Due to many gymnasts having inherent hypermobility, we do not want to place excessive stress on the ligaments and joint capsules of athletes. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. In this sport, training should be very constant since flexibility and coordination must be improved. 90 Minutes of Must Hear Gymnastics Coaching Expert Advice, Master the Basics: Gymnastics Drills for Kips, Fly Aways, and Giants, Nick Ruddock Shares His Best Uneven Bar Methods for Giants, Flyaways, and Cast Handstands, Understanding and Treating Back Pain in Athletes, 5 In-Season Gymnastics Tips for Maximizing Meet & Routine Performance, Gymnastics requires significant amounts of flexibility and mobility, which makes it a primary area of training, It can be very confusing and easily overwhelming, especially with the rapid increase in scientific advances and the internet, Anyone working with gymnasts should have an understanding of basic anatomy and physiology before assigning flexibility drills, Although research is conflicting, there appear to be both neurological and mechanical reasons as to why regular flexibility training increases range of motion, Its crucial that proper methods are used to reduce joint stress and bias the stretching of soft tissue structures, especially in hypermobile athletes, Static stretching has a role to play in gymnastics but must be used correctly and at the right dosage. I encourage people to dive into the research of background hip anatomy, as well as the current thoughts on hip injuries within the medical or strength fields. Here are 8 gymnastics exercises that will help improve your flexibility: Pike stretch The pike stretch is great for improving your upper body flexibility. They should not produce discomfort on the top of the shoulders, which is more indicative of rotator cuff or soft tissue impingement under the coracoacromial arch. Draovitch P, Edelstein J, Kelly BT. I feel this may not only foster more compensation, but it may create overload based injuries to muscles and tendons in conjunction with the principles above. Im glad you asked! Cur Rev Musculoskelet Med. 95 97 In theory, it incorporates not only neural encoding but also motor skill acquisition and deliberate practice. A few very inflexible gymnasts that I have worked with also displayed improvements in hip or shoulder range of motion over time when they used soft tissue work combined with proper stretching/strength programs. J Bodyw Mov Ther. List of Gymnastics Exercises. Register for the SHIFT Gymnastics Newsletter for Email Download Link. The same argument can be made for the hips of gymnasts. In parallel to the points made above, it is not that this stretch is inherently bad or dangerous for a gymnast. The research in the world of hip micro instability, labral tears, hip stress fractures, and other injuries commonly seen in gymnasts has been rapidly developing in the last decade. Some may have a combination of dysplasia, hip socket rotations, femur rotation, and different pelvic alignments. Ensure you are warmed up correctly A large body of research has emerged in the last decade outlining that regular stretching does increase range of motion over periods of 4-8 weeks, with both changes in the muscle tissue and changes in the nervous system as an underlying mechanism. As I did with the shoulder section, here are three graphics that walkthrough. The body of research regarding foam rolling and manual therapy or massage is a bit confusing regarding the theoretical mechanisms. Sports Med. 2006 Nov;20(4):804-10. The bones themselves, and the shape/fit of these bones is often referred to as the first layer of the shoulder joint. Gymnasts are already notorious for having really tight calves because of how much time they spend in a toe point along with doing so much jumping and landing. Hip and shoulder flexibility limitations are one main contributor I see clinically to wrist, elbow, shoulder, lower back, and hip injuries in gymnasts. Beam, Parallel Bar, High Bar Technique Drills Involving Splits The way someones hips or shoulders are shaped, unique rotations of bones, certain anatomical variations, or issues along the entire body chain, can all have a substantial impact on the amount of flexibility a gymnast can display during skills. A systematic review. 0, No. The main articles that support this are, With this being said, there are definitely studies that claim changes to the mechanical properties of the muscle, tendon, and junction between these structures change overtime with stretching. flexibility changes in a gymnast. In addition, compared with static stretching, hold relax stretching may have a great effect on the alteration of stretch tolerance rather than decrease in muscle stiffness.. Jumping and landing athletes are already at a huge risk for ACL tears, not to mention the even higher risk for young developing female athletes. By using a variety of drills that include the basic movements (hip extension, shoulder flexion with rotation, etc.) 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. Although this does happen in gymnastics, there are many times when this is inaccurate and dangerous. Ehmke, R. S. (2006). In Llyod RS, Oliver JL, Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes: Science and Application. Please keep in mind that application of this material is a personal choice, and in no way is the author responsible for those choices. