A lot of gymnastics skill seekers experience wrist pain as they train to build strength, increase flexibility and unlock new gymnastics skills.
Gymnastics training requires a lot of wrist strength and flexibility.
Think about the wrist extension in push-ups, handstands and planche training.
Think about the wrist flexion in the false grip.
Balancing on your hands also requires a lot of wrist strength.
A training phase focusing on eccentric training is one of the most productive ways to build strength, increase lean muscle, prevent injury, and even improve flexibility.
The saying, "I'm going to the gym to lift some weights to gain strength and size”, should be "I'm going to the gym to lower some weights to gain strength and size” because the eccentric phase delivers better results.
I've just completed a phase of 5/4/3/2/1 strength, and now I will move into a new phase of emphasising eccentrics. I'll share my new strength program at the end of this post.
Being strong can solve a lot of problems.
As we age, it’s become significantly harder to build and maintain strength and lean muscle mass.
So while we're young, fit and capable, it makes sense to train for strength.
Strength and lean muscle mass give us independence and freedom, and that’s why strength training is one of the most beneficial things we can do to increase our healthspan.
But, the biggest problem with training strength endurance is its negative impact on strength.
It's a common thing. People fall into the trap of thinking more volume equals better results. But it’s a lie.
This is a BIG deal because we often see callisthenics and bodyweight enthusiasts pumping out high volumes of pull-ups, push-ups, rows and more. So many wasted reps!
It doesn't make sense because it's detrimental to the goal of building strength and mastering our body weight.
To succeed at gymnastics strength training, you need to build strength and size. Most bodyweight programs focus on high volumes of work, which doesn’t deliver the adaptations we need to succeed.
If your goals are to unlock gymnastic skills, you will want to explore low-volume, high-intensity training methods that help you build strength.
This is where functional hypertrophy can be helpful.
Do you want to build lean muscle, shred body fat, tone up, and increase strength while also working on your gymnastic skills?
If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Welcome to part two of the specific strength qualities for unlocking gymnastic skills series.
Today's discussion is about hypertrophy strength.
Training goals, flexibility levels, strength levels, skill levels, lifestyle factors, and more all play a role in program design. This is why it’s best to have an individual design program tailored to you.
There is no one-size-fits-all best approach to program design. Yes, we can make progress following a general program, but it’ll never be as effective as a tailored approach.
Personally, I train four days a week, combining flexibility, strength, and skill into every session, leaving me with three full rest days.
However, this approach may not work for everyone.
A lot of adults struggle to unlock gymnastic skills because they're simply not strong enough.
Lately, I've felt that my strength is holding me back from unlocking movements like handstand push-ups.
So, I've added some old-school strength training to my current gymnastics strength phase.
In gymnastics, you need to be able to master your entire body weight.
Push-ups, dips, handstand push-ups, planches, chin-ups, muscle-ups, and levers are just some of the movements that require a certain level of bodyweight mastery.
But what do you do if you don't have the strength?
Are you a gymnastic skill seeker who struggles to maintain the hollow body shape in movements like push-ups, chin-ups, handstands, back and front levers?
We often hear coaches telling their clients to "contract your core", "brace your abdominals", or "get tight."
What do these cues actually mean?
Do we breathe in?
Do we breathe out?
Do we crush walnuts between out but cheeks?
How do we increase our midline tension and stop our lower back arching in gymnastic movements that require a tight hollow body shape?
The most critical movement its………
