Coaches Need cross training developmental skills and conditioning

[Linsul]

Ordinarily I wouldn't be asking this as I am a developmental coach. However this is a specific case. I usually coach girls, this is for a grown man, an MMA fighter that expressed an interest in gym cross training. He got the idea from another fighter currently cross training and got workout jealousy apparently lol.

I already told him I'm not all about packing muscle on, and he's ok with that. I will be working with a mens team coach, and the goal is to make this fighter quicker and lighter.

I'm looking for anything people are willing to share that involves gymnastics shapes, core strength, agility, and really anything that you find invaluable to a gymnast male or female. I would appreciate it, because I got blind sided with this and would like to be prepared. Nothing is too simple or too complicated, so share it if you're feelin it and I'll be glad for it!

 

[ryantroop]

Back when I was coaching high school gymnastics I would get a lot of wrestlers joining gymnastics for the same reason.

Focus on flexibility - particularly neck, shoulder (both bridge and rotator), and hips. They are put in incredibly awkward positions, and the more they know how to move, and not panic, the better off they will be in regards to preventing injury.

For strength, basics are great! Dips, stretching, holds, press handstands, stability on rings, anything that requires their own body weight to promote resistance to the exercise. Their training already makes them strong - your focus should be teaching them how to use the muscle appropriately.

Basic tumbling - rolls, in particular, are good to know - especially when you show them concepts of acceleration through movement.

Lastly - anything you can do for hand-eye, and general, coordination will be greatly appreciated. Even simple swing 1/2 turn on high bar, or coordinated motions through basic tumbling combinations will help train their brain to get used to very fast motion and following along at an incresed pace under pressure.

Last - don't be afraid to make them into a gymnast. Approach it like you would any other exceptionally strong gymnast you had walk into your gym. You have years of training behind you to twll you what they need to be successful as a gymnast. They didn't come to you for your expertise in strength development, they came to you for your expertise in gymnastics. Our athletes are exceptionally fit for a reason - and it certainly isn't because we hyperfocus on development on one aspect of conditioning.

Good luck! I hope I helped.

Ryan

 

[Linsul]

I just got tapatalk so I can reply with my phone, yay!

That helped a lot, I'm very grateful! I'm not the main contact for this, the mens team coach is and he's working right now. Basically I got asked to go to a meeting tomorrow to make a plan for this athlete. Bare bones request and goals so I need to fill in blanks fast!

I got asked because I coach developmental, and also through a family ufc tie. The coach I'll be working with actually saw my brother fight which is cool. He fought with ufc for years, but he's way older than me so it wasn't a dominant topic in our relationship. Mostly we tried to out tough one another! I'll be burning up my minutes with him tonight for sure as well.

Workin the gym and fight connections on short notice! Thanks again Ryan!

 

[gymdog]

I don't have my own ideas much but this site seems like a pretty good starting point for someone interested in that:
Gymnastic Strength Training - Gymnastics Exercises

Also, CrossFit places incorporate a lot of gymnastics, and you can find videos if you google CrossFit gymnastics, and also on the main site (CrossFit Exercises). Also if you search it on YouTube, I bet some user created videos would pop up.

 

[Valentin]

Hi

If i were you i would focus on Static strength work and Dynamic work on Rings. Teach his a handstand first of all, spend time learning that because you can't teach him anything that involves a HS unless he can actually do it.. (i am sure i don't need to mention that but just in case it has slipped your mind)..

I would focus on the main statics in the begining, Front levers, back levers, planches, L-sits, Straddle holds.
Dynamics i would work the muscle up for sure!, work on developing variations of combination exercises Chin-up lever backs, swining dips, handstand push-up work, etc...

Like ryan suggested Basics tumbling, trampoline work, for spatial awareness, and basic gymnastics coordination.

 

[Linsul]

Thanks for the info everyone, appreciated! We had the meeting yesterday, at Starbucks on chat with a macbook...so professional! Had to be done though, the fighter is out of the country at the moment. So we went through everything on chat, and he asked for video. Couldn't use the gym though over sponsorship/legal reasons. Brand protection and all, I get it. Linking a bunch of random youtube videos seemed lame though since myself and the other coach can demonstrate just fine. My brother knows a few trainers out here though so we're going to use one of their gyms most likely. We have some time since this guy is traveling at the moment, and he understood the principles behind what we put together. Overall it was very interesting! He wants a lot of cardio thrown in and is excited to bounce around like a tumbler, he said no cheer moves though lol!

 

[lilgymmie7]

Ordinarily I wouldn't be asking this as I am a developmental coach. However this is a specific case. I usually coach girls, this is for a grown man, an MMA fighter that expressed an interest in gym cross training. He got the idea from another fighter currently cross training and got workout jealousy apparently lol.

I already told him I'm not all about packing muscle on, and he's ok with that. I will be working with a mens team coach, and the goal is to make this fighter quicker and lighter.

I'm looking for anything people are willing to share that involves gymnastics shapes, core strength, agility, and really anything that you find invaluable to a gymnast male or female. I would appreciate it, because I got blind sided with this and would like to be prepared. Nothing is too simple or too complicated, so share it if you're feelin it and I'll be glad for it!

Now I think I heard it all! How awesome! My DS is such a huge wrestler. He and DD constantly compete about which one is in the tougher sport. I can't wait to show DS this post! I'll be watching to have him use some of these ideas for conditioning.

 

[Linsul]

I have to take my daughter to go see Kung Fu Panda 2, so I'm keeping this brief but I had to say at least this thing:

My original post I said "ordinarily I wouldn't ask because I'm a developmental coach..." and it reads very pretentious and jerk-like to me. Frankly it's false as well. I talk to coaches and people all the time about various aspects of developmental coaching, and I definitely vent if I'm hitting a wall and ask people whats up if they're doing something I'm interested in. I have to clear up that, I don't even know what I was thinking writing that.

lilgymmie7 I agree! It's pretty cool though What we came up with is on the other coaches macbook, I'll have him forward it to me. Buzzkill that we couldn't film that day though. It was neat experience thinking gym for development of another athlete! Just very short notice, jeez... I think your DD and DS have some pretty good points on both sides, but coordination, strength, balance come together with more synergy in gymnastics in my humble opinion. It's cool though, I fought about it with my brother growing up too. Through football, wrestling, and eventually Brazillian jujuitsu so my brain is programmed to think so through years of sibling arguing! Gues who he was never able to put a submission hold on? Mmhmm that's right. Flexibility makes for one squirmy hard to hold opponent!