Gymnasts have the ability to push their bodies to the limit, demonstrating acrobatic flexibility that makes them seem superhuman. Their spins, flips and somersaults are splendid to watch, which explains why gymnastics is one of the most popular Olympic disciplines. But behind every movement that lasts even a fraction of a second, there are countless hours of exercise and training. Becoming a gymnast requires mental strength and physical agility in equal amounts. If you want to know how to start this sporting path in the right way, this article will teach you to take the first steps.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Learning the Basics
Step 1. Work on flexibility
This is undoubtedly one of the most important qualities a gymnast must possess and, therefore, one of the things you will need to focus on immediately. Stretching, practiced daily, will make your body more agile, allowing you to make smooth and graceful movements. Additionally, you will improve your coordination skills. If your goal is to increase flexibility, do the following exercises every day:
- Make rotations with your neck, bringing your ears as close as possible to your shoulders, which must remain still.
- Continue with the shoulder stretch, which consists of pulling one arm at a time, pushing it into the chest.
- For the chest stretch, cross your fingers behind your back and stretch your arms upward.
- Stretch your back in the position of the cobra: on the floor, prone, push up the trunk by straightening the arms, without lifting the legs from the ground.
- Stretch your hamstrings and back, keeping your legs straight and reaching with your arms until you touch your toes.
- Practice doing the splits until you do it perfectly with ease.
- While sitting, decompress your back. Bring one knee up to the chin and hold this position for a few seconds, then proceed with the other leg.
- Run the bridge. Lie down and keep your knees flexed. Keeping your hands behind your head, prop your palms up to lift yourself off the ground into a bridge position.
Step 2. Learn to do the somersault
It's fun and will get you to do springy movements you're not used to, as well as give you the feeling of being upside down. To begin, squat down, keeping your palms firmly planted on the ground. Lower your head and roll forward onto your back, letting your legs do the movement naturally. Train yourself until you acquire automatism in the execution.
- Take care to keep your head down and make sure you don't roll directly onto your neck. Otherwise, putting weight on your whole body, you risk getting seriously injured.
- Try a more advanced version of the somersault, starting from a standing position and curling up smoothly without the help of your hands at the end of the movement.
Step 3. Practice spinning
Train on soft or grass. It is not a particularly dangerous movement to perform, although you may fall several times before mastering the technical gesture. Start from a standing position, with the toes of your right (or left if you are left-handed) foot forward and your hands above your head. Bend your body forward to the side and place your right hand on the ground, followed immediately by the left. When you come into contact with the floor, bring your legs up and use your arms to support the weight. Rotating, the first leg to land again on the ground must be the left, followed by the right. Finish the performance by returning to an upright position.
- The first few times you try spinning, it may be difficult to lift your legs while upside down, but keep exercising until you get used to it. At that point you should be able to do it without bending your knees.
- Try to bring your feet back to the ground at the same time, rather than one after the other. Combine them in the air and land with both.
Step 4. Try to do the handstand
This is a must see for doing a lot of stunts, and you can safely perfect it yourself before taking exercise classes. Practice on a soft floor. Start from a standing position with your arms straight up. Step forward with your right (or left if you are left-handed) foot and lean forward to prop your hands on the ground. At the same time, raise your legs, keeping them together and stretched upwards. Hold the position for a few moments, before returning your feet down and standing up.
- Training against the wall or with the help of a spotter, it could make the task easier.
- Keep your chin towards your chest and shoulders attached to your ears.
Step 5. Take exercise classes
If you feel you have a talent for this discipline and you feel ready to experiment with more complex movements, now is the time to enroll in a course. A qualified instructor will help you to perform each step correctly, will teach you to strengthen your muscles, to acquire agility and grace in gestures, but above all will be able to show you how to train without risk for your safety.
- An instructor can teach you to do rounds, back and forth turns, and other more advanced techniques than you would be able to do at home.
- In a gym, you will learn how to use professional equipment such as parallel bars, horse with handles, rings (for men), asymmetrical bars, beam, as well as performing other bodyweight movements, such as back flips., flips, grouped back and forth jumps and hands-free wheels.
- To find a place where such classes are held, search online for the words “gymnastics hall” or “gymnastics club”, along with the name of the city where you live. You will likely find different options and price ranges, depending on the type of course to follow. By contacting a company, they are likely to audition you to assess your skills and place you in the class that is right for you.
Part 2 of 3: Think Like a Gymnast
Step 1. Don't be afraid to use your body
Gymnasts hover in the air with their heads forward, as if it were a trifle. To be a good gymnast, you will need to take risks to understand what your body is capable of. Having your heart in your throat before a new exercise on the bar or a somersault on the beam is a normal reaction, however to excel you will have to put aside the excitement. The more you train, the less you will be afraid to dare.
- Although the practice of gymnastics involves risks, with the help of an instructor you will learn to minimize them, using the appropriate techniques. He won't dare to make you move if he doesn't think you're capable of it.
- You will fall over and over during the exercises to become a gymnast. You will have to get up and keep training. The more you go on, the more you will cry and suffer. However, if you are determined to take this path, when you achieve the desired results, you will feel rewarded for all the sacrifices.
- In order not to get trapped by fear, a great remedy is to stay focused on the goal. By focusing your thoughts on what your body is going to do, you will prevent worry from taking over.
