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Strength & conditioning for form, function & health
Strength & conditioning is so much more than strengthening individual muscles, appropriate strength and power training improves muscular co-ordination, landings, balance, flexibility, power and may reduce injury risk without compromising aesthetics or artistry.
Redefine physical preparation
Undeniably, nothing can replace the hours of technical training gymnasts undertake, however this alone is unlikely to lead to adequate strength & power adaptations required for healthy top level gymnastics, thus to ensure optimal health, wellbeing & performance, an appropriate, periodised strength and conditioning training plan is used to complement gymnastic training.
Areas where s&c coaches can help:
STRENGTH
Adequate strength is critical for every element of gymansts, especially during landings when forces of > 15 x bodyweight must be produced & controlled.
POWER
Both upper & lower body power is critical for numerous elements in gymnastics and can be improved in many different ways depending on the individual athletes level, strengths, weaknesses & time of year.
CO-ORDINATION
Muscles must be trained to work in a task-specific appropriate & co-ordinated fashion for optimal execution of gymnastic skills.
BALANCE
Balance & stability is important for more than just beam! Balance relies on muscle strength, co-ordination and proprioception.
JOINT RANGE OF MOTION
A large degree of joint range of motion (incoporating flexibility), is required in gymnastics, and gymnasts must learn to correctly control an appropriate range of motion required for the tasks performed.
INJURY PREVENTION
A periodised, individualised training program will likely include elements which minimise risk of common gymnastic injuries, including optimising landing mechanics and improving appropriate strength and range of motion. S&C coaches can also assist with load and fatigue monitoring, adapting plans as required.
REHABILITATION
Aiding multidisciplinary care, an S&C coach is well positioned to work alongside physiotherapists and gymnastic coaches to assist in injury rehabilitation, bridging the gap between initial rehabilitation by a physiotherapist and full return to sport.
SCREENING & ASSESSMENT
Screening and assessment can aid exercise prescription and training focus. You need to know where you started from to know where you're going!
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Create strength & resilience for life
Individualised, periodised plans designed to complement technical skills training. Think of S&C as the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle which completes the picture of a healthy gymnast.