Conditioning question

[NGL780309]

I'm very curious by nature and love to know how everything works and the whys behind everything.

At DD's old gym every level did a block of conditioning at the end of practice. It was the last 30 minutes of practice. DD's new gym does not do a block of conditioning, but spreads it out over the entire practice. They warm-up and do basic floor work with some conditioning like V-ups, press handstands etc at the beginning of practice. Then as they rotate to their events they do conditioning for each event. Beam is probably the only event they don't really condition on. They just spend a lot of time on very basic things done really well. That has made a huge difference in her presentation on beam and tightness. Sometimes on beam they do work on press handstands.

So which is better? What's the difference? What do you do as a coach or what does your DD do?

I know DD likes the way her new gym does conditioning better. She thinks they don't really do conditioning! I think they actually do much more, it's just spread out so she doesn't notice. They also do a variety of things, where the other gym did the same things all the time.

 

[mariposa]

My daughter's gym does the conditioning like you are describing. She likes it that way a lot. Her old gym never did conditioning on a regular basis. They would do nothing and then kill them with a ton of it and then back to nothing again. I have no clue which is better, but do think that no matter when it is done, it needs to be done consistently!

I think that when you do it on each event, it feels a little more disguised. I think it also decreases downtime and keeps girls from playing around. They usually have a few stations that are conditioning/strength related on bars, especially. They do a warm up with stretching and stuff at the beginning, but most of the conditioning is spread out on each event. Sometimes they do more specific stuff as it's own rotation. And they often do "fun" conditioning, the kind that doesn't seem like they are conditioning, but they are.

 

[gymdog]

I think there are benefits to both, so I like to kind of do a hybrid approach.

A block allows you to incorporate more endurance in, which I like, and also to really focus on some exercises that might be harder to explain or take longer to show different parts of, and allow the children to work together on some things or incorporate games. I suppose you can do all these things in event rotations, technically, but it feels more rushed to me.

Event conditioning can let you do some more "specific" things, and also can help the kids maintain focus on quality by breaking it up. But as a con I feel like it can sometimes get pushed to the side if you get rushed, or a kid misses it if they are still working on a particular skill, or something. Plus I like to incorporate some stations that are less "strength" but more awareness, toning, or very specific, that I don't really consider enough "overall conditioning" to count. If I felt like I had to get fit all the overall conditioning into the stations/event rotations, then I would feel stressed to include all the appropriate exercises.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I think there are benefits to both, so I like to kind of do a hybrid approach.

A block allows you to incorporate more endurance in, which I like, and also to really focus on some exercises that might be harder to explain or take longer to show different parts of, and allow the children to work together on some things or incorporate games. I suppose you can do all these things in event rotations, technically, but it feels more rushed to me.

Event conditioning can let you do some more "specific" things, and also can help the kids maintain focus on quality by breaking it up. But as a con I feel like it can sometimes get pushed to the side if you get rushed, or a kid misses it if they are still working on a particular skill, or something. Plus I like to incorporate some stations that are less "strength" but more awareness, toning, or very specific, that I don't really consider enough "overall conditioning" to count. If I felt like I had to get fit all the overall conditioning into the stations/event rotations, then I would feel stressed to include all the appropriate exercises.

This is generally how our gym does it to however every 8 weeks there is a "periodization week" which is basically all conditioning all week. However the practices are shortened by an hour each day. My DD really looks forward to this week. They make if fun with contests and things like that.

 

[gymgurl]

Our training sessions are the same, every day. Our coach has a timed and 'choreographed' warm up then again choreographed stretching then we do a tummy set with things like dish, plank, superman, v snaps etc then we do either upper body or lower body and will do mid body everyday. Lower body includes box jumps and running/jumping on a crash mat, Upper includes chin ups ropeclimbs, dips, p-bar walking etc, and mid body is leg lifts, cliff tops (vertical sit ups kinda) and back raises. this will be done at the start of practice and takes an hour all up. I like doing it all together because then it gets over and done with. I would say that doing it together would create more endurance on top of strength but other than that i don't see any advantages of doing it in one big block

 

[lilgymmie7]

I can remember DD saying at the old gym, "Mom, can we be late? It's Killer Abs Tuesday!" Of course I never brought her late, but it did make me wonder how tough the conditioning really was. Now at the new gym, I have noticed that they condition at the beginning of each practice and also stretch it out amongst all of the other apparatuses. When I watched her first week of practice, I noticed how tough the conditioning was. However, DD would not dream of getting to practice late! She rushes me to leave every day, so that she isn't late to practice. I remember commenting that first week that it resembled BOOT Camp. So how tough was it at the other gym if this conditioning regime would definitely kill me if I even had half the energy these gymmies have!
BUT, HC always sneaks in games every now and then that really makes DD LOVE gym! I did have the nerve to ask his wife who also coaches with him if they ever considered offering classes for adults. I laughed when she said, "We did, but the same people would never sign up for the next session!" I wonder how many classes I'd actually last!!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

j is not m's wife. ^^^

 

[lilgymmie7]

Oh Sorry! I thought they were. OOps! Show's you how much I know!!

