F.L.I.P Level Training Program

In order to understand the F.L.I.P. program, score the routines or coach your athletes to a good score, a reasonable amount of “gymnastics science” should be understood. The subjects that are relevant to gymnastics science include but are not limited to, anatomy, physiology, physics, kinesiology, Osteokinematics, athletic training, etc. As with all AGL Athlete Developmental Programs, FLIP is based upon the best sports science information available. Here are some of the gymnastics science concepts and principles behind FLIPs with brief explanations. These concepts are explained in detail in the USAIGC Coaches Developmental Program certification courses. For the purpose of this manual, the sport science that underlies this program will be presented as simplistically as possible.

1. Gymnastics element classification. Gymnastics elements have been classified in many ways by many gymnastics professionals over the years. For example, the FIG classifies elements by “difficulty” and into groups. Gerald George introduced the concept of high closure and low closure skills (George). Compulsory programs tend to employ multiple element classifications. For the purpose of illuminating functionality, The AGL is classifying Gymnastics skills into four major categories. They are: 1)Introductory Gymnastics;

2. Fundamental Dynamic Elements;
3. Fundamental Kinematic Elements; and
4. Advanced Elements. The following element classification chart provides some examples. AGL Classification of gymnastics elements Examples of Introductory Gymnastics elements Typically incorporated in class settings and low level completion (IE: copper level) Vault Bars Beam Floor Sprint Hanging turns Handstand-lunge Cartwheel Straight jump Pullover Straight jump handspring drills Flat to back Swing pullover Round off dis. Split leaps Soft table hspng Back hip circle ½ turn 1/1 turn Examples of Fundamental Dynamic Elements (Elements that produce translational and rotational momentum) Vault Bars Beam Floor Front Handspring Kip cartwheel/walkover Round off ¼ on Cast Handstand Round off Ro FF Ro. Back Hspng Back Giant swing Back Handspring Front Handspring RO ½ front Hspng Front Giant swing Front handspring Front flyspring RO full back Hspng In Bar swings to HS Split leap / scissor leap Whip back Front handspring onto board – front handspring onto table Uprise Jumps in all shapes Whip front Examples of Fundamental Kinematic elements (Root element for given kinematic family IE, mechanically simplest form of bi axle rotation) Vault Bars Beam Floor Tsuk layout ½ pirouette Back layout Hollow Back Layout Yurchenko Layout Reverse ½ pir. Front Pike Over set back layout Hspng front hollow Blind change Ro layout dismount Front layout Layout ½ or full Flyaway front & back Front layout dismount Layout with ½ or 1/1 twist Kasamatsu Cast Horkina Leaps with ¼ to ½ turn Leaps and jumps with ½ turn Ro ½ front hollow Hecht up-SS down Jumps with ½ turn 1/1 to turn Examples of Kinematic Adaptations for under powered athletes IE: a gymnast does not have the power to do a layout so instead they first learn a back tuck. The back tuck is more complex but it requires less power. Vault Bars Beam Floor Tsuk tuck or pike Swing ½ turn at horizontal Back tuck Back & front tuck/pike Yur tuck or pike Handstand switch grip Front tuck Double tuck/pike Hspng front Back straddle Front, side and back aerials Front pike ½ Advanced Skill groups

• *The code of points has evolved over decades as a listing of skills according to “difficulty”. Unfortunately the concept of difficulty in the code is not always reliant on scientific principles. International politics, subjectivity, and persistent efforts to control the direction of the sport via the value assigned to elements have compromised the reliability of the difficulty table as a guide to progressive skill difficulty progression. The following table lists elite level skill sets as advancements upon the root kinematic elements. Vault Bars Beam Floor Tsuk multi twist Salto releases Back saltos with twists Saltos with multiple twists Kasamatsu multi twist Rev Hecht and Hecht family releases (Horkina, Shoushanova) Front saltos with twists Saltos with multiple flips Hspng front multi twist Pirouette elements with multi turns & or odd grips Handsprings with twists Multiple saltos with multiple twists Yur multi twist Salto transitions Multi salto-twist dismounts Multi turns Ro ½ front twist Twisting transitions Multi turn leaps, jumps, turns Multi turn leaps, jumps Double salto vaults Multi salto-twist dismounts Multi turns What are Fundamental Dynamic and Fundamental Kinematic elements? The section of Physics that pertains to gymnastics is called “mechanics”. Mechanics is broken into two subsets; Dynamics and Kinematics. Dynamics is the study of movement with regard to the forces that produce it. Kinematics is the study of movement without regard to the forces that produce it (Jones/Childers). Consequently, for our purposes, we can divide gymnastics skills into Dynamic elements and kinematic elements. Dynamic elements are those skills that produce the forces that launch the gymnast, i.e.: round off flip flop. Kinematic elements are the skills that occur as the result of the forces produced by the Dynamic element that preceded it, IE double twist. This concept can be thought of as cause and effect. Dynamic elements cause the movement and kinematic elements are the effect. This distinction is very important. There are fundamental differences in technique between these two general families of skills. Because Kinematic elements tend to rely upon the momentum generated by preceding Dynamic elements, Dynamic elements are generally taught first. (IE; we teach a round off back handspring before attempting to teach a layout It is very important to understand that fundamental elements are the mechanically simplest “basics” upon which more difficult elements are “based” This does not mean that they are easy to learn.

