neuromuscular Activation Warm-Up

Back Side Activation

Linear Bridge Up Series â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Single Leg Bridge Ups 1) Lift hips up by â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;activatingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; glutes. 2) Extend one leg without letting the hips drop or rotate. 3) Dosiflex ankles 4) Do not hyperextend the back and do not let the hips sag. 5) Straight line from shoulder, hip and knee.

Lateral Abductor Activation

Medial Adductor Activation

Rubber Band Drills (1 and/ or 2 bands) Shuffle 1) Step lateral. 2) Do not drag feet. 3) Keep both feet pointed straight. 4) Do not turn feet out, lead with the heel. 5) Keep tension on the bands

Wall Slide Ball Squeezes 1) Sit against the wall with hips and knees at 90 degrees. 2) Keep back flat against the wall. 3) Squeeze ball between knees 4) Arms locked straight out, ball at chin level.

If you activate the nerves and turn on the muscles, the movement patterns will be cleaner, healthier and smoother. This in turn leads to better quality drills and practices, lowered incidence of injury, increased quality training time which leads to improved performance. After all, better quality of efforts in practice will create higher quality performances. Fewer injuries will increase the number of repetitions performed over time. Better performances help flame the passion for performance and passion creates intense, focused preparation. And as we all know, quality preparation powers championship performance. For more information on this subject or any other performance or medical issue, contact St. Vincent Sports Performance at (317) 415 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5747 or via our website sport.performance.stvincent.org, the official health provider to USA Gymnastics.

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

FEBRUARY 2007

TECHNIQUE

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3TRETCHING BEFORE EXERCISE BOOSTS PERFORMANCE AND PREVENTS INJURY AND GETTING A MASSAGE AFTERWARD SPEEDS RECOVERY 4WO LARGE REVIEWS PUBLISHED IN AND FAILED TO SUPPORT THE NOTION THAT STRETCHING YOUR MUSCLES BEFORE EXERCISE PREVENTS INJURY OR POST EXERCISE MUSCLE SORENESS 3IMILARLY AT LEAST FIVE CLINICAL TRIALS NOW SHOW THAT GETTING A MASSAGE AFTER EXERCISE DOESN T HELP RESTORE MUSCLE STRENGTH AND DOES LITTLE TO SOOTHE ACHING MUSCLES 4HE COMPONENT THAT IS MOST OFTEN LEFT OUT OF A FITNESS PROGRAM IS STRETCHING )F YOU ARE LIKE MOST PEOPLE YOU PROBABLY THINK THAT RIGHT AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR LAST SET YOU SHOULD HEAD FOR THE SHOWERS (OWEVER YOU SHOULD REALLY FINISH OFF WITH SOME STRETCHING BECAUSE IT WILL INCREASE THE RANGE OF MOTION IN YOUR MUSCLES AND JOINTS WHICH WILL THUS ALLOW YOU TO PERFORM YOUR WEIGHTLIFTING EXERCISES OVER A GREATER RANGE OF MOTION AS WELL AS TARGET MORE MUSCLE FIBERS THROUGHOUT LIFTING

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9OU CAN LOSE FAT FROM A SPECIFIC PART OF YOUR BODY BY DOING AN EXERCISE FOR THAT PART OF YOUR BODY &OR EXAMPLE ABDOMINAL CRUNCHES WILL REMOVE FAT FROM YOUR ABDOMINAL AREA 9OU CAN T SPOT REDUCE 9OU CANNOT CONTROL WHERE FAT IS REMOVED FROM YOUR BODY 4HE ONE THING EVERYONE WANTS IS A FLAT STOMACH .O MATTER HOW MANY SIT UPS YOU DO IT WON T BE FLAT IF YOU HAVE A LAYER OF FAT COVERING YOUR MUSCLES 9OUR TIME WOULD BE MUCH BETTER SPENT DOING SOME QUALITY CARDIO SESSIONS AND MAKING SURE YOU RE EATING WELL WHICH WOULD HELP YOU LOSE BODY FAT THAN DOING MORE SIT UPS -ANY EXERCISE DEVICES ARE MARKETED TO SPOT REDUCE OR SPOT TONE A SPECIFIC BODY PART 4HE IDEA IS THAT BY USING THEIR DEVICE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TONE THE INNER THIGHS FOR EXAMPLE 4HIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE -USCLES UTILIZE BLOOD GLUCOSE CELLULAR ENERGY STORES AND BLOOD FAT FOR ENERGY &AT IS NOT PULLED FROM THE AREA IT IS STORED IN TO SERVE AS ENERGY IN ITS OWN hNEIGHBORHOOD v /NCE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS ARE LOW A HORMONAL REACTION IS TRIGGERED TO METABOLIZE STORED FAT FOR CONVERSION TO GLUCOSE FOR ENERGY &AT DEPOSITS ARE TAPPED IN MULTIPLE PLACES AROUND THE BODY NOT ADJACENT TO THE BODY PART REQUIRING THE NEED FOR ENERGY ! PROPERLY STRUCTURED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM WILL RESULT IN A LEANER BODY APPEARANCE WHEN COMBINED WITH PROPER EATING HABITS 4HIS IS IN PART DUE TO FAT LOSS AND MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY SIZE INCREASE 4HE AMOUNT OF TONING IS UNFORTUNATELY BASED ON ONE S GENETIC PREDISPOSITION FOR MUSCLE GROWTH AND FAT STORAGE 7E CANNOT CHANGE HOW OUR BODY IS PROGRAMMED TO ADD MUSCLE AND STORE FAT

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Sport Science

Psychological Strategies Used by Competitive Gymnasts to Overcome the Fear of Injury T. Michelle Magyar, Melissa A. Chase, Ph.D. Purdue University

The competitive sport of women’s gymnastics can be mentally and physically demanding on an athlete. The difficulty of the skills being performed and the high intensity of training for higher level athletes denotes the risk being taken by the gymnast and the rise of injuries in the sport (Caine, Lindner, Mandelbaum, and Sands, 1996; Kerr and Minden, 1988). This perception of risk and incidence of injury understandably can lead to a gymnast’s fear of being injured while competing and/or learning a new skill. Fear of injury can produce detrimental influences on a gymnast’s performance and self-confidence in gymnastics. Sport psychology research has also found that fear of injury is a common source of worry and a possible reason for leaving competition among young gymnasts (Duda, 1995; Duda and Gano-Overway, 19986; Klint and Weiss, 1986; Weiss, Weise, and Klint, 1989). The fear of injury exists when a gymnast lacks confidence in her ability to perform successfully in a threatening or taxing situation. In order to perform at high competitive levels, one must learn to exercise control over fearful situations. We believe gymnasts need to adopt self-enhancing perspectives rather than self-defeating ones in order to overcome the fear of injury. This process can be enhanced by adopting psychological strategies such as thought stopping, imagery/relaxation, and positive self-talk. When using these approaches, that athlete learns to focus on relevant information, such as, feeling relaxed and giving her best, rather than worrying about the possibility of being injured. Not only do these strategies improve concentration, but they may permit the athlete to gain control over her fears and increase her self-confidence towards performing difficult skills. These strategies have been shown to he effective in performance enhancement programs (Orlick, 1986) and can be developed in young children and adolescents (Weiss, 1991). The purpose of this article is to present various types of psychological strategies used by age group program gymnasts, in a competitive gymnastics club, to overcome their fear of being injured.

Method The participants interviewed for this article were eleven female competitive gymnasts, ages eight to seventeen years (mean age 12.3 years) from a single gymnastics club. This particular group of gymnasts trained 4 to 6 days per week and competed at the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Program Levels 5 through 10. All of the gymnasts had participated in a performance enhancement educational program with exposure to psychological skills training for one to four years. Each gymnast was independently interviewed by one of the authors. The interview consisted of questions designed to assess the strategies used by the gymnast to overcome her fear of injury. Their responses or quotes were coded into common categories to determine the different types of strategies typically used (Scanlan, Stein, and Ravizza, 1989). Once the common strategies were derived, a frequency of the strategies were calculated.

Results

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The results revealed that the gymnasts used a variety of psychological strategies to overcome their fears of being injured. All of the gymnasts reported they felt comfortable using some form of mental strategy to gain control over fearful situations the two most popular strategies used were “Just Go For It” and “Superstitions.” The strategy “Just Go For It” is a thought stopping technique used by the gymnasts to prevent rumination over negative thoughts of being injured. Thought-stopping is when the athlete makes a conscious effort to block out negative thoughts such as “I’m sacred” or “I can’t do this.” Once the athlete has learned to block out negative thoughts, she can replace them with thoughts such as “just do it” and put her body into autopilot to attempt the skill. Contrasting from the mental strategy of thought stopping, “Superstitions” are based more on the concept of luck. When a gymnast has a superstition, she is relying on certain objects such as a leotard or hair ribbon/scrunchy to bring her positive results in her performance. Superstitions are not a reliable strategy because the athlete is not in direct control of the outcome, however they do put the athlete in a positive mind set to perform. Superstitions when used as more of a routine, for example eating pancakes every morning, can help the athlete stay focused and relaxed. The third most popular strategy used by these gymnasts reveals the significance of the coach in helping the gymnast overcome the fear of injury. The athletes look to their coaches and trust in their coach’s decision that they are capable of performing new or difficult skills. Without this support, the gymnast may begin to question her ability and continue to be fearful of injury and hesitate on certain skills. The four remaining strategies are self-regulatory techniques that the gymnasts practice and use on a regular basis. “Imagery” allows the gymnast to visualize past and/or future experiences in her mind to prepare herself for how to handle fearful situations. This strategy improves the athletes self-confidence by making her more familiar with the skill. “Positive self-talk” is a strategy used by gymnasts to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Rather than just blocking out fearful thoughts, the gymnast can prevent them from occurring by constantly using positive thoughts that she finds personally meaningful, (such as “I can do this”). “Selective focus and illusion” is a technique the gymnast uses to convince herself that either someone is there to sport her or that she has already performed the skill successfully. By using this form of illusion, the gymnast is creating an environment that is favorable to a successful outcome. Finally, “progressive muscle relaxation” is an effective self-regulatory strategy that teaches the athlete to control her physiological arousal during fearful situations. A relaxed state is best accomplished by using proper breathing techniques (such as taking deep breaths), which help to release muscle tension in the body. The athlete uses relaxation to control her physical responses in fearful situations and regain her composure and selfconfidence. The strategies are presented in Table 1 with the percentage of responses for each strategy, followed by an example of a supporting quote.

Discussion Based on these findings, it seems that if a gymnast wants to overcome the fear of being injured, it would be beneficial if she learned how to use psychological skills. Psychological skills training is an educational program designed to develop cognitive strategies in combination with physical skill development to enhance gymnastics performance and one’s overall experience in the sport (Weiss, 1991). Three basic strategies that are a foundation of a solid psychological skills program are relaxation, imagery, and positive self-talk.

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The finding from this study also revealed that coaches play an integral role in helping the gymnasts overcome their fears of being injured. The girls in this gym club trusted their coaches a great deal, especially when attempting a new sill or one with high difficulty. The coaches support goes beyond the physical presence of spotting the gymnasts to help them advance physically in the level of difficulty of a skill. They also help the gymnasts mentally, and assist them in overcoming mental barriers such as fear of injury. Therefore, coaches need to be accurate in their feedback and judgment of the gymnasts abilities to progress to the higher levels. Based on these responses, it is apparent the gymnasts in this study exposed to such training used the subsequent skills to combat their fears of being injured. In order to decrease the fear of injury, both the athlete and coach must work together to incorporate psychological skills training into everyday training regimens. The significance of the coaches role also needs to be emphasized during practice and competition to help the gymnast overcome adversity. Table 1

Psychological Strategies Used to Overcome Fear Thought-Stopping “Just Go For It” (19%)

“I would just go for it, just throw it.” “So get it in your head that you can do this skill and just block everything else out of your head and just go for it.”

Superstitions (19%)

Trust, Advice, and Support from Coaches (17%)

Imagery (13.5%)

“Take it one thing at a time. Don’t think about it. Block it out like a zombie.” “I have my lucky underwear, my lucky socks, my lucky hair ties, my lucky hair clips. I eat French toast every morning.” “A lucky leo. Because every time I wear it, I’m lucky and I can do something.” “I’ve learned to trust the coach personally.” “Coaches always say, ‘I wouldn’t have you do it if you couldn’t do it.’ They believe in you.” “I think imagery can help because you get more familiar with the skill if you’re good at it.” “Imagery helps me a lot. I do it all the time. I do it outside the gym and in the gym.”

Self-Talk, Positive Thoughts (13.5%)

“I use imagery. Like if I’m at a meet or if I am doing a skill I’ve never done before, I can just imagine myself doing it.” “Thinking it and saying it to yourself, that I can do it, the coaches think I can.”

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“I try to calm myself down and say, Whoa wait a second, you’ve done this before.”

Selective Focus and Attention (10%)

Relaxation (8%)

“I like say something in my head and it makes me do it.” “I pretend like the coach is standing there spotting me.” “I pretend like I was on my third one. Like I’d already done three, I just think I’ve already done it.” “I’ve learned the relaxation thing.” “The relaxation stuff helps a lot too.” “The relaxation thing helps a little too. If I’m relaxed there’s a better chance I won’t get hurt.”

References Caine, D.J., Caine, C.J., and Linder, K.J. (1996). Epidemiology of Sport Injuries. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Duda, J.L. (1995). Level of competitive trait anxiety and sources of stress among members of the 1993 TOP Team. Technique, 16, 10-13. Duda, J.L. and Gano-Overway, L. (1996). Anxiety in elite young gymnasts. Part II – Sources of stress. Technique, 16, 4-5. Kerr, G., and Minden, H. (1988). Psychological factors related to the occurrence of athletic injuries. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10, 167-173. Klint, K.A., and Weiss, M.R. (1986). Dropping in and dropping out: Participation motives of current and former youth gymnasts. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 11, 106114. Orlick, T. (1986). Psyching for Sport: Mental Training for Athletes. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Scanlan, T.K., Stein, G.L., and Ravizza, K. (1989). An in-depth study of former elite figure skaters: II. Sources of enjoyment. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11, 65-83. Weiss, M.R., Weise, D.M., and Klint, K.A. (1989). Head over heals with success: The relationship between self-efficacy and performance in competitive youth gymnastics. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11, 444-451. Weiss, M.R. (1991). Psychological skill development in children and adolescents. The Sport Psychologist, 5, 335-354.

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This article appears in the November/December 1996 issue of Technique, Vol. 16, No. 10.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Level 4 Vault Deductionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;A Clarification

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Plyometric Training for Children & Adolescents Written for the American College of Sports Medicine by Avery D. Faigenbaum, Ed.D. FACSM and Donald A. Chu, Ph.D., PT, ATC Children and adolescents need to participate regularly in physical activities that enhance and maintain cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health. While boys and girls have traditionally been encouraged to participate in aerobic training and strength building activities, a growing number of children and adolescents are experiencing the benefits of plyometric training. Plyometrics refer to exercises that link strength with speed of movement to produce power and were first known simply as "jump training." Previously thought of as a method of conditioning reserved for adult athletes, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) contends that plyometric training is a safe, beneficial and fun activity for children and adolescents provided that the program is properly designed and supervised. Plyometric training conditions the body through dynamic, resistance exercises. This type of training typically includes hops and jumps that exploit the muscles' cycle of lengthening and shortening to increase muscle power. Plyometric exercises start with a rapid stretch of a muscle (eccentric phase) and are followed by a rapid shortening of the same muscle (concentric phase). With plyometric training, the nervous system is conditioned to react more quickly to the stretch-shortening cycle. This type of training enhances a child's ability to increase speed of movement and improve power production. Regular participation in a plyometric training program may also help to strengthen bone and facilitate weight control. Further, plyometric training performed during the preseason may decrease the risk of sports-related injuries. This may be of particular benefit to young female athletes who appear to be at increased risk for knee injuries as compared to young male athletes. There are thousands of plyometric exercises, ranging from low intensity double leg hops to high intensity drills such as depth jumps. Although the latter is typically associated with plyometric training for the mature athlete, common games and activities such as hop-scotch, jumping rope and jumping jacks can also be characterized as plyometrics because every time the feet make contact with the ground the quadriceps are subjected to the stretch-shortening cycle. In fact, plyometrics are a natural part of most movements, as evidenced by the jumping, hopping and skipping seen on any school playground. With qualified coaching and age-appropriate instruction, plyometric training can be a safe, effective and fun method of conditioning for children and teenagers. However, there is the potential for injury to occur if the intensity and volume of the training program exceeds the abilities of the participants. Children and adolescents should develop an adequate baseline of strength before participating in a plyometric training program, or they should simply begin plyometric training with lower intensity drills and gradually progress to higher intensity drills over time. Although additional clinical trials are needed to determine the most effective plyometric training program for children and adolescents, beginning with one to three sets of six to 10 repetitions on one upper body exercise (e.g., medicine ball chest pass with a one-kilogram ball) and one lower body exercise (e.g. double leg hop) twice per week on nonconsecutive days seems reasonable. If multiple

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Level 4 Vault Deductionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;A Clarification

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sets are performed, participants must be provided with adequate rest and recovery between sets (e.g., two to four minutes) in order to replenish the energy necessary to perform the next series of repetitions with the same intensity. Unlike traditional strength training exercises, plyometric exercises are performed quickly and explosively. Plyometric exercises may be introduced into the warm-up period or incorporated into group game activities. Depending upon individual needs and goals, the plyometric training program can progress to include multiple jumps, single leg hops and throws using lightweight medicine balls. Modifying the program over time will help to optimize gains and prevent overtraining. Children and adolescents should be provided with specific information on proper exercise technique, rate of progression and safe training procedures (e.g., warm-up and cool-down). Also, children and adolescents must wear supportive athletic footwear and plyometric exercises should be performed on surfaces with some resilience. Plyometrics are not intended to be a stand-alone exercise program and should be incorporated into a well-designed overall conditioning program that also includes strength, aerobic, flexibility, and agility training. Plyometric training may not only make children and adolescents faster and more powerful; this type of training may offer observable health benefits to young populations. The contention that plyometrics are inappropriate for boys and girls is not consistent with the needs of children and teenagers or their physical abilities. Plyometric training is a safe, worthwhile and fun method of conditioning for children and adolescents if age-appropriate guidelines are followed, qualified instruction is available, and individual concerns are addressed.

ANKLE PROPRIOCEPTION IN THE PREVENTION OF ANKLE INJURIES "Y ,EE ,YSIUK -3 ,!4 !4# 3T 6INCENT 3PORTS 0ERFORMANCE #ENTER

Proprioception or balance is defined as the unconscious internal perception of movement and knowledge of the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s orientation in space. If we can teach the ankle where it is in relation to other objects (i.e., the floor, beam), we are more likely to prevent the ankle from putting itself into a position that it is more likely to injure itself. >>> Continued on pg. 24

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org FEBRUARY 2009 â&#x20AC;˘ TECHNIQUE

>>>

There are many exercises that can improve the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proprioception or balance. The most common of these exercises is easily done with items that are found in the home. The first is as simple as standing on one leg. Have your gymnasts try the following! Stand on a flat surface with something near you as a balance check, such as the back of a stable chair. Now stand on one foot with your knee and hip slightly bent and tighten your abdominals. Keep your eyes on an object that is around your eye level approximately 10 feet away. Hold this position at least 30 seconds. After performing this exercise you may think this is fairly simple, but there are many ways to increase the difficulty. The first is as easy as closing your eyes. Without your vision your body has to use other internal senses to keep your balance. Without your vision this exercise can be difficult and dangerous. Please have your hand very close to your balance check. If you are uncomfortable closing your eyes, you can use some very common household items to make this exercise more difficult. Tightly roll a bath towel up so the towel is no wider than your foot. Stand on the towel to create an unstable surface which should make keeping your balance a little harder than just standing on the floor. To make this exercise more fun and add a little competitiveness, try balancing with a partner standing 10 to 20 feet away from you and toss a soft ball (I recommend a volleyball or soccer ball) between the two of you. Whoever keeps their balance the longest is the winner. Remember this is a balance exercise and not a shoulder exercise, so do not take the other personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head off with your throws. When standing on the towel becomes too easy, try finding something in your house that is more difficult. If there is a golfer in the house, I recommend standing on approximately 10-15 golf BALLS ,AY THE GOLF BALLS IN AN OVAL PATTERN THAT IS SLIGHTLY LARGER than your foot. I would do this on a carpeted floor so it gives the golf balls a little bit of stability compared to a hard surface like wood.

When doing these exercises I would hold each exercise for at least 30 to 60 seconds and complete 6 to 10 repetitions. Remember to keep your eyes forward and your knee and hip slightly bent with your abdominal tight. Also, remember to have a balance check such as the back of a chair within reach. Helping your gymnasts develop and maintain strong ankles will help prevent ankle injuries in the long run. It is a good investment of time!

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USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Protein: Finding the Balance

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Protein: Finding the Balance Hey Coaches! Read what Nancy Clark has to say about protein and how she answers questions from athletes. Confusion abounds regarding the right balance of protein in the sports diet. Gymnasts, rugby players, runners, and skaters alike commonly wonder 1) if a high protein diet is less fattening than a carbohydrate-based sports diet, 2) if protein is best for preventing hypoglycemia, 3) if they need extra protein to support the demands of their exercise program, and 4) if protein supplements are the most effective way to build muscles. The following article is designed to clarify some of this protein confusion and help you find the right balance of protein-rich foods in your sports diet.

Q: I want to lose weight so I'll be a lighter, quicker athlete. I've stopped eating starches like potato, pasta, bread, and other fattening carbohydrates. But I wonder: what's the right balance of protein and carbs for weight loss? A: The current popularity of high protein diets for weight loss stems from protein's ability to curb

hunger. That is, an egg-based breakfast takes longer to digest and can be more satisfying than is an equal number of calories from a plain bagel. By being satisfied, you'll be able to eat fewer calories, and thereby create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight. Despite popular belief, carbohydrates are NOT fattening! Rather, EXCESS CALORIES are fatteningexcess calories of carbs, protein, or fat. As an athlete, you actually need a carbohydrate-based sports diet to fuel your muscles, because only carbs get stored in muscles as glycogen. When your muscle glycogen stores become depleted through repeated days of hard training with too few carbohydrates to replenish the losses, you'll become needlessly fatigued. Rather than eliminate carbohydrates (which are likely among your favorite foods), I recommend you consult with a sports nutritionist who can design a personalized food plan that will help you lose weight, maintain energy for training, and include your favorite meals. To find a local sports nutritionist, go to www.eatright.org and use the referral network of the American Dietetic Association.

Q: I struggle with hypoglycemia, so I've cut back on carbohydrates to avoid "sugar highs and sugar lows." I'm eating protein with each meal but I am afraid to have potato, rice, and bread. I've heard these foods have a high glycemic index and quickly elevate my blood sugars, only to create an excessive amount of insulin that takes too much sugar out of my blood and makes me "crash." What's the right balance of protein to carbohydrates to keep my blood sugar stable? A: Of the athletes I counsel who complain about hypogly-cemia, the vast majority simply underconsume calories at breakfast and lunch. They get light-headed in the afternoon not because of a reaction to carbohydrates, but because they failed to put enough fuel in their bodies and are running on fumes. The solution is not to limit carbs but rather to eat heartier breakfasts and lunches. These meals should include both carbs (for energy) and protein (for satiety)-such as milk with cereal, turkey on bread, and meat sauce with pasta.

Q: I've stopped eating meat, and have chicken or fish about once a week in a restaurant. I eat mostly bagels, salads, pasta, and apples. Will this give me enough protein to support my exercise program?

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Protein: Finding the Balance

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A: Likely not. Although bagels and pasta do offer a little protein, the protein is low quality and fails

to offer all the amino acids needed to build muscles. Hence, you should complement these grains with a protein-rich plant food at each meal, such as peanut butter on a breakfast bagel, beans on the lunch-time salad, and tofu with pasta at dinner. I counsel too many athletes who call themselves "vegetarians" but are actually just non-meat eaters who eliminate meat but fail to add in beans, soy, and other plant proteins. Their bagel & pasta diet is deficient in many nutrients that are essential for health and top performance including not only protein (for building, repairing, protecting muscles) but also iron (for preventing anemia), and zinc (for healing and strengthening the immune system). No wonder these athletes complain about chronic fatigue, poor recovery after exercise, colds they can't shake, and overall lack of energy. They also have visible signs of malnutrition: blotchy facial complexion and grayish coloring-both of which disappear once they balance their diet with adequate protein.

Q: I want to bulk up, so I've started eating a protein bar and protein shake at breakfast and lunch (instead of cereal and sandwiches). My mom worries I'm eating too much protein. What's the right balance? A: To build muscle, you need adequate protein, extra carbohydrates, and, of course, resistance exercise such as lifting weights. Carbs fuel your muscles and give you the energy needed to perform the muscle-building exercise. If you eat too much protein by displacing, let's say, cereal with a protein bar, you'll not only fail to fuel your muscles properly, but will also fail to invest in optimal health. Displacing natural foods with engineered foods (protein supplements) limits your intake of the health-protective nutrients nature puts in whole foods. To determine how much protein your muscles actually use, simply estimate your protein needs according to these targets: Person â&#x20AC;&#x201D; gm protein/lb healthy body wt. Recreational exerciser, adult: 0.5-0.75 Competitive athlete, adult: 0.6-0.9 Growing teenage athlete: 0.8-0.9 Dieting athlete, low calories: 0.8-0.9 Maximum for all healthy athletes, including body builders: 0.9

Example: If you weigh 160 pounds and want the maximum acceptable protein intake (0.9 gms

pro/lb), you'd need 144 grams of protein-an amount you could easily consume from a day's diet that includes 1 quart skim milk, 1 can tuna, and 8 ounces chicken breast. I recommend protein supplements only in a few medical situations, such as for malnourished patients with AIDS or cancer, or clients with anorexia who refuse to eat other sources of protein. Few healthy athletes need to spend money on protein supplements; supplements have no magic ingredients. Even vegetarian athletes can get enough protein through plant and dairy foods. Wholesome food works fine!

Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual exercisers and competitive athletes at Sports Medicine Associates in Brookline, MA. Her popular Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 2nd Edition is available by sending $20 to Sports Nutrition Services, 830 Boylston St. #205, Brookline MA 02467 or via her website, www.nancyclarkrd.com.

OvercOming

PsychOlOgical BlOcking in Gymnastics Virtually 70% of high level gymnasts have experienced psychological blocking -the inability to perform a skill previously performed with ease. Only a small percentage of these athletes experience blocking to the point that it disrupts their performance. nonetheless, for those who do, the experience is devastating.

"VV>Ã > Þ]Ê>ÊV i>À VÕÌÊÃÌ>ÀÌ }Ê« ÌÊ `i Ì v iÃÊ the origin of the psychological blocking problem – a serious fall, a near catastrophe or a painful V Ã Ê >ÞÊ«ÀiV « Ì>ÌiÊÌ iÊL V }°ÊÊ*iÀ >«Ã]Ê observing such events happening to another was the precipitating condition. More often, however, Ì iÊV>ÕÃiÊ ÃÊ` vv VÕ ÌÊÌ Ê« « Ì°Ê"ÕÀÊÀiÃi>ÀV Ê shows that blocking has a number of predictable V >À>VÌiÀ ÃÌ VÃÊ i } iÞ]Ê, LL ÃÊEÊ iÀ}iÀ]Ê£ n ®\ >®Ê ÌÊ}i iÀ> âiÃÊL>V Ü>À`ÃÊÜ Ì Ê>ÊÃiµÕi ViÊ vÊ skills. For example, blocking on the back somersault phase of the roundoff, back handspring, back Ã iÀÃ>Õ ÌÊÃiµÕi ViÊµÕ V ÞÊÃ«Ài>`ÃÊÌ ÊÌ iÊL>V Ê > `Ã«À }Ê> `ÊvÀiµÕi Ì ÞÊÌ ÊÌ iÊÀ Õ ` vvÊ ÌÃi v° L®Ê ÌÊ}i iÀ> âiÃÊ>VÀ ÃÃÊÃ Ã°Ê ÀÊiÝ> « i]Ê>Ê «À L i Ê ÊÌ iÊL>V ÊÃ> Ì Ê ÊÌ iÊLi> ÊµÕ V ÞÊ spreads to a back salto on the floor and/or to a back walkover on the beam or the floor. V®Ê Ì iÌiÃÊÃÕÃVi«Ì L iÊÌ ÊL V }Ê >ÛiÊÃ >ÀÊ characteristics. They are: Ê £®ÊÊÛiÀÞÊLÀ } Ì Ê Ó®ÊÊv>ÃÌÊ i>À iÀÃ]Ê>ÌÊ i>ÃÌÊ Ì > Þ°

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AUGUST 2009

Their high intelligence and rapid rate of learning often results in their learning skills without learning intermediate steps. This characteristic has been noted as a possible cause or factor related to a cause in a study of trampolinists (Day, Thatcher, Àii iiÃÊEÊ7 `ÃÊÓääÈ®° The reactions of coaches also follows predictable patterns. At first, they are patient, providing encouragement and understanding to the gymnast. When that approach fails to solve the problem, they become impatient and irritable, often leading to confrontations as the coach “demands” the performance which both the coach and the athlete know is well within the athlete’s physical capacity. After all, the definition of blocking is that the gymnast has already performed the skill successfully, often for long periods of time before Ì iÊL V }Ê VVÕÀÀi`°ÊÊ ÀiµÕi Ì Þ]ÊÌ iÊV >V ÊÜ Ê “back off,” giving the gymnast several days or weeks to “get away from the problem.” When the problem still persists, the confrontational style begins again. ÊÊÊÊÊ*ÃÞV } V> ÊL V }ÊÌÞ« V> ÞÊiÛ ÛiÃÊÌ À Õ} Ê three major stages. At first, the problem is simply being unable to perform the skill. That inability may be a specific fear of injury or more commonly

it involves a vague unspecified fear. Sometimes, the cause appears to result from small biomechanical errors that are so small that they are not recognized by the gymnast or coach. These tiny errors do not prevent the execution of the skill in a practice setting such as a back handspring performed on a low, wide practice beam but become major debilitating factors when performed on the 4” wide high beam where the margin for error is much smaller and the hand placement on the beam changes the gymnast’s base of physical support. The block is often accompanied by an inability to visualize the performance of the skill. The second phase, which usually develops weeks or months after the initial blocking continues, involves emotionally conditioned negative affect, a form of classical conditioning. The anger, shame and guilt which arise from the inability to perform a skill previously mastered becomes associated with specific, naturally occurring cues associated with that skill; e.g., the balance beam itself elicits shame and avoidance because it is the site where repeated failures to perform have occurred when the gymnast blocks on a back handspring on the beam. The agitation experienced by the gymnast may come from £®Ê>Ê ÃÃÊ vÊv>ViÊLiv ÀiÊÌ iÊV >V ]Ê> Ê>ÕÌ À ÌÞÊv }ÕÀiÆÊ Ó®Êi L>ÀÀ>ÃÃ i ÌÊvÀ ÊÌ iÊ«ÕL VÊv> ÕÀiÊLiv ÀiÊ Ìi> >ÌiÃÊ> `Ê«>Ài ÌÃÆÊ> `É ÀÊÎ®ÊvÀ ÊÌ i ÀÊ Ü Ê personal confusion about “I could do before; why not now?” Athletes suffering from this problem regularly

express a dislike of having others watch them while they are struggling with the problem. The third phase develops after month or years of dealing with the same problem. The gymnasts begin to make negative attributions about their ability or their courage. Questions such as “What’s wrong with me?” or “Why can’t I do this, especially when my teammates can?” begin to morph into statements about personal ability or self-worth. They gradually become “I’m not good enough” or “I’m a coward” or I’m a mess.” Such negative attributions are much more difficult to eliminate after the gymnast has made such negative self-judgments over a prolonged period of time and the evidence of their failures is literally “right in front of them.” Frankly, we do not know what causes psychological blocking. The cause remains a mystery despite some educated guesses. What we do know ÃÊÌ >ÌÊL V }Ê ÃÊ ÀiÊvÀiµÕi ÌÊÌ > ÊV ÞÊ thought and that it occurs in other sports such as springboard/tower diving and trampolining. It’s called the Lost Move Syndrome by trampolinists /i ]Ê£ x>]Ê£ xL®°ÊÊ7iÊ> Ã Ê ÜÊÌ >ÌÊ ÌÊ ÃÊ easily compounded by the two additional problems described above: The classically conditioned negative emotional responses and the negative self appraisals. ÊÊÊÊÊ Ã]Ê ÀÀ ÃÃÊ> `Ê/À ÜiÀÊ£ ®ÊÃÌÕ` i`ÊÌ iÊ recovery of elite level skill in javelin throwers. / iÊÃ« ÀÌÊÌ iÞÊiÝ> i`ÊÜ>ÃÊµÕ ÌiÊ` vviÀi ÌÊvÀ Ê

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gymnastics but the goal of the athletes to recover a «ÀiÛ ÕÃ ÞÊ ÃÌÊÃ ÊÜ>ÃÊµÕ ÌiÊ similar. They suggested three possible causes. First, an athlete might be actively inhibiting the skill because of fear of injury. That is an intuitively appealing answer for gymnasts but what little research is available suggests that fear of injury is not the primary cause (Day, Thatcher, Àii iiÃ]ÊEÊ7 `Ã]ÊÓääÈ®°Ê Ê 1Ã }Ê>ÊÃi ÃÌÀÕVÌÕÀiÊ ÌiÀÛ iÜÊÌiV µÕiÊÜ Ì Ê£xÊ high-level trampolinists, Day iÌÊ> °ÊÓääÈ®Êv Õ `ÊÀi«i>Ìi`Ê comments that fear of injury was not uppermost in the ÌÀ> « ÃÌÃ½Ê `Ã°ÊÊ" iÊ such illustrative comment was “I never thought I’d hurt myself. I was scared of the move, not what might >««i Ê>vÌiÀÜ>À`ÃÊ*>}iÊ £È£®°» Second, the disruption might arise from the athlete’s attempts to exert too much conscious control on what would normally be a highly automated task. The classic description of “paralysis by analysis” might be at least a partial causal explanation. A major shortcoming of this explanation is that gymnasts regularly complain that they cannot visualize the Ã Ê i } iÞ]ÊÓää£ÆÊ£ nx®°Ê Ê "ÛiÀ> > ÞÃ ÃÊ«ÀiÃÕ >L ÞÊ ÀiµÕ ÀiÃÊÌ iÊ>L ÌÞÊÌ Ê« VÌÕÀiÊ or at least think about the movement skill. ÊÊÊÊÊ/ À`]Ê ÃÊiÌÊ> °Ê£ ®Ê suggested that the blocking might be related to the athletes’ inability to access the motor program for the desired skill. While this cause is consistent with motor learning research, because it relies on internal, theoretical motor schema, it has little practical value for coach. The following suggested recommendations are a «À }À> ]Ê ÌÊ>ÊµÕ V Êv Ý° RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) Help the gymnast develop

a sense of perspective -Blocking is a problem to be solved, not a character flaw nor a personal weakness. "Ì iÀÃÊ >ÛiÊ >`ÊÌ ÃÊ«À L i Ê and successfully solved it. You are not the only one. Just as importantly, start with the assumption that the athlete is motivated to solve the problem. 2) Use “windows of opportunity.” Windows of opportunities are very brief chances for the gymnast to perform the blocked skill. For example, once the gymnast is properly warm-up and has had the opportunity to rehearse the appropriate lead up skills, the coach might say, º" >Þ]Ê ÜÊÌ >ÌÊÞ Õ½ÛiÊÌ `Ê me you are ready, we have 15 seconds to perform your back handspring once you’ve gotten up on the high beam. If you don’t go within that time frame, step down off the beam and prepare once again before mounting the beam. We’re only going to attempt this three times. If we haven’t done it by then, we’re finished and will have another opportunity to try it tomorrow.” The primary purpose is to give the athlete multiple opportunities for success without prolonging the amount of time the athlete is in a double-bind situation. A double-bind refers to the situation in which the gymnast is damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t. If she attempts to perform the skill, her fear rises to intolerable levels. If she doesn’t perform the skill, she is shamed in the eyes of her coach and in her own eyes as well. The brief opportunity to perform places the emphasis on “getting ready” rather than maintaining the athlete in a situation that is characterized by punishment, shame and frustration. “Getting ready” involves both getting

mentally set to perform the skill which the gymnast vi>ÀÃÊ> `ÊÀi i>ÀÃ }ÊÌ iÊ«ÀiÀiµÕ Ã ÌiÊv Õ `>Ì Ê skills. ÊÊÊÊÊ/ iÊLÀ ivÊ«iÀ `ÃÊ vÊÌ iÊ °i°]ÊÌ iÊ «« ÀÌÕ Ì iÃ®Ê also help the coach and gymnast to avoid focusing on the frustrating nonperformance over long periods of time. It is also extremely important that the coach presents tomorrow as the next step without guilt, sarcasm or disappointment. 3) Avoid using guilt when moving on. Gymnasts are highly likely to feel shame and frustration even though their outward expressions may not reflect those feelings. The strong emotions that characterize these situations cloud the issue. If the gymnast is in the blocking situation for prolonged periods of time where the strong emotions are continually present, those emotions become linked to the circumstances, e.g., standing on the beam for a series of back handsprings. The gymnast learns via classical conditioning to link the anxiety with the specific circumstances associated with blocking (e.g., ÃÌ> ` }Ê ÊÌ iÊ } ÊLi> ®°ÊÊ/ iÃiÊV ` Ì i`Ê emotional responses compound the problem rather than leading to a solution to the blocking. 4) Minimize the amount of emotion associated with the blocking. Be matter of fact in your communication and instruction with the gymnast – “You’re not ready yet. Let’s get ready.” The frustration is shared by the gymnast, coach and parent because there seems to be no apparent cause of the psychological block. The block, however, is rarely, if ever, due to a lack of motivation on the part of the gymnast. Avoid additional emotional reactions during the instruction and provide steady but sincere encouragement. 5) Set a realistic time frame for the “cure” -Months, not weeks. If the problem has been

identified early, the prognosis for recovery is likely to be shorter than if the problem has existed for six months. The phrase “a mile in, a mile out,” reflects this perspective. 6) Design progressions with alternative successes/ conclusions. Design the training so that there is always a logical finish to the assignment regardless of whether blocking occurs. An unfortunate characteristic of blocking is that the gymnast stands motionless on the apparatus for long periods of time, locked in indecision. During these prolonged periods, emotions become conditioned, frustration > `ÊÃ > iÊ VÀi>Ãi]ÊÌ iÊiµÕ « i ÌÊ ÃÊÕ >Û> >L iÊ to teammates, public embarrassment grows, and Ì iÊ}Þ >ÃÌÊLi} ÃÊÌ ÊµÕiÃÌ Ê ÃÊ ÀÊ iÀÊ>L ÌÞ°Ê >Û }Ê>Ê } V> Êv Ã Ê> ÜÃÊÌ iÊ}Þ >ÃÌÊÌ Ê ÛiÊ on and minimizes the prolonged periods of failure. For example, the assignment might be to make Ì ÀiiÊ>ÌÌi «ÌÃÊÌ Ê` Ê>ÊL>V Ê > `Ã«À }ÊÃiµÕi ViÊ within 15 seconds after mounting the beam. If the attempts are not made within that 15-second period, the opportunity is finished. After three attempts that portion of the workout is over, even if the gymnast ÀiµÕiÃÌÃÊ>`` Ì > Ê>ÌÌi «ÌÃÊÌ Êº` Ê Ì°»Ê7 iÊ>ÌÊ first, the gymnast may perceive such a finish as a relief, within a few days, those periods will begin to be seen as opportunities to be worked toward as «« Ãi`ÊÌ Ê> ÊiÛi ÌÊÌ ÊLiÊ`Ài>`i`°Ê1 iÃÃÊÌ iÞÊ>ÀiÊ prepared, they won’t have the opportunity to master the skill, keep up with the others, or prepare for an upcoming competition. Examples of progressions with alternative successes are: 50 attempts with a spot or 3 not necessarily consecutive attempts without a spot. 25 attempts with a spot or 1 without a spot 50 tries with a spot or 3 in a row without a spot. 7) Practice mentally imaging successful attempts.

This imaging may not be easy. Gymnasts may have difficulty picturing the skill in their mind (a strong V >À>VÌiÀ ÃÌ VÊ vÊL V }®ÆÊ ÀÊÌ iÞÊ >ÞÊV Ã ÃÌi Ì ÞÊ see themselves performing errors as they execute the skill mentally. They can enhance the positive mental performance by watching others who can successfully ` ÊÌ iÊÃ Ê ÀÊ>ÊÛ `i Ì>«i®°Ê vÊÌ iÞÊV> Ê«iÀv À ÊÌ iÊ skill with a spot but balk when attempting it alone, have them alternately perform the skill with a spot and then immediately attempt to visualize the skill attempting to duplicate the sensation experienced while actually doing the skill. Those sensations might be feeling the impact of landing on the beam while performing a back handspring or smelling the chalk dust on their hands or feeling the texture of the balance beam or the floor. In other words, link the physical sensations closely in time with the attempts to visualize and increase the number of naturally occurring sensory cues to increase the vividness and validity of the mental image. Initially, give mental assignments which are easy; i.e., image at least three successful attempts. When the gymnast is successful, increase the difficulty of the assignment in reasonable, progressive steps, just as you would with physical performances; i.e., 10 successes regardless of the number of tries; then five in a row without a miss; then 10 in a row, etc. 8) Never mislead the athlete about whether you will or will not spot. A common belief is that if the coach pretends to spot, then withdraws their support, they will be able to convince the gymnast that the gymnast really did the skill without assistance. In fact, the gymnast already knows they can perform the skill. Fear and uncertainty are blocking their performance. To suddenly withdraw the spotting in the middle of the skill is more likely to increase uncertainty than to decrease it. Further, the trust between the coach and gymnast is difficult to sustain if the coach is perceived as tricking the gymnast into performing without a spot. Finally, the goal is for the gymnast to overcome the fear through his or her own efforts. The perception of being “in control” of the risk is an important part of this success. 9) Let them know they are not alone. >ÛiÊ}Þ >ÃÌÃÊ with the problem talk to one another. Let them realize that they are not alone; they are not the only one. This is especially effective if they have contact with an older, more experienced gymnast who has successfully overcome similar problems with blocking. 10) Do the “blocked skill” early in the workout to avoid destroying the entire workout. If the gymnast is successful, they have a great beginning for the training session. If they are not successful, the stressful situation is done for the day and they can enjoy and focus on other aspects of their workout rather than dreading what is still to come. 11) Permit the gymnast to attempt the skill “out of

TECHNIQUE

AUGUST 2009

the limelight.” For example, they may be encouraged to arrive at practice a few minutes early or to stay for a few minutes after (before is better to avoid «À } }ÊÌ iÊ> Ì V «>Ì ÊÌ À Õ} ÕÌÊ«À>VÌ Vi®°Ê Ê *À>VÌ ViÊÌ iÊÃ Ê>Ü>ÞÊvÀ ÊÌi> >ÌiÃÊÌ Ê âiÊ the embarrassment that accompanies public failures. 12) Encourage the gymnast to explore the skill while at play or in a safe setting such as with a spotting belt or on a mat on the trampoline where the additional spring makes the skill easier. This approach also removes the skill from the primary situation where the negative emotions have been V ` Ì i`Ê ÛiÀÊ> `Ê ÛiÀÊ>}> °ÊÊ*iÀv À }Ê>Ê } Ê leaping back handspring, for example, may allow the gymnast to see visual spots more easily. This ÌiV µÕiÊ VÀi>ÃiÃÊ>Ü>Ài iÃÃÊiÛi ÊÌ Õ} Ê ÌÊ >ÞÊLiÊ done so at the expense of biomechanical efficiency – >ÌÊ i>ÃÌÊÌi « À>À Þ® 13) Permit the athlete to control the rate of progress through the progressions for the skill. / ÃÊ>««À >V ÊÀiµÕ ÀiÃÊ>ÊV Ì i ÌÊ ÊÌ iÊ«>ÀÌÊ of the gymnast to approach the skill rather than simply delaying or avoiding the skill. Knowing that I can decide when I move on in the progressions can reduce some of the external pressure on the gymnast. ÜiÛiÀ]ÊÌ ÃÊ>««À >V ÊÀiµÕ ÀiÃÊ>ÊÃ } v V> ÌÊ`i}ÀiiÊ of maturity on the part of the gymnast. 14) Encourage the gymnast to develop an awareness of appropriate visual cues (known as visual spotting) during the performance of the skill.ÊÊ ÀiµÕi Ì Þ]Ê Þ Õ }Ê}Þ >ÃÌÃÊ i>À ÊÌ iÊÃ ÊÃ ÊµÕ V Þ]ÊÌ >ÌÊ they rely primarily on kinesthetic cues rather than visual cues. Initially, adding visual cues can be very distracting for a gymnast who has relied solely on iÃÌ iÌ VÊ>Ü>Ài iÃÃÊ ÌÊ vÀiµÕi Ì Þ]ÊÞ Õ }iÀÊ gymnasts actually perform the skill with their eyes V Ãi`®° 15) Analyze the skill for the possibility of subtle changes in the biomechanics of the skill that might occur because of developmental changes such as growth related to longer arms and legs, changes in center of gravity, reduced strength to weight ratios, etc. A common example: The hand placement while performing a back handspring on beam changes as the gymnast’s hands increase in size as a result of growth. Initially, the hands can be placed sideby-side on the 10-centimeter wide beam. At older ages, the hands may have to be placed in parallel to the length of the beam creating subtle changes in the alignment of the gymnast’s shoulders and torso, especially with strong gymnasts who have limited shoulder flexibility. The same growth process may

cOnTinUeD On Pg 36

OvercOming PsychOlOgical BlOcking in Gymnastics cOntinUED FROm PaGE 16 change foot placements in a series of back handsprings.

Auburn Electronics (Pro-School) P/U June Tech. p.32

16) Design the gymnastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s optional routines to eliminate the blocked skill. While such an approach is iĂ?Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;iÂ&#x201C;iĂ&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;>Â?Ă&#x153;>Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;LÂ?iĂ&#x160;Â&#x2C6;vĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x192;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2C6;Â?Â?Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;iÂľĂ&#x2022;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;i`Ă&#x160; element of compulsory routines, at the advanced levels the sport of gymnastics permits and even encourages individualized choreographing of routines. Since blocking sometimes â&#x20AC;&#x153;comes and goes,â&#x20AC;? the gymnast can even perform a routine in which the blocked skill will be included or excluded at will without sacrificing the integrity of the composition of the gymnastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall floor exercise, uneven bars or balance beam composition. REFERENCES

Â&#x153;Â?Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160; Â°]Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160; Â°]Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160;/Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x153;iĂ&#x20AC;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;ÂÂŁÂ&#x2122;Â&#x2122;Â&#x2122;ÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160; back: A case study of skill recovery in an elite athlete. /Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;-ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x192;Ă&#x17E;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x153;}Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;]Ă&#x160;ÂŁĂ&#x17D;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;nnqĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2122;nÂ° Day, M. C., Thatcher, J., Greenlees, I., & Woods, B. ÂĂ&#x201C;Ă¤Ă¤Ă&#x2C6;ÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;/Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;V>Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;ÂŤĂ&#x192;Ă&#x17E;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x153;}Â&#x2C6;V>Â?Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160; move syndrome in national level trampolinists. Journal of ÂŤÂŤÂ?Â&#x2C6;i`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x192;Ă&#x17E;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x153;}Ă&#x17E;]Ă&#x160;ÂŁn]Ă&#x160;ÂŁxÂŁqÂŁĂ&#x2C6;Ă&#x2C6;Â° iÂ&#x2C6;}Â?iĂ&#x17E;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160; Â°Â°Ă&#x160;ÂĂ&#x201C;Ă¤Ă¤ÂŁÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;*Â&#x153;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;\Ă&#x160; Ă&#x160; /Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x20AC;>ÂŤiĂ&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;V>Â?Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;`iÂ?Ă&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;ÂŤÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160; i>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;Â&#x2021;,Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â&#x17D;Ă&#x160; -ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;V>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x192;Ă&#x17E;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x153;}Â&#x2C6;V>Â?Ă&#x160; Ă&#x192;Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;VÂ&#x2C6;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; >Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;>Â?Ă&#x160;

Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x203A;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;->Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x2DC;VÂ&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;VÂ&#x153;]Ă&#x160; Ă&#x2022;}Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2021;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;Ă¤Ă¤ÂŁÂ° iÂ&#x2C6;}Â?iĂ&#x17E;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160;ÂÂŁÂ&#x2122;nÂ&#x2122;ÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;ÂŤÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;vi>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Â?iĂ&#x203A;iÂ?Ă&#x160; }Ă&#x17E;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x192;Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;1Â°-Â°Ă&#x160; Ă&#x17E;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;/ +1 \Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;/Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;"vvÂ&#x2C6;VÂ&#x2C6;>Â?Ă&#x160; /iVÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;V>Â?Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x2022;LÂ?Â&#x2C6;V>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;1Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;i`Ă&#x160;-Ă&#x152;>Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160; Ă&#x17E;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160; i`iĂ&#x20AC;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;]Ă&#x160;Â&#x2122;]Ă&#x160;{qÂ&#x2122;Â° iÂ&#x2C6;}Â?iĂ&#x17E;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;ÂÂŁÂ&#x2122;nxÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;1Â&#x2DC;ÂŤĂ&#x2022;LÂ?Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2026;i`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;iVÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;V>Â?Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;iÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160; presented at the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Junior Elite National Ă&#x17E;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;/Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160; >Â&#x201C;ÂŤĂ&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;1Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;i`Ă&#x160;-Ă&#x152;>Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x160; Association of Independent Gymnastics Clubs. Maryville, TN. iÂ&#x2C6;}Â?iĂ&#x17E;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160; Â°]Ă&#x160;,Â&#x153;LLÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160; Â°]Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160; iĂ&#x20AC;}iĂ&#x20AC;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;ÂÂŁÂ&#x2122;nÂ&#x2122;ÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Ă&#x160;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;`iÂ?Ă&#x160; for therapeutic interventions for coping with fear in high Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â&#x17D;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2021;/ Ă&#x160;7Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â?`Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;-ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x192;Ă&#x17E;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x153;}Ă&#x17E;]Ă&#x160; Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;>Â?Ă&#x160;-Â&#x153;VÂ&#x2C6;iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;-ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;*Ă&#x192;Ă&#x17E;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x153;}Ă&#x17E;]Ă&#x160;-Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}>ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;i]Ă&#x160; ,iÂŤĂ&#x2022;LÂ?Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;-Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}>ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;iÂ° /iÂ&#x2DC;Â&#x2DC;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160;ÂÂŁÂ&#x2122;Â&#x2122;x>ÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Â˝Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;i>`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;/Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x201C;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x160; iĂ&#x153;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160;ÂŁ]Ă&#x160; 38. /iÂ&#x2DC;Â&#x2DC;]Ă&#x160; Â°Ă&#x160;ÂÂŁÂ&#x2122;Â&#x2122;xLÂŽÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x160;-Ă&#x17E;Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;iÂ°Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;/Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x201C;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x160; iĂ&#x153;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;nqĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2122;Â°