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2004. I view it as a tool to open the door for gymnasts to then perform strength, technique, and control work for gymnastics skills. I typically have gymnasts perform moderate pressure that does not cause pain, for 10-30 seconds per muscle group, away from bony areas. This guide will have a lot of research and science references in it, but in an effort to keep it not as hard to read, I will footnote those studies using parenthesis and include a large references section below. There are a handful of topics that are regularly at the center of conversation within the sport of gymnastics. Heres 3thoughts about why. Again, as presented by Beardsley and Skarbot, Self-Myofascial release does not appear to impede athletic performance acutely or in the short term. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400218/, https:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20075147, https://www.ncbi.nlm. The sport of gymnastics is more than just flashy routines you see on the competition stage. Paralleled to the shoulder, the hip joint is made up of the socket (acetabulum) and the upper thigh bone (femur), with the femoral head serving as the ball. Although these traditional training methods can yield short-term benefits and may help increase an athletes awareness of body position, problems clearly exist with this model. 389 398, Sands WA, McNeal J. Mobility Development and flexibility in youths. Straddle Split on Line, kneeling lunge test at wall for Dorsiflexion (wow this video is old! Each comprehensive PDF is a step by step guide of the exact passive and active flexibility, strength, balance, and gymnastics specific PreHab exercises used by Dr. Dave Tilley with 1000s of gymnasts across the world. When used in the right context, it can augment the flexibility needed for advanced leaps or jumps, inbar skills, and tumbling mechanics. Within all these studies, there were undoubtedly methodological issues that need to be considered. 2014 Jan; 46(1): 131-14. In Jeffreys I., Moody J. This end range compression and increase in capsular laxity over time may predispose shoulder instability, subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff or biceps tendon, and labral damage. I see many shoulder stretches, and hip stretches that I feel are putting a crazy amount of stress on joint capsules and ligaments. More specifically, the inferior glenohumeral ligament and capsule, as well as possible parts of the middle glenohumeral ligament and capsule. It may very well be a minor strain. These programs often do not have the same volume of upper back strength work such as feet elevated horizontal rows, renegade rows, band pull apart, or basic rotator cuff strengthening. Traditional forms of these stretches may contribute to the development of an injury. 2018. Determination and Desire are however the most important traits for successful participation in any This wraps in not only the passive range but also strength, active control, technique, and many other factors. As far as specific flexibility circuits, those I feel are the best times to truly make positive increases in joint flexibility. They explain that the short-term effects often seen from stretching must be supported by other qualities of athleticism. It provides full guides for male and female gymnasts to use. Some of the movement-based components that must go right to perform over splits include: As you can see, there are quite a few things that can limit why someone cannot do a full split or over a split. In another, the gymnast may naturally have lots of hip and toe rotation in but not have any moving toes out. A full movement evaluation and something known as a Craigs test is the best way to practically assess if a gymnast may fall into one of these categories. Approaching this goes back to the chapter on why an interdisciplinary approach to the future of gymnastics is needed. So think about this for a second. PLOS, 2012, 7(10): 1-10, Kubo K., Kanehisa H., Fukunaga, T. Effect of stretching training on the viscoelastic properties of human tendon stiffness in vivo. I feel this naturally occurs over time but is amplified when stretching methods are misguided. It can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with it. Picture 3 is a lat stretch where the athlete sits Im not saying all the stretches or flexibility approaches we use must be discontinued because they are dangerous. For me, I think the discussion must start with the intended goal of the flexibility work. I feel extreme passive stretching like these movements really serve little help in the process of safely getting shoulder flexibility. The shoulder joint itself can be thought about as a golf ball sitting on a tee. We want to make sure we are not over-stretching or overstressing passive structures like the shoulder ligaments and capsules. Also, think how they apply to the gymnasts skill profile. A commonly seen stretch in gymnastics is when the lower back of an athlete is excessively arched, or the pelvis is excessively tipped forward as depicted below. We must educate ourselves on what components go into a full handstand or split positions, then be able to reverse engineer why a gymnast is struggling. The hip socket being overly shallow is referred to as dysplasia. Some gymnasts with dysplasia or hypermobile hip capsules never have pain, but some are so far on the continuum of too excessive mobility that it leads to instability and injury. Oct; 19(4): 747 758. Limitations in thoracic spine flexibility can create a situation where a gymnast is unable to get their arms fully above their head or behind their back. However, in my twenty-five years of being a gymnast, a gymnastics coach, and a Sports Physical Therapist who treats hundreds of gymnasts per year, flexibility is by far what I get the most questions about. It is common to see many