2. Functionality of gymnastics shapes. The aesthetic beauty of gymnastics is an integral part of the sport and the scoring systems of the sport. There is no doubt that it is important for gymnasts to make gymnastics shapes that are aesthetically pleasing. However, when the gymnastics shapes or movements onto specific shapes are serving a biomechanical purpose which facilitates the skill, the function of that shape must be of paramount importance. The shape must not only be aesthetically pleasing but serve its intended function as well. Often the safety of the athlete hangs in the balance. The F.L.I.P. program focuses on mechanically correct shapes. Mechanically correct shapes are inherently artistic. 3.Micro trauma To be fair, micro trauma is not all bad. With proper recovery it is the stimulus that makes our musculo-skeletal system stronger. Perhaps the better term is cumulative trauma disorder (Paris). Gone unchecked and without proper recovery, micro trauma eventually can lead to a host of maladies not uncommon to gymnasts. Stress fractures, tendonitis, bursitis and worse. The F.L.I.P. program is primarily designed to minimize micro trauma and to allow a proper period of active recovery in training and competition.
3. Translation and Rotation Very simply, translation is the movement of the center of mass in space, while rotation is the movement of an object about its center of mass or a fixed object such as a bar. Many gymnastics skills have both translation and rotation. Rotation can occur around more than one axis. A torque is a net force that produces angular momentum (rotation) or a change in angular momentum, while A translatory force is a net force that results in translation or a change in translation (speed and or direction). In Gymnastics a “Block” is any force applied that produces a change in Rotation, Translation or both.IE: a gymnast “blocks” the vault table thereby changing the horizontal momentum of the run and board jump to a more upward direction of post flight and greater rotation. The direction that a force is applied determines whether it produces translation, rotation or both. There are many things in a gymnasts’ universe that can provide such a force. Here is a brief list of some with an example of its affect;

