CrossFit Gymnastics Training PDF

TYPES OF GYMNASTICS There are many types of gymnastics, with artistic gymnastics being the classic style seen at the Olympics. Women contest four events: vault, uneven bars, beam, and oor. Men contest six events: vault, high bar, pommels, rings, parallel bars, and oor....

TYPES OF GYMNASTICS There are many types of gymnastics, with artistic gymnastics being the classic style seen at the Olympics. Women contest four events: vault, uneven bars, beam, and oor. Men contest six events: vault, high bar, pommels, rings, parallel bars, and oor. Body-weight movements. Done with or without apparatus. Another gymnastics genre is acrobatic gymnastics. More people understand this as the “crazy stuff” seen in Cirque du Soleil and other similar shows. Trapeze, straps or ribbons, random balancing acts, and trampolines are just some of the elements in acrobatic gym- nastics. Rhythmic gymnastics use items including ribbons, batons, balls, and hoops. Gymnastics movements can also be found in other places: the sport has in uence on various types of stunt work used in movies or various live shows. BRIEF HISTORY The origin of gymnastics dates back to antiquity. The Greeks and Romans were propo- nents of gymnastics and used gymnastics training to prepare their military forces for the physical demands of combat. For instance, gymnastics can help a soldier master skills such as mounting and dismounting horses. In addition to military training, gymnastics move- ments were used to provide entertainment. Modern gymnastics appeared in the 18th century, when two physical educators decided to create apparatus such as the high bar and parallel bars (originally fashioned from a ladder with the rungs removed). A pommel was turned sideways and the handles were removed to create the apparatus needed to vault. 4 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW COURSE OVERVIEW Gymnastics Training Guide | Men’s gymnastics was eventually accepted into the modern Olympic Games in 1896, and women were welcomed in 1928. The U.S. Navy adopted gymnastics in 1942 as a way to make naval aviators fearless and to give them better spatial awareness. The 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army later used the Navy’s guide to gymnastics and tumbling in order to develop agility, balance, strength, and con dence in soldiers. When CrossFit Founder and CEO Greg Glassman reintroduced this piece of literature to the public in the February 2005 CrossFit Journal article “Gymnastics and Tumbling,” copies were dif cult to nd, so the entire guide was scanned and made available to the community. It can be found later in this document. WHAT IS CROSSFIT GYMNASTICS? In CrossFit, body-weight movements are considered gymnastics (e.g., air squat, push-up, pull-up, etc.). We are taking skills from the sport of gymnastics and applying them to workouts. In CrossFit, the gymnastics label is applied any exercise in which you move your body through a range of motion (ROM) or extended range of motion (EROM) without an external load. Isometric holds are also considered gymnastics. CrossFit uses short parallel bars (“parallettes”), the oor, still rings, pull-up bars, dip bars, climbing ropes, and other equipment to implement gymnastics training. Gymnastics establishes functional capacity for body control and range of motion. 5 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW COURSE OVERVIEW Gymnastics Training Guide | WHY DO WE DO IT? Gymnastics is one of the three foundational modalities of CrossFit. If gymnastics movements are performed properly, they in uence every aspect of your life and have a dramatic effect on your tness. Gymnastics assist in development of many of the 10 components of tness: accuracy, agility, balance, coordination, cardiovascular endurance, exibility, power, speed, strength, and stamina. Nothing beats gymnastics in terms of develop- ing the four neurological components of the 10: coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. Furthermore, gymnastics training produces impressive strength gains without requiring an exter- fl fi fi fi fi fi fl fl fl fl fl  nal load. Gymnastics is a cornerstone of CrossFit, along with weight- lifting and monostructural metabolic-conditioning (or just “monostructural”) movements. It is an essential element in the Theoretical Hierarchy of Development of an athlete, the CrossFit “pyramid” (see “What Is Fitness?”). The hierarchy re ects foundational dependency and time ordering of development as follows: nutrition, cardiovascular ef ciency, body control, exter- nal-object control, and sport-speci c application. According to the hierarchy, you can only maximize competency in one cat- egory if you have laid the foundation in the category before it. This hierarchy puts a larger emphasis on gymnastics pro ciency – body control – before weight training and sport. DEFINITIONS FOR GYMNASTICS From Thefreedictionary.com Used with a plural verb: Physical exercises used to develop and display strength, balance, and agility. Especially those performed on or with apparatus. Used with a singular verb: The art or practice of such exercise. GYMNASTICS Our use of the term “gymnastics” not only includes the competitive Olympic sport but also activities in which the aim is body con- trol—climbing, yoga, calisthenics, and dance, for example. 6 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW COURSE OVERVIEW Gymnastics Training Guide | Strength is required for proper form, and proper form is required to demonstrate body control. As such, gymnastics has a clear emphasis on strength in body-weight move- ments. More than anything else, strict form establishes mastery in a movement, and for this reason we promote strict movement before we apply momentum. The strength gains from mastering the strict movements are well worth the effort, and the possibility of injury is reduced substantially when strict movements are practiced rst. Small moves will bring great rewards. You do not rush these movements. You learn them and earn them! 7 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW COURSE OVERVIEW Gymnastics Training Guide | CROSSFIT GYMNASTICS TERMINOLOGY Active Tissue........ Muscles that do work even during transitional movement. Hollow............ A position used to create stability, characterized by strong midline contraction with active tissue from toes to ngers. Strict............. Movement absent a kip. The athlete relies on muscle control and strength to complete the movement. Kip.............. A dynamic movement from a lower plane to a higher plane. Load............. The forces created while body weight is in motion. Core............. Musculature that ranges from the top of the glutes up to the traps, including the front, back, and sides of the torso but excluding the extremities. Form............. The manner or method of doing a movement correctly while striving for perfection. Static Apparatus..... Stable and does not move ( oor and bars). Dynamic Apparatus... Unstable and moves (rings). fi fi fi fl fl fi fi Skill Set........... Training for form and strength before going for time. Mobility........... Movement around a joint. Active Flexibility..... Contracting opposing muscles to stretch or hold a position. Passive Flexibility.... Stretching a muscle that does not require contraction of opposing muscles. ROM............. Range of motion. EROM............ Extended range of motion. Spotting.......... Giving assistance to an athlete if needed as part of a progression or in order to prevent injury. Strength is imperative for proper form. 8 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW UNDERSTANDING SKILL PROGRESSION Gymnastics Training Guide | When introducing new skills or working toward a particular skill, the coach should always question whether the athlete is strong enough. Always demand strength, strength, and more strength. Also consider the mobility and exibility of the athlete. Are certain areas restricting proper movement or position? If strength and mobility are in line, determine if the athlete needs work on spatial awareness or coordination. These are the basic require- ments of skill progressions. Strength, strength, and more strength. In terms of development of movement, there are some basic rules to follow. Always use static apparatus before dynamic apparatus (with occasional exceptions when scaling loads). Opt for strict movement before adding momentum to the movement whenever possible. It is true that some movements can only be learned by applying momentum, but prerequisite strength must be established long before ever attempting any such skill. MECHANICS, CONSISTENCY, THEN INTENSITY Kipping movement allows for higher power output, which is directly related to intensity. Intensity brings about a lot of favorable adaptations, including changes in work capacity and body composition. Kipping is not a bad thing, but it can be problem- atic for athletes who are unable to per- form movements with control. As taken from the Level 1 Certi cate Course, follow the charter of: mechanics, consistency, then intensity. The ability to enforce this progression separates good trainers from great trainers. 9 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW SPOTTING Gymnastics Training Guide | Spotting is a valuable tool that is often underutilized, and it can be useful for athletes who might struggle with certain movements. In a class setting, there are obvious challenges and restrictions on spotting each individual, but it is very effective in a one-on-one setting. Spotting is a major part of this course. You will get a lot of chances to try some new movements, but remember why you are here: the course is designed to help you become a better athlete and develop your coaching skills. We encourage you to get hands on and get comfort- able spotting. If an injury can be prevented, it fi fl  should be prevented. WHY DO WE SPOT? WHY DO WE SPOT? We spot for a variety of reasons, but safety is rst and foremost. The safety of your athletes should be important to you, and the way you care for your athletes affects your reputation as a coach. Not a lot of people are going to return to a gym if they are dropped or injured, and you only have one chance at spotting. Never have a bad spot! If an injury can be prevented, it should be prevented. Beyond safety, spotting also develops trust and con dence. Trust between athletes and coaches is important to help athletes progress. Con dence is a two-way street: you will develop con dence as a coach as the athlete develops con dence in the movement. WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHILE SPOTTING Spotting is not just assisting in a movement or reducing the load. As a coach, you must be on guard and actively looking for indicators from the athlete and apparatus. Not all communication is verbal. A lack of active tissue or signs of muscle fatigue are important clues that the athlete either needs a more gener- ous spot or should get out of the movement altogether. Form faults can often be associated with the above indicators, but sometimes they are completely unrelated. For example, the athlete might lack kinesthetic awareness. In such cases, spotting can often help x form faults as long as the coach is perceptive enough to nd them. Another important thing to look for is the athlete’s secure connection to the apparatus. Is the athlete connected to the equipment safely? To secure connection to rings, bars and other apparatus, the thumbs should wrapped with a strong grip. Is the equipment connected securely? Coaches should always ensure the apparatus is safe; for example, ensure straps on the rings are properly threaded and not slipping or frayed. Although we do not go through any release movements in this course, gymnastics spotters often have the responsibility of making sure the athlete reconnects to the equipment. Spotting is an art in and of itself, and like any skill it takes practice. Study and practice spotting. Your athletes will love you for it. Safety, trust, con dence What do we look