shapes for gymnastics

Getting the proper

shapesBrandi Smith-Young, PTPerfect 10.0 Physical Therapy

Fellowship trained manual therapist

Board certified orthopedic specialist

www.perfect10physicaltherapy.com

[email protected]

Introduction

Competitive gymnast

Two time USAG Collegiate National Champions at TWU

Bachelors in Kinesiology at TWU

Masters in Physical Therapy at Tx St

Practicing for 5 years

Fellowship trained in Orthopedic manual

physical therapy

Board certified orthopedic specialist in PT

One of 300 therapist in the US with these

certifications

My passion:

Bring sport specific quality care to

gymnast

Decrease the number of injuries in

gymnast

Improve performance, recovery time,

decrease time lost in the gym, and

improve return to sport status

Performance Enhancement

What’s the most common

shape found in gymnastics?

Most Common Shape

Straight body position

Found in:

– Handstand

– Round off

– Set for a flip

– Release for a flyaway

– Entry to a vault

Due to the stringent requirements placed

on gymnast certain muscles naturally tend

to develop stronger than others

Certain muscles get weak

Other muscles develop tighter

And some develop stretched

Shaping

What cause poor shaping?

Decreased rib cage range of motion

POOR CORE CONTROL!!!!!

Decreased shoulder “flexibility” (ROM) and control

Decreased hip “flexibility” (ROM) and control

Muscle imbalance

Some muscles are strong

While opposing muscles are weak

Some muscles are stretched out

While opposing muscles are too tight.

Common muscle imbalances

Contribute to poor shaping

– Weak abdominals/core

Contribute to rib cage motion

Contribute to control

– Weak shoulder muscles

– Weak hip muscles

– Tight Lats and pecs

– Tight hip muscles

To the left is the pre-

session handstand.

– Closed shoulders

– Arched back

– Head out

To the right is post 1

hour session working

on what we are about

to talk about.

Demonstration Time

Rib MobilityBreath in deep and hold

breath.

Push air from up in the rib

cage to down into the lower

ribs.

Push air back up. Up-down

Make sure movement from

ribs not hips or shoulder

3 times in one breath x3

Repeat breathing out and

hold breath.

Rib Mobility

Breath in deep and hold

breath.

Push the air to one side of the

rib cage.

Then to the other.

Make sure movement comes

from rib cage, not hips or

shoulders.

3 times in one breath x 3

Repeat breathing out and hold

breath.

Ways to decrease imbalances

Strengthen the core

– Pelvic clock

6 o’clock to 12 o’clock

x10

– Pelvic tilt (fig 1 & 2)

Must tighten belly button

up toward the nose and in

toward the spine (40-50

on blood pressure cuff)

Not straight down into the

floor

x10

Figure 1

Figure 2

Core cont’d

Heel Slides (fig 3&4)

– Start with pelvic tilt (40-50

with blood pressure cuff)

– Slide R leg out

maintaining the tilt

– No rocking of the hips

– Monitor hips with hands

– Slide L leg out back still

flat

– Slide R leg in

– Slide L leg in

– = 1 rep

– x10

Figure 3

Figure 4

Core cont’d

Alt Arms (fig 5)



– Raise R arm over head



– Raise L arm over head

back still flat

– R arm back in

– L arm back leg in

– = 1 rep

– x10

Figure 4

Figure 5

Core cont’d

Handstand position (fig 6&7)



– Raise R arm over head



– Raise L arm over head

back still flat

– R arm back in

– L arm back leg in

– = 1 rep

– x10

Figure 4

Figure 6

Figure 7

Core cont’dHollow hold (fig 8)

– Start with knees bent hips at 90

deg (pump to 40)

– pelvic tilt (40-50 with blood

pressure cuff)

– slowly move arms to hollow next

to ears position

– slowly straighten knees out to

hollow position

– Must keep cuff between 50-60

and belly button must stay up

toward nose & into toward

spine.

– Make sure belly not pooch out.

– Hold 10-30 sec

Figure 8

Tweaking current conditioning

Gymnast are great at compensating

Make sure they remain hollow, flat back

when doing core exercises

Do not allow an arch throughout the entire

exercise

– Ie. V-ups on floor or from the bars, hollow

holds, sit-ups, crunches, hanging sit ups, etc

Do not allow belly to pooch out

If can’t keep form decrease lever arm.

Stretching Pecs

Pec stretch (fig 9)

– Have the gymnast partner up.

– One gymnast lays flat

– The other gymnast either

puts on hand on the hip and

the other on the opposite

shoulder

– Or standing at their head

press down on both

shoulders toward the floor.