 

[thefellowsmom]

Our gym seems to do a little of everything. The warmup is consistent every practice, although every few months they change the routine slightly and each time is seems to resemble the optional warmup a little more, which makes sense I guess. They also do conditioning while they are waiting for their turn on an apparatus - well other than beam because we have enough beams for everyone to have something to do while on beam. And at least once a week they have a conditioning session at the end of practice where they seem to concentrate a lot on tops type stuff - press handstands, splits etc.

BTW, the fellows got her first legitimate press handstand this last week. Can you say over the moon? I thought she was going to bounce right out of her pants.

 

[Ingwe]

Our girls condition at the begining of practice and then again for the last 30 minutes.

LiLgymmie's Mom, your post about the adult class made me laugh. Our Gym startred this in Jan. It is 3 times a week for an hour and a half. I lovingly call it my class from Hell. It's brutal but I have to say that I really like it (after I am done)

 

[gymmutti]

My dd conditions anywhere from 30 min - 1hr at the beginning of each practice and then there is usually conditioning inserted into bars and vault as well. Everytime I pass by a P90X infomercial I think that they have nothing on the gymnasts that I watch. On Friday practice they typically have a shorter conditioning block and get to play games (some of which may end up being conditioning) - it definitely makes the practice much more fun for the girls.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Everytime I pass by a P90X infomercial I think that they have nothing on the gymnasts that I watch.

That's so funny you say that. I am doing p90x right now and when The Fellows sees me doing it she always wants to do it too. The AbRipper is the funniest. I am dying and panting and moaning and she is all "Mom, this is so easy". Their strength just amazes me

 

[gymgurl]

I go to the gym with my dad sometimes and he does a lot of weights but neglects his stomach muscles so i said that i would give him a tummy set, so i say right we are going to hold dish for 30s i think he lasted about 5s and im just like this is easy! I think he is quite amazed at my strength, particularly because before doing gymnastics i was quite weak and it was all very sudden for him

 

[Optionals United]

We did P90X once during conditioning at camp(optional conditioning before practice) and it was like the 30 minute ab work out one. it burned a lot at the end! it really was helpful and something different that is fun to do once in a while to give you a new challenge

 

[marie83]

At my gym we do a bit of both. My gymnasts train 4 days a week. Every day includes a 'warm up' on each apparatus. This is really a combination of general and specific conditioning. On day 1 we also do a conditioning circuit for 30 mins. On day 2 the 30 mins is dedicated to dance. On day 3 it is conditioning again and on day 4 it is basics. I find that doing the block conditioning EVERY session just about killed the gymnasts! It was unnecessary and they'd only end up hating it so I mixed it up as described above!
We always do 15 mins of flexibility at the end of each session. I'd like to increase that to 30 mins but I just can't find a way of doing it without increasing the training time which is not an option!

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

At my gym we train 3 days a week and start with a 15 minute warm up that includes some basic conditioning and basics (push up hops, inch worms, handstand warms etc. and includes splits). On bars we do more skill specific conditioning. And at the end of every class we do 30-45 minutes of conditioning, but we have a different conditioning circuit(s) each class depending on the day (everyday Tuesday is the same, every Friday is the same and every Sunday is the same). It keeps some variety. Even though its not my favourite time of the class I have definitely noticed improvements in my skills and my strength.

 

[gymdog]

At my gym we do a bit of both. My gymnasts train 4 days a week. Every day includes a 'warm up' on each apparatus. This is really a combination of general and specific conditioning. On day 1 we also do a conditioning circuit for 30 mins. On day 2 the 30 mins is dedicated to dance. On day 3 it is conditioning again and on day 4 it is basics. I find that doing the block conditioning EVERY session just about killed the gymnasts! It was unnecessary and they'd only end up hating it so I mixed it up as described above!
We always do 15 mins of flexibility at the end of each session. I'd like to increase that to 30 mins but I just can't find a way of doing it without increasing the training time which is not an option!

I think this is a solid approach. In addition to doing general endurance/plyo training, I do think it is important to do the specific exercises/endurance (such as a bar complex with basic skills done in a row for endurance, appropriate to the level). So, thanks for writing up a more detailed outline of a balanced approach.