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Psychology and Safety in Gymnastics

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Safety

Psychology and Safety in Gymnastics Dr. Joe Massimo

Many beginning coaches and instructors study long, hard hours to master the technical complexities of gymnastics coaching. Terminology, spotting techniques, basic safety "thinking," and organization (i.e., physical layout, mat use, and other aids) are critical components in the preparation of professional coaches. An important area that often does not always receive the attention it deserves in coach readiness has to do with the relationship between principles of psychology and safety education. This brief article is designed to introduce a higher level of psychological and safety awareness which not only promotes a happier gymnastics environment but also one that is safer for young athletes on several levels. Coaches and instructors eventually develop an individual philosophy about their interaction with youngsters as well as a personal style for approaching the task of coaching. Hopefully this methodology contains a high degree of understanding about child growth and development both physically, and of equal significance if not more so, the stages of emotional and psychological growth associated with different chronological ages. This type of knowledge is indispensable in establishing and maintaining an overall productive and healthy learning environment for gymnasts. Professional coaches should be concerned with the whole child not only with their physical progress. This attitude has a direct relationship to the psychological factors associated with safety in the sport. First and foremost, is the development of both performance feedback (information about what needs to be physically done in order to accomplish the skill) and continuous positive reinforcement (+CR). This combination of communications in a mutually respectful climate motivates the gymnast to continue to strive for mastery. This coaching approach not only provides rewards for efforts on an on-going basis but at the same time enhances positive self-esteem. What is the connection between this psychological model and safety? Children who feel good about themselves are usually focused when training and more apt to feel personally "safe" in such a setting. This feeling of well being in a gymnast can contribute to physical safety. Such athletes are attentive, more open to corrections, and generally more in tune with what is going on around them. Gymnasts who train in a negative training atmosphere and who are constantly subjected to put-downs, ridicule, sarcasm, and demeaning interactions are more distracted and potentially in emotional stress. These youngsters are accidents waiting to happen because they are focused on the emotional messages they are receiving rather than on the physical instruction. Athletes who don't feel good about themselves may be prone to punish themselves on a pre-conscious level. What better way than sustaining a physical injury? Recommendation - Always attempt to maintain a positive learning model where gymnasts receive self esteem enhancing feedback.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Psychology and Safety in Gymnastics

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Another important area which is psychological in nature but has a direct connection to physical safety involves the openness of communication between the coach and student. Gymnasts who are inhibited in their ability to tell the coach what they are feeling need to be encouraged to do so. A dictatorial approach on the coach's part may close the avenue of needed communication where the gymnast feels he or she cannot approach the teacher. Many times a gymnast may not feel ready to perform a particular skill or is aware of that physically uncomfortable feeling called fear. Some are afraid to tell their coach that they are experiencing that emotionally loaded response. Often the non-verbal signs will be evident but the coach must be open to seeing these indicators in addition to being willing to hear this kind of information directly from the youngster. If communication is open and encouraged coaches must be sure they are, in fact, truly "listening." This means that when the athlete is leveling with you about their feelings you should not be working out your response in your mind while they are still speaking. If you are doing so you are not really listening. Your goal is to try to understand how the gymnast makes sense to him or herself, not to negate their thinking. This does not mean you need to make decisions solely on this feedback from your athletes but at the same time this information should not be ignored. Gymnasts who are not able for whatever reason to discuss their fears are candidates for injury and are safety risks. When your athlete is discussing this matter of fear avoid saying, "what are you afraid of?" or worse, "no you're not." Recommendation - Be open and willing to accept feedback from your gymnast about their personal feeling concerning readiness and apprehension. Never invalidate these expressions of an inner psychological state. A third point for this discussion has to do with the importance of physical preparation and safety. This may seem like a given, but the critical place that physical readiness plays from a psychological point of view in terms of safety is sometimes overlooked. All coaches know the excitement that a talented and quick learning gymnast can bring to any program. We all have egos and the temptation with gifted children when we are anxious to show competitive results is to take a short cut and perhaps by-pass important building blocks. The psychological position that focuses on a "step at a time" learning model is, in the long run, the sensible way to go. Skipping steps in the didactic process can not only result in a safety hazard, but can mitigate against the gymnast realizing his or her full potential. It is much more difficult to go back to correct a missing link than it is to stay longer with the progressive basics until mastery is achieved. This results in carry over to other skill learning while the sin of omission often leads to a regression later in the athlete's career. Remember, overall, your physical preparation is your best mental preparation. Recommendation - Load the deck in the favor of safety by adapting a psychological philosophy that guides the gymnast along a continuum which emphasizes progressive learning where safety is not compromised.

Summary It is not possible in a brief article such as this to discuss the linkage between psychology and safety in an exhaustive manner. The points made here are designed to encourage

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Psychology and Safety in Gymnastics

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beginning and even experienced coaches to pay greater attention to this more illusive aspect of coaching. The fundamental message is that not only is it crucial to keep the training setting physically safe but also to believe that a responsibility of a professional coach must include an effort to keep a budding gymnast mentally safe from harm and perhaps irreversible damage. Further information concerning this topic can be found in Chapter VII of the 1994 Edition of the USA Gymnastics Safety Handbook. This article appears in the June 1996 issue of Technique, Vol. 16, No. 6.

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Rotation, Rotation, Rotation Part 1-rotational Stability By Natasha Lothery

ymnasts train and perform in multiple planes of movement. Flexion, extension, side bending and rotation are all forms of the complex movement patterns that you will see take place during gymnastics training sessions and competitions. Since gymnastics is also a sport characterized by explosive movements requiring high amounts of strength and excessive amounts of flexibility, it is vital that gymnasts train their core, the area around which the majority of these movements take place, in order to prevent injury. What we consider the athlete’s “core” is basically the musculoskeletal segment of the body comprising the trunk and mid-thigh. This includes all of the muscles on the front, sides, and back of the body in this region. Again, this area of the body is the epicenter or the origin upon which many gymnastics movements occur. Therefore, this is one of the main areas of the body that has been susceptible to injury. Coaches and instructors have attempted to offset injuries to the abdominal region, and particularly the low back and hips by adding core and abdominal exercises to their training sessions. Exercises that strengthen the flexors of the trunk and hips (rectus abdominis and iliopsoas, respectively) are often utilized in training sessions through variations of sit-ups, crunches, planks, and knee raises. However, there has been a noted lack of strength and stability in the rotational core muscles of many gymnasts, suggesting that exercises that strengthen the internal and external obliques are often forgotten or ineffective. Part One of the Rotation, Rotation, Rotation article series will address why rotational stability is especially important to the gymnast, and which exercises your gymnasts can perform in order to enhance this strength attribute. Rotational Stability Stability involves the ability of various musculoskeletal tissues to provide resistance to detrimental and excessive ranges of motion that may occur at a joint or segment of the body. Before an athlete can get stronger in any general area of the body, it is best to be able to control that body segment first. Trying to gain strength without first establishing a quality base of stability is similar to building a brick house on a plot of quick sand or balancing a bowling ball on a broken finger. Optimal core stability strength in every athlete is vital, as the limbs (arms and legs) tend to respond better to what they are attached to--a strong and stable core. As an example, can your athlete maintain core stability (maintain

muscular control of a neutral torso) while performing an “Arabian,” (an exercise involving powerful hip extension with rotation)? A weakness in rotational stability and strength, due to a lack of planned training specifically for the internal and external obliques, is one of the culprits linked to the source of low back pain, in addition to less than optimal performance. Here are a few exercises to challenge the development of your athlete’s rotary stability. These exercises are good for males and females. 1. Rolling. Have your athlete lay on her back, stretch her left arm out to the side, and place her right hand on the side of her head. Next, have her bring her right elbow and left knee together (keep the left leg straight). Now have her roll to the left, all the way down towards her right arm, and roll right back up to the starting position. She must try to perform this rolling up and down movement without letting her elbow and knee come apart. Stability is challenged in this exercise due to the athlete trying to maintain a flexed position while changing the orientation of her body.

Exercise Description: Athlete holds opposite elbow and knee together while rolling down towards outstretched arm, and back to facing up. The goal is to not let the elbow and knee separate until the exercise set is completed. 1-3 sets of 10-15 rolls. 2. Lateral Plank and Lateral Plank with rotation. The athlete should lay on her side in a straight line with her elbow positioned directly under her shoulder and feet aligned straight ahead. Next, the athlete should lift her body off the ground-focusing on guiding the hips directly up. If the athlete is wearing shoes, instruct her to use the outside edge of the shoe as a platform; if she is not wearing shoes she should focus on using the side edge of her foot as a platform. The athlete’s ankle should not be touching the ground. Have the athlete hold this “bridged” position for time.

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE

APRIL 2009

Another variation involves adding rotation to the lateral plank by having the athlete reach under her body and back up with her free hand. Instruct the athlete to keep her eyes on the moving hand, and execute the rotation without dropping her hips.

turning the ball. The goal for the working athlete is to not let the ball get taken away.

Exercise Description: Athlete has to keep the ball locked in-between his elbows and thighs, and not let it get pulled away. Perform 1-3 sets of 20-30 second holds. Exercise Description: Athlete position himself on his side with elbow lined up underneath his shoulder. Lift hips up towards the ceiling. Perform 1-3 sets of 20-40 seconds 3. Rocking Chairs. Have the athlete sit on the floor with knees bent. Place hands on the side of the head and place elbows on the knees. The goal is to keep the elbows and knees connected as the gymnast is rocked back and forth from the ankles by a coach or another athlete. A more difficult variation would include having the athlete keep one elbow and the opposite knee together while being rocked back and forth. Yet a more difficult version would be to have the athlete perform either variation of the rocking chair exercise while sitting on top of a Bosu ball.

5. Half kneeling arm-lock. The athlete will get in a kneeling stance with one leg down and the other flexed at approximately 90-degrees. With an upright, tall posture, have the athlete hold both arms completely extended out in front of the chest. Have a coach or another athlete gently push inward on either hand, attempting to make the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arms or body move. The goal of the athlete performing this exercise is to remain completely still while his is being pushed inward from each direction. A more challenging variation would be to alternate pressing in different directions multiple times.

Exercise Description: Athlete has to contract abdominal wall in order to not get pushed over or let arms bend. Pressure should be applied from both sides of his body. Perform 1-3 sets of 10-30 second holds on each bent leg

Exercise Description: Athlete has to keep elbows and knees touching while being rocked back and forth. Perform 1-3 sets of 10-20 rocks. Alternate rocking chair with Bosu ball >> 4. Vice grips. The athlete will lay on his back with his knees bent at about a 90-degree angle, and hands on the sides of his head. Place a physioball in-between his elbows and on top of his thighs. The athlete will then flex to squeeze and hold the ball between his elbows and thighs. Have a coach or another athlete attempt to get the ball away from the athlete performing the exercise by pulling, twisting, and

Conclusion: The artistic movements of the gymnast necessitates a strong core. Not only are the core muscles used to initiate these movements but they must transfer force from the ground and up through the body; they must slow down excessive ranges of motion that will compromise the integrity of ligaments and joints; and they must serve as a stable platform upon which the limbs of the body can support and successfully execute all of the dynamic acts of a gymnast. A lack of core stability places the athlete in jeopardy of not being able to successfully disperse the compressive and shearing forces of the powerful and complex movements the gymnastsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; body is exposed to on a routine basis-thus it could be an injury waiting to happen. Special attention to strengthening the gymnast from the core out should be an area of focus for all coaches and trainers.

Exercises contributed from author, Darrell Barnes, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, and Aaron Feldman, BS

APRIL 2009

TECHNIQUE

ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION Part 2- Rotational Strength

By Natasha Lothery Ringenberg St. Vincent Sports Performance - Indianapolis, Indiana

n the previous Rotation, Rotation, Rotation article we discussed the importance of including rotational core exercises in the strength training of gymnasts. The sport of gymnastics involves quick and powerful bursts of movement in many planes, therefore strength training for gymnasts should include exercises in multiple planes. Coaches and trainers should heavily consider including core exercises that challenge the rotators of the trunk and hips, both in stability and strength. The primary type of exercises that were illustrated in Rotation, Rotation, Rotation part 1 were mostly rotational stability exercises. The importance of training muscular control and stability before training excessively in strength alone was noted in the previous article. It is of up-most importance to train an athlete that lacks an ideal amount of musculoskeletal control in the core (torso and hip muscles), with exercises that target rotational stability before rotational strength.

ROTATIONAL STRENGTH

By strengthening the gymnastsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rotational core muscles (internal obliques, external obliques, quadratus lumborum) we give their body a better chance to withstand all of the compressive, rotary and shearing forces that their bodies are subject to on a daily basis.

They should balance by keeping their right foot flat into the ground creating a 90-degree angle at the thigh and shin, the ball of their left foot placed firmly into the ground, and their torso in an upright position with their abdominals held tight. With their body perpendicular to the line of the cord or cable (the resistance is closest to the right side of their body), have them reach up high over their right shoulder and grasp the handles with both hands. Athletes need to keep their torso upwards while they pull the cord or cable downward, in front of their body, toward their left hip. While executing this exercise have athletes focus on keeping their arms straight throughout the whole movement, and moving the resistance with their core. Have the athlete pull downward, or contract, with a quick powerful effort while returning upward in a controlled manner. Repeat on the other side of the body with left knee up, right knee down, and pulling from the left shoulder, in front of the body, and towards the right hip.

Kneeling Downward Chops

Here are a few exercises to challenge the development of your athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rotary strength. 1. KNEELING DOWNWARD CHOPS. This exercise can be performed with an elastic cord, cable or pulley system (i.e. using a Keiser, Free Motion Pulley machine or free-weight pulley system). Have athletes get in a half kneeling position and kneel with their right knee up and their left knee down.

TECHNIQUE

AUGUST 2009

Exercise Description: In a half kneeling position, pull the cord across the body in a diagonal pattern towards the opposite hip. Keep arms straight, and posture upright. 3-5 sets of 5-10 repetitions.

2. KNEELING UPWARD CHOPS. Using the same apparatus as the above mentioned chops, set the cable or elastic cord to a lower position-almost touching the floor. The athlete will assume the same half-kneeling stance position again, however this time start with right knee down and left knee up. Have athletes balance their body again with the left foot flat on the ground creating a 90-degree angle between the thigh and shin, and pressing the ball of the right foot firmly into the ground. With the body perpendicular to the resistance (resistance is closest to the right hip side of the body), have them grasp the handle with both hands. While keeping arms in a locked position have them contract their abdominals while pulling across their body and in an upward position towards their left shoulder. Again the athlete contracts and pulls upward with power, and controls the speed of the resistance as they move back downward.

from one side of the body to the other. The athlete should focus on pulling from the core not the arms, with effort on the way out against the resistance and control on the way back in towards the machine.

Standing Rotations

Kneeling Upward Chops

Exercise Description: In a partial squat position, pull the cord across the body towards the opposite side. Keep arms straight, and posture upright. 3-5 sets of 5-10 repetitions.

Exercise Description: In a half kneeling position, pull the cord across the body in a diagonal pattern towards the opposite shoulder. Keep arms straight, and posture upright. 3-5 sets of 5-10 repetitions.

3. STANDING ROTATIONS. This exercise can also be performed with an elastic cord, cable or pulley system (i.e. using a Keiser, Free Motion Pulley machine or free-weight pulley system) tubing. Have the athlete stand perpendicular to the line of pull of the cord, cable, or pulley with a hip width stance, knees slightly bent, hips slightly shifted back, and with abdominals braced tight. The athlete should grasp the handle with both arms extended, and pull the cord, cable or pulley with straight arms,

4. SIDE-LYING ROTATIONAL CRUNCH. Have the athlete lay on his/her side on a Glute/Ham machine, Roman chair, training table, bench, blocks, etc. The upper body of the athlete performing this exercise should be free, while legs are held fixed either by the machine, or a person holding the legs down (if done on a training table, bench, or large blocks, etc., it is best to have a person of similar or or greater body weight sit on the working athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legs to ensure that they will not fall. The athlete will then reach down toward the side of his/her body closest to the floor with the opposite arm, and then reverse this by contracting upwards toward the side of his/her body closest to the ceiling with the opposite side arm. The athlete should perform these with good body control, and focus on staying braced in his/her abdominals. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org

AUGUST 2009

TECHNIQUE

T Side-lying Rotational Crunch

Exercise Description: In a side-lying position with legs fixed, rotate and reach both downward and upward leading with the opposite side arm. 3-5 sets of 5-10 repetitions. 5. ELEVATED ROTATIONAL SIT-UP. Similar to side-lying rotational crunch, the athlete needs to have his/her lower body in a fixed position. In a face up position lower the torso downward in a controlled manner, until the upper body is in a straight line with the lower body. At the bottom of the movement rotate the torso to the left and the right before flexing upward to the starting position. The athlete should focus on not allowing a lot of low back arching (lordosis) while at the bottom of the movement. If the coach or athlete notices an excessive amount of lordosis at a particular range of depth on the downward phase of the movement, have the athlete execute the rotations at a higher angle. It is very important to not cause any low back strain, or shift a high demand of work on the hip flexor muscles instead of the flexors of the torso.

Elevated Rotational Sit-up

Exercise Description: In a face up (supine) position with legs fixed, extend backward in a controlled manner, rotate from side to side then flex upward. 3-5 sets of 5-10 repetitions.

CONCLUSION Gymnasts put a lot of stress on their bodies during their training sessions and competitions. Taking the time to incorporate rotational exercises in both stability and strength is a wise investment in the health and performance of your athletes. Optimal core stability and strength are vital traits for these athletes to have in order to aid their bodies in the ability to execute movements, absorb possibly detrimental forces, and aid in preventing back pain. excessive amount of lordosis at a particular range of depth on the downward.

TECHNIQUE

AUGUST 2009

4ECHN

Shawn Byler, Ph.D. Performance Coach, Consultant and Licensed Therapist Momentum Performance Development

ndi vi dual and t eam performance i s DIRECTLY related to how an athlete feels about him/ herself. Your athletes will learn faster, perform better, and have fewer practice problems when you, the coach, use techniques to catapult the athlete toward confidence and high self-esteem.

A thle te s D e se r v e Re sp e ct To o Treat your athletes the way that you would like to be treated (The Golden Rule!). Respect them and they will respect you. If they respect you, they will learn from you openly and easily and will go to the ends of the earth to perform for you. Being a coach puts you in a unique and powerful position whether you realize it or not. A coach has the ability to make and break the selfesteem of a young athlete. When a coach humiliates and/ or demeans athletes on a regular basis, they will fear you, dislike you, and grow to hate the sport. Young athletes are precious treasures in which you have much power to influence toward the positive or the negative. Athletes remember their coaches forever … how would you like to be remembered?

Av o i d Co m p a r i so ns a t A ll Co sts Far too often coaches make the BIG mistake of comparing athletes to one another. Comparisons almost always make athletes feel badly and begin inter-squad rivalries and unhealthy competition. If you’re going to compare, do so ONLY to MODEL such as: "Look at the way Janice executes that skill . . . especially watch what she does with her upper body -- that is what we are looking for." Young athletes perceive being compared to others in one of two ways. They are either the winner or the loser. Neither of which will result in raised confidence. The "loser" gets to feel like she/ he will never be as good as Janice, or Janice feels guilty for being singled out or for being favored. Children/ teens are young and very sensitive, not ignorant!

Co a ch the W ho le A thle te If you take an interest in your athlete beyond his/ her athletic abilities, it will go a long way toward making that athlete feel special and valuable. When an athlete knows that you care about him/ her as a person, not just for what he/ she can DO for you or the team, then he or she will "reward" you with high intensity, increased motivation, and peak performances. Giving an athlete the feeling of being valuable is extremely powerful. Remember, you never know what the athlete experiences at home, at school or with friends — your athlete’s sport or you, the coach, could very well be their lifeline!

Do N ot Compa re Your Athle te s’ Wor th w ith their Athletic Performa nce The athlete is valuable when they win and when they lose. Be sure to re-assure them of this FACT often. When your athletes perform poorly, they do not need any help to feel bad. So do not help them to feel like less of a person by scolding them (do you need your mistakes pointed out to you?). What they need from you most is a self-esteem boost, not a self-esteem assault. If an athlete knows that his/ her coach will respond negatively when he/ she performs poorly, the athlete will suffer from continuous performance anxiety. No matter how poor you the coach thought the performance was, there are ALWAYS things the athlete did well, find them and point them out, save the criticism for another day. Keep in mind, young athletes are chronic pleasers, and they are trying their best.

Cha lle ng e Yo ur A thle te s w i tho ut Thr e a ts When you really want your athletes to stretch themselves and push to the next level, challenge them! Encourage them to go for it and let them know that you believe they can do it. A challenge is a positive way to interact with them. It raises their self-esteem. A threat is negative and entails a punishment. Threats potentially diminish confidence and will set up an ineffective coaching relationship.

T ECH N I Q U E • FEBRUARY 2004

Be Av a i la b le , But W a tch Yo ur Bo und a r i e s When your athletes bring personal problems to the gym, DON’T view this as a hassle and interference to your coaching. Instead, listen to your athlete and let them know they are significant and that their problems are important to you. If you approach their difficulties this way you’ll automatically raise their self-esteem. Be very careful. There is a fine line between being supportive and interfering in something that may require an outside professional. Lawsuits are unfortunately plentiful!

Be Ex tr e m e ly Po si ti v e Not much good comes from negativity. Positive coaching is MUCH more effective than negative coaching. Consistently giving criticism and negative comments to your athletes will not make them feel good about you or themselves, and it certainly won’t inspire them to greatness. Negativity will bring you and everyone around you down. Be positive NO MATTER WHAT. Display a positive attitude and you’ll find that it catches on quickly.

Turn Athle te Fa ilure s Into Ste pping Stone s To Succe ss

Co m m uni ca ti o n Be open, direct, and honest in your communications to your athletes. Let them know clearly what is expected from them. If you are angry or upset with an athlete’s behavior, let them know directly and specifically. Do not expect that they should "read your mind." Speak about the behavior not the athlete. Avoid using terms "you are bad," or "you are a liar." Communicate directly with them and they will do so with you. Manipulation of an athlete is a direct indication of a coach’s own personal agenda or emotional problems. Pay attention to the reasons you coach. Is it fame and fortune or athlete wellness?

Li ste n At the heart of effective communication is listening. The way to make athletes feel better about their self is to listen when they speak to you. Listening communicates caring on your part and will make an athlete feel good. So the next time the athlete speaks to you, DO NOT plan out in your head how you will respond. Be silent outside and inside and just listen.

Em p a thy There is nothing that makes you feel good about yourself as much as knowing that someone you respect understands you. Step into your athletes’ shoes when they come to you with their problems. View the world from THEIR perspective, NOT yours. If you let them know that you understand what it’s like to be in their shoes, you’ll make them feel cared about and valued. Communication with empathy is a key tool to raising athlete self-esteem.

Teach your athletes that failures and mistakes are a necessary part of the learning process and NOT a cause for embarrassment and humiliation. Model this attitude and you will teach your athletes to take risks and really go for it. Scolding athletes for making mistakes will only assault their self-esteem and teach them to expect perfection. Perfectionists are usually unhappy people with unrealistic expectations. After all, an airplane is only on course 5 percent of the flight time, yet they always deliver the expected results! The only way to learn is to first make mistakes. Coach CHALLENGE: If an athlete is not progressing, take a look at your knowledge base, (techniques are always changing) or review your communication style. How effective is it?

Pr a i se / Cr i ti ci z e When an athlete makes a mistake, try not to single that athlete out and humiliate him/ her in front of the group. Correct the group as a whole when it is possible. When an athlete does something well, single him/ her out by name in front of the whole group and like magic, the entire group will make the same correction. Be sure to use this technique for each athlete at each practice! If there is a need to criticize an athlete, DO IT IN PRIVATE.

A thle te Be ha v i o r Try not to allow an athlete to put themselves or anyone else down. One negative athlete can bring the whole team down. Insist on positive talk. Try to not allow athlete’s negative words or behavior to go on unchecked.

Re co g ni ti o n Recognition is one of the most powerful motivators. Every day let your athletes know that YOU know they are there. Thank them for being there. Athletes dedicate so much time and effort to their sport, it is a full time job with no pay! Even simple comments like "good effort," "nice job," "way to go" or "good to see you today," go a long way to make your athletes feel good about working with you. Sometimes all it takes is a simple pat on the back from you to help turn around an athlete’s day. Try to recognize more good things about your athletes’ performance than bad.