• Gravity -When a gymnast is halfway descended in a giant swing, the force of gravity is perpendicular to the gymnasts’ length. Consequently gravity at this point exerts an excellent torque. This torque can be maximally utilized if the gymnast is as long as possible at that point in the swing.
• Muscular force –All other things being equal, Greater muscular force obviously produces greater rotation and or translation. Once again, the direction that force is applied determines the relative amounts of translation and rotation that result. For example, if a gymnast is performing a handspring front vault and pushes primarily forward in the hand repulsion phase, that push will primarily increase rotation, while pushing primarily downward onto the vaulting table will primarily increase translation (height).
• Muscular elasticity – The elasticity of a gymnast can be altered by the tightness of their muscles, gymnasts who keep their muscles very tight will generate more force when they contact the apparatus, due to the increased elasticity.
• The elasticity of the gymnastics apparatus– Taking advantage of the elastic properties of the gymnastics apparatus is of tremendous importance. For example, the timing of a tap in an uneven bars swing can along with other factors, be the difference between a counter rotating Takatchev or an astoundingly rotating double twisting double layout. The timing of the tap determines the direction of the rail flexion which in turn greatly influences the direction of the gymnast.
• Ground reaction forces –is the amount of force that the ground gives back to the gymnast.
• Friction –If a gymnast is performing a front layout from a run and a hurdle step, there will be a frictional force when the feet contact the ground to punch the floor. If the gymnast is standing erect at this point, that frictional force will be perpendicular to the gymnasts’ length thus producing a torque relative to the gymnasts speed. Torque, the type of force that creates rotation, is the result of applying a force perpendicular to a lever. (A lever arm is defined as the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of force.) Conversely a force that is applied in line (pointing to) the center of mass of the gymnast will produce translation. Forces that are applied neither perpendicular nor straight on produce both rotation and translation. Ballistic movements While form, body alignment and technique are of great importance, it is also very critical for the gymnast to learn to really propel themselves. Nearly every skill that is in the F.L.I.P.s program allows for this development. Consider the following statement: “Skills that are primarily ballistic should be practiced ballistically, even in the earliest learning stages.” “If the emphasis is placed on accuracy in the learning stages, the beginner tends to perform the skill as a moving fixation or as a slow tense movement. Once this pattern is established, it is extremely difficult to change it later to a ballistic movement.” (Luttgens, Deutsch & Hamilton). This concept is very important. The major goal of F.L.I.P. is to provide training that ultimately brings a far higher percentage of our athletes to higher levels. Developing ballistic power at an early stage is a critical component. Contrary force Much discussion and opinion has been presented within the gymnastics community in regards to the pros and cons of various arm swing technique in hand spring vaults, ¼ on vaults, standing back handsprings, etc. In order to make an informed decision about what method will work best for a given athlete in a given situation, it is important to understand the underlying physics behind the issue. When a gymnast pushes or pulls on a bar or jumps into the air, he/she is producing a “contact force” (Jones Childers). This force is the result of the direct contact with the apparatus. The force that is applied directly can be increased by simultaneously adding an indirect force. An example of this would be forcefully reaching the arms upward when jumping. The reason that reaching the arms upward while simultaneously pushing the feet into the floor produces increased force is because of Newton’s third law of motion. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the athlete reaches his/her arms upward, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Thus the reaction force of the arm reach is transferred down to the ground where again Newton’s third law of motion is applied. The action of the feet directly pushing into the floor coupled with the reaction force of the arms is directed into the ground where the ground produces an equal and opposite force back into the athlete. Because the athlete does not produce enough force to move the enormous mass of the earth, a net force is imparted to the athlete launching him/her into the air. In this case the primary contact force is applied directly by the legs. In the gymnastics world the additional force provided by the arms is the contrary force. To better understand this, try this simple experiment. Stand on a scale and forcefully reach your arms upward. Notice that the scale will show an increase in weight. Also try simply shrugging your shoulders forcefully. Or also try moving rapidly from shoulder girdle retraction to shoulder girdle protraction. All of these movements can produce a useful contrary force. In order to put this into a useful context, consider a gymnast about to contact the spring board for a handspring family vault. Ideally the gymnast makes contact with the spring board while her center of mass is rising. This has the effect of making her effectively lighter. Paradoxically, it is ideal to put as much force (weight) into the board as possible, so as to maximally compress the springs. A contrary force mechanism allows the gymnast to increase compression of the springs without altering the path of the center of mass onto the spring board. Conversely, once the springs begin to recoil, it is ideal for the gymnast to be as light as possible. This can be functionally accomplished by suddenly stopping the movement of the arms thus transferring their upward and forward momentum to the whole body. For this reason, it is very important that whatever movement is employed, it must terminate in a position that is as close to the stretched, reaching position generally observed in a good quality pre flight as possible. It is critical to understand that whatever arm swing is utilized, PROPULSION is only produced when the athlete is in direct contact with the ground (or apparatus). This includes the reaching that ideally occurs as the springs are compressed and the sudden cessation of that movement that ideally occurs as the springs recoil. It is also critical to understand that the force generated by the arm swing is equal to the mass of the moving body part times it’s acceleration plus the angular component produced by the arm swing. Therefore, moving a large body part a short distance (such as the shoulders) can have a comparable effect to moving a smaller body part (such as the arms) a greater distance. This is an important consideration in situations where ground contact becomes very brief due to increased horizontal velocity. Impulse Simply put, the physics term “impulse” refers to Force x change in time. In other words the amount of force applied and the time duration during which this force acts. Forces that exist over a short period of time are called impulsive forces (Jones / Childers). In gymnastics we like to call impulsive forces things like pop and punch as opposed to push and jump and land.* Many coaches and judges believe that a quick pop is better than a slower push. Indeed, most often they are correct. With humans, the amount of force that can be brought to bear is rate dependant. All things being equal the faster one can apply a force, the better. Nevertheless, the truth is that a 10n force acting on an object for 1 second has the same effect in terms of total force magnitude as a force of 1n acting on an object for 10 seconds.
• We are taking some liberty here for the sake of a clear explanation. In the larger scheme of things pushes and jumps are impulsive forces as well. Intuitively we know that there are some circumstances where we would like forces to be applied over a longer period of time, i.e., landings, cast to handstand, etc.There are other circumstances such as the punch for a double layout on floor that ought to have a very fast application of force. There are many factors that determine whether a very fast impulsive force is “better” than a slower pushing force. Chief among them are the velocity of the athlete prior to the force application, the distance that the athlete needs to rotate during the contact phase, the elasticity of the surface, the rigidity or tightness of the athlete, the body type of the gymnast and obviously the mechanical objective of the skill. In order to better understand how to determine the best method for a given circumstance, it is important to understand angle of incidence, angle of deflection and contact or force phase. While angle of incidence and angle of deflection are typically used to explain the behavior of light, the concept is very useful for understanding at least in a qualitative way the assorted repulsion forces exhibited by gymnasts. Consider the “repulsion” phase of a front handspring vault. If a line were to be drawn from the gymnasts’ hands when they are in contact with the table to the gymnasts’ center of mass, the angle of incidence would be the angle that line makes with a vertical line immediately upon hand contact with the table. The angle of deflection would be the angle that line makes with the same vertical line immediately upon the hands leaving the vault table. The contact or force phase is the time between the angle of incidence and the angle of deflection. It is the angle of incidence, force phase and angle of deflection that causes the take off. This determines the direction of the ensuing trajectory. Force can only be applied in the contact phase. If the angle of incidence is very low to horizontal and the goal of the vault is to make an angle of deflection at vertical, then the force phase will be relatively long. Conversely, if the angle of incidence is relatively high (close to the vertical line) and the desired angle of deflection remains at vertical, the contact phase would need to be very brief. A longer force phase implies more of a push while a shorter force phase implies more of a pop. While gymnasts should always be encouraged to pop or push as forcefully and rapidly as possible, one is not necessarily better than the other provided the force application is maximal IE; tsukahara with first arm bent compared to handspring front with quick pop. In either case, it is the magnitude of translation and rotation that results that is of critical importance. The velocity of the gymnast prior to hand contact, the elasticity of the surface and the anthropometric properties of the gymnast also have significant impact. These concepts are dealt with in detail in the USAIGC advanced coaches certification levels. Nonetheless because there is a technical principle for “push or pop with shoulder girdle protraction “on the F.L.I.P.s score sheet, we will employ the following oversimplifications.
• Levels 1 & 2 will typically push off due to the absorbent quality of the mat stack.
• There is more opportunity to exhibit a pop in level 3 because of the “stiffer” quality of the vault table.
• Gymnasts who are very tall compared to their mass will typically have longer force phases than their shorter counterparts. Consequently in general they may reap better results from a longer push. Keep in mind; it is the result of the force that is most important. Ask yourself, did the gymnast achieve excellent flight? Reference for this section: Kinesiology –Scientific basis of human motion 8th edition. Kathryn Luttgens- Helga Deutsch Nancy Hamilton. Contemporary college Physics –Jones / Childers Foundations of clinical orthopedics –Stanly V. Paris PHD Pt / Pete V Loubert PhD Pt ATC Biomechanics of Women’s’ Gymnastics Gerald S. George

