Conditioning... During Events or Separately?

[MyrtleWarbler]

I coach a small "rec competitive" team that is about Level 4-6 in terms of skill level, but not competing USAG. By design, the team doesn't practice many hours. This is taking some getting used to in my coaching style, but this program is a great fit for certain girls and I'm enjoying it.

So... if we only have about 5 hours a week in practice, I'm finding it tough to carve out specific time for conditioning consistently. Usually I would do mostly focused conditioning time, along with some drills/exercises at events. But I have fewer hours to work with now.

Now I'm thinking our best chance to get good conditioning in is to focus it during event time - more than I would have traditionally. The girls are old enough to work pretty well independently if they have a conditioning assignment to complete between turns on events. I'm the only coach with them, so "stations" are critical class management anyway.

My concern is that this will make it harder for them to have strong routines during event practice if they are conditioning between routines, and/or that they don't get the most out of conditioning because it is divided up between turns.

Thoughts?

 

[nevertooold]

I would do both.

If you are doing 2.5 hrs. twice a week you could do 20/30 min. conditioning at the beginning alternate floor conditioning one day and bar conditioning the other day. Or do 30 min, 15 of each. And then work in conditioning stations during events that are not cardio intensive. Static holds, skill specific shaping drills should not tire them out too much to do their other skills/routines as well.

 

[gymnut1]

I think that is tough! 30 mins a session would be great but wouldn't leave you much time for stretching out splits and do all 4 pieces. I think I would do a warm up stretch and floor conditioning for half an hour. You can get quite a lot of conditioning in 10 mins. Then on beam, bars and vault I would have some specific conditioning 'stations' for them to work in pairs maybe. Probably focus on bar conditioning on bars (duh) for core strength, leg conditioning on beam (heel raises, leg holds, ballet work etc) and handstand/ shoulder conditioning on vault.

I would maybe write the tasks up on card (with points to think about) and then one session I would go through them all together so you know they understand them a little. That would use up alot of one session but would really benefit following sessions.

Sounds really good fun actually and very rewarding.

 

[nevertooold]

If you only have 2.5 hrs at a time I wouldn't try to do all 4 events, getting in the conditioning time will benefit more in the long run. i would do 20 min. warm up, 20 min. condition, 3 30 min. events with conditioning stations, 20 min. stretch.

 

[CoachTodd]

I'd make sure they got to floor each day but leave out a different event every now and then and supplement it with conditioning. I also am a big fan of including conditioning stations in with the rotation on the events.
Example for my vault rotation:
1. Vault with me.
2. 5 toe touches on a wall bar.
3. Front handsprings or drills on tumble trak
4. Level 4 vault on their own if it's open (For those who are already past level 4 in ability)
5. 15 heel drives while hugging a pommel horse
6. 5 straddle jumps or split jumps on trampoline
7. repeat

This sends my mid and upper level kids all the way around the perimeter of our gym and keeps them moving for vault. On bars I keep them near the bars but it's the same idea. I try to have them do drills or conditioning that is related to the event.

 

[peace.love.gymnast]

I am in a similar situation with a group of kids I coach. I always work a station with them that they need help on, give them a conditioning station, a drill station or two, and then a station where they need to clean up or perfect some skills they already have on their own.

 

[MyrtleWarbler]

Thanks everyone! Actually, the current practice arrangement is one 2 hour practice and one 3 hour practice. A little odd, but it's a new team/program, and we're still finding the best fit within the existing gym schedule. I appreciate the ideas for how to break down our time. We don't try to do all 4 events each practice.

I would maybe write the tasks up on card (with points to think about) and then one session I would go through them all together so you know they understand them a little.

This is exactly the idea I had... to have a card or laminated sheet for each event, with conditioning tasks they should do between turns. Neither they nor I have time to be thinking at each event... hmm, what should I have you do with your down time? And I don't have a lot of planning time outside the gym, I have a demanding full-time job and an infant at ahome. Putting some time into that in advance, all together, will make practices more efficient and independent.

It's the cardio I'll have to make sure we are doing separately.

Any additional advice or ideas still welcome!

 

[BlairBob]

cardio?

a gymnast's time domain is approxiamately at most 90s. that is not even 90s all out. the time/power domain is very similar to a high speed 400m run.

low intensity cardio may be acceptable if a gymnast needs to cut weight in addition toward cutting out sugar and excess carbohydrate beyond their dietary and training needs

getting back to it. conditioning during event or at the beginning or end of an event.

honestly, it's very doable to set up conditioning/shape drills during events and still plug in some limited conditioning time at the end before stretching.

 

[gymgirl19]

I'm not a coach, but I'm a gymnast. During our practices, we have 15-20 minutes of concentrated conditioning. The coach will pick either arms, legs, or core. We do conditioning related to just the one that is picked. We don't really like doing it, because sometimes it is hard, but I can always feel that I'm stronger after doing it, which is a good motivator. We usually do it towards the end of practice, just before final stretching, so we can't get tired for events. Hope this helps!