M o d e l Hi g h Se lf- Este e m If you want your athletes to feel good about themselves be sure that YOU ACT and present yourself in such a way that speaks of high self-esteem. This does NOT mean that you should go around in a superior or condescending manner. It DOES mean that you should act like you value and respect yourself. If you do not have high self-esteem and confidence, find a professional that can help you achieve it. Low selfesteem and low confidence follows you everywhere and will undoubtedly predict your behavior and effect your team negatively.

Coach CHALLENGE: For one or two days, keep a record of how many compliments you give out and how many criticisms you give out—I bet you will be surprised! T ECH N I Q U E • FEBRUARY 2004

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Action-reaction and Shape-jumps

Page 1 of 2

Action-reaction and Shape-jumps By Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. Perhaps one of the most commonly known but least appreciated laws of motion is Sir Isaac Newton's third law Action-Reaction. This law roughly states that for every action there is an equal, opposite, and simultaneous reaction. We can read "action" as "motion" or force. Moreover, this deceptively simple law finds many applications in gymnastics, particularly in what I am going to call "shape-jumps." Shapejumps are things like pike jumps, straddle jumps, and wolf jumps. These types of jumps seem to be much more prevalent currently than in the past, and they are often used in dizzying combinations. Recent experience has shown that athletes and coaches may not appreciate the role of the action-reaction law in the performance of these jumps. Action and reaction refers to the idea that forces always work in pairs. When I push against the ground, the ground pushes against me - equally, in the opposite direction, and simultaneously. Most people understand this law as what they observe when two objects collide, or when a balloon is blown up and then released. These "linear" examples do not quite fully describe one of the more subtle and perhaps important aspects of action-reaction for gymnastics, that for every rotational action (i.e., torque) there is an equal, opposite, and simultaneous reaction (i.e., torque). The linear setting can be readily observed by pulling the two ends of a spring apart and then releasing them simultaneously (Figure 1a). The rotational setting can be observed by pulling open two pieces of wood hinged together and tensed by a spring and then releasing both pieces simultaneously (Figure 1b). These examples show the action-reaction law in a linear and an angular or rotational setting. Because most motions of the human body are rotational in nature (e.g., elbow flexion, hip extension, etc.), the rotations of limbs about joints is similar to that shown in Figure 1b. Moreover, if the masses of the two objects rotating toward or away from each other are similar then we can count on both objects rotating about the same amount once the entire system (i.e., both objects) are free in space (in other words, the flight of the jump). The most common example of this phenomena is seen in a pike jump. Figure 2 shows two pike jumps. Because the masses of the trunk and legs are similar, the objects will tend to move about the same amount during the pike phase of the pike jump. This simply means that if you want the legs to rise to a certain height during the airborne phase of the jump, then the gymnast must lift the trunk to a certain position so that when both the legs and trunk move toward each other (due to actionreaction) their meeting place has the legs where you want them. In other words, if you want the legs to achieve a high position during the pike phase of the jump, the trunk must be raised to a near vertical position at the instant of take off.

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Action-reaction and Shape-jumps

Page 2 of 2

Because the trunk will move toward the legs and the legs will move toward the trunk - the more stretched the trunk, the more the legs will move. Experience has shown that gymnasts tend to be incomplete in their stretch during take off, sort of anticipating the pike phase, and that gymnasts don't extend their legs fully on their jumps. As gymnasts jump to make various shapes in the air, it is imperative that they be reminded to "jump fully" or "stretch tall" during the jump. The gymnast also needs to slightly separate the jump from the shape that the gymnast intends to make once airborne. These reminders should serve the gymnast to help her achieve greater virtuosity during these types of skills. This article appears in the November/December 1999 issue of Technique,Vol. 19, No. 10.

FORCED TO FLEX 4HIS ALL HAPPENS IN THE CLOSED CHAIN POSITION MEANING THAT THE FEET ARE STABLE AND THE SHINS ARE MOVING OVER THE FEET 4HIS MOTION THEN CREATES COMPRESSION OF THE TIBIA AND FIBULAR MUSCLES AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE !LTHOUGH NORMAL THIS IS PUZZLING TO SOME COACHES -OST THINK THAT CALF MUSCLES ARE ONLY IN THE BACK OF THE LEG (OWEVER IN THIS POSITION OF INCREASED hFLEXED FEETv LANDINGS CERTAIN CALF MUSCLES ARE ESSENTIALLY hSTRETCHEDv OFF OF THE SIDES OF THE SHINS 6OLUME AND INTENSITY ARE THE TWO FACTORS HERE ABOVE THE PREDISPOSING FACTORS OF FLEXIBILITY HYDRATION AND REST CYCLES )F VOLUME IS INCREASED TO REPETITIONS BUT INTENSITY IS LOW I E JUMP ROPING YOU GET THE FORMULA FOR REPS X INTENSITY OF FOR EXAMPLE )F THE VOLUME IS LOW AND THE INTENSITY IS HIGH THEN YOU STILL GET THE END RESULT OF !N EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE FOUR 4SUKAHARA VAULTS OR SIMILAR OR FOUR DOUBLE LAYOUT PASSES #OACHES WILL OFTENTIMES DECREASE THE NUMBER OF REPS THINKING THIS IS THE PROBLEM OR DECREASE INTENSITY BUT INCREASE VOLUME "OTH REPETITIONS AND INTENSITY NEED TO BE CONSIDERED

"Y 'INA - 0ONGETTI -04 -! #3#3 !24 #ERT

Explanation

injury

and

treatment

injuries

the

lower

leg

RE YOUR GYMNASTS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SHINS 2ECENTLY ) VE SEEN MORE SHINS WRAPPED TAPED BRACED AND ICED DOWN AT MEETS AND IN GYMNASTICS CLUBS !FTER SEEING FIRST HAND MANY WORKOUTS AND CONDITIONING PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN TO EDUCATE COACHES AND ATHLETES ABOUT POTENTIAL INJURIES WITHIN THEIR GYM

A MUSCLE BASED DIAGNOSIS SO THAT IS WHY IT FOLLOWS TRUE )NCREASED POUNDING AND REPETITIONS MAKE IT WORSE 4HE MORE STRESS ON THE MUSCLES THE MORE PAIN IS PERCEIVED 4HIS IS CAUSED FROM A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES INCLUDING BUILD UP OF LACTIC ACID IN THE MUSCLES ACCELERATED CALF MUSCLE GROWTH WITH STRENGTHENING FASCIAL ADHESIONS WITHIN AND

DESCRIPTION 4HE WORDS hSHIN SPLINTSv OFTEN REFER TO INJURY ANYWHERE BELOW THE KNEE AND ABOVE THE ANKLE #OACHES OFTENTIMES THINK THE DISCOMFORT TO THE ATHLETE IS FROM GROWING PAINS AND TELL THE ATHLETES JUST TO WORK THROUGH THE INJURY 3OME COACHES ALSO THINK THAT THE CALVES ARE JUST TIGHT 4HERE ARE TRULY THREE DIFFERENT MEDICAL DIAGNOSES THAT FALL UNDER THIS UMBRELLA TERM

,ASTLY IT IS IMPORTANT TO MONITOR BONE HEALTH IN ATHLETES WHO HAVE INTENSE WORKOUT SCHEDULES ESPECIALLY LOWER EXTREMITY WEIGHT BEARING SPORTS SUCH AS GYMNASTS TUMBLING CHEERLEADING ETC #ALCIUM INTAKE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN BOTH MALE AND FEMALE /F COURSE IT IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR FEMALES TO BE CONSISTENT WITH INTAKE AS THEY AGE TO PREPUBESCENT AND PUBESCENT YEARS 4HE RECOMMENDED DOSAGE IS MG DAY %NCOURAGE YOUR ATHLETES TO CHECK THEIR MULTI VITAMINS AND THEIR INTAKE OF DAIRY FOODS SUCH AS MILK YOGURT CHEESE ETC 7ATER CONSUMPTION IS ALSO IMPORTANT IN MUSCLE INJURIES TO HYDRATE THE MUSCLES FLUSH OUT LACTIC ACID BUILD UP AND ENCOURAGE HEALTHY FLUSHING OF THE BODY S SYSTEM

4IBIAL 3TRESS FRACTURES WHETHER MICROFRACTURES OR WORSE %XERTIONAL #OMPARTMENT 3YNDROME %#3 "ONE INJURY ENCOMPASSING SMALL AVULSION FRACTURES TO SYNDESMOSIS IRRITATION OR /STEOPOROSIS RELATED INJURIES REGARDING BONE MINERAL DENSITY 4HE FIRST 4IBIAL STRESS FRACTURES ARE PROBABLY THE MOST SEVERE REQUIRING QUICK ATTENTION AND MOST OFTEN OVERLOOKED 4HIS CAN BE A STRESS INJURY BONE FRACTURE OR OTHER BONE INJURY /RTHOPEDIC TESTING FOR THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO TAP TESTS VIBRATION EXAMS COMPRESSION SQUEEZE TESTS AND OTHER BONE EXAMS PERFORMED BY A PHYSICIAN 4HE NEXT STEP IF STRESS INJURY IS ASSUMED IS DIAGNOSTIC EXAMINATION 8 RAYS WILL SHOW BONY CHANGES INCLUDING SIGNS OF INCREASED CALCIUM UPTAKE 4HIS MEANS THAT THE BODY IS TRYING TO FIGHT INJURY AND MAKES AREAS STRONGER WHICH ARE EXPERIENCING INCREASED STRESS 4HIS STRESS CAN BE FROM WEIGHT BEARING I E LANDINGS TAKEOFFS OR MISALIGNED BODY POSITIONS FOR EXAMPLE HIPS KNEES AND ANKLES NOT IN LINE )T MAY SHOW HAIRLINE FRACTURES DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY OF THE FILMS 4HE NEXT STEP WOULD BE A $%8! SCAN OR BONE SCAN 4HIS SHOWS MORE IN DEPTH CALCIUM CHANGES BONE DENSITY CHANGES AND FRACTURES !LTHOUGH MORE EXPENSIVE AND INVOLVED THIS TEST IS THE STANDARD FOR DIAGNOSIS 4HE SECOND MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS IS %#3 3HIN MUSCLE PAIN IS EXPERIENCED WITH ACTIVITY AND LESSENS WHEN WEIGHT BEARING AND ACTIVITY ARE NOT PRESENT 4HE MORE INTENSE THE ACTIVITY THE WORSE THE PAIN 4HIS IS

"ONE INJURY IS THE NEXT POSSIBILITY 3TRESS FRACTURES CAN BE CAUSED FROM POUNDING ON THE BONE WITH AN INTENSITY AND PRESSURE THAT THE BODY CANNOT SUSTAIN &RACTURES THEN CAN OCCUR IN THE BONE FROM THIS VERTICAL PRESSURE 3OMETIMES HOWEVER TRAUMA TO THE BONE TO WEAKEN THE BONE STRENGTH AND DENSITY WILL NOT SHOW UP ON DIAGNOSTIC TESTING 4HIS WEAKNESS MAKES THE ATHLETE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO INJURY IN THE FUTURE IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY 'ROWTH PLATE INJURIES ALSO FALL UNDER THIS CATEGORY ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS A MINOR INJURY 4HEY CAN BE DETECTED BY MORE PIN POINT PAIN AND CAN LAST FOR LONG LENGTHS OF TIME WHEN UNTREATED 3OME PEOPLE ARE ALSO UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT hGROWING PAINSv SHOULD JUST BE DEALT WITH IGNORED AND MANAGED n BUT NOT TREATED 1UITE THE CONTRARY WHEN THE GROWTH PLATE AREA IS DISTURBED THE TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS THAT ATTACH IN THE AREA THEN BECOME WEAK 4HIS IS FROM MULTIPLE FACTORS INCLUDING BONE WEAKNESS SWELLING AND LOCALIZED TISSUE IRRITATION

CAUSES

BETWEEN MUSCLES AND SWELLING OF THE MUSCLE BELLY ENCOURAGING FASCIAL TENSION FROM THE BONE ITSELF !THLETES WILL OFTEN SAY THAT THEY CANNOT PIN POINT THE PAIN 7HEN LOOKING AT ACTIVITY PATTERNS IT IS COMMON TO FIND PAIN WITH JUMPING AND TAKE OFFS AND LESS PAIN WITH HEEL RAISES AND LANDINGS (OWEVER MANY TIMES PAIN ESPECIALLY WITH SHORT LANDINGS IS COMMON 4HIS IS SECONDARY TO QUICK AND UNPREPARED STRETCHING OF THE CALF MUSCLES WHEN THE GYMNAST LANDS AND hFEETv ARE

-OST COMMON CAUSES s .OT STRETCHING ENOUGH s 0OOR BIOMECHANICS s /VERUSE OF THE PLANTAR FLEXORS CALF MUSCLES JUMPING TOE POINT s *UMPING PROGRAM THAT IS NEW OR INCONSISTENT s 6AULT AND TUMBLING IN THE SAME WORKOUT OR TWO INTENSE DAYS BACK TO BACK FOR A PERIOD OF WEEKS OR MONTHS s )NCREASE IN MUSCLE MASS QUICKER THAN BODY CAN ADAPT INTERNALLY s 2ETURN FROM INJURY I E ANKLE SPRAIN WITH RAPID INCREASE 4HE CAUSES FOR THESE INJURIES CAN VARY FROM GYM TO GYM AND ATHLETE TO ATHLETE 3OME GYMS HAVE MORE CALF INJURIES DUE TO POORLY PLANNED WORKOUT SCHEDULES POOR MATS IMPROPER CONDITIONING AND OTHERS JUST HAVE BAD LUCK WITH INJURIES "IOMECHANICS OR ALIGNMENT OF MUSCLES AND BONES WITH THEIR RELATIVE FUNCTIONING MOTIONS IS THE MOST

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IGNORED SIDE OF PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE AND DIAGNOSIS 3EE &IGURE (EALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS COACHES AND ATHLETES SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT MAY CAUSE THE INJURY 4HIS IS NOT ONLY TO PREVENT INJURY FROM HAPPENING BUT ALSO TO ALLOW THE BODY TO FUNCTION AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE &ROM PRONATED FLAT FEET TO KNEE PAIN SHIN INJURIES ARE OFTEN PRECEDED OR ACCOMPANIED BY A PLETHORA OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS &OOT ALIGNMENT AND THIGH AND SHIN POSITION ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AS WELL 7HEN THE FOOT IS PRONATED OR FLAT THE THIGH MAY BE ROTATED IN THE SHIN OR TIBIA AND FIBULA MAY BE ROTATED IN MAKING THE SHIN BONES SIT MALALIGNED ON THE ANKLE 4HIS LEADS TO LANDINGS THAT ARE NOT SQUARE STRESS ON THE !CHILLES AND EXTRANEOUS WORK FOR THE SHIN MUSCLES IN THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE LEG (IP ROTATION STRENGTH HIP ABDUCTION OUTSIDE KICK MOTION AND GLUTE STRENGTH AS WELL AS KNEE ALIGNMENT OVER THE TOES WITH CLOSED CHAIN LANDING POSITIONS CAN HELP INCREDIBLY !NOTHER THING THAT CAN AID IS MUSCLE BALANCE OF FRONT TO BACK SUCH AS FRONT SHIN STRENGTH CAN HELP ALLEVIATE PRESSURE 4WO SIMPLE EXERCISES FOR THIS ARE TOES RAISES LIFTING THE TOES OFF THE GROUND WHEN THE HEELS ARE STILL ON THE GROUND OR WALKING ON ONE S HEELS /RTHOTICS CAN ALSO HELP WITH SHIN PAIN /VER THE COUNTER BRANDS WILL NOT COST YOU AN ARM AND A LEG (OWEVER THESE ARE NOT HIGH STABILITY ORTHOTICS THAT ARE CASTED SO THEY WILL WEAR DOWN AND NEED TO BE REPLACED #HECK WITH YOUR PODIATRIST OR INSURANCE COMPANY FOR PERSONAL COVERAGE ON CUSTOM ORTHOTICS /RTHOTICS CAN BE MADE FOR THE GYMNASTICS SHOE AS WELL CUSTOM FIT AND THIN BUT STURDY 4HERE ARE FEW PROVIDERS THAT CAN MAKE THESE WELL AND YOU SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT YOU CONTACT SOMEONE REGARDING REFERRALS FOR AN EXPERIENCED GYMNASTICS BALLET PHYSICIAN OR PODIATRIST %VEN IF YOU OBTAIN THIS EXTERNAL SUPPORT SYSTEM THE INTERNAL SUPPORT OF YOUR MUSCLES AND BONES NEED TO BE WORKED ON AS WELL "RACES ARE NEVER A CURING OPTION FOR INJURY JUST SUPPORT UNTIL YOU RE TEACH THE BODY NORMAL FUNCTION

TREATMENT 4REATING THESE INJURIES IS UP TO YOUR ORTHOPEDIC PHYSICIAN AND PHYSICAL THERAPIST (OWEVER SHORT TERM PAIN RELIEVING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE )CE CUP MASSAGE ALONG THE CALF AND FRONT SHIN MUSCLES OFTEN CAUSE RELIEF 2EST V Ì Õi`Ê Ê«>}iÊ£{®

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TIPS (OW TO AVOID 3TRETCH REGULARLY n BEFORE AND AFTER PRACTICE HOLDING THE STRETCH FOR AT LEAST SECONDS ON BOTH CALF MUSCLES 9OUR GASTROCNEMIUS AND SOLEUS ARE BOTH CALF MUSCLES 4HE GASTROC IS STRETCHED WITH THE KNEE IN A STRAIGHT POSITION 3EE FIGURE 4HE SOLEUS IS STRETCHED WITH THE KNEE IN A BENT POSITION 3EE &IGURE (OWEVER MOST GYMS ONLY ENCOURAGE THEIR ATHLETES TO STRETCH STRAIGHT LEGGED /NE SHOULD STRETCH BOTH WAYS SINCE A CALF STRETCH WITH THE KNEE BENT IS THE MOST COMMON WAY TO TEAR THE CALF 3TRETCH IN THE POSITIONS THAT WILL STRESS THE BODY TO PREPARE AND PREVENT INJURY }ÕÀiÊÓ

-AKE SURE YOU ARE STRENGTHENING THE FRONT OF THE SHINS AS WELL AS THE BACK CALVES 4HIS WILL AID IN SHIN INJURY PREVENTION 9OU CAN HAVE YOUR GYMNASTS PERFORM HEEL WALKING AROUND THE EDGE OF THE FLOOR OR SIMPLY TOE LIFTS 3EE &IGURE WHEN WAITING IN LINE FOR VAULT OR BARS 4HIS WILL HELP TO BALANCE THE MUSCULATURE IN THE LOWER LEG )F THE BONE IS SORE ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF PHYSICIAN OR PHYSICAL THERAPIST REFERRAL 3ORE MUSCLES ARE COMMON IN THE SPORT SO THE INJURY IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED 4HE ONLY WAY TO TELL FOR SURE IS TO OBTAIN DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS I E 8 RAYS $%8! SCANS ETC )F THE CONDITION IS A STRESS FRACTURE OR MINOR MUSCLE TEARS THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER IS TO REMOVE THE INJURY PATTERN I E REST LOWER BODY WEIGHT BEARING ACTIVITIES OR ELIMINATING WEIGHT BEARING IN SOME CASES 3HIN AND CALF INJURIES CAN CAUSE OTHER INJURIES AND NEED TO BE ATTENDED TO PROPERLY }ÕÀiÊ{

7HEN PERFORMING A JUMPING PROGRAM MAKE SURE THAT IT IS CONSISTENT 0LYOMETRICS IS A HIGH FORCE IMPACT ACTIVITY THAT THE BODY HAS TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT TO )F THE BODY CANNOT ADAPT QUICKLY ENOUGH IT WILL BREAK DOWN INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EXTERNAL DEMANDS ON THE BODY ARE BEING MET 0LYOMETRICS PROGRAMS NEED TO BE MONITORED BY COACHES SO THAT THE ATHLETES ARE PERFORMING TO THEIR ABILITY LEVEL !LL ,EVEL S FOR EXAMPLE MAY NOT BE SINGLE LEG JUMPING TO EQUAL HEIGHT *UST AS WELL A NEW ,EVEL WILL NOT HAVE THE BOUNDING ENDURANCE THAT A MORE EXPERIENCED ,EVEL MAY HAVE ! COMMON MISTAKE MADE BY GYM COACHES IS THAT THEY WILL INCORPORATE A HIGH IMPACT PROGRAM ONE TIME PER WEEK THINKING THAT IT WILL TIRE THEIR GYMNASTS OUT OR USING IT FOR REPRIMAND PURPOSES )T IS NOT BENEFICIAL IF THE MOTION AND EXERCISE ARE NOT REPEATED FOR STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PURPOSES )NSTEAD OF GETTING STRONGER THE BODY WILL ONLY BREAK DOWN AND REBUILD TO THE SAME POSITION IF NOT WORSE )F THE MUSCLES AND TISSUES SURROUNDING THE MUSCLES ARE BREAKING DOWN THEN THE BODY WILL START TO SUFFER IN VARIOUS OTHER WAYS )T MAY BECOME MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ANKLES SPRAINS KNEE INJURIES ETC +NEE INJURIES WILL COME FROM CALVES BEING TIGHT AND SORE AND WHEN THE WALKING RUNNING GAIT LANDING POSITIONS ARE ALTERED 4HEY MAY ALSO OCCUR AS THE RESULT OF NON ABSORPTIVE LANDINGS DEEP SHORT LANDINGS WHEN THE GYMNAST LACKS THE STRENGTH TO PREVENT INCREASED SHIN TO FOOT ANGLE SECONDARY TO LACK OF CALF STRENGTH

7HEN RETURNING FROM AN INJURY USE THE LEVEL RULE OR THE PERCENT RULE 3TART OUT AT A LEVEL FAR BELOW YOURS AND MAINTAIN THE SKILLS AT THAT LEVEL FOR A WEEK BEFORE MOVING UP &OR EXAMPLE A RETURNING ,EVEL GYMNAST FROM AN ANKLE SPRAIN MAY DO FIVE BACK HANDSPRINGS ON BEAM THE FIRST WEEK THEN AND THEN PROGRESS TO SERIES ON FLOOR THEN SERIES ON HIGH BEAM ETC )F THE MUSCLES IN THE BODY ARE NOT GIVEN TIME TO ADAPT TO THE hNEWv STRESS V Ì Õi`Ê Ê«>}iÊ£È®

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RE INJURY OR SUBSEQUENT INJURIES WILL OCCUR 4HIS IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER IN KNEE INJURIES WHETHER SURGICAL OR NON SURGICAL -ANY TIMES KNEE PATIENTS ARE PLACED ON LIMITED RUNNING AND JUMPING FOR #HONDROMALACIA MENISCUS INJURIES DISLOCATIONS !#, SURGERY ETC ,OWER BACK PATIENTS DISC INJURIES FRACTURES ARE ALSO PLACED ON LIMITED POUNDING SCHEDULES 4HE ANKLES AND FEET NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE RETURN PROCESS AS WELL 'OOD LUCK WITH INJURY PREVENTION AT YOUR GYM 4HE BEST ADVICE IS TO RESPECT THE BODY AND WHAT IT TELLS YOU 0AIN IS FELT AFTER INJURY IS ALREADY PRESENT 2EMEMBER TO LOOK AT INTENSITY CHANGES WITHIN THE YEAR NEW TRICKS LANDING STYLE CONDITIONING AND ADHERENCE TO EXERCISE PROGRAMS )F PAIN IS PRESENT THE MUSCLE IS DYSFUNCTIONAL ! STRICT PROGRAM OF HANDS ON TREATMENT WITH A PHYSICAL THERAPIST WILL AID IN RECOVERY AND BREAK UP ADHESIONS DEEP WITHIN THE SYSTEM %XERCISE ALONE WILL NOT CURE MUSCLE AND FASCIA ADHESIONS SCAR TISSUE AND TENDON IRRITATION -AKE SURE THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING INTENSE HANDS ON TREATMENT IF YOU ARE IN A REHABILITATION PROGRAM )F WE ARE ALL MORE PRECAUTIONARY AND ADD SOME PREVENTION TO OUR PROGRAM DESIGN WE MAY BE ABLE TO AVOID THESE INJURIES 2EMEMBER THAT LOWER LEG INJURIES CAN KEEP A GYMNAST OUT OF A SEASON AND SWINGING ONLY BARS FOR MONTHS !LTHOUGH THAT MAKES A GOOD BAR TEAM FOR THE STATE MEET IT DOESN T LEAD TO A GOOD ALL AROUND ATHLETE 'INA 0ONGETTI IS A FORMER GYMNAST PHYSICAL THERAPIST STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST AND CERTIFIED !CTIVE 2ELEASE 4ECHNIQUE PROVIDER IN #HICAGO )LL WHERE SHE IS AN OWNER OF /CCU3PORT 0HYSICAL 4HERAPY 3HE IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED THROUGH LECTURES AND RESEARCH AS BEING A TOP PROVIDER FOR GYMNASTICS AND PERFORMING ARTS MEDICINE 'INA ALSO SERVES ON THE .ATIONAL (EALTH #ARE .ETWORK FOR 53! 'YMNASTICS AND CAN BE CONTACTED AT >`>} }Þ >ÃÌ VÃJ Ì > °V

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TREATMENT OF

SHIN SPLINTS Therasa Timmons, MS ATC, John Locke, ATC, Jennifer Brennan, ATC, Anna Foster, ATC, Chad Gabbard, ATC, Jennifer Johnson, ATC, Justin Miller, ATC, Richard Santerre, ATC, Craig Stull, ATC

edial tibial stress syndrome, more commonly known as shin splints, is a general term used to describe pain in the anterior/medial portion of the lower leg. This injury is common in running and jumping athletes such as gymnasts. The injury is a result of repetitive stress applied to the tissues of the lower leg due to over training, poor mechanics, or simply a muscular or strength imbalance. Symptoms are pain along the medial aspect of the tibia and can be tender to touch either over the bone or muscle. Pain is generally worse during activity, especially running and jumping, and immediately after. Swelling may be present. Other conditions common to the lower leg include stress fractures or compartment syndromes. If lower leg pain becomes sharp and debilitating it should be evaluated by an athletic trainer or medical doctor in order to provide the appropriate course of treatment. A stress fracture is suspected when the pain is localized to one specific area that can be pointed to with one finger. Symptoms of compartment syndrome are severe pain/swelling that may or may not give the skin a shiny appearance, and causes numbness or tingling down into the foot. First aid: The athlete will often feel relief by icing the shins following activity. Using an ice bag or ice cup will give the athlete the relief of ice as well as help to flush out any swelling that has accumulated in the shin and loosen tight tissue. To make an ice bag, fill a small paper cup with water and freeze. Take out of the freezer and peel back the paper. Rub the ice over the injured area in a circular motion, applying some pressure. Do this for 15 minutes following activity, or for 7 minutes prior to activity.