The FLIP training program consists of two lines of skill progression. They are; horizontal development and vertical development. Focus is always on the skills, i.e., it is better to perform an “excellent” back handspring on a low beam than an “average” back handspring on a high beam. The environment is purposefully designed to facilitate exemplary technique with minimal joint stress and maximum safety. The following tables are suggested examples of vertical and horizontal progressions for FLIP level gymnasts Girls Events Vault Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L P R O G R. ¼ on to soft mats stack (no table) Round off back handspring onto soft mat stack (no table) Front handspring to feet onto soft mat stack (no table) ¼ on to soft mats stack behind table Round off back handspring off table onto soft mat stack behind table Front handspring to feet onto soft mat stack behind table Tsukahara off ramp into loose foam pit Handspring front off ramp into loose foam pit Tsukahara from ¼ on off table into pit. Yurchenko entry salto off table into pit Handspring front off table into loose foam pit Progressively add soft mats into pit when vault can be performed well with regularity Bars Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L P R O G R E S S Tube swings Low bar casts Floor pirouettes Tube clear hip circles Flyaway drills Sequence elements Tube giant swings Low bar cast handstand Floor bar or halo bar pirouettes Tube clear hip circles to handstand Flyaway from swing into pit Sequence elements Swings with ½ turn (blind turn) Glide Kip cast handstand Cast handstand ½ pirouette on low bar Clear hip circle on low bar Hollow layout flyaway from cast Sequence elements Blind turn to handstand Long hang kip cast handstand Full pirouette on floor bar Above progression with stalder and toe shoot Hollow layout flyaway to back in pit from handstand Sequence elements Beam Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L P R O G R E S S Handstand to lunge cartwheel Back handspring on line Split leap And split jump Full turn Sequence elements Front walk over* on line then on low beam (see note below) Round off Back walk over* on line then on low beam (see note below) Scissor leap Full turn with free leg at horizontal Sequence elements Front handspring on line then on low beam Aerial cartwheel or aerial Round off on line Back handspring on line then on low beam Pike jump 1½ turn Sequence elements Front salto on line then on low beam Aerial cartwheel or aerial Round off on low beam Back salto on line then on low beam Straddle jump 1½ turn with free leg at horizontal Sequence elements