gymnastics strength programs that train a high volume of pull-ups, leg lifts, rope climbs, and push-ups. I feel this issue comes up during fast dynamic movements like jumps, kicking drills, leaping, running, mens pommel work, and so on. Background Anatomy and Understanding Hypermobility, Beightons Testing and Links to Capsular Laxity. Chances are the toe points stretch is further lengthening tendons, ligaments, and the ankle joint capsule. The aim of this study was to review the tests used to measure flexibility in gymnastic disciplines. The goal is to make hand contact with the wall. Then brainstorm how to divide out the group of gymnasts who may or may not fit, and who may need an alternative exercise based on their issues. For many people in the gymnastics community, it comes down to a professional discussion on taking away overly aggressive flexibility methods, following the science of shoulder anatomy and making subtle changes in training. Some naturally flexible gymnasts have a bony alignment where the hip socket is not as deep. This is where things start to get important. Current Concepts In Shoulder Examination of The Overhead Athlete. However, more recent research has supported the idea that foam rolling and properly designed dynamic warm-ups prior to training appear to have no significant negative effects on performance, may enhance it, and also positively impact the range of motion in various muscle groups (49-50). It has been great to see so many great surgeons, healthcare providers, and strength coaches share their thoughts and describe what still needs to be considered. If you took the time to read through everything, a major kudos to you. Self-soft tissue work refers to using foam rollers, lacrosse balls, tennis balls, or other implements to help massage different muscular areas of the body. Many people have heard about the muscles of the rotator cuff, biceps, triceps, lats, and so on. However, there is a very fine line between reasonable discomfort and inflicting real pain. It will be much less explanation, and more just videos and examples on how to help. Many people want to know what the best approach is, either static or dynamic, if they should be aiming to increase range of motion, what are the best drills, and so on. Stretching the shoulders overhead typically produces discomfort in the underarms where the lats and teres major are, with some possible chest tissue stretching where the pecs are. Because exercise can shorten your muscles, skipping your post-activity stretch can decrease your mobility over time. It by no means is the perfect solution, but when based on a movement assessment and used with other strategies, self-myofascial release can be very beneficial. The systematic review by Chris Beardsley and Jakob Skarabot in 2015 outlines (41) that when analyzing various studies, foam roller use appears to lead to acute increases in flexibility in the majority of investigations despite a few studies not reporting acute changes in the range of motion following forms of foam roller use. 2015 Jun;25(3):346-55. doi: 10.1111/sms.12228. Naturally, fast kids may do well in soccer or track and field. These issues are commonly overlooked as culprits to why a gymnast struggles in this area of gymnastics. Moving past all this background information, its time to talk about what actually causes a gymnasts arms not to go overhead in a handstand, a gymnasts legs to not go into a full split, or a gymnasts arms to not go behind their body for pommel horse swings. They ended up finding changes in range of motion for both groups, with more changes to the muscle tendon stiffness in the Hold Relax group. In their concluding paragraphs, they write, Traditionally, rehabilitation literature has attributed increases in muscle extensibility observed after stretching to a mechanical increase in muscle length. Undue force to these passive structures becomes problematic over time as the high force of gymnastics can cause injury. We also do not want to cause excessive irritation of soft tissue through boney compression. A blind approach to gymnastics flexibility training can cause serious hip injuries as the current medical research field has demonstrated. Simple changes to choose types of stretching exercises that bias the correct structures of the hip or shoulder may make a notable difference in long-term flexibility and injury risk. 2014 Jul 1;7(3):202-211. eCollection 2014. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to know whether reported discomfort during stretching is a safe and expected result or an unsafe atypical response. A Review of the Literature Part 1: Neuromuscular and Anatomic Risk, Risk Factors for Anterior Cruciate Ligament InjuryA Review of the LiteraturePart 2: Hormonal, Genetic, Cognitive Function, Previous Injury, and Extrinsic Risk Factors, Anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention training in female athletes: a systematic review of injury reduction and results of athletic performance, The Best Gymnastics Leg Conditioning For Explosive Power on Vault and Floor, Exactly How to Build Explosive Power in Gymnasts Using a Hybrid Lifting Program with Scott Willgress, 5 Ways Gymnastics Coaches Build Healthy & High Performing Gym Cultures, Luke Carson on Gymnastics Culture Change, Handling Disappointment, and The Olympics/Worlds, 5 In Season Pitfalls for Gymnastics Coaches to Avoid, SHIFTs 200th Episode! I feel are the best times to truly make positive increases in flexibility... The Overhead Athlete joint itself can be made for the hips of gymnasts to cause excessive irritation of tissue! 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