UÊ > vÊÃÌÀiÌV \Ê7 ÊÌ> iÊ>ÊÃ } v V> ÌÊ> Õ ÌÊ vÊ strain off of the anterior portion of the leg. Proper calf stretching must be done with the heel on the ground in two positions: with the knee straight and with it bent. An angle stretch board is very effective. Stretch before and after workouts, 3 times each for 30-60 seconds.

Rehab tools: The goal of rehabilitation for any injury is to correct deficiencies in mechanics of movement of the injured area as well as the whole chain of movement. The athletic trainers approach here falls into two categories: stretching and strengthening.

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org 12

T E C H N I Q U E ! J U LY 2 0 1 0

UÊ > ÊÀ \Ê1Ã }Ê>Ê`i ÃiÊv > ÊÀ Ê ÀÊÌi ÃÊL> Êv ÀÊ massage is very effective to help loosen tight muscles. Roll over both the calves and the muscles on the front of the leg. Do this 3 times for 15-60 seconds for each tight area.

UÊ VVi ÌÀ VÊV> v\Ê/ ÃÊÃÌÀi }Ì i }ÊÌiV µÕiÊ ÃÊ essentially a modified calf raise. After rising onto the toes, lower very slowly back to the floor. Do 3 sets of 10.

UÊ ii Ê> `ÊÌ iÊÜ> }\Ê-ÌÀi }Ì i ÃÊÌ iÊ ÕÃV iÃÊ vÊÌ iÊ foot and lower leg, improves balance. Walk for 30-60 seconds on heels, alternate to toes, 10 times each.

UÊ >ÃÌ VÊL> `Ê> iÊÃÌÀi }Ì i }\Ê >ÃÌ VÊL> `Ê exercises are important to increase foot/ankle stability and strength. Tie a band to a pole and have the athlete pull from out to in (inversion) and from in to out (eversion). This should be done slowly and repeated for 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps. UÊ > > ViÊiÝiÀV ÃiÃ\Ê > > ViÊ on one leg with the knee/hip slightly flexed and the core activated. Begin on the floor then progress to a stability pad or mat to increase difficulty. Hold until failure or the muscles fatigue and repeat 3 times.

UÊ* Þ iÌÀ VÃ\Ê" ViÊÌ iÊ«> Ê has dissipated, plyometric exercises are the next step in maintaining strength and improving mechanics. These exercises are about jumping LÕÌÊÌ iÊi « >Ã ÃÊ ÃÊ Ê«À «iÀÊ > ` }ÊÌiV µÕiÊÜ Ì Ê the athlete absorbing the landing at the feet, ankles, UÊ/ Üi ÊÃVÀÕ V iÃ\Ê-ÌÀi }Ì i ÃÊÌ iÊ ÕÃV iÃÊ vÊÌ iÊv ÌÊ knees, hips and core. This should come natural for the and lower leg. With the heel on the floor, scrunch towel gymnast! toward you then push it away. Wet the towel or add a light dumbbell to the end of the towel to increase Taping techniques resistance. Repeat 10 times. The rehabilitation process can take from days to weeks

J U LY 2 0 1 0 ! T E C H N I Q U E

d depending d on the severity of the injury. During this process it is often helpful to try any number of taping techniques to help reduce the pain during athletic activity. The drawback to the use of tape in gymnastics is that the tape has a slick surface. To counteract this, athletic trainers will often use a very light layer of adhesive spray or coban, a self adhesive tape like they apply after you have given blood, over the initial tape job.

UĂ&#x160; iĂ&#x2022;Â&#x17D;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;>ÂŤiĂ&#x160;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x203A;Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x2022;Â?>Ă&#x20AC;\Ă&#x160;7Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x17D;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;iÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; reduce stress throughout the whole chain of motion.

UĂ&#x160; Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;>ÂŤi\Ă&#x160; iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x17D;iÂ?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;ÂŤi`iĂ&#x160;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;`Ă&#x2022;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160; the elasticity of the tape. UĂ&#x160; Ă&#x20AC;VÂ&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;>ÂŤi\Ă&#x160;/Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;ÂŤ>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;VĂ&#x2022;Â?>Ă&#x20AC;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;ivviVĂ&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2026;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160; person has fallen arches or poor foot and lower leg strength and neuromuscular control. If arch taping is effective, then it may be helpful to consider orthotics for the time spent out of the gym.

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There are several approaches to the treatment of shin Ă&#x192;ÂŤÂ?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;LĂ&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x17E;Ă&#x160;>Â?Â?Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;>Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x160;VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;}Â&#x153;>Â?\Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;i`Ă&#x2022;ViĂ&#x160; pain by correcting deficiencies detected during the injury evaluation. The stretches, corrective exercises, and taping along with ice massage and deep tissue release will help to alleviate shin splints. It is very important to remember that everything is connected! The exercises listed here work the ankle and lower leg but the knees, hips and core must be just as strong to maintain efficient movement. Even with the tips listed here, if moderate pain is present for greater than one week, pain in an isolated one inch area for about three days, or numbness and tingling that persists for a day, please seek medical care.

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ImprovIng Shoulder Strength and StabIlIty By Darrell Barnes, MS, ATC, CSCS - St. Vincent Sports Performance Center

latissimus (lats) muscles. The result is a greater strength imbalance of the shoulder and a decrease in range of motion which can predispose your athlete to injury. Corrective exercises consist of stretches that improve chest and lat flexibility (fig. 2, 3, 4). Pictures 2 and 3 are showing a dynamic chest stretch over a foam roller where the shoulder blades are held down/ in while the arms slide on the floor from overhead to hip. Picture 3 is a lat stretch where the athlete sits in a butterfly position with back flat to a wall and slides arms up while maintaining contact with the

and poor posture are just a few issues that can increase the incidence of shoulder injuries. In this article, we will discuss exercises that will improve shoulder mobility, strength and stability. These exercises can be utilized for rehabilitation of an injured athlete or integrated in your team warm-up/conditioning. The bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s normal adaptation to the skills of gymnastics coupled with traditional strengthening that focuses primarily on the front side can lead to excessive tightness of the pectoralis (pecs) and

wall. Dynamic stretches are held 3-5 seconds and are repeated 10 times each. Shoulder strengthening begins with teaching stability which gives it a greater ability to produce power. I like to describe the shoulder as being a golf ball on a golf tee. The ball is in its most stable position if it is in the middle of the tee. If it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in the middle it falls off. By strengthening the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers (back side), you improve its ability to hold itself in the middle of the joint which allows all of

FIGURE 1

houlder injuries are common in gymnastics due to the extreme range of motion needed for many skills and at the same time the strength and stability needed to accept and produce force for tumbling. The shoulder girdle is comprised of four joints and more than 15 muscles that act to stabilize and move the shoulder (see fig.1). Due to the fact that the shoulder joint allows a very large range of motion, this decreases its ability to stabilize itself. Muscular imbalance of the front side to the back side, poor rotator cuff strength

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009

ImprovIng Shoulder Strength and StabIlIty the muscle to work more efficiently. The first step is to teach the athlete to retract the shoulder blades correctly. Many times shoulder exercises are done but the athlete’s shoulder position is poor (golf ball is off the tee) and the exercises are not as efficient and even can add to the problem. One easy way to teach the correct position is to stand against a wall with the shoulder blades flat on the wall (down and in) and arms out to the side.

your hips (fig. 8). For the “T” arms are at 90 degrees and pull back horizontally (fig.9). Begin the same for the third exercise but finish the arms in a “Y” position (fig.10). Make sure the shoulders stay down and in during the entire motion. If the athlete is unable to do this have her move closer to decrease the resistance or discontinue the exercise until she is able to stabilize better.

FIGURE 2, 3 AND 4 FIGURE 8, 9 AND 10 Have the athlete press into the wall with the arms without shrugging. Hold 5 seconds and repeat 5-10 times. Then progress to sliding the arms upward and ending in a “Y” position (hold at top). Pressure should be maintained the whole time with no shrugging and at no time should the shoulder blades lose contact with the wall (fig. 5, 6, 7).

FIGURE 5, 6 AND 7 Once the athlete has adequate mobility and stability of the shoulder girdle, you can effectively strengthen with resistance training. There are many ways to strengthen the shoulder. In this article, I will discuss an elastic cord series that is fast, cheap and easily done in the gym. Begin with an elastic tube with handles or just elastic bands and place it around any bar in the gym. These exercises can be used to activate the shoulder before practice by doing 1 set of 10-15 repetitions or can be used for conditioning by doing 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions. Tell the athlete to stand in a sports stance with knees slightly bent, butt back and shoulder blades down/in. The first 3 exercises I call “I”,“T”,“Y”. Begin with the “I” by grabbing the tube and pulling it down past

FIGURE 12 AND 13 26

TECHNIQUE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009

Next is external rotation/internal rotation (fig.11). Begin by facing toward the elastic tube with the shoulders and elbows bent 90 degrees. Externally rotate the shoulders by lifting the hands upward while maintaining the position of the upper arm. Internal rotation is the same except you are facing away from the elastic tube.

FIGURE 11 The next exercise is the single arm row with rotation. For the row, grab both ends of the tube in one hand and stand in a split stance. Pull the tube in a rowing motion and at the same time push forward with the other shoulder. This is a great way to strengthen the shoulder and improve thoracic rotation (fig 12, 13).

ImprovIng Shoulder Strength and StabIlIty The last 2 are the triceps extension and bicep curl. They are very common but still need to be mentioned. For both exercises you stand in the middle of the elastic tube and grab each end. For the triceps extension, step one foot forward (split stance) and position the tube behind your back with your elbows flexed next to your ears then straighten the arms toward the ceiling (fig.14). For the bicep curl, maintain

good shoulder position (down/in) and elbows against your side and flex the elbows toward the shoulders. Changing wrist position from palm-up to thumb-up to palm down will work different muscles needed for gymnastics (fig. 15). There are many other exercises that could have been included. I chose a few that I believe are very effective and sometimes overlooked. It doesn’t matter what exercise method you use if you focus on maintaining proper shoulder mobility and train your athlete to develop stable and balanced shoulders from the front side to the back side. *Thanks to Sharps Gymnastics for allowing me to take pictures.

FIGURE 14 AND 15

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Pre- and PostWorkout snacks

By Lindsay G. Langford MS, RD

oncluding a recent presentation to a group of high school athletes, I found myself astounded by the number of athletes that pay no attention to the importance of nutrition. Many athletes eat lunch around noon, head to practice/training sessions at 3:30 p.m., and arrive home for dinner around 6:30 or 7 p.m. famished. Some athletes could be burning as much as 2,000 calories between lunch and dinner with no food in between. I found this routine to be typical for many athletes. As a dietitian, my personal take-home message that night became clear. Athletes desperately need education on the vital relationship between food and performance. I feel athletes should look at food as a performance enhancer, which is 100% legal. An athlete will not test “positive” or fail a drug test with the performance enhancer “food.” By using the proper food at the proper time, allows performance

to be enhanced in an efficient and clean manner. A gymnast will find better workouts and a higher level of performance when their bodies are properly fueled. Like a car, a body cannot perform on an empty tank. Therefore, it is imperative that coaches stress the importance of coming to practice nutritionally prepared. You may notice a sluggish, dizzy, or light headed gymnast if proper nutrition is not accounted for. These athletes must learn to plan ahead by tossing a pre- and post-workout snack into their gym bags, before heading to their next practice. Make sure a nutritious pre-practice snack is consumed one hour before an afternoon practice. Since carbohydrates are the main fuel source for workouts, be sure to aim for the ACSM/ ADA (American College of Sports Medicine/ American Dietetic Association) guidelines (2009)of 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram (kg*), one hour before practice. Here are a few snack ideas to help boost energy levels before practice:

FOODS

SIZE

SPORTS DRINK

20 FL OZ

30-50

GENERIC SPORT BAR

1 BAR

20-55

BANANA AND BLUEBERRIES WITH STRING CHEESE

1 LARGE BANANA, ½ CUP BLUEBERRIES

BAGEL WITH PEANUT BUTTER

1 LARGE

YOGURT WITH ¼ CUP GRANOLA

1 CUP

LOW FAT CHEESE AND CRACKERS

1 SLICE, 6 CRACKERS

½ PB&J

½ SANDWICH

FIG BARS

TECHNIQUE

JUNE 2009

GRAMS OF CARBS

Now that you’ve got pre-workout fuel down, don’t forget post-workout nutrition is equally important. After a long hard training session, glycogen (muscles main fuel source) levels are running on “E” and muscle break down could also be occurring. To replenish, rebuild, and strengthen these muscle stores, proper carbohydrate and protein consumption should be consumed no later than one hour after the training session (< 30min being ideal). This will allow muscle stores to absorb, regenerate, and bounce back stronger for the next day’s workout. Depending on the duration and

intensity of the workout, post-workout nutritional needs vary. For a workout lasting longer than 90 minutes of constant activity, ACSM and ADA (2009) recommend 1.5g carbohydrate per kilogram within 30 minutes and an additional 1.5g carb/kg 2 hours later. Set guidelines are not yet established for protein consumption, but the addition of a smallto-moderate amount of protein is recommended for proper recovery. Listed below are some tasty snack options to help a gymnast recover for their next workout:

FOODS

SIZE

GRAMS OF CARBS

GENERIC SPORT BAR

1 BAR

20-55

YOGURT WITH ¼ CUP GRANOLA AND BLUEBERRIES

6OZ YOGURT, ¼ CUP GRANOLA, ½ CUP BERRIES

SLIMFAST, BOOST

HIGH PROTEIN CEREAL (KASHI GO LEAN) WITH LOW FAT MILK

1 CUP CEREAL ½ CUP MILK

½ PB & HONEY SANDWICH

½ SANDWICH

LOW FAT CHOCOLATE MILK

1 CUPS

GRAHAM CRACKERS AND PEANUT BUTTER

2 SHEETS, 1TBLS

MEAL REPLACEMENT DRINK

The snack options provided above should help propel energy level and recovery time. This enables the coach to have a well-rounded gymnast that is fueling and recovering properly for each workout. Mix and match a few items or make up some of your own, but be sure pre- and post- workout nutrition becomes a new priority.

*1kg=2.2lbs American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada (2009). Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise. 42;3:709-739

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

JUNE 2009

TECHNIQUE

Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. Head – Sport Biomechanics and Engineering U.S. Olympic Committee Chair - USECA

plit flexibility, or the ability to achieve a fore and rear leg position of 180 degrees or more, is a highly prized skill. Below I would like to describe two methods of stretching and strengthening that may help athletes achieve and maintain their splits more rapidly and with greater time efficiency. It has been noted in the past that athletes often perform "stretching" activities for relatively long periods and that stretching consumes a significant amount of training and conditioning time (Sands & McNeal, 2000). In spite of the relatively large amount of conditioning time devoted to stretching, it appears that many athletes reach a point of diminishing- or no- returns on their stretching time investment in terms of increasing their range of motion in the splits. I believe the stagnation in increasing range of motion is due to two reasons: (1) lack of variety in stretching activities and (2) failure to enhance strength in the extreme ranges of motion. Below, in Figures 1, 2, and 3, I would like to propose two stretching methods that have been shown to enhance split flexibility. The first is based on U.S.A. Gymnastics National Staff efforts to enhance the "squareness" of split flexibility among National Team Gymnasts. The second is based on research on the use of Therband in achieving enhanced performance of the split leap. Figure 1 shows the use of two mats or blocks to support the athlete while he/ she lowers to a split position. The blocks or mats allow the athlete to ensure a "square" pelvis position as he/ she lowers toward the split. The athlete should begin with his/ her weight on the heel of the forward leg and the knee of the backward leg.The pelvis should be maintained in a position perpendicular to the forward/ backward line of the legs in the split. The athlete then lowers slowly, supporting some weight with his/ her hands, to the lowest position he/ she can attain with a properly aligned pelvis. Lower to split while maintaining square hips and shoulders.

Figure 2 shows a modification of the exercise in Figure 1 and emphasizes the hip extension of the rear leg. The athlete may want to perform this variation with the shin of the rear leg against a wall so that the athlete can readily determine if her rear leg has shifted out of alignment.

Figure 2. Split Position using Blocks and Shin Alignment. Figure 3 shows the application of Theraband elastic strips to flexibility exercises designed to enhance split flexibility. The Theraband strips should be black in color or they should be among the stiffest of the elastic material you can obtain. Surgical tubing also works, but again the tubing needs to be quite stiff. The strips are cut in sections approximately 5’6" in length (approximately 170cm). The ends are then tied in loops so that the strips can be slipped over the feet and ankles of the athlete. The loops need to be small so that the strips do not slide toward the knee of during kicks. As the athlete progresses, the strips can be shortened slightly in order to increase the training demand. Theraband Flexibility Exercises Forward Kick

Backward Kick

Sideward Kick

Theraband

Theraband Stradle Jump Split Jump

Use mats or blocks for support.

Figure 1. Split Position using Blocks. Note that the athlete lowers only after aligning pelvis.

Theraband

Figure 3. Theraband Exercises.

T ECH N I Q U E • MAY 2004

Theraband

STRETCHING PROGRAM All of these exercises should be performed using 3 sets of 5 repetitions at the start. The number of sets can be increased to 4, 5, and 6 with each increase occurring after 1 to 2 weeks of training. In the splits using blocks above (Figures 1 and 2). The athlete begins in the split position and lowers to his/ her best/ lowest position and holds this position for 30 seconds. Then the athlete rises and rests for 10 to 30 seconds and lowers and repeats. The athlete should do one set on each leg and then switch legs. Athletes can and should perform these exercises several times each day. In the Theraband exercises, the athlete should begin with 3 sets of 5 kicks per position/ jump. The number of kicks is increased progressively to a maximum of 15 kicks per set, and a maximum of 4 to 6 sets. The athlete should be very careful to ensure that all kicks are performed with correct upper body and pelvis posture. The athlete should emphasize this posture over and above his/ her ability to kick high. Most athletes are unaccustomed to this type of load/ resistance in their extreme positions. The exercises are surprisingly stressful for the uninitiated, therefore one should use caution and progress slowly. Previous research demonstrated marked improvement using this exercise method daily, once per day. Reference List 1. Sands, W. A., & McNeal, J. R. (2000). Enhancing flexibility in gymnastics. Technique, 20(May), 6-9.

Learn

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A SPORT NEUROPSYCHOLOGY PERSPECTIVE By Chris Carr, Ph.D, Sport Psychologist, St. Vincent Sports Performance Center, Indianapolis Adam Shunk, Ph.D., Sport Neuropsychology Resident, St. Vincent Sports Performance Center

n order for a gymnast (or any athlete) to learn new skills, information must be brought into the brain through various channels. The brain is a complex structure with various lobes and neural circuitries which function differentially for each person. The catch is some of these channels work better than others. Every athlete has a learning preference or unique style which allows them to learn the most optimal manner. Some gymnasts may be visual learners and respond best to learning by seeing. Others prefer to hear and use language as the primary channel to learn and get information into their brain. Finally, some individuals respond best to kinesthetic or tactile learning, where they can feel or sense the movements required for a task. Most young athletes learn best through a combination of these approaches which pair teaching techniques together. An effective coach creates an environment and the opportunity for all of their athletes to learn through their

preferred style. They also tailor their approach to coaching based on how the athlete will learn best. Whether it is instructional information of how to perform a novel movement or providing technical feedback to perfect a Level 9 beam skill, effective communication is an important skill for coaches to possess. Here are a few pointers for gymnastics coaches in learning “how” to teach based on an athlete’s particular learning style (based on neuropsychological theory): Visual learners: Visual based learners encode information best through pure visual presentation. For these individuals, direct observation of another gymnast completing a novel task and/or video feedback where they watch someone else or themselves doing the right skill are most effective. Using video to reinforce corrections and new skills can truly benefit a visual learning gymnast.

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

TECHNIQUE • AUGUST 2008

A SPORT NEUROPSYCHOLOGY PERSPECTIVE Verbal/language-based learners: Verbal learners can make sense and process information best through explanation and language-based presentation. An ideal approach to learning would involve verbal explanation of desired task then have the athlete communicate back to the Visual coach the sequence of learners encode steps in their own words. information best Presentation should be done one-on-one and coaches through pure visual should always check for presentation. understanding by having athlete repeat or verbally rehearse the message. Kinesthetic or Tactile learners: Kinesthetic learners learn best when they can feel through their body what movements are desired. For these individuals, having them perform or walk through the desired series of movements is ideal. If learning a new skill, a coach could break the skill down into multiple smaller body movements and have the gymnast slowly progress through each movement to understand how it should be put together. Corrections should be done “hands on” and while the athlete is performing the skill.

Verbal learners can make sense and process information best through explanation and language-based presentation.

Paired Modality Coaching To maximize the process of learning most people respond best to a combination of these approaches to learning.

Paired Modality Coaching: To maximize the process of learning most people respond best to a combination of these approaches to learning. Information presented and processed by three different channels is more efficient and has a higher learning potential than a single channel can allow. Coaching through various techniques and combining these techniques would maximize learning.

TECHNIQUE • AUGUST 2008

An example of how to teach a new skill to your group: verbally explain the sequence of movements required to perform a new skill (verbal learning). Show the gymnast someone else perform the movement or a videotape of the movement (visual learning). Have the gymnast slowly and sequentially perform the series of body movements in the desired order so they can feel the body positions for the new skill. Finally, an example of coaching a correction might include having them explain the movements while performing the task or have them activate the kinesthetic movements while watching a video of someone else perform the movement in slow motion. It is important to understand that a coach cannot have only one coaching style for only one group of gymnasts. A combination of teaching “methods” can enhance multiple learning styles for a wide developmental range of athletes. Remembering that any “competition Kinesthetic anxiety” can disrupt an individuals’ learning process learners learn best should be a reminder for the when they can feel use of mental training skills through their body (e.g. relaxation and imagery what movements are training). This article will help desired. you to understand that the cognitive components of learning are essential to the learning of new gymnastics skills. Sport psychology and neuropsychology can offer wonderful knowledge to help any gymnastics coach to improve his or her coaching style….Good luck!

STICK THE LANDING By Brandon Johnson, CSCS, USAW, PES, St. Vincent Sports Performance

e’ve all heard of the saying, “What goes up, must come down,” this is especially true in gymnastics. Gymnasts spend countless hours twisting and turning their bodies, all culminating with some type of landing. With the hours gymnasts spend in training to prepare for competition it is important that they learn to land correctly. Allowing our athletes to land incorrectly over a period of time puts them at greater risk for lower extremity injuries; such as, ankle sprains and fractures as well as knee tendonitis and ACL tears. In order to remain healthy the athlete must be able to absorb force in the correct fashion. I believe our job is to help reduce the chance of injury while enhancing the performance of these athletes. Reduce the chance of injury and obtain a great score, sounds like a win-win to me. The goal is to teach the gymnast to correctly absorb the force as they land. One issue includes front side load-landing with knees coming out over the toes. This can occur because of the athlete’s coordination or lack there-of. Another concern is poor backside hip strength as well as hip mobility and stability, all leading to poor landing mechanics. Meager hip flexor flexibility and/or poor ankle mobility will also affect the landing ability of an athlete. These issues all lead to improper landing mechanics resulting in a greater risk of injury. Allowing the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, and hips) to take the majority of the load can reduce the likelihood of injury and keep your athletes in the gym. Next we will address the exercises that you can incorporate into your program that will allow your athlete to land with correct mechanics. Remember that we have to think about the body from a holistic mind-frame. It is important that we continue to stress

TECHNIQUE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

the importance of correct landing, the following exercises will aid in making sure your athletes are landing with correct form. Remember that the hips can handle much more repetitive load than the knees and ankles. 1. Box Jump Downs- To execute this exercise have an athlete step on top of a box no higher than 18 in. to ensure correct technique. The athlete will then step off to jump down, landing with correct form. Back flat, knees over the toes and weight distributed evenly over the feet. Abdominals are braced and glutes activated so they can hold perfect posture. Make sure that the athletes’ knees are not caving in and shoulder blades are pulled back and down. It is paramount that we stress back-side loading so that we take the stress off the front side. When proper form is attained, you can progress to higher boxes. See Figure (1-4) Exercises 2-7 are exercises that will help your athlete obtain the correct landing mechanics that we are after.