Step 2. Follow proper athlete nutrition
Your body will respond much better if your diet is based on wholesome and healthy foods. Athletes need to consume a lot of calories to maintain strong muscles, but it is essential not to overdo it to avoid weighing down the body during exercise. A self-respecting athlete's diet should include:
- Large amounts of fruits, vegetables, nuts and other plant-based foods that are as little processed as possible.
- Lean meat, dairy and other protein-rich foods.
- Whole grains and legumes, to take in carbohydrates and gain energy.
- Avoid sugary foods, carbonated drinks, refined foods and, in general, anything that makes you less energetic.
- Also, don't forget to drink constantly - six to eight glasses of water a day, especially before and after workouts.
Step 3. Strengthen your mind-body connection
Being a gymnast, in some ways, is like being a dancer. A gymnastic exercise requires style and grace, just like dance. Gymnasts and dancers have such a rare mind-body connection that it is not easily found in other disciplines. In essence, a special awareness of what one's body is capable of doing is combined with an incredible control of one's movements. Practicing enjoyable and enjoyable physical activities can strengthen your ability to govern your body at its best. Consider these ideas:
- Take dance lessons. Try your hand at hip hop, salsa, or ballet for beginners. If you don't want to take a class, just go dancing and get completely involved in the rhythm of the music.
- Try practicing martial arts. Capoeira, karate or jujitsu.
- Sign up for a yoga class. It is certainly a great way to tune into your body and improve elasticity.
Step 4. Be prepared to work hard
The will to give their best day after day is the cornerstone of every successful gymnast. To master the techniques of gymnastics requires so much training that you cannot help but work hard. Even the simple enthusiast will need to exercise for four hours a day, four days a week, continuing with light workouts and stretching for the rest of the time.
In addition to working hard, if you decide to practice gymnastics as a professional, you will have to face additional sacrifices. You will probably not have time for other activities and your social life will suffer limitations, in fact you will always have to keep yourself in perfect shape to train and compete
Step 5. Aim for perfection
Repeat every single movement until you do it perfectly. If you are not meticulous, the exercises could become frustrating. In any case, it will be your instructor's job to help you reach an excellent level, as each of your movements will be judged during competitions. Furthermore, always staying in shape is the best way to protect yourself from injuries; a bent knee is enough to make you lose your balance and cause a bad fall from the beam.
Gymnasts have a reputation for being stubborn perfectionists, but this attitude can be detrimental in real life. Don't overdo it so much that it damages your health or injures you just to perform a movement correctly. Recognize your limitations and take a break when you need it
Part 3 of 3: Practicing at a High Level
Step 1. Start early and train hard
As soon as you realize you want to become a gymnast, start taking classes immediately, to get your body used to flexibility from an early age. By working with an instructor and progressively improving, from grade to grade, you will go from beginner to higher levels, up to practicing gymnastics at a competitive level. It is very important to develop elasticity and muscle memory as soon as possible, as these qualities are difficult to achieve at an older age.
- If you are aiming to become a high-level gymnast, evaluate your skills so that you know exactly what level of preparation you are and how much work you have ahead of you before moving on to the next level.
- If you are old enough, you can still become a good gymnast, but it will be very difficult to compete at a high level. Most gymnasts reach the peak of their careers before the age of 18.
Step 2. Evaluate if your body is suitable for this discipline
Although anyone can gain flexibility and discover their skills, professional gymnasts tend to have physical characteristics that lend themselves to jumps and acrobatics. They are usually short and very light, but strong. If you are growing quite tall, or are somewhat squat, maybe gymnastics is not your thing.
- Work with an instructor to find out if hard training can affect your body in a way that makes you reach high levels. By practicing right, you may still hope to make your dream come true.
- Don't be too hard on yourself if you find that your genes don't align with your desire to become a gymnast. There is no need to go hungry or stop your growth; never jeopardize your health. Try to follow an athletic path that does not require a light weight.
Step 3. Find a professional instructor and start competing
A gymnast cannot be successful without a brilliant coach to guide her along the way. When things get serious, get informed and try to find the best instructor in the area as soon as possible. Working with him will improve you to such an extent that you can start competing in professional competitions.
- You probably won't find what you are looking for among the staff of local gymnastics companies. In fact, you may have to move to another city to train with the best instructor available.
- When your performance starts to be at a high level, you will be able to join the team. Each group will target certain requirements that the coach will help meet.
- Watch the Olympics videos of gymnasts like Gabrielle Douglas and Aliya Mustafina, to admire their talent and technique, it will certainly help you in the competition.
Step 4. Devote your life to gymnastics
Once you reach a high level, your life will be gymnastics. You will spend half a day, almost every day, exercising. You will acquire incredible skills that you would not otherwise have. If you want to measure yourself against the best, you will have to become an expert gymnast, and this means that you will have to make gymnastics the most important part of your daily life.
- Many high-level gymnasts receive home schooling in order to have more flexible training hours. There is not much time left for other activities.
- To work with the best coaches and in the most competitive teams, you will probably have to change city or country, as well as all the pros in the sport.
- The reward for dedicating your life to gymnastics will be seeing your body do amazing things and maybe even win some medals.
Advice
- Make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing. In this case, body will be fine, or soft and wide pants, and top. You must have complete freedom of movement before you start exercising; you won't go far in jeggings and coat.
- Your coach has to be strict and push you to improve, but if he pushes you to lose too much weight, or doesn't give you a break when you just can't take it anymore, that would be a problem.
- Always give your best during workouts to improve elasticity.