– Hold 1 min switch partners Figure 9

Stretch Lats

Lat Stretch (Robots) (fig 10)

– Keeping belly tight with the back flat

– Elbows stay shoulder width apart (may require a partner to keep them there)

– Reach back toward the floor and slowly try to straighten the arms

– NO ARCHING

– Hold 1 min repeat 2-3 time

Figure 10

Strengthen shoulder blade ms

Cat push/Rocking (serratus)(fig 11)

– Set shd blades down and back

– Push through the heel of the

hands, rounding out like a cat

– Start in the Cat Pushes

– Once rounded, keep the upper back rounded by pushing through the heels of the hands as rock back toward heels

– Keep rounded as return to the start position.

– Repeat x1Figure 11


Wall slides (upper trap) (fig 12)

– Standing 6” from wall, place

elbows shd width apart on the wall.

– Raise arms up as high as possible

– Breath in as shrug everything up

toward the ceiling.

– Shd blades toward ears.

– Hold as breath out, keeping the

ribs expanded and the shd

shrugged.

– Hold 10 sec x5

Figure 12


T ph I(middle trap) (fig 13)

– Lay face down with arms in a

“goal post” position

– Set shoulder blades down and

back. Keep there.

– Gently, lifting from the thumbs

just high enough to slide a

piece of paper under the

arms.

– Make sure to relax the upper

trap and only engage the

middle trap.

– Hold 10 sec x5

Figure 13


Y ph I (lower trap)(fig 14)

– Lay face down hands on head

– Set shd blades down & back.

– Gently lift from the elbows

enough to slide a piece of

paper underneath

– Make sure upper traps relaxed

and shd blades stay down &

back

– Hold 10 sec x 5

Figure 14

Hip strength

Clam ph I (fig 15)– Sidelying, roll hip

forward.

– Tighten abs, tighten buttock

– Keep heels together and lift one knee up

– Monitor hips, no motion

– Hold 10 sec x5Figure 15

Strength Iliopsoas

Seated Iliopsoas (fig 16)

– Sitting tall, back straight

– Tighten abs

– Lift one leg as high as possible

to chest with no motion in back

– Grab under the leg and lift all

the way to chest

– Let go with hands and hold 5

sec

– Lower 5 sec

– x5

figure 16

Stretch hip muscles

Stretch the hip (fig 17)– Pull one knee to chest

– Tighten abs

– Slowly slide the other leg out without any motion in hips or low back

– Squeeze bottom

– Trying to gently straighten the leg and push down into the floor

– Hold 10 sec x 5

Figure 17

Stretch hip and Quad muscles

Hip/Quad stretch (fig 18)– Off the edge of a block

– Pull one knee to chest with flat back

– Let the other leg hang down

– Can add 2 pound weight to hanging leg

– Follow with gymnast squeezing her bottom and pushing down into coaches hand through her thigh (no arch in back)

– Make sure hip flexors DO NOT contract

– Hold 30 sec-1 min and repeat 3-4 times going lower each time

figure 18

Buttock muscles

Prone knee bend (fig 19)

– May need a pillow under belly

button

– Squeeze belly so back is flat

(tighten from 70-60 using the

blood pressure cuff)

– Slowly bend knee to buttock

without motion in hips or

arching at the low back (keep

at 60 using the blood pressure

cuff)

– X3 on R, x 3 on L

Figure 19

Buttock strength cont’d

Prone knee bend lift (fig 20)

– Start in with prone knee

bend, turn 1 foot inward in

figure 4 position (tighten

from 70-60 using the blood

pressure cuff)

– Keep abs tight and no

motion in low back or hips

slowly lift knee up of the

ground (keeping the cuff btw

80-100)

– Hold 10 sec x5

– NO ARCHING

Figure 20

WHEN DO I STRETCH?

The end of workout when the tissue has been heated through the workout which increased core temperature.– This is when you will get your greatest changes.

You must stretch within 24 hours to maintain the changes or the tissue will creep back to prior length.

Latest research is showing greatest changes with stretching with vibration at 30 Hz (ie. Massager) Showing that stretching tolerance is the key to increased flexibility.

– The vibration tricks the nerves that feel pain into relaxing and allows for a stretch without the defensive muscle contraction.

Contact Information

Perfect 10.0 Physical Therapy

& Performance Training

[email protected]

512-426-6593

Follow Perfect10PT on gymanstike, facebook, and twitter

http://www.perfect10physicaltherapy.com/

mailto:[email protected]

All information from:

– The Manual Therapy Institute

– http://www.mtitx.com/

– Shirley Sahrmann.Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement

Impairment Syndrome.

http://www.mtitx.com/

shapes for gymnastics

Sports