FIGURES 1-4 2. Front Plank/Right Side/Left Side-These exercises will help create pillar (shoulder/core/hips) stability and strength, essential in holding total body posture upon landing. Depending on the strength of the athlete, these positions can be held for 10-30 seconds. See Figure (5,6)

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

3. Glute Bridge- Great for activating and developing the backside firing patterns of the glutes. It is essential to teach the gymnast how to activate these muscles. The athlete will begin by lying on his/her back, the knees are bent at 90 degrees and the feet are flat on the floor. Next, the athlete will press his/her hips toward the ceiling by firing the glutes. The key is to ensure the athlete is gaining extension via the hips and not the lumbar spine. This exercise should NOT be felt in the lower back or hamstrings. See Figure (7,8)

FIGURE 7

FIGURE 8

4. Quadruped Hips (Fire-Hydrants)- To execute this pattern the athlete will have his/her hands on the ground placed right underneath his/her shoulders and knees directly under his/her hips. While maintaining a flat back and abdominals braced, the athlete will lift his/her leg, keeping the knee bent, out to the side for the prescribed number of reps; 15-20 reps. per side are sufficient. The objective of this exercise is to stabilize the torso and create mobility and strength in the hips. See Figure (9,10)

FIGURE 9

athlete will take a split stance and extend one leg back with the foot flat on the floor. The front foot will be flat on the ground with the toe against the wall. Next the athlete will push the hips towards the wall and the back heel towards the ground. The athlete should feel the exercise in the hip flexor and calf muscles of the back leg. See Figure (13,14)

FIGURE 13

FIGURE 14

7. Forward Lunge/Elbow in-Step- Improves the flexibility of the hips, hamstrings, lower back, and the often tight hip flexors. The athlete will begin in a standing position. The athlete will take a huge lunge step forward with the right leg and the left hand is placed on the floor. Then take right elbow and place it on the in-step of your right foot while keeping the back knee on the ground. Repeat this exercise with the left leg. This is a great exercise for the hip-flexor. See Figure (15,16)

FIGURE 10

5. Side-Lying Leg Raises- Aids in activation and stabilization of the hip. The athlete lies on his/her side while resting his/her head in hand. While maintaining proper posture the athlete will lift his/her leg towards the sky feeling it in the hips. This will help recruit the hips so the athlete can use the backside to absorb the force upon landing. See Figure (11,12)

FIGURE 11

FIGURE 12

6. Ankle Mobility-This exercise will help with the mobility and flexibility of the ankle and surrounding musculature. Additional dorsi-flexion gives the athlete a better chance at a mechanically correct landing. To execute this movement have the athlete find a place on the wall. The

FIGURE 15

FIGURE 16

Remember that we should use the posterior chain to absorb the force from landing. It is paramount to the health and well-being of the athletes. Time spent in the training room is time away from training. Not only will you feel better but your body will thank you in the long run.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

TECHNIQUE

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Conditioning

Strength Training Fundamentals in Gymnastics Conditioning James J. Major Motor Behavior Laboratory Dept. of Exercise and Sports Science University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah

Often coaches must be a jack-of-all-trades, but masters of one. Gymnastics coaches are responsible for not only skill training, routine composition, safety, education, and mental health of their gymnasts, but also their conditioning. To help the coach with conditioning, there is a plethora of advice and equipment. However gymnastics coaches need fundamental information to evaluate these products and suggestions; and yes, even see through the grantsmanship of the sport scientists. Understanding basic principles, coaches can sift through the advice and choose the best conditioning for their gymnasts. To help coaches towards understanding basic principles of strength training, the U.S. Elite Coaches Association for Women's Gymnastics (USECA–W) has had translated an excellent article on strength training fundamentals (Bührle and Werner, 1984). The translation of "The Muscle Hypertrophy Training of the Body Builder" (Bührle and Werner, 1984) is available from the USECA. I want to explain how these fundamentals should be applied in gymnastics. Four basic principles that will help coaches to evaluate strength training are: Consistent, special strength training is necessary for maximum performance in gymnastics; Training to increase muscle size and strength is important, but maximum strength from minimum size is the most important training goal; Rest and recuperation are important aspects of strength training, also in gymnastics; Strength training must be integrated with the skill training in gymnastics.

Consistent, special strength training is necessary for the best possible performance in gymnastics. One of the most important insights of modern training is that a highly developed level of strength cannot be maintained even by intensive performance of the event itself (Bührle and Werner, 1984). This insight has proven to be true in such very different events as swimming, cross-country skiing, and gymnastics. Gymnastics alone will not develop nor even maintain an adequate level of strength for advanced gymnastics (Oppel, 1967). Special conditioning must be performed, besides countless elements, combinations, parts, and full routines. Inconsistent strength training can explain the decline in performance, or at least the stagnation, of a number of athletes who had promising performances during the preparatory season. Once those athletes started to compete, their results did not live up to these expectations (Bührle and Werner, 1984). Gymnastics specialists have warned against decreasing strength training during the competition season (Borrmann, 1978: Hartig and Buchmann, 1988; Plotkin, Rubin and Arkaev, 1983; Ukran, 1969).

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Special strength for gymnastics training must answer the demands of gymnastics. The principle of specificity implies that the exercises used in training should be similar to the exercises that must be performed in the competition routine. Therefore, we might imagine that the best training for gymnastics would be more gymnastics. However, long ago this was proven not to be the case (Borrmann, 1978; Oppel, 1967; Plotkin, Rubin, and Arkaev, 1983). Special training is necessary to develop the strength and power in the athlete sufficient for correct technical performance of skills (Hartig and Buchmann, 1988; Oppel, 1967). Repetition of the skill alone will not guarantee even a minimum level of strength to perform the skill correctly. The observation that a highly developed level of strength cannot be maintained even by the most intensive performance of the movements of the competition routines does not contradict the principle of specificity, but completes it (B端hrle and Werner, 1984; Martin, 1991; Verchoshanskij, 1985). Special strength training is necessary, but it must specifically meet the demands of the event, in this case gymnastics skills. What is specific for gymnastics will be discussed below.

Training to increase muscle size and strength is important, but maximum strength from minimum size is the most important training goal. Muscle size and strength are related. The thicker a muscle fiber, the stronger it can contract, and the more tension or force the muscle can generate. The sum of all the cross-sectional surface areas of all of the fibers determines the size of the muscle cross-section, and thereby the potential for strength. This fact is particularly true for the lean, well-trained muscle of an athlete. The cross-sectional surface area of the muscle thereby becomes the most important trait for estimating strength (B端hrle and Werner, 1984). Increasing the cross sectional area of the muscle, or muscle hypertrophy, is fundamental for maximal improvement of strength (B端hrle and Werner, 1984). However, we must admit that the exact biochemical mechanism for muscle hypertrophy, what factors cause it, and therefore how to best go about achieving or avoiding muscle hypertrophy is still unknown (MacDougall, 1986; Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988). Muscle hypertrophy is most important in body building, but a survey of elite Swedish bodybuilders found no agreement on how to best achieve muscle hypertrophy (Tesch, 1986). The cross-sectional area of the muscle increases with strength training because amino acids (proteins) are added to the muscle after training. There are at least two theories of exactly why and how proteins are added to the muscle because of work or training. One is the ATPdeficit theory of muscle hypertrophy, Adenosintriphosphate (ATP), is the immediate source of energy for contraction in the muscle. The ATP-deficit theory states that muscle growth is stimulated by a disturbance of the balance between production and consumption of ATP. ATP is essential for life but is only stored in limited quantities in the muscle (Figure 1). ATP-deficit in the muscle, particularly if it is the result of intensive maximal strength and power efforts, seems to provoke extra riboneucleic acid (RNA) synthesis. In turn, RNA stimulates muscle growth. Although it has been demonstrated that increased synthesis of messenger RNA is an essential requirement for the hypertrophy process (Lundholm, 1986), the stimulus for increased muscle uptake of protein apparently occurs before there is any evidence of increased RNA synthesis (MacDougall, 1986). An ATP-deficit probably also influences protein metabolism because the body requires ATP to compound amino acids into protein and more muscle.

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Figure 1. Fraction of the different metabolic substances in the supply of energy at continuous, maximum effort. ATP and CP are the sources of energy for gymnastics. ATP and CP stores can be rapidly replenished. It is well known that there is little lactic acid in the blood of elite gymnasts after the floor exercise and optional pommel horse, so these routines apparently do not substantially tax anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic metabolism. Perhaps there are enough relatively easy phases during which ATP and CP can be restored. (Modified after Kuel et al in B端hrle and Werner, 1984)

Intensive maximal strength and power exercises cause not only ATP-deficit but also damage to the body proteins. This damage occurs to components of the muscle fibers (structural proteins) as well as enzymes and hormones (functional proteins). Both structural and functional proteins are important for muscular contraction. Large concentrations of nitrogens excreted by the body after such efforts is evidence of the use of these proteins. These proteins are then rebuilt and supercompensated (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Schematic process of training load and adaptation (Matveyev, 1971)

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Increasing cross-sectional area of the muscle with strength training is the result of the addition of contractile proteins to the muscle after training. However, when a muscle hypertrophies from training, other components also increase. Body builders have increased amounts of connective tissue in the muscle (MacDougall, 1986). Hypertrophied muscles also have increased resting concentrations of ATP and creatin phosphate (CP) (Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988). More connective tissue and increased stores of ATP and CP also increase the volume, or cross-sectional area of the muscle. Moreover, I suspect that ATP and CP are the key sources of energy for gymnastics performance. I also suspect that ATP and CP are so important because well trained gymnasts have little lactic acid in their blood after completing full routines. The two main endurance problems in gymnastics, the last tumbling pass during the floor exercise and men's optional pommel horse routines, are probably related to ATP and CP stores, and thereby of the size of the main muscles used in those events. ATP and CP stores in the muscles are probably depleted in finishing gymnastics routines (see Figure 1). Therefore, muscle size is basic for endurance in gymnastics. There are other theories that attempt to explain muscle hypertrophy besides the ATP-deficit theory. However, the bottom line in strength training is that the muscle must be bigger in order to be stronger. It is trite, but bigger muscles identify athletes better than any other physical attribute. This is also true for the male and female gymnast. However, gymnastics coaches also know that among the very best gymnasts many gymnasts with the biggest muscles are the weakest in the strength elements. Many gymnasts with the most exceptional strength moves do not have big muscles for a gymnast. How is this contradiction between physiology and gymnastics explained? Most important for gymnastics is the insight that maximal strength can also be increased without increasing muscle mass (B端hrle and Werner, 1984; Poliquin, 1991; Verchoshanskij, 1985). Increasing strength without increasing muscle mass is important in gymnastics because the gymnast must move his or her own body. In gymnastics the power-to-bodyweight ratio is a factor that decisively influences performance. It is the power-to-weight ratio that strongly influences gymnastics performance, not strength alone. We do not use all of the fibers in a muscle at once, but some use more fibers than others. An athlete's maximal strength is mainly determined by the number of muscle fibers recruited by the nervous system for the movement, together with the cross-sectional surface area of these fibers. Only 70 to 90 percent of the potential strength, determined by the cross-sectional surface area of the muscle, can be voluntarily activated and applied to athletic movements. Only by stimulating the muscle with electricity at a high frequency (100 Hz and higher) will permit all muscle fibers, and thereby the entire potential of the muscle, to be activated at once (Strojnik, 1995). With the appropriate assistance, for example, stimulation of the muscle with electricity, the entire potential of the muscle to produce force can be measured. The potential strength value measured in this way is termed the absolute strength. The highest strength value produced by voluntary contraction is the maximal strength of the athlete. An athlete's maximal strength will usually be lower than that athlete's absolute strength. The difference between the absolute strength and the maximal strength is termed the strength deficit (B端hrle and Schmidtbleicher, 1981). This is because even well trained athletes cannot use all of the fibers in their muscles at once. A "big" muscle is not necessarily the strongest one, particularly if a substantial fraction of the absolute strength cannot be voluntarily and skillfully applied. This is the strength deficit. Muscle hypertrophy training like the REF

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program will tend to increase the strength deficit, while maximal strength training like the MAX program will tend to decrease the gymnast's strength deficit (Table 1). For example, body builders usually have a very high absolute strength, but also a relatively large strength deficit. Table 1. Comparison of the training routines of the three experimental groups in the experiment (B端hrle and Werner, 1984) MAX GROUP: Repeated maximal strength efforts 3 sets of 3 repetitions @ 90% of 1RM 2 sets of 2 repetitions @ 95% of 1RM 2 sets of 2 repetitions @ 97% of 1RM 1 set of 1 repetition @ 100% of 1RM Total: 18 repetitions in 8 sets with an average intensity of 94.3% of 1RM. Pauses between sets: 3 minutes Performance of the movements: explosive contraction This kind of program is appropriate for reducing the strength deficit. REF GROUP: Repeated strength efforts until failure 3 sets of 12 repetitions @ 70% of 1RM Total: 36 repetitions in 3 sets with an average intensity of 70% of 1 RM. Pauses between sets: 2 minutes Performance of the movements: repetitions to failure. This kind of program is appropriate for muscle hypertrophy, increasing absolute strength, or body building. POWER GROUP: Power training method 5 sets of 7 repetitions @ 45% of 1RM Total 35 repetitions in 5 sets with an average intensity of 45% of 1 RM. Pauses between sets: 5 minutes Performance of the movements: as rapidly as possible. This kind of program produces almost as much muscle hypertrophy as repeated efforts to failure (REF). Note: The relative level of the training load was readjusted every week to the improving level of maximal strength (1RM). 1RM is the one repetition maximum or the heaviest weight the athlete can lift one time. Strength may be increased without increasing the size of the muscle by reducing the strength deficit. The training methods used are similar to that of B端hrle and Werner's MAX group (repeated maximal strength efforts). Notice that this group had a substantial increase in maximal strength, but with the least increase in muscle mass (Table 2). With the MAX

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program the muscle simply does not do enough repetitions to go into ATP deficit and hypertrophy (B端hrle and Werner, 1984; Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988). Instead, here strength is increased by increasing maximal strength without little increase in muscle size, thereby reducing the strength deficit. Table 2. The results of training with different methods (12 weeks) (B端hrle and Werner, 1984). N refers to Newtons, a measure of force. 1 pound of force is equal to approximately 4.5 Newtons. Mm is a measure of surface area of the muscle measured with computed tomography.

MAX: This group used a training program for improving maximal strength, with a minimum muscle hypertrophy effect, thereby reducing the strength deficit. This group used the lowest number of repetitions, but the highest average intensity, and intermediate rest periods. REF: This group used a training program for increasing strength by increasing the crosssectional area of the muscle (muscle hypertrophy). This group used the highest number of repetitions at an intermediate intensity, and the shortest rest periods. The result was intensive fatigue. POWER: This group used a training program for improving power and quickness. This group used almost the highest number of repetitions, the next highest number of sets, but the highest speed of movement, and the longest rest periods. Special, specific strength training for an event provokes an adaptation of the neural innervation processes that control the skill. The fraction of the absolute strength that can be voluntary activated may be increased with maximal strength training. Consequently, maximal strength can be increased by other means than by increasing the cross-sectional surface area of the muscle. An example of a training program that will increase the maximal strength of the athlete, without increasing the muscle size (absolute strength), would be the program of the MAX group in B端hrle and Werner's experiment (see Table 1). However, coaches and athletes should recognize the fact that improvement by this method is limited by the morphologically available muscular mass, in other words by the absolute strength level. Therefore, a gymnast's conditioning should alternate between muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength training, between the training processes shown in Figures 3 and 4 (Schmidtbleicher, 1992). During training periods when relatively many whole and part routines are completed, the special strength training should be like that in Figure 4, using a program like that of the MAX group in Table 1. The reason for emphasizing training like

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Figure 4 is to keep muscle hypertrophy and the strength deficit as low as possible during this routine training period.

Figure 3. The course of a typical muscle hypertrophy training. Notice that the diameter of the muscle increases as the diameter of the fibers increases. With this training, the number of the fibers in the muscle that are activated does not increase. This effect is produced by a training like REF in Table 1. (Modified after Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988)

Figure 4. The course of a typical maximal strength training. Notice that the diameter of the muscle depicted as circles does not increase while the ability to activate more muscle fibers increases. This effect is produced by a training like the MAX group in Table 1. (Modified after Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988)

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Rest and recuperation are important aspects of strength training, also in gymnastics. It is a common idea in training that fatigue develops strength. This idea is particularly popular among athletes who train for muscle size, for example bodybuilders, football players, and throwers in the field events (Brunner and Tabachnik, 1990; B端hrle and Werner, 1984). A rapid exhaustion of ATP stores has been associated with the "burning" feeling in the muscle. This painful feeling often accompanies strength training sets with heavy loads (70%) and many repetitions (8-15). This kind of strength training tends to be very fatiguing and is also the kind of training that make the muscles increase in size, or hypertrophy. If the load is less, but the speed of movement is very fast, the effect may be the same: muscle growth (Table 2; B端hrle and Werner, 1984). Figure 2 shows the time course of the training process. Notice that this graph also shows that rest is also necessary if strength is to increase. Chronic fatigue tends to reduce effects of the strength training on muscle size. In fact, it has been shown that strength and power training while chronically fatigued decreases the effects of strength training (Verchoshanskij, 1985). Bodybuilders often use split routines strength training every day, but a muscle group only every other day (B端hrle and Werner, 1984; Tesch, 1986). Heavy fatigue from strength training has other effects that are important in gymnastics. Heavy fatigue from strength training can be very detrimental to coordination and technique. When gymnasts perform powerful movements, their nervous system is heavily involved and their coordination is also improved by this training (Borrmann. 1978). Therefore, maximal strength training should be performed when the gymnast is warm, but relatively fresh. Training periods where strength training is emphasized should be separated from periods where skill learning is emphasized (Major, 1993; Verchoshanskij, 1985).

Strength training must be integrated with the skill training in gymnastics. Modern strength training and conditioning has two priorities: On one hand, training should improve the cross-sectional surface area of all muscle fibers, and thereby the absolute strength. On the other hand, this potential, absolute strength must be able to be applied with maximal effect, in a manner specific to the event. Applying strength, with maximal effect, specific for the event, is achieved with skill practice and training (B端hrle and Werner, 1984). Correct technical execution is often impossible without sufficient strength. Performance of gymnastics skills with virtuosity often demands a great deal of strength. With insufficient strength, the gymnast learns a skill with one technique only to have to relearn the skill when he or she has increased strength. Relearning can be very time-consuming, frustrating, and is a substantial source of inefficiency in the training process (FKS, 1988). Alternative methods are: 1. Develop sufficient strength before learning the skill (sequential strength-skill development), and 2. Spot or assist the gymnast with insufficient strength for technically good performance during performance of the skill while strength is being developed (simultaneous skill-

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strength improvement). As well, any loss of strength will deteriorate the technical performance of a skill that the gymnast has already mastered. Specific for gymnastics skills are the muscle groups that need hypertrophy, and which muscle groups do not. After observation of the morphology of the world's elite gymnasts in several European, National, and World Championships events, I believe that elite gymnasts of both genders appear to need hypertrophied: elbow extensors (movement: straightening the elbow joint; typical exercise: bar dips or hand stand pushups) plantar flexors (movement: standing up on toe; typical exercise: standing toe raises) shoulder (hyper-) flexors (movement: lifting the arms above and past the head; typical exercise: press to handstand) sternoclavicular joint elevators and depressors (movement: lifting or pushing down the shoulders and arms; typical exercise: straight arm lat pulldowns or incline bench press) hip extensors (movement: kicking the thigh back; typical exercise: cast to handstand) shoulder extensors (movement: pushing the arms down and behind the back; typical exercise: Manna) In addition, the male gymnast must have hypertrophied: shoulder adductors and horizontal adductors (movement: end of front giant in rings, cross; typical exercise: flys) elbow flexors (movement: bending the elbows; typical exercise: initial pull up to Asarjian in rings) The above list does not ignore the fact that many of the individual muscles that participate in these movements also participate in other movements important for technically perfect gymnastics, for example by stabilizing the joint (stabilizers). For technically correct gymnastics, almost all other muscle groups than the above list must be very strong. The muscle groups must have minimum muscle mass and minimum strength deficit. This is particularly the case for all (remote) joint stabilizer muscles of the body.

Strength Training Principles for Gymnastics Muscle size is important for strength, but gymnastics conditioning must not become body building. Absolute strength does increase with body mass. Among trained athletes, the bigger the person, the more weight they can usually lift. This relationship between body size and strength can be seen in the graph comparing weight lifted in the Olympic weightlifting events (world records) compared to weight class (Figure 5). However, the strength of an athlete relative to their body size decreases as the body mass of the weight lifter increases (Figure 6). The world record in relative strength is held by an athlete in the 60 kg (125 lb.) class who snatched three times his own body weight with one movement over his head! Olympic weightlifting is an extreme power, technique, and quickness event like gymnastics. We must remember that the power-to-body-weight ratio IS an important performance determining factor in gymnastics. A gymnast must lift his or her body mass with their legs when tumbling or with their arms on bars. As the mass of the gymnast increases, they inevitably tend to slide down the curve in Figure 6, and their gymnastics performance will tend to suffer.

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Figure 5. The relationship between maximal strength and body mass exemplified by the World Records in Olympic Weightlifting. The heavier the athlete, the more weight is lifted. (Modified after Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988; Tittle and Wutscherk, 1992)

Figure 6. The relationship between maximal strength and body mass exemplified by the World Records in Olympic Weightlifting.

The heavier the athlete, the less weight is lifted per kilogram body mass. (Modified after Hartmann and T端nnemann, 1988; Tittle and Wutscherk, 1992)

The power-to-body-weight ratio is perhaps the real reason why the taller and heavier gymnasts seem to have more difficulty succeeding in gymnastics. The taller the athlete is, the greater his or her body mass will be, and the worse the relative strength. If this is indeed the case, then the training of the taller gymnast must concentrate on the highest relative strength and lowest strength deficit.

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I believe the problem of the taller gymnast is analogous to the loss of performance and strength commonly seen in the pubertal gymnast. Well trained 10-year-old girls and 12year-old boys commonly show comparatively high values of relative strength. But as children and teenagers become taller and therefore heavier, their relative strength should decrease. Relative strength often does seem to decrease, especially during pubertal growth spurts and skill performance deteriorates at the same time. In the case of the pubertal male gymnast, the problem is due to a relative strength that cannot keep up with the increase in body mass due to body height growth (Zatsiorsky, 1995). What might be appropriate here would be muscle hypertrophy training. In the case of the female gymnast who is filling out during puberty, the loss of relative strength is also due to increased body mass, but not only from body length growth. In the case of the female gymnast, more muscle hypertrophy training would be clearly inappropriate. Instead, the maximal strength of the female gymnast must be increased while maintaining body mass. Increasing maximal strength while maintaining mass would reduce the strength deficit and increase relative strength. Muscle tissue and fat tissue are the two kinds of body tissue that are relatively quickly gained or lost with training. As muscle tissue is much more dense than fat tissue, muscle hypertrophy can cause a greater increase in body weight than a slight loss of fitness. Muscle hypertrophy training must therefore be very judiciously used in gymnastics training. As hard as it is to loose a pound of fat through correct diet and exercise, a pound of excess muscle is comparatively impossible to loose and still maintain fitness. Muscles that are not absolutely essential for gymnastics should not be hypertrophied. The important muscles for gymnastics need to be hypertrophied, but only within strict limits. Not only will exaggerated muscle hypertrophy training ruin the gymnast's power-to-weight ratio or relative strength, muscle hypertrophy training may also make the gymnast slower. It is well-known that bodybuilders tend to have a higher percentage of slow twitch muscle fibers than Olympic weight lifters, power lifters, or other strength athletes (MacDougall, 1986; Tesch, 1988). One explanation is that typical body building sets last so long that the muscle suffers a lack of oxygen (8-15 reps per set). Moderately heavy loads high numbers of repetitions and shorter rest periods restrict the supply of oxygen to the muscles. It appears that this restricted supply of oxygen can cause muscle fibers to change to slowtwitch tissue (Tamaki et al., 1994). The lack of oxygen stimulates the muscle to increase its oxygen binding ability. The ability to extract oxygen is unfortunately also associated with slower contractions and lower peak forces. High numbers of repetitions, and shorter rest periods, describe the training that caused the greatest muscle hypertrophy in the Werner and B端hrle's (1984) experiment (Table 1, REF group). This may be the explanation behind the bigger, but relatively weaker, muscles of bodybuilders compared to Olympic weight lifters. In one particular case, ignorance about hypertrophy training can be potentially catastrophic. When the coach is asking the gymnast to loose weight, while having the gymnast do a muscle hypertrophy training, the gymnast is in an impossible situation. Due to the hypertrophy training, the athlete is gaining weight no matter how little she or he eats. In such a situation, disordered eating behaviors might seem to the athlete like the only solution. Muscle hypertrophy training is therefore potentially connected with eating disorders. Coaches may unwittingly have their gymnasts complete body building. Many typical gymnastics strength training exercises could in fact cause excessive hypertrophy. Looking at the muscle hypertrophy of gymnasts who claim not to lift weights, but only perform body-weight resistance, (traditional) gymnastics strength training would also lead one to

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believe that gymnastics in and by itself can cause substantial muscle hypertrophy. I suspect that muscle hypertrophy due to a POWER type program using body weight gymnastics specific exercises and speed is happening too often in gymnastics (see Table 1). Gymnastics training, particularly performing many routines and half-routines during a single workout, is very similar to B端hrle and Werner's POWER training program. This group achieved almost as much muscle hypertrophy as the body building group (REF), but without corresponding increases in maximal strength (Table 2). Moreover, among gymnasts there is obviously a wide variety in the ability to build body mass. The observation that individuals have individual ability to hypertrophy their muscles concerns females as well as male gymnasts. Therefore, Gymnastics Coaches! Critically evaluate your strength training. It has been noticed for some time that the very best gymnasts in the world have great strength with little muscle mass (Schwermann, 1986). Massive development of quadriceps (women) and upper arms (men) in some of our best gymnasts is also anecdotal evidence that our strength training should be reevaluated. Elite gymnasts who resemble body builders make a nice show, but poor gymnastics. My direct experience with the 1993 World University Games USA men's gymnastics team leads me to believe that the strength deficit is a problem in USA men's gymnastics training methodology. During the first phase of the training camp for those World University Games, the athletes demonstrated an almost daily increase in maximal strength, and excellent performance during gymnastics practice, despite unusually hard and fatiguing training of daily compulsory and optional routines as well as twice-daily strength training. These changes happened over such a short period of time that a change in absolute strength can be ruled out. The morning strength session was according to the same program as the MAX group in Table 1. The afternoon strength training was according to Plotkin, Rubin, and Arkaev (1983). The MAX program involved a maximum lift in each training and therefore the 1RM was measured every day. Almost without exception, the 1RM of the team members increased each day. I believe that what was happening was an increase in their maximal strength before there was any possibility of further hypertrophy because there was not enough time for the muscle to hypertrophy nor were the gymnasts lifting enough to cause muscle growth. Therefore they reduced their strength deficit, and thereby increased their relative strength. Another sign was that their gymnastics performance continued to be excellent, and even improve, despite the fatigue of strength twice a day as well as half-routine and full-routine training (Watanabe, Major, and McKelvain, 1993; Major, 1993). The situation of our elite and collegiate female gymnasts is unknown. The 1991 Women's Senior National Team was stronger than the Junior National Team (Irvin, Major, and Sands, 1992). However, the fact that the Junior National Team had better relative strength indicates that the Senior National Team's strength training was not maximizing strength while minimizing muscle hypertrophy as effectively.