• not all gymnasts possess the natural laxity in their spine required to safely perform the number of repetitions necessary to acquire front and back walkovers on beam. Gymnasts who do not exhibit adequate range of motion in their back or complain of discomfort when training multiple repetitions of walkover elements should skip this element on beam and move to front and back handsprings when they are fully prepared to pursue them. Floor (All tumbling should be first fully acquired on a tumble track to resi style environment before moving to the spring floor!) Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L Round off back handspring Front handspring Front bounder (fly spring) Split leap And split jump Full turn Sequence elements Round off back handspring layout Front salto Round off whip back, back handspring Scissor leap Full turn with free leg at horizontal Sequence elements Round off back handspring layout with full twist front salto with ½ twist Round off whip back layout Pike jump double turn Sequence elements Round off back handspring double salto Front salto with full twist Round off whip back, layout full twist Straddle jump double turn with free leg at horizontal Sequence elements Boys Events Floor (All tumbling should be first fully acquired on a tumble track to resi style environment before moving to the spring floor!) Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L Round off back handspring Front handspring Front bounder (fly spring) Floor circles Sequence elements Round off back handspring layout Front salto Round off whip back, back handspring Press handstand Sequence elements Round off back handspring layout with full twist front salto with ½ twist Round off whip back layout Wide arm press handstand Sequence elements Round off back handspring double salto Front salto with full twist Round off whip back, layout full twist Floor flairs Sequence elements Pommel Horse Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L Leg cuts Mushroom circles Circle travel down Moore Flair Scissors Pommel horse circles Circle travel up Russian Moore Flair to handstand Scissors with hop Circles on ends Kehre down Double Swiss Flair to Handstand to scissor Scissors with hop and turn loops Kehre up Rings Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L Swings Back Lever Front lever Muscle up L in support Dislocates Planche Iron cross Kip Press handstand Inlocates Maltese L cross Uprise Straight body bent arm press handstand Giant swings Cross pull out Back kip Straight arm straight body press handstand Vault Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L P R O G R. ¼ on to soft mats stack (no table) Round off back handspring onto soft mat stack (no table) Front handspring to feet onto soft mat stack (no table) ¼ on to soft mats stack behind table Round off back handspring off table onto soft mat stack behind table Front handspring to feet onto soft mat stack behind table Tsukahara off ramp into loose foam pit Handspring front off ramp into loose foam pit Tsukahara from ¼ on off table into pit. Yurchenko entry salto off table into pit Handspring front off table into loose foam pit Progressively add soft mats into pit when vault can be performed well with regularity Parallel Bars Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L Support swings Upper arm swings Basket swings Long swings And glides Floor bar handstand Swings to handstand Back uprise Basket kip Glide kip Press handstand Swing to back salto off side Front uprise Peach basket Moy Floor bar pirouette Stutz Back uprise to handstand Peach basket to handstand Giant swing pirouette High Bar Horizontal progress V E R T I C A L P R O G R E S S Tube swings Low bar casts Floor pirouettes Tube clear hip circles Flyaway drills Sequence elements Tube giant swings Low bar cast handstand Floor bar or halo bar pirouettes Tube clear hip circles to handstand Flyaway from swing into pit Sequence elem ents Swings with ½ turn (blind turn) Kip cast handstand Cast handstand ½ pirouette on low bar Clear hip circle on low bar Hollow layout flyaway from cast Sequence elements Blind turn to handstand High start (back uprise) Full pirouette on floor bar Above progression with stalder and toe shoot Hollow layout flyaway to back in pit from handstand Sequence elements

Underlying Concepts

1. Training is practicing the skills that are intended to be used in competition
2. Conditioning is all of the exercises that an athlete does in order to improve their physical ability to train and compete. Conditioning is divided into two parts, general and specific.
3. General ConditioningGeneral conditioning consists of exercises that are designed to improve overall strength, endurance, speed, flexibility, power and coordination. These components not only improve physical abilities but also enhance a gymnasts’ ability to maintain posture and form. General conditioning exercises may target specific body segments but generally do not necessarily mimic gymnastics or sport specific movement patterns. Examples of general conditioning are pushups, pull ups, crunches, single leg hops, weight exercises, etc.4. Specific Conditioning (gymnastics conditioning) Specific conditioning exercises should be designed to closely mimic sport specific skills, in our case gymnastics skills. In specific conditioning, segments of skills, skill similes or base skills are performed with multiple repetitions. Some examples of gymnastics conditioning are, press handstands, candle roll tuck jumps, V – ups, lever pulls, successive cast handstands, successive pullovers etc.
4. Progressive Resistance Training– In order to make gains in muscular skeletal strength, power, and endurance, incremental increases in the training stimulus over time is essential. Exercises can be made progressively more challenging by a number of methods. For example: increasing the num ber of repetitions, or increasing the resistance by progressively adding weight over time, or gradually increasing the distance that an athlete moves (graduated length method). Or by changing the angle of the exercise in order to make it more challenging.
5. THREE TYES OF STRENGTH- (AKA Strength, ballistic power and muscle endurance) without getting into a lot of complicated physiology, there are basically three types of strength that a gymnast should develop. There is a strength type (ATP phase) that lasts two seconds or less that is very powerful (like a single pull up with a weight vest on). There is a second type of strength (creatin phosphate phase) that lasts about twenty seconds and is also very powerful, but not as powerful as the first type (the strength required for a typical 20 second bar routine). And there is a third type of strength (anaerobic endurance phase) that can last between 20 seconds and about 90 seconds and is less powerful than the first two types (like a more advanced bar routine that is thirty five seconds long or longer or a 90 second floor routine.) there are different methods for Improving each of these three types of strength. IT IS VERY IMPERTANT FOR INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED GYMNASTS TO IMPROVE ALL THREE.
6. Two types of flexibility – There’s really more than two, but again, we’re keeping it simple. There is passive flexibility and dynamic flexibility. Passive flexibility is the range of motion that a joint can safely achieve with outside assistance such as a gymnast sitting in a split (gravity assists) or a coach gently lifting the front leg of a gymnast sitting in a split to achieve an over split. Dynamic flexibility is the range of motion that a gymnast can achieve and hold using only their’ own muscles. A good example is a gymnast hanging from a bar, lifting her legs to a split position and holding the split while hanging. While both types are important to improve, research shows that dynamic flexibility relates to athletic ability more than does passive.
7. Exercise breaks you down, recovery from exercise makes you improve. It is very important to understand that it is the recovery period after training that causes the desired physiological changes and improvements. The exercise stimulus actually breaks down muscles tendons ligaments and bones. If recovery from exercise is adequate the body responds by repairing this micro damage to a level greater than the previous (super recovery). Modalities Interest and intensity can be enhanced by varying the manner in which the exercises are presented.
8. Time based- each exercise set is timed, up to twenty seconds for the strength phase or not more than 90 seconds for the muscle endurance phase. Gymnasts attempt to do as many repetitions as possible within the time given and can have a coach or partner record their personal bests. Gymnasts should be encouraged to improve their own records as opposed to competing against their team mates.
9. Repetition based- gymnasts are given a number of repetitions which they should work to achieve in a continuous effort. The repetition goals should be appropriate and achievable for each individual
10. Effort based- gymnasts are encouraged to work to a given effort level IE: “work until you begin to feel tired or work until you cannot do any more reps” etc.
11. Self-Competition based (internal) -With this method, gymnasts are taught to compete with themselves. An example of this would be to have the gymnasts do as many pushups as they can in one minute. Then after a brief rest, challenge them to do more pushups in the second set, but in only fifty seconds.
12. Competition based(external) – In general this method involves having gymnasts compete with their classmates. Direct individual competition should be avoided. However, it is generally ok to conduct team based fun competitions such as, “whichever group can do the most pull-ups wins”, etc. Great attention should be given to ensure that this is done in a manner which remains positive and does not make any child feel inferior.
13. Training variety. It is very important to constantly vary the conditioning stimulus. If a conditioning program lacks variety, the gymnasts will quickly adapt to the exercises or become bored and results will plateau. The above described components should be alternated frequently.
14. Periodization – when conditioning components are done is just as important as what conditioning is done. The science of adding and removing conditioning components and intensity over the course of a year or more is called periodization. This program utilizes multi cycle periodization. Each cycle contains an acquisition phase (skill and fitness is acquired), a recovery phase (skill and fitness is consolidated) a transmutation phase (skills and strength are applied to competitive routines) and a realization phase (the competition).
15. Kinesio-logical exercises. Exercises which target the muscles that are most important for a specific skill or skills are Kinesio-logical. General Principles

