Parents Strong or flexible?

[RTT2]

This conversation came up at the gym yesterday- all things being equal (drive, work ethic, etc.) does the one type of gymnast (naturally strong vs. naturally flexible) have an advantage over the other?

 

[txgymfan]

I think strong has the edge. Many high level gymnasts are not naturally flexible ( like Shawn Johnson and others) but they work at it. To flip in the air, an athlete must be strong.

 

[Gymmommy71]

I'd say being "powerful" is more important than being both flexible and/or strong. Especially in the higher levels. Sometimes powerful and strong go hand and in hand, but not always. Depends on how you define strong. I'd say having that natural spring in your legs and shoulders - like that ability to generate a lot flight/air compared to others is what matters most for gymnastics potential.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Natural strength trumps natural flexibility in gymnastics!

 

[txgymfan]

If you want to add other disciplines to the discussion.
T&T : air awareness is most important
Rymthic: Flexibility is the most important. They are crazy bendy.

 

[flipster]

Artistic Gymnastics: strength.

 

[MAmom]

For men's gymnasts I would think strength and endurance over flexibility. One of the senior boys is going to college next fall and made the gymnastics team but he is not as flexible as some others at the gym. He is powerful however!

 

[RosellaJam]

I'm so glad to read this as I worry about my DD's lack of natural flexibility. She has always been very strong for her size though. She's doing well in WAG but would never make a rhythmic gymnast.

 

[caligymdad]

I'd say being "powerful" is more important than being both flexible and/or strong. Especially in the higher levels. Sometimes powerful and strong go hand and in hand, but not always. Depends on how you define strong. I'd say having that natural spring in your legs and shoulders - like that ability to generate a lot flight/air compared to others is what matters most for gymnastics potential.

I agree and would equate 'explosive' to powerful. You also are very correct about strength not always equaling power/explosiveness. We have a young lady on DD's team that is also a competitive Olympic weightlifter. She still lacks the explosiveness her tiger mom was hoping she would gain from the additional work.

 

[triplethreat+1]

Totally agree with above, my dd is flexible and strong but not powerful/explosive -tumbling is not her strong point.

 

[Gymnast C's mom]

I think the only reason my dd was moved to train level 3 is because she is very strong. Her flexibility is not great but the coach seems to think she can work with that and mentioned she thinks it's easier to work on flexibility and that natural strength is an advantage. Not sure though because dd really struggles with flexibility. ugh

 

[nyc gym mom]

My daughter's coach recently shared that she thinks it will be difficult for my dd to do beyond level 8 due to her being too flexible. I don't understand the mechanics but she relayed that the muscle contraction needed for higher level vaults and the tumbling. She did say that dd has surprised her though with her tumbling despite being too flexible.

Really interesting stuff... FYI this was not relayed in a negative manner just her coach thinking ahead about the natural obstacles ahead

 

[CoachTodd]

From what I have seen, we have those that are strong enough to cheat skills so they do. There are those who are bendy enough to cheat, so they do. It takes a while to get either to use technique.
Naturally strong but not flexible tend to pull or strain things
Naturally flexible but not strong tend to injure joints.
I have observed it seems to be easier to get the naturally strong kid to be flexible enough to compensate as well as prevent injury than it is to get a really bendy kid strong enough to prevent injury. I haven't done any real research on it but it is what I have seen in the gym.
Both can be excellent gymnasts. My goal is always a good combination of both strength and flexibility so they can "cheat" if they need to but usually don't and they seem to avoid injury better.

 

[Lilou]

Just piping in to say really interesting thread. I have one DD flexible and the other strong. Thanks.

 

[Ms.Pak-Man]

There is also slow vs fast twitch, which is to be considered as well. Flexible slow twitch hitting a progression ceiling the earliest.

 

[MILgymFAM]

There is also slow vs fast twitch, which is to be considered as well. Flexible slow twitch hitting a progression ceiling the earliest.

This is my ODD, unfortunately for her.

 

[trampolinemom]

My DS is probably the flexible fast twitch type. At age 6 he was turned down for pre-team artistic from 1 hour a week rec gymnastics because of his lack of strength that time. He was and is very flexible. He then started trampolining and is now, at age 10, at his first year FIG elite. His strength did come along nicely with increased training hours , for example he can now do one arm pull ups. He turned out to be the fast twitch type which works nicely with learning complex trampolineskills. I sometimes wonder if he could have been an artistic gymnast after all, but hey we'll never know.

 

[GYM0M]

Can't forget the different types of flexibility....passive and active. My DD (strong, fast twitch) has more active flex as opposed to passive.

 

[Ms.Pak-Man]

I wonder if active flexibility can truly surpass the range of motion displayed in passive, or if what is commonly seen as excellent active flexility is the ability to use the full range of passive flexibility, actively. Not sure that makes sense, but for example, a rt leg split leap to 180 degrees, would the athlete also at minimum have a 180 degree rt split statically?

 

[GikiGirl]

I know tons of kids who hit 180 in the air but don't have flat splits. In fact, for upper level leaps (switch fulls, tour jetes ect) it almost seems to me like the 'don't have their splits' group are even better at these leaps. Alicia Sacramone for instance didn't have her split (according to her) but had reasonable leaps. If they can kick the legs very fast and coordinated at the right time, they can get to that position for a millisecond which is all that's needed.