Conclusion An increase in the cross-sectional surface area of the muscle is fundamental for the maximal improvement of strength because strength improvement is ultimately limited by muscle size, the muscle cross-sectional area. However, the gymnastics coach must also understand muscle hypertrophy training because gymnastics training must keep muscular hypertrophy within strict limits. Hypertrophy must be kept within strict limits to keep the power-tobody-mass ratio of the gymnast as high as possible. Gymnastics coaches must understand body building so that they can conservatively use hypertrophy training with the gymnasts in their care.

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References Borrmann, G. (1978). Anatomischphysiologische Zusammenhänge bei turnischen Bewegungen [Relationships between anatomy ñ physiology and gymnastics movements]. In G. Borrmann (Ed.), Gerätturnen Third Edition (pp. 70-82). Berlin, G.D.R.: Sportverlag. Brunner, R., and Tabachnik, B. (1990). Soviet Training and Recovery Methods. Pleasant Hill CA: Sport Focus Publishing. Bührle, M., and Schmidtblelcher. D (1981) Komponenten der Maximal- und Schnellkraft [Components of maximal strength and power]. Sportwissenschaft, 1, 11-27. Bührle, M., and Werner, E. (1984). Das Muskelquerschnittstraining der Bodybuilder [The muscle hypertrophy training of the body builder]. Leistungssport, 3, 5-9. FKS [Research Institute for Physical Education and Sport]. (1988). Entwicklungstendenzen der Leistungen technisch-akrobatischer Sportarten bis 1992 sowie abgeleitete Erneuerungen und Alternative zum Trainingssystem [Trends in the development of performance in technical-acrobatic sports up to 1992, as well as thereby derived innovations and alternatives to the training system]. Leipzig, G.D.R.: Forschungsinstitut fur Korperkultur und Sport Hartmann J., and Tünnemann, H. (1988). Modernes Krafttraining [Modern strength training]. Berlin, G.D.R.: Sportverlag. Hartig, R. and Buchmann, G. (1988). Gerätturnen-Trainingsmethodik [GymnasticsTraining Methodology]. Berlin, G.D.R.: Sportverlag. Irvin, R., Major, J., and Sands, W.A. (1992). Lower Body and Torso Strength Norms for Elite Female Gymnasts. In J. McNitt-Gray (Ed.), 1992 USGF Sport Science Congress Proceedings (pp. 5-12). Indianapolis, IN: United States Gymnastics Federation. Lundholm, K. (1986). Nybildning och Nedbrytning av Kontraktila Proteiner [Creation and destruction of contractile proteins]. In A. Forsberg and B. Saltin. (Eds.), Styrketräning (pp. 88-93). Farsta, SWE: Sveriges Riksidrottsforbund and Folksam. MacDougall, J. D. (1986). Morphological changes in human skeletal muscle following strength training and immobilization. In N.L Jones, N. McCartney and A.J. McComas (Eds.). Human Muscle Power (pp. 269-285). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers. Major, J. (1993). New Ways to Plan and Organize Gymnastic Training for Increased Effectiveness According to J.W. Werchoshanskij. Carmichael, CA: U.S. Elite Coaches Assoc. for Women's Gymnastics. Martin, D. (Ed.) (1991) Handbuch Trainingslehre [Handbook of Training Theory and Methodology]. Schorndorf, F.R.G.: Verlag Karl Hofmann. Matvejev, L. P. (1971). Problema periodizacii sportivnoj trenirovki [The problem of the periodization of athletic training]. Moscow. USSR: Fiskultura i sport.

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Oppel, C. (1967). Die Abhangigkeit turnischer Leistungen im Jugendalter von der Muskelkraft [The dependency of gymnastics performance on muscular strength during the junior ages]. Theorie u. Praxis d. Körperkultur, 12, 236-244. Plotkin, A.B., Rubin, V.S., and Arkeev, L.J. (1983) Oprazhenyenie s soprotivlyenle u spyediatsvnaie polgotovka ot vleshiy gimnasti [Exercises with weights in specific conditiong of elite gymnasts]. Gymnastika, 1, 21-23. Pollquin, C. (1991). Training for Improving Relative Strength. Sports, 1 1, 3-11. Schmidtbleicher, D. (1980). Maximalkraft und Bewegungsschnelligkeit [Maximal strength and the speed of movement]. Bad Homburg, F.R.G.: Limpert Verlag. Schmidtbleicher, D. (1992). Training for Power Events. In P.V. Komi (Ed.). Strength and Power in Sport (pp. 381-395). Oxford, GBR: Blackwell Scientific Publications. Schwermann, B. (1986). Mussen unsere Trainer beim Krafttraining umdenken? [Do our coaches need to rethink their strength training?]. Gerätturnen Aktuell, 3, 22. Strojnik, V. (1995). Muscle activation level during maximal voluntary effort. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 72, 144-149. Tamaki, T., Uchiyama, S., Tamura, T., and Nakano, S. (1994). Changes in muscle oxygenation during weight lifting exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 68, 465-469. Tesch, P. (1986). Principer for Styrketraning [Principles of strength training]. In A. Forsrberg and B. Saltin. (Eds.), Styreträning (pp. 104-113). Farsta, SWE: Sveriges Riksidrottsförbund and Folksam. Tesch, P. (1988). Skeletal muscle adaptations consequent to long-term heavy resistance exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2 0, 5, 132-134. Tittel, K., and Wutscherk. H. (1992). Anthropometric Factors. In P.V. Komi (Ed.), Strength and Power in Sport (pp. 180-196). Oxford, GBR: Blackwell Scientific Publications. Ukran, M.L. (1969). Gimnastika [Gymnastics]. Moscow, USSR: Fizkultura i sport. Verchoshanskij. J.V. (1985). Programmirovanie i organisacija trenirovoçnogo processa [The programming and organization of the training process]. Moscow, USSR: Fizkultura i sport. Watanabe, M., Major, J., and McKelvain, R. (1993). The specific preparation ot the United States men's gymnastics team for the 1993 World University Games: Summary Report. Indianapolis, IN: United States Gymnastics Federation. Zatsiorsky, V. M. (1995). Science and Practice of Strength Training. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publ. This article appears in the September 1996 issue of Technique, Vol. 16, No. 8.

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Static Stretching Reduces Power Production in Gymnasts By:

J. R. McNeal, Ph.D. Eastern Washington University Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. California Lutheran University Static stretching, consisting of holding muscles at lengthened positions for typically 15-45 seconds, has been recommended before participating in physical activity. Gymnasts historically have performed static stretches, such as splits, during the warmup portion of training. Recently however, data has been presented from studies on adults which have shown that static stretching immediately prior to performing powerful activities reduces performance (for example, Kokkonen, Nelson, " Cornwell, 1998; Nelson, Cornwell, " Heise, 1996). The reported reductions in performance have persisted over an hour following static stretching! Athletes in some sports such as track and field no longer stretch in this manner because of the detrimental effects on movement speed. This effect of static stretching on power has not been studied in children, and in particular on gymnasts who often use static stretching as part of their training. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the effects of stretching the calf muscles on the ability to perform a drop jump (punch jump). Fourteen female gymnasts, competitive levels 7-9, (149.2 Âą 11.8 cm, 97.3 Âą 26.4 lbs) performed drop jumps onto a timing mat under two conditions. On one day the gymnasts were stretched statically for 30 seconds on 3 different exercises (Figure 1: stair stretch, partner supine stretch, and pike stretch). These exercises were performed twice in a circuit fashion. The gymnasts then immediately performed 3 drop jumps. We evaluated the time on the ground for each gymnast, as well as the height she achieved in the jump. On the second day, the gymnasts did not stretch, but performed the drop jumps after their usual warm-up activities (which did not include static stretching). The order of the conditions was randomly assigned. The results showed that the gymnasts jumped significantly lower following the stretching protocol (.246 m compared to .268 m). This difference in performance is equivalent to an average 8.2% loss in height. This reduction in performance could mean the difference between landing safely and under-rotating a tumbling skill. Time on the ground during the jump was not changed. Research on adult subjects has shown that static stretching

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reduces strength performance by reducing muscle activation as well as compromising the muscle's ability to contract at the cellular level (Fowles " Sale, 2000). Although we have been recommending the discontinuance of intense static stretching in favor of dynamic stretching as part of the warmup for gymnasts, coaches and athletes have seemed slow to accept this recommendation. While static stretching is beneficial and important for a gymnast's flexibility development, this type of training should not be placed before activities in which the gymnast must be strong or powerful (i.e. - before or during gymnastics training). Based on the data presented here, coaches should reevaluate their warmup practices and consider the effects of static stretching on their gymnasts' ability to produce powerful movements. As athletes in other sports have found, dynamic stretches such as leg kicks are probably a better choice for preparing gymnasts for training explosive movements.

References Fowles, J. R. " Sale, D. G. (1997). Time course of strength deficit after maximal passive stretch in humans. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 29, S26. Kokken, J., Nelson, A. G., " Cornwell, A. (1998). Acute muscle stretching inhibits maximal strength performance. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 69 (4), 411-415. Nelson, A. G., Cornwell, A., " Heise, G. D. (1996). Acute stretching exercises and vertical jump stored elastic energy. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 28, S156.

"Y 'INA - 0ONGETTI -04 -! #3#3

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T IS SOMETHING WE DO EVERY DAY WITH OUR ATHLETES )T IS A NECESSITY TO OUR SPORT &OR RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS IT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THEIR LIVES "ECAUSE IT IS A DAILY ACTIVITY IT CAN EASILY BECOME MUNDANE OVERLOOKED AND SLOPPY 2EVAMPING YOUR STRETCHING PROGRAM ANALYZING THE DETAILS AND SETTING GOALS FOR YOUR GYM ARE ALL IMPORTANT 4HIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE RIGHT NOW AROUND PEAK SEASON FOR OUR COMPETITIVE ATHLETES 4HE FORCE AND OUTPUT DEMANDS ARE HIGH SO LET S KEEP THE MUSCLES HAPPY 7E WILL COVER SOME ANATOMY EXPLANATION OF STRETCHING AND mEXIBILITY FROM A KINESIOLOGY PERSPECTIVE CRUSH SOME BAD HABITS AND HOPEFULLY GIVE SOME GUIDANCE AS TO HOW TO IMPLEMENT THESE NEW IDEAS IN TO YOUR PROGRAM TODAY

4HE LAST POINT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT 4EN PEOPLE CAN TELL YOU COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAYS TO STRETCH THE HAMSTRINGS AND THE MOST IMPORTANT IS WHAT MOST PROPERLY STRETCHES YOUR ATHLETES FOR BODY POSTURE DEMAND OF SPORT TRICK AND PERSONAL NEED 4HE TRUE DElNITION OF mEXIBILITY IS RANGE OF MOTION IN A JOINT OR COMBINATION OF JOINTS

This is an example of a bad split technique with hips turned out.

This is an example of good technique, aligning the hips properly and stretching without force.

4HIS ARTICLE IS NOT JUST FOR THE %LITE COACHES )N FACT THE YOUNGER THE COACHES WHO UNDERSTAND THIS INFORMATION THE BETTER TRAINING WILL BE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR ATHLETES )F WE INTRODUCE AND EDUCATE OUR YOUNG ATHLETES TO PROPER TECHNIQUES IT WILL CARRY THEM THROUGH AND POTENTIALLY AVOID PICKING UP BAD HABITS !S WELL TO THE HIGHER LEVEL COACHES REMEMBER THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN 3TRETCHING IS A TOPIC THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COVERED +ARATE 0ILATES JUDO YOGA BALLET ETC HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO HOW GYMNASTS AND COACHES TRAIN AND STRETCH 4HE BEST COMPILATION OF STRETCHES WILL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING THINGS !GE OF THE ATHLETE %XPERIENCE OF THE ATHLETE #URRENT LEVEL TRAINING SCHEDULE TRICKS DEMAND OF SPORT

OF INTERTWINED hNOODLES v 7ITHIN EACH OF THESE ARE TINY MOTOR UNITS MADE UP OF MATERIALS CALLED ACTIN AND MYOSIN WHICH ARE IMPORTANT FOR SENSING STRETCH QUALITY AND QUANTITY 4HE BIG NOODLES ARE BOUND THEN BY MATERIAL CALLED FASCIA WHICH IS SIMILAR TO CELLOPHANE )T KEEPS EVERYTHING IN PLACE YET ALLOWS IT TO CONFORM STRETCH AND MOVE 7HEN THERE ARE ADHERENCES OR SCAR TISSUE IT CAN BE THAT THE FASCIA IS STUCK TO THE MUSCLE STUCK TO NEIGHBORING FASCIA SKIN OR EVEN THE MUSCLES HAVE SCARRING WITHIN

What We are Stretching ,ET S GO OVER SOME ANATOMY AND KINESIOLOGY lRST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MUSCLE FEELS INSIDE -USCLES ARE MADE UP OF THOUSANDS OF STRANDS OF hSPAGHETTI v %ACH SEPARATE NOODLE IS MADE UP OF THOUSANDS

-USCLES AT THE MOST MICROSCOPIC LEVEL ARE ABLE TO SHORTEN AND LENGTHEN BECAUSE OF OVERLAP 4HEY THEREFORE HAVE LIMITS OF SHORTENING AND LIMITS OF LENGTHENING 3HORTENING BEYOND BODY PREPARATION CAUSES CRAMPING AND CONTRACTURE AND STRETCHING WITHOUT AVAILABLE RANGE IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO CREATES TEARS OF THE MUSCLES OR EVEN A TEAR OF THE MUSCLE OFF OF THE BONE WHERE THE TENDON INSERTS AVULSION FRACTURE 4HESE INJURIES TAKE A LONG TIME TO RECOVER FROM AND IF NOT TREATED PROPERLY WILL BE CHRONIC INJURIES AND EFFECT NEIGHBORING MUSCLE GROUPS AND BODY POSTURE BECAUSE OF ADAPTATION

4%#(.)15% â&#x20AC;¢ - !9

Advanced Stretch as a Reflex 0LYOMETRICS IS A LECTURE IN AND OF ITSELF 4HE SHORT DElNITION IS ACTIVITY THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE STRETCH REmEX FOR MORE POWER PRODUCTION )T INVOLVES A PRE STRETCH WITH FORCE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE A HIGH POWER MUSCLE CONTRACTION %XAMPLES OF THIS ARE THAT YOU CAN JUMP HIGHER USING YOUR QUADS WHEN YOU START FROM A BENT KNEE POSITION THAN YOU CAN A SMALL BENT KNEE POSITION 9OU CAN JUMP EVEN HIGHER USING PLYOMETRICS BY JUMPING OFF OF A vPLATFORM LANDING AND TAKING OFF AGAIN 7HEN A MUSCLE IS STRETCHED JUST LIKE SHOOTING A RUBBER BAND IT CAN PRODUCE MORE POWER

IN &EBRUARY KIDS SIT DOWN ON THE mOOR AND BOUNCE RIGHT INTO SPLITZ 7ITHOUT GIVING MUSCLES TIME TO RELAX AND WARM UP THE RESULTS WILL BE SUB PAR 4HE ORDER OF STRETCHING SHOULD BE WARMTH GENERAL WARM UP STATIC PREPARATION LONG STRETCHING SECONDS THE BALLISTIC STANDING KICKS FOR THE HAMSTRINGS AND THE FORCE AND VELOCITY DEMANDS IN BALLISTIC KICKING FASTER HARDER SWITCHING DIRECTIONS QUICKER 4HE EXAMPLE FOR THE CALF MUSCLES WOULD BE GENTLE JOGGING CALF STRETCHING BENT KNEE AND STRAIGHT KNEE FOR SECONDS EACH THEN SINGLE JUMPING FOLLOWED BY DEEP JUMPS LANDINGS AND THEN PLYOMETRICS LAST

Common Misconceptions 4HE MORE FORCE ) APPLY TO THE MUSCLE THE MUSCLE WILL STRETCH 4HIS IS MOST COMMONLY SEEN AS SITTING ON THE CHILD IN CENTER SPLITZ TO THE POINT OF PAIN OR PUSHING THEM DOWN IN LEFT LEG SPLITZ 4HERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO PARTS TO WHY THIS IS A BAD IDEA &IRST WHEN FORCE IS PLACED ON THE MUSCLE IT SENSES TOO MUCH STRETCH AND THAT IT CANNOT HANDLE IT AND WILL BEGIN TO lGHT BACK OR hRECROSSv THE lBERS REDUCING THE LENGTH AND THEREFORE REDUCING THE ABILITY TO RELAX AND PRODUCE OVERALL LENGTHENING 3ECOND FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE ATHLETE WHEN THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE BEING PUSHED THE BRAIN KNOWS THAT THE NEXT THING TO FEEL IS STRETCH AND VERY SOON AFTER THAT IS PAIN 3O THEY BRACE THEMSELVES BY CONSCIOUSLY TIGHTENING THE MUSCLE WHICH IN ADDITION TO THE lRST EXPLAINING PRODUCES NO RESULTS 4HIS IS CALLED ANTICIPATORY ISOMETRIC BRACING

Preventing Injury 4HE LAST IDEA THAT ) WANT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU IS THAT OF BODY PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS -USCLES HAVE SMALL SENSORS IN THEM SET BY THE BODY TO DETERMINE COMFORT LEVEL OF STRETCH ! GOOD EXAMPLE IS A CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH WHEN THERE IS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE TURNS OFF 7ELL YOUR MUSCLES DO NOT TURN OFF THEY TRY TO hlGHT BACK v ANTICIPATING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY DON T I E TEARING OR INJURY 4HE REASON THAT INJURIES SUCH AS TEARS HAPPEN WHEN THE MUSCLE IS NOT PROPERLY STRETCHED OFTEN IS BECAUSE UNDO STRESS AND OUTSIDE DEMANDS WERE

4HE SECOND IS BOUNCING 4HE COACH THINKS IF ) BOUNCE THEM DOWN ) WILL JUST GET THEM THERE FASTER OR THEY WILL EVENTUALLY hLET UPv TRYING TO RESIST ME AND JUST MIRACULOUSLY hGETv SPLITZ 7RONG AGAIN "OUNCING CAUSES THE MUSCLE TO HAVE THAT STRETCH REmEX THAT ) MENTIONED BEFORE AND THEN THE MUSCLE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF DEFENSIVENESS AND COMPLETE RELAXATION CANNOT BE REACHED .OT TO MENTION THE MUSCLE MAY TEAR

3TRETCH UNTIL YOU FEEL IT THEN YOU ARE DONE !CTUALLY IT TAKES AT LEAST SECONDS FOR A MUSCLE TO COMPLETELY RELAX AND BEGIN THE hADAPTATIONv PHASE MEANING LONG TERM CHANGE FOR YOUR ATHLETE )F YOU STRETCH THE HAMSTRING FOR SECONDS LIKELY IT IS MORE mEXIBLE FOR THE NEXT HOUR THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE STRETCH BUT THERE IS PROBABLY NO LONG TERN EFFECT WHICH IS EVENTUALLY WHAT WE WANT FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR ATHLETES

/VERSPLITZ OVER THE RIVER OVER THE CHAIRS ETC 0EOPLE ARE GETTING CREATIVE WITH THIS LAST HABIT FROM MAT STATIONS TO FOLDING CHAIRS TO STALL BARS 4HE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT DEGREES IS DEGREES NO MATTER WHETHER mAT TIPPED UPWARDS SUSPENDED IN AIR ETC )F THE MUSCLE DOES NOT WANT TO STRETCH IT WILL NOT 3PLITZ STRETCHES THE HAMSTRING OF THE FRONT LEG AND THE QUAD HIP mEXOR GROUP OF THE BACK LEG )T DOES NOT CHANGE WHEN YOU PUT THE HEEL ON A CHAIR *UST SQUARE THE HIPS LET THEM USE LIFTS PARALLETTES UNDER THE ARMS FOR PROPER POSTURE AND WORK ON GETTING TO DEGREES lRST PLACED ON THE MUSCLE TOO QUICKLY AND THE hKNEE JERKv REACTION WAS TO TIGHTEN TO lGHT BACK AND A TIGHT MUSCLE THAT IS STRETCHED WITH FORCE THAT IT CANNOT HANDLE TEARS IN OTHER WORDS THE OUTSIDE FORCE WINS

Order of Activity -USCLES ARE MADE UP OF lBERS OF COLLAGEN WHICH BECOME MORE ELASTIC WHEN HEATED 7ARMING UP MUSCLES THROUGH GETTING BLOOD mOWING IN THE BODY GENERAL AEROBICS INCREASING HEART RATE SHOULD PRECEDE ALL ACTIVITY 4OO MANY TIMES HAVE ) WALKED IN TO A MEET IN #HICAGO

'ET DOWN NO MATTER WHAT 4HIS MISNOMER IS ABOUT QUALITY OVER QUANTITY AND THE SIMPLE CONCEPT OF MUSCLE MEMORY -USCLES HAVE MANY lBERS WHICH PULL IN DIFFERENT DEGREES DEPENDING ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE JOINTS AROUND IT &OR INSTANCE YOU CAN STRETCH THE HAMSTRINGS BY PLACING YOUR LEG ON A TWO FOOT HIGH SURFACE IN FRONT OF YOU 9OU CAN HAPHAZARDLY PLACE THE LEG UP THERE WITH ROUNDED BACK TURNED OUT HIPS AND LEG FOR A GENERAL STRETCH WHICH MAY ALSO INCORPORATE INNER THIGH ADDUCTORS LOW BACK ETC /R YOU CAN COMPLETELY SQUARE YOUR HIPS BOTTOM LEG EXTEND YOUR SPINE AND CENTER YOUR LEG 4HIS WILL CREATE A STRETCH PATTERN OR POSTURE THAT

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MIMICS SPORT DEMAND I E SPLIT POSITION IN AR OR IN HANDSTAND )F WE TRAIN AND STRETCH hUNSQUARED v THEN WHEN THE BODY IS IN A PRESSURE SITUATION THAT IS WHERE IT WILL REVERT TO #HANGING THESE BAD HABITS TAKES MONTHS IF NOT YEARS 3O TRAIN THE WAY YOU WILL COMPETE )F THE ATHLETE CANNOT GET DOWN IN A SPLIT POSITION TO DEGREES BRING THE mOOR TO THE ATHLETE I E HANDS ON BLOCKS PARALLETTES ALLOWING THE ATHLETE TO PRACTICE GOOD FORM WHILE STRETCHING