16.  Periodize from general conditioning to specific conditioning – when the next meet is two weeks away or more, the majority of conditioning should be general. When the next meet is two weeks away or less the conditioning should be specific. Or in other words move the conditioning from mostly general to mostly specific as meets get closer.
    

17.  Taper for the biggest meet – peaking is only possible when recovery is high and fatigue is low. There should be little to no conditioning the last week prior to the single most important meet of the year (IE National meet).
    

18.  Do conditioning after each event that is specific to that event.  Ten or fifteen minutes of quality conditioning after each event will usually add up to more conditioning volume and intensity than would be achieved by attempting forty five minutes to an hour at the end of practice. If the conditioning is general, do lower body after vault, upper body after bars, core after beam and wrists and ankles after floor.
    

19.  Use Kinesio-logical exercises. Consider carefully the skills that are important in your program and be sure to create and use exercises that are kinesio-logical to those skills.
    

20.  Work to increases flexibility at the end of the work out. Muscles are often easier to stretch when they are fatigued. Stretch to existing ranges for warm ups and do more aggressive stretching to increase range of motion at the end of practice. Do not over stretch gymnasts who exhibit joint laxity.
    

21.  Include speed exercises in meet preparation phases. Currently, it is believed that speed is the component with the fastest depreciation. Or in other words if you don’t address it you will have a measurable loss of speed in two weeks or less. Therefore, to ensure that the athletes will have their maximum capacity to be fast at their competitions, a speed stimulus should be included no less than two weeks before competition.
    

22.  Conditioning should be more than just fun. Many coaches attempt to engage their athletes by making conditioning fun. This is fine so long as emphasis is also placed on making the athletes aware of their own improvements. It is fun but it is also hard work. When an athlete makes the mental connection between their efforts and the results they will become self motivated and self determined. They will begin to value their improvements more than they dislike the discomfort of the exercise. This can happen with athletes at any level! When this occurs they will make massive gains. Be sure that there are measurable parameters that the athlete can become aware of. (IE personal best records)
    

23.   The conditioning program is level specific. While the basic content and concept of the conditioning program is the same for all levels of competitive gymnasts, the length of the conditioning segments (volume), the intensity elicited from the athletes and the skilled exercises in the specific conditioning segments must be modified for the level of the athlete. For example, an advanced gymnast will need to do twenty minutes or more of conditioning for each event they train while an intermediate level gymnast will only need five minutes for each event. Likewise, a more developed gymnast might do specific conditioning that includes successive unassisted press handstands and successive standing back saltos, while a more novice gymnast might do easier specific conditioning exercises such as isometric hanging L position or successive tuck jumps.
    