for while spotting? Active tissue Muscle fatigue Form issues Connection to equipment 10 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW GRIP Gymnastics Training Guide | A KEY COMPONENT IN GYMNASTICS MOVEMENT Grip is far more important than many people realize, and it is tremendously important to develop a strong grip. The biggest biceps and lats are of little use if you cannot also hold onto the bar. There are several grips in gymnastics: crimp grip, friction grip, pinch grip and crushing grip. The two often seen in gymnastics and CrossFit are friction grips and crushing grips. Both use friction as a base, but one has a distinct advantage: the thumb. In this course, we train with thumbs around the bar and around the rings. Humans developed oppos- able thumbs over millions of years, so we will use them to our advantage. By employing the thumb, you will notice increased grip strength and you will also greatly increase your safety. If you are one of those who believes the thumb is not needed for a solid grip, think about rope climbs. Would you ever not wrap your thumbs around a rope? Would you ever attempt a max set of unbroken hang cleans without using your thumbs? Doing so would be crazy, right? So get comfortable using your thumbs. If it feels like you do not have as strong a grip when you wrap your thumbs, it is usually an indicator that you are not squeezing the bar, you lack grip strength, or the diameter of the fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  bar is too great. If you watch gymnastics, you will notice men swing on a bar of smaller diameter and always wrap their thumbs. Meanwhile, girls swing on much thicker bars and typically do not wrap their thumbs. If the bar is 1.5 inches or less in diameter, you have no reason not to use the thumb. DEVELOPING GRIP STRENGTH Hanging from apparatus or frequently picking things up develops your grip strength. However, a variety of auxiliary work can be done to develop grip strength further. A phenomenal resource for grip-strength development is Ironmind.com. The website supplies information along with a host of special tools. Without specialized tools, various wrist push-ups, assorted barbell wrist curls for the extensors and exors of the forearms, and tennis-ball squeezes are ways to improve grip and wrist strength. 11 of 53 MOVEMENT AND INJURY CONSIDERATIONS The shoulder joint has impressive range of motion in many different planes, but it also has a signi cant amount of laxity, which often results in instability issues such as rotator-cuff impingements, subluxations, and dislocations. The price of mobility is often reduced stability. This concept applies generally throughout the body but particularly in the shoulder joint. The shoulder joint is frequently injured because of its anatomical design, and a number of factors contribute to injuries, including shallowness of the glenoid fossa (or cavity), laxity of the ligamentous structures, and lack of strength and endurance in the shoulder mus- cles, which must stabilize the joint during dynamic movements. Speci cally, the rotator-cuff muscles (subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor) play a vital role in maintaining the correct orientation of the head of the humerus in relation to the glenoid fossa while the more powerful muscles around the joint move the humerus through a wide range of motion. Shoulders are typically injured in three ways: falling, traction injuries, and SLAP tears (superior labrum tear from anterior to posterior). Traction injuries occur when the arm is pulled suddenly from the socket. This type of injury occasionally occurs when owners are walking their dog and the dog suddenly takes off after another dog, squirrel, or postal worker. The yank on the leash that is attached to the person’s hand is sudden, and the injury occurs due to the traction of the biceps and labrum pulling off the glenoid. The same thing sometimes occurs when an athlete kips above the plane of the bar but lacks the appropriate strength to control the descent. An athlete who has a “clunk” at the bottom of the pull-up is at high risk of a traction injury. The other common injury is the SLAP tear. This is a very common injury seen in baseball pitchers. During a throwing motion, the shoulder is aggressively forced into excessive external rotation. The same thing often occurs during the kipping pull-up. We can prevent 13 of 53 Copyright 2015 © CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. V.3.0_20150809.KW SHOULDERS Gymnastics Training Guide | this from happening by keeping pull-up form tight and not violently throwing the body forward during the kip. This control prevents the shoulder from rotating too far into external rotation and keeps the ligaments of the shoulders in a more neutral position. In order to accomplish this, the legs must be under control and not ailing too far forward or backward during the swing. The legs need to be underneath the athlete, with the hips in slight extension. This position is in contrast to out-of-control kipping movements in which the athlete excessively bends the knees, extends the hips and arches the back. Tears are more common as athletes get older because tissue is not as soft, spongy, and pli- able as it was in adolescence and early adulthood. A 40-plus-year-old client who has never done a pull-up before needs to be far more cautious when developing these movements. Rehab from a surgical repair can be lengthy: six weeks of intermittent sling use, with no reaching, lifting, or actively elevating arm. Therapists will start moving the arm through passive range of motion, stretching your arm without you actively moving it. Typing and writing are acceptable at this stage. After six weeks you can actively move your arm by yourself. Basic/moderate strength will return within four months, followed by another fi fi fl fl three to four months of increasing strength. It typically takes nine months to one year to get back full strength. More information can be found at www.321gomd.com.