Advanced and Focused 7E WILL NOW TOUCH ON A CONCEPT KNOWN AS PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION OR 0.& 4HIS REQUIRES ONE ON ONE ATTENTION TO YOUR ATHLETES AS WELL AS IN DEPTH TRAINING FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES IF THEY WILL BE FACILITATORS 4HE PARAMETERS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED ARE STRICT TIME FRAMES TO BE FOLLOWED 3O IF YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF CHATTERBOXES IN YOUR GROUP WITH LOW ATTENTION SPANS CONSIDER HAVING THESE EXERCISES BE COACH ASSISTED 4O UNDERSTAND 0.& YOU MUST lRST UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS &IRST MOST MUSCLES IN THE BODY HAVE A PARTNER AN OPPOSITE OR AN ANTAGONIST 4HE BICEP HAS A TRICEP 4HE QUAD HAS A HAMSTRING 4HE CALF HAS AN ANTERIOR TIBIALIS 4HE ABDOMINALS HAVE THE BACK EXTENSORS /NLY ONE OF THESE MUSCLES CAN BE ACTIVATED IN THE PAIR AT ONE TIME 7HEN THE BICEP IS lRING THE TRICEP NEEDS TO BE IN RELAXATION STATE IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE lBERS TO CONTRACT THE RANGE OF MOTION 2/- TO OCCUR AND TO NOT HINDER SPEED OR VELOCITY PRODUCTION IN REGARDS TO TORQUE 4HIS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY MOVEMENT TO OCCUR .OW THAT WE KNOW THAT THE SECOND CONCEPT IS THAT WHEN THE AGONIST WORKING MUSCLE IS CONTRACTED THE ANTAGONIST IS MORE RELAXED 4O TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS 0.& HAS A SECOND CONTRACTION OF THE MUSCLE THE HIP mEXORS IN ORDER TO RELAX OUT THE HAMSTRINGS 4HEN THIS IS FOLLOWED BY A RELAXATION OF THE CONTRACTION AND A STATIC STRETCH FOR SECONDS OF THE ANTAGONIST THE HAMSTRINGS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PREVIOUS ULTRA RELAXATION ! SIMILAR CONCEPT CAN ALSO BE APPLIED WHEN STRETCHING THE HAMSTRING 9OU CAN CONTRACT AND STRETCH THE SAME MUSCLE IN A CYCLE AS WELL #ONTRACTING THE HAMSTRING IN NEAR MAXIMAL CONTRACTION HOLD FOR SECONDS THEN IMMEDIATELY GO IN TO COMPLETE RELAXATION !T THIS VERY JUNCTURE OF CONTRACT TO RELAX THE STRETCH IS ADDED MORE 2/- IS MOVED AND THE hSLACKv IS TAKEN UP IN THE MUSCLE 4HE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS SIMPLE AFTER CONTRACTION THE MUSCLE IS TIRED )T IS VULNERABLE

TO SNEAK UP STRETCH AS LONG AS IT IS GENTLE JUST TAKE UP THE SLACK &ORCING WILL OPEN YOU UP TO A REmEX PROTECTIVE CONTRACTION WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WHICH DEFEATS THE PURPOSE !S AN EXAMPLE LAY ON YOUR BACK BOTH LEGS EXTENDED (AVE A PARTNER WITH STRAIGHT LEG AND SQUARE HIPS BRING YOUR LEG INTO mEXION CREATING A HAMSTRING STRETCH .OW HAVE THE PARTNER MAINTAIN POSITION WHILE YOU PRODUCE AN ISOMETRIC NON MOVING FORCE 4HE TWO OF YOU WILL ESSENTIALLY hMATCHv EACH OTHER IN STRENGTH SO THAT NO MOVEMENT OCCURS (OLD FOR SECONDS .OW THE FACILITATOR IMMEDIATELY YET SLOWLY AND GENTLY TAKES UP THE hSLACKv OF THE HAMSTRING SIMPLY AN INCH OR SO UNTIL RESISTANCE IS FELT OR A STRETCH IS FELT (OLD FOR SECONDS AND REPEAT MORE TIMES 4HIS TYPE OF STRETCHING CAN BE DONE WITH SPLITZ CONTRACT INTO THE mOOR WITHOUT MOVING WITH CALF STRETCHING LET THE CALF HANG OVER THE EDGE OF A STAIR THEN GENTLY ACTIVATE AND RELEASE AND WITH QUADRICEPS "E CAREFUL TO ADHERE CLOSELY TO THE GENTLENESS OF THE RULES TO AVOID INJURY ) HOPE THAT YOU HAVE SOME GOOD IDEAS TO GIVE STRETCHING A FRESH START IN YOUR GYM AND ALSO TO CONCENTRATE ON IT AS MUCH AS IT DEMANDS 3TRETCHING IS A LARGE PART OF INJURY PREVENTION AND CAN SAVE YOUR ATHLETES MONTHS OF REHABILITATION 2EFERENCES 2OBERGS 2OBERTS %XERCISE 0HYSIOLOGY 3T ,OUIS -OSBY 'RIFlTH #OMPLETE 'UIDE TO 3PORTS )NJURIES .EW 9ORK 0UTNAM "ERKLEY 2OSE ! -ULTILEVEL !PPROACH TO THE 3TUDY OF -OTOR #ONTROL AND ,EARNING "OSTON !LLYN "ACON 3MITH 7EISS ,EHMKUHL "RUNNSTROM S #LINICAL +INESIOLOGY TH ED 0HILDELPHIA & ! $AVIS

'INA 0ONGETTI -04 #3#3 IS A 0HYSICAL 4HERAPIST AND #ERTIlED 3TRENGTH #ONDITIONING 3PECIALIST IN THE #HICAGOLAND AREA AND IS PART OWNER AND CLINIC MANAGER AT /CCU3PORT 04 IN $ARIEN SPECIALIZING IN GYMNASTS DANCERS AND TRIATHLETES 3HE S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE 53! 'YMNASTICS .ATIONAL (EALTH #ARE .ETWORK 1UESTIONS COMMENTS TO ADAGIOGYMNASTICS HOTMAIL COM

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USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: A Look at Training Models

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A Look at Training Models By Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. Modern training theory indicates that there are at least a dozen models of athlete preparation with regard to volume and intensity. These models attempt to outline and describe the implementation of training loads so that the athlete is trained optimally. Volume is a factor related to how much the athlete does. Volume is similar to the mileage of a runner, or the sets and repetitions performed by a weight lifter. In gymnastics volume is typically described as the number of skills performed. Intensity is the variable that indicates how hard the athlete is working. Intensity in gymnastics is described as the difficulty of the skills performed or the number of elements performed per minute. Unfortunately, past experience with the National Team Tracking Program has shown that coaches rarely use a recognized and effective training model in their athlete preparation (4-7). Typically, the gymnastics coach increases both volume and intensity in the final week(s) of training prior to a competition which results in excessive fatigue and unstable performances. Although there are many ways that an athleteﾃ不 training load can be administered, increasing volume and intensity simultaneously is probably not a smart way to prescribe training. Classical training theory indicates that the training load of the athlete begins with volume (how much you do) high followed by a gradual decrease, and intensity (how hard you do it) starts low and gradually increases (Figure 1). However, this method applies only to athletes of middle and lower level qualifications. For elite athletes, there is a serious problem in the large swings in fitness that are used in the approach outlined in Figure 1.

For example, is it beneficial for an elite athlete to go from a condition of being almost completely out-of-shape to a condition of being almost completely in-shape and then back again? This has been shown to result in a higher injury rate, probably due to the large swings in fitness. Is it okay for an elite athlete to practice skills and techniques at only partial effort? Again, this is probably a bad idea because the athlete should perform skills with near maximum effort to ensure technical perfection and virtuosity. Finally, is it wise to allow the athlete to achieve a certain level of performance only to systematically lose that performance level? It appears that once a level of performance is attained, it is probably silly to allow the athlete to abandon a large portion of it. The first model, shown in Figure 1, is based on early attempts at training prescription by Matveyev (3). Perhaps because this model was among the first to be translated and made available in the West, it has been followed without question by many coaches and athletes when other models may be more

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appropriate. Another model may be more appropriate for training high performance athletes. Zatsiorsky has offered a more specific model for the elite athlete by constraining changes in both volume and intensity to the upper levels of athlete capabilities (10). Figure 2 shows a modified approach to training where volume and intensity behave somewhat reciprocally, but the large swings in fitness are constrained.

The model in Figure 2 can ensure that the athlete is maintained at a high level. However, the nagging question of whether the athlete can tolerate even modest reductions in intensity without losing some of the "edge" built up over many weeks of earlier training is apparent. It is well known that drops in training intensity may lead to detraining (1, 2, 8, 9). The need to maintain the highest quality of performance while cycling the athlete's work and rest periods is difficult. This problem often appears most intensely when the athlete is nursing an injury yet must maintain a competitive fitness and attitude. A third type of model has also been proposed for the development of the elite level athlete, particularly for those athletes who must be "meet ready" most of the year. The third model incorporates a roughly constant level of intensity while volume is cyclically increased and decreased to provide alternate high and low demands so that the athlete can attain and maintain fitness while receiving opportunities for recovery. This third model should be reserved for those athletes who are extremely fit and able to withstand a long and intense training load. However, the third model may provide the format for those athletes who are constantly competing with a means of achieving sufficient recovery that overuse type injuries are less likely. Figure 3 shows a diagram of the approach.

The athlete's training quality is maintained via the method shown in Figure 3. The athlete rests/recovers when the volume is reduced. Most frequently, the reduction of volume can be achieved by simply dismissing the athlete from training early.

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Of course, the coach may also use a mixture of these models depending on the period of the preparation. During the general preparation phase the athlete may use the first model. During specific preparation and precompetition phases the athlete may use the second model. Finally, during the competitive phase the athlete may need the third model. It has seldom been addressed that training model approaches can be mixed, and that a number of different training models exist. It will be continually important for the coach to gain experience and knowledge about these models so that a larger repertoire of training approaches can be used for particular athletes and circumstances.

References 1. FLECK, S. J. Detraining: Its effects on endurance and strength. Str. and Cond. 16(1): 2228,1994. 2. KOUTEDAKIS, Y., C. BOREHAM, C. KABITSIS, AND N. C. C. SHARP. Seasonal deterioration of selected physiological variables of elite male skiers. Int. J. Sports Med. 13 (7): 548-551,1992. 3. MATVEYEV, L. Fundamentals of sports training. Moscow, USSR: Progress Publishers, 1977. 4. SANDS, W. A. Fragen zum training der nationalmannschaft der US-Junioren (Frauen) im kunstturnen. In: Leistungsturnen im kindesalter, edited by U. Gohner. Stuttgart, Germany: Internationaler Turnerbund (FIG) und das Organisationskomitee Weltmeisterschaften im Kunstturnen Stuttgart 1989, 1990, p. 81-96. 5. SANDS, W. A. National women's tracking program pt. 2 - response. Technique 10:2327,1990. 6. SANDS, W. A. Monitoring elite gymnastics athletes via rule based computer systems. In: Masters of Innovation III, 3rd ed. Northbrook, IL: Zenith Data Systems, 1991, p. 92. 7. SANDS, W. A. Monitoring the elite female gymnast. Nat. Strength Conditioning Assoc. J. 13(4): 66-71,1991. 8. STARON, R. S., M. J. LEONARDI, D. L. KARAPONDO, E. S. MALICKY, J. E. FALKEL, F. C. HAGERMAN, AND R. S. HIKIDA. Strength and skeletal muscle adaptations in heavy resistance-trained women after detraining and retraining. J. Appl. Physiol. 70(2): 631-640,1991. 9. VERHOSHANSKY, U. V. The long-lasting training effect of strength exercises. Soviet Sports Rev. 20: 91-93,1985. 10. ZATSIORSKY, V. M. Science and practice of strength training. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1995. This article appears in the September/October 1999 issue of Technique, Vol. 19, No. 9.

TURKISH GETUPS AND THE GYMNAST

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit sportsperformance.stvincent.org

Carol K. Happ, MS, CSCS, RKC, USAW

he Turkish Get-up has been around for almost 200 years. The exercise itself was popularized by the early 20th century strongmen. They used it in their training to maximize full-body lifting power, shoulder flexibility and grip strength. However, not until these past 10 years has the Turkish Get-up seen a surge in use with athletes in all sports. The Turkish Get-up is an exercise that demands all the muscles of the body to work together – transitioning the body from a prone position to a standing one, while keeping a weight (kettlebell, dumbbell) held above the head throughout the whole exercise. The Turkish Get-up requires balance, stability, strength, and stamina... the perfect exercise for the gymnast! The progression presented is part of the Russian Kettlebell Certification (RKC) Level 1 standard. The exercise is broken down into seven steps. It is recommended that you find a RKC instructor in your area to teach and instruct proper technique. Special Thank you to gymnast Alyssa Boldt for doing a beautiful job of demonstrating the Turkish Get-up!

Step #1: Roll to Press 1. Starting position looks like the fetal position. Weight should be within comfortable reach. 2. Roll to your back, positioning the weight straight above the body. 3. The shoulders should be “packed.” Shoulders should be retracted (shoulder blades pulled together) and depressed (shoulder blades pulled down to waist). Shoulders should not be the primary tool with which to move the weight. Stabilization of the upper arm and shoulder girdle should come from the back (lats). 4. Wrist is straight and the elbow is straight and locked. 5. Look at the weight (dumbbell). 6. Leg is bent (same side as the weight)

Step #2: Press to Elbow 1. Get-up – Sit-up! ….roll under the weight 2. The movement is generated from the thoracic spine. If you are unfamiliar with this action, you will try to activate by flexing the neck by throwing the head forward or by flexing your lumbar spine excessively. 3. Elbow should be under your shoulder. 4. Wrist straight and elbow locked. Vertical arm position. 5. Keep looking at the weight.

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Step #3: Elbow to Post 1. Move the support arm/elbow to a straight position. The hand should try to be under the base shoulder. 2. Shoulders should remain packed, maintaining full linkage through the back lats. 3. Wrist straight and elbow locked. Vertical arm position. 4. Keep looking at the weight.

Step #4: Post to High Hip 1. Squeeze the glutes as tightly as possible and elevate the hips as high as possible. Drive off the hand and both heels â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which will activate the muscles of the posterior chain. 2. Shoulders remain packed and the chest is big and extended. 3. Wrist straight and elbow locked. Weight remains in a vertical position. 4. Keep looking at the weight.

Step #5: High Hips to Bend 1. From the high hips position, fold the extended leg and hinge at your hip, drawing the leg/knee underneath. 2. Place the knee as close to the base hand as possible. 3. Pressing arm must remain absolutely vertical. 4. Extremely important to remain focused on the weight. 5. *There is a great degree of rotation and flexibility required in the hips and shoulders for this stage. 6. *This movement also requires the ability to side-bend on both left and right sides. 7. *This step requires intense awareness of both arms.

Step #6: Knee to Half Kneeling 1. The torso and the arm with weight should be absolutely perpendicular to the ground, with a straight line all the way down to the kneeling knee and other hip in full extension. 2. Shoulders stay packed and pulled down. 3. Neck remains elongated and relaxed. 4. Eyes focused straight ahead.

Step #7: Half Kneeling to Stand 1. Drive the front heel into the ground and clench the glutes to stand up. Complement this with a forward push with the back leg. 2. Continue to look forward with the neck relaxed. 3. Shoulders continue to stay packed and pulled down. 4. Finish with straight legs, squeeze glutes, locked elbow, straight wrist, and engaged back! 5. To finish the Turkish Get-ups â&#x20AC;&#x201C; repeat the steps backwards!

TECHNIQUE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010

USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: The Week Before

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The Week Before By Wm A. Sands, Ph.D. Motor Behavior Research Laboratory Department of Exercise and Sport Science University of Utah The week prior to the competition is an important and challenging management issue for coaches and athletes. The last week prior to the competition sets the stage both physically and psychologically for the competition. Seldom can the status of the athlete be improved so late in the preparation of the athlete, but a great deal of harm can be done. Past experience has shown that gymnastics coaches tend to delay specific competition preparation until just before the competition (3-6). The result of such a practice is increased fatigue, increased irritability, and instability of performance. Sadly, a gymnast may perform well from time to time under such an approach, but the performances will be unstable-meaning that the gymnast will be inconsistent from one competition to the next or even one event to the next. This phenomena is often responsible for the frustrating and mysterious lack of consistency shown by inexperienced gymnasts (2).

Prepare Early Gymnasts should perform their competitive routines for some weeks prior to a specific competition. As a rule of thumb, the gymnast needs to perform routines at least six weeks prior to the competition (2). This gives the gymnast time to stabilize the performance and achieve a certain level of familiarity that nothing but sheer repetition will accomplish. As the Code of Points has evolved, the use of "brute-force" repetitions has become more difficult and perhaps increasingly dangerous due to the increased use of high difficulty elements and combinations. Thus, it is even more important that the gymnast begin routine preparations early so that a longer and more "gentle" progression of routine-specific fitness can be acquired. It has been shown that a longer development period results in more stable and more durable performances later (7). Ideally, the gymnast should perform routines that are well learned and well within the abilities of the gymnast. If the gymnast is performing skills and combinations too close to the edge of his/her performance envelope, the more likely the gymnast will falter due to anxiety and the associated distraction. Moreover, the gymnast who is not confident of his/her routines often becomes easily distracted due to an apparent need to find anything to think about other than the fear evoked from routines perceived more as a threat than an opportunity. There have been numerous anecdotal reports of observations of foreign gymnasts using the same routines for several years, and of gymnasts being capable of doing skills considerably more difficult than the skills they actually competed. As an example, if the gymnast was required to perform routines with elementary skills (for that gymnast), then would the gymnast feel as threatened by the routine performance as compared to routines that are chocked full of difficulty forcing the athlete to rely partially on luck to perform the routine well? Perhaps the biggest asset to self-confidence is performing skills that the gymnast perceives as easy. The foremost goal of the final week of training is to avoid injuring the athlete physically and/or psychologically. Often, as the competition approaches, the coach begins to portray as

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much or more anxiety than the gymnast. The coach should portray an image of calm readiness. Gymnasts can sense the anxiety of the coach and begin to assume that anxiety themselves. Over-coaching by increasing training loads inappropriately, making unreasonable demands, long and boring lectures, and so forth can deflate the enhanced selfconfidence of the gymnast by making the gymnast doubt his/her ability. One way of using the last several days prior to a competition productively is to rehearse various aspects of the competition. Assuming the athlete's routines are adequately prepared and the athlete is fit enough to perform the routines without much anxiety, then the final week prior to the competition can be used to make last minute adjustments and prepare the athlete for any contingencies present at the specific competition. The tasks of the final week prior to the competition consist of perfecting skills and routines, and preparing for the specific demands of the competition. The coach and athlete should attempt to model some aspects of the specific competition so that the athlete is merely familiar with the specific tasks to be accomplished. For example, using a timed warm up prior to routine practice is a good way of getting the athlete accustomed to the constrained time that is available for skill rehearsal and preparation. If athlete-numbers will be used, the athlete should wear a number during training. If the competition takes place during the morning, then one or more practices should also take place in the morning. Because these tasks may not be familiar to the athlete, he/she may falter during these simulations. However, it is still valuable to experience them. If the gymnast falters in practice when experiencing the new tasks for the first time, he/she will almost always perform these tasks better and more confidently the second time around. Experience has shown that the performance during these tasks is not very predictive of the performance in the actual competition, but failure to practice these tasks usually creates undue stress and fear during the competition.

Training Load Figure 1 shows an example of the training load distribution for the final week before an important competition. The importance of the approach diagramed in Figure 1 lies in the placement of the training loads so that the athlete experiences the highest loads several days prior to the important contest. In addition, the athlete has an opportunity to rest/recover prior to the specific competition. Finally, the athlete does not approach the competition too rested, or too fatigued. As depicted, the training load is increasing as one approaches the competition, but the load is not maximal. It is generally obvious that the athlete should not be overly fatigued leading up to the competition. On the other hand, coaches seldom appreciate that the athlete should also not be too rested prior to the competition so that he/she is faced with a high level of unfamiliar excess energy. One should strive to achieve a state of preparedness immediately prior to the meet which is similar to the athlete's typical state during a high achieving practice session. Rarely are the best practice sessions seen when the athlete has been rested for a long period. Usually the athlete returns from a rest/recovery period with either excess energy, or a sort of sluggish inertia that prevents the athlete from performing sharply. Both of these conditions result in an unfamiliar "feeling" for the gymnast and a distraction that is unsettling. In short, experience has shown that athletes should be increasing their training load prior to the competition without invoking too much fatigue. One can control the training load of the last moment preparation by constraining training

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time. Because the athlete should avoid fatigue without reducing training intensity, the practice session should be shortened to ensure that high quality work is performed without incorporating a large volume of work. Because the gymnast and coach are anxious for the upcoming competition, it seems natural that they will tend to overwork in an attempt to fix the rough edges of skills. While some "perfecting" should occur, it is a mistake to increase training volume during the immediate competition preparation because of the fatigue that such an approach will cause. Injuries have been shown to increase during the final weeks prior to an important competition (1). Therefore, it is wise to err on the side of too little work, rather than too much. Successful gymnastics performance relies on optimization of the athlete's fitness, skills, and psychological state. All of these factors are interactive, with each influencing the other. The astute coach understands and appreciates the role of the final preparations for a competition, and takes steps to ensure that the athlete is optimally prepared.

References 1. KERR, G., AND H. MINDEN. Psychological factors related to the occurrence of athletic injuries. J. Sport Exer. Psy. 10: 167-173, 1988. 2. SANDS, B. Coaching Women's Gymnastics. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1984. 3. SANDS, W. A. Fragen zum training der nationalmannschaft der US-Junioren (Frauen) im kunstturnen. In: Leistungsturnen im kindesalter, edited by U. Gohner. Stuttgart, Germany: Internationaler Turnerbund (FIG) und das Organisationskomitee Weltmeisterschaften im Kunstturnen Stuttgart 1989, 1990, p. 81-96. 4. SANDS, W. A. National women's tracking program pt. 2--response. Technique 10: 23-27, 1990. 5. SANDS, W. A. Monitoring elite gymnastics athletes via rule based computer systems. In: Masters of Innovation III, 3rd ed. Northbrook, IL: Zenith Data Systems, 1991, p. 92. 6. SANDS, W. A. Monitoring the elite female gymnast. Nat. Strength Conditioning Assoc. J. 13 (4): 66-71, 1991. 7. VERKHOSHANSKY, Y. V. Programming and Organization of Training. Moscow, U.S.S.R.: Fizkultura i Spovt; Translated by A. Charniga, Published by Sportivny Press, Livonia, MI, 1988, 1985. This article appears in the Sept/Oct 1999 issue of Technique, Vol. 19, No. 9.

Managing Wrist Pain in gyMnastics By John Locke, LAT, MS

he wrist is a frequently injured site for gymnasts. It can be an acute (sudden onset) or chronic (pain over a longer FIG 1 period of time) injury in nature. Acute injuries include wrist sprains, strains and fractures. These injuries should be managed by immediate first aid. If there is a loss of motion or strength the athlete should be referred to a medical professional for further evaluation. The chronic injuries occur due to repetitive stress to the musculoskeletal system and joints. As the volume to training and level of skill increases, the incidence of chronic wrist injuries can increase. The dorsal (back) aspect of the wrist is one of the most commonly injured areas in gymnastics (Fig. 1). As the ‘grip’ muscles develop (wrist and finger flexors), the wrist joint will have a tendency to lose flexibility in extension and hyperextension. The loads placed on the wrist and fingers in extension during practice and competition can irritate the joint and decrease the gymnast’s ability to perform skills. Injuries like ‘dorsal wrist impingement’ and ‘distal radial stress fractures’ are the most common problems with overuse and excessive loads to the gymnast’s wrist.

Prevention is the number one component to young gymnasts to prepare their upper extremities for the forces that will be placed on them during activity. Stretching the ‘grip’ muscles is vital to the functionality and resiliency of the joint (Figure 2). This will provide the joint the flexibility needed when the wrist goes into extension. The wrist joint will have a better proprioceptive response to the increased motion. Another way to prevent wrist pain is to improve wrist mobility. This can be done by manually gliding the wrist (distal end being pressed posterior) into extension as the palm of the hand is flat on a table or solid surface (Figure 3). This movement replicates the mobility required at the wrist to perform gymnastics skills.

FIG 2

St. Vincent Hospital and St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Ind., are official service providers to USA Gymnastics. Call 317-415-5747 or visit http://sportsperformance.stvincent.org

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FEBRUARY 2010

FIG 4

FIG 3 Strength, range of motion, flexibility, and bracing can all be important components of prevention, protection and treatment for the gymnast. Strengthening the wrist extensors (fig 4) will help to maintain wrist extension. Strength of the wrist flexors, extensors and rotators must to be developed due to the excess amount of gripping and rotating the athlete must perform in a gymnastics routine. Strength and flexibility go hand in hand as the wrist must actively move through flexion and extension effortlessly, pain-free and with a great amount of stability. Protection from abnormal stresses is another important aspect in the treatment of wrist injuries. Wrist bracing and/or taping can be helpful in protecting the joint from excessive movement and stress during gymnastics activities. In conclusion, a gymnast will have the opportunity to be more successful if his/her wrists are capable of performing all necessary movements within the activities of their daily practice and competition routines. This can be achieved with preventative measures such as strengthening, stretching and maintaining proper mobility in the wrist joint.

To see a video of the exercises described in this article in the Train Like a Champion series go to: www.usa-gymnastics.org/champion

FEBRUARY 2010

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