24.  The conditioning program is individual specific. It does little good to tell a group of athletes to do forty pushups or fifteen pull-ups. These numbers may be the perfect amount of work for one or two individuals, but they will be too little to elicit an improvement for some and for others it will be an amount that far exceeds their ability to do effectively. Some individuals will need to use weight vests and higher reps to challenge them while others may need assistance or modifications to the exercises just to make them doable. Each assignment must reflect the philosophy of presenting a reasonable challenge to each individual. Measurable, consistent improvement of each individual is the goal.
    

Girls Sample exercises Beginner FLIP Level Gymnasts Examples of exercises after Vault training (Lower body general conditioning and vault specific conditioning) General Specific Isometric squat hold with back against wall Bungi Sprints Ball squats against wall Heel drives on vault table Single leg ½ squat (thigh parallel to floor) to stand Arm circle rebound vertical jumps Toe touches (good mornings) Drop jump to stick onto soft mat or resi Straight jumps on resi mat or skill cushion Arch body and hollow body rocks Examples of exercises after Uneven Bar training (Upper body conditioning) General Specific Assisted Pull ups IE; walk up, jump up, climb up etc.) Straight hang and hanging pirouettes Pull ups (1/4, 1/2, full) Successive walk up pullovers Bent knee leg lift Successive pullovers from a hang Dips on low bar Pike hold and stalder holds Pushups on floor bar Front support press to squat on bar (spotted) Examples of exercises after Beam Training (Mid section flexion extension, rotation and Proprioception) General Specific Abdominal crunches Coupe releve hold on beam Back extension with or without torso twist Coupe releve hold on floor with eyes closed V ups or tuck ups Handstand hold (against wall or spotted) Side arch ups Tucked planche hold on beam Examples of exercises after Floor training (Wrist and ankle general conditioning and floor specific conditioning) General Specific Calf raises Light plyometric jumps Reverse calf raises (for tibialis anterior) Rebound hops Thera-band wrist (flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation) Candle rolls to tuck jumps Thera-band band ankle eversion Arch hollow form rolls (longitudinal) Exercises after work out In addition to flexibility work, a brief conditioning section at the conclusion of the work out should focus on exercises that may have been missed or exercises that individuals may need extra attention with i.e.; stretching for inflexible gymnasts, midsection exercises to improve handstand and cast shape or arm flexion strength exercises for gymnasts with hyper mobile elbow joints, etc. Sample exercises Advanced FLIP Level gymnasts Examples of exercises after Vaulttraining (Lower body general conditioning and vault specific conditioning) General Specific Isometric squat hold with back against wall Bungi Sprints Ball squats against wall with dumb bells Heel drives on vault table with ankle weights Single leg ½ squat (thigh parallel to floor) holding bar with partner on back Lunge hops with dumb bells Toe touches (good mornings) with dumb bells or bar bell Successive back salto stick(s) off raised surface Straight jumps on resi mat or skill cushion with arms overhead Arch body and hollow body rocks with ankle weights Examples of exercises after Uneven Bar training (Upper body conditioning) General Specific Pull ups, reverse pull-ups, hammer pulls etc. also with weight vests halo pirouettes Standard dumb bell exercises Pull up pullovers leg lifts Lever pulls Dips on parallel bars also with weight vest Pike lifts and stalder lifts Pushups on floor bar with feet elevated Front support press to hand stand on bar (spotted) Examples of exercises after Beam Training (Mid section flexion extension, rotation and Proprioception) General Specific Abdominal crunches and hanging crunches Coupe releve hold on low beam with eyes closed Back extension with or without torso twist Russian spin V ups or tuck ups Handstand hold Side arch ups Planche hold on beam Examples of exercises after Floor training (Wrist and ankle general conditioning and floor specific conditioning) General Specific Calf raises plyometric jumps Reverse calf raises (for tibialis anterior) Hollow pushup hops Thera-band wrist (flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation) Candle rolls to pike jumps Thera-band band ankle eversion Arch hollow rocks Exercises after work out In addition to flexibility work, a brief conditioning section at the conclusion of the work out should focus on exercises that may be specific to individual gymnasts, for example: extra ankle work for gymnasts who may be recovering from a sprain etc. Conditioning template Cycle_______ Dates through meet__________________ Acquisition Phase General Exercises (2-6 weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Vault Bars Beam Floor Acquisition Phase Specific exercises (2-6 weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Vault Bars Beam Floor Transmutation phase general exercises (1-2weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Vault Bars Beam Floor Transmutation Phase Specific exercises (1-2 weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Vault Bars Beam Floor BOYS BOYS Sample exercises Beginner FLIP Level Gymnasts Examples of exercises after Floor training (Wrist and ankle general conditioning and floor specific conditioning) General Specific Calf raises Light plyometric jumps Reverse calf raises (for tibialis anterior) Rebound hops Thera-band wrist (flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation) Candle rolls to tuck jumps Thera-band band ankle eversion Arch hollow form rolls (longitudinal) Examples of exercises after Pommel Horse training (Wrist and shoulder general conditioning and pommel horse specific conditioning) General Specific Dumbbell wrist exercises Forward/ backward hand walks in push up position with feet in frisbee Thera bar wrist exercises Support walk around on pommel horse Dumbbell or theraband side lying internal and external shoulder rotation exercises Press handstand on pommels Examples of exercises after rings (Shoulder and back general conditioning and rings specific conditioning) General Specific Shoulder press (dumb bells) Low rings straight arm maltese press (feet on floor) Pull ups Assisted iron cross pulls Dumbbell lateral raise Press handstands on small hand bars (angled outward) Inclined push ups Lever pulls on rings Examples of exercises after Vault training (Lower body general conditioning and vault specific conditioning) General Specific Isometric squat hold with back against wall Bungi Sprints Ball squats against wall Heel drives on vault table Single leg ½ squat (thigh parallel to floor) to stand Arm circle rebound vertical jumps Toe touches (good mornings) Drop jump to stick onto soft mat or resi Straight jumps on resi mat or skill cushion Arch body and hollow body rocks Examples of exercises after Parallel bar training (upper arm general conditioning and parallel bar specific conditioning) General Specific Dips on parallel bars Swinging dips on parallel bars Bicep curls (dumbbells or bands) Press handstands on parallettes Reverse grip chin ups Hand stand holds on paralettes Examples of exercises High Bar training (Upper body conditioning) General Specific Assisted Pull ups IE; walk up, jump up, climb up etc.) Straight hang and hanging pirouettes Pull ups (1/4, 1/2, full) Successive walk up pullovers Bent knee leg lift Successive pullovers from a hang Dips on low bar Pike hold and stalder holds Pushups on floor bar Front support press to knees touch on bar (spotted) Exercises after work out In addition to flexibility work, a brief conditioning section at the conclusion of the work out should focus on exercises that may have been missed or exercises that individuals may need extra attention with i.e.; stretching for inflexible gymnasts, midsection exercises to improve handstand and cast shape or arm flexion strength exercises for gymnasts with hyper mobile elbow joints, etc. BOYS Sample exercises Advanced FLIP Level Gymnasts Examples of exercises after Floor training (Wrist and ankle general conditioning and floor specific conditioning) General Specific Calf raises plyometric jumps Reverse calf raises (for tibialis anterior) Hollow pushup hops Thera-band wrist (flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation) Candle rolls to pike jumps Thera-band band ankle eversion Arch hollow rocks Examples of exercises after Pommel Horse training (wrist and fore arm general conditioning and pommel horse specific conditioning) General Specific Abdominal crunches Back extension with or without torso twist Wrist curls with dumb bells V ups and straddled v ups Fore arm curls with dumbbells (pronated curls) Side arch ups Examples of exercises after rings (Shoulder and back general conditioning and rings specific conditioning) General Specific Shoulder press (dumb bells) Low rings straight arm maltese press (feet on floor) Pull ups Assisted iron cross pulls Dumbbell lateral raise Press handstands on small hand bars (angled outward) Inclined push ups Lever pulls on rings Examples of exercises after Vault training (Lower body general conditioning and vault specific conditioning) General Specific Isometric squat hold with back against wall Bungi Sprints Ball squats against wall with dumb bells Heel drives on vault table with ankle weights Single leg ½ squat (thigh parallel to floor) holding bar with partner on back Lunge hops with dumb bells Toe touches (good mornings) with dumb bells or bar bell Successive back salto stick(s) off raised surface Straight jumps on resi mat or skill cushion with arms overhead Arch body and hollow body rocks with ankle weights Examples of exercises after Parallel bar training (upper arm general conditioning and parallel bar specific conditioning) General Specific Dips on parallel bars With weight vest Leg lifts on parallel bars Bicep curls (dumbbells or bands) Planche presses on parallettes Reverse grip chin ups with weight vest Hand stand hold lower slowly to support position on parallel bars Examples of exercises after High Bar training (Upper body conditioning) General Specific Pull ups, reverse pull-ups, hammer pulls etc. also with weight vests halo pirouettes Standard dumb bell exercises Pull up pullovers leg lifts Lever pulls Dips on parallel bars also with weight vest Pike lifts and stalder lifts Pushups on floor bar with feet elevated Front support press to hand stand on bar (spotted) Exercises after work out In addition to flexibility work, a brief conditioning section at the conclusion of the work out should focus on exercises that may have been missed or exercises that individuals may need extra attention with i.e.; stretching for inflexible gymnasts, midsection exercises to improve handstand and cast shape or arm flexion strength exercises for gymnasts with hyper mobile elbow joints, etc. Conditioning template Cycle_______ Dates through meet__________________ Acquisition Phase General Exercises (2-6 weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Floor Pommel Horse Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar Acquisition Phase Specific exercises (2-6 weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Floor Pommel Horse Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar Transmutation phase general exercises (1-2weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Floor Pommel Horse Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar Transmutation Phase Specific exercises (1-2 weeks) modality_____________, ,_ Floor Pommel Horse Rings Vault Parallel Bars High Bar