When this acquired excess in joint laxity is paired with a lack of strength, lacking technical development, high repetition, and fatigue in not fully matured athletes, this may have a variety of negative consequences. Improves flexibility in shoulders, feet, and hamstrings Wall sits - To do a proper wall sit start with your back flush to the wall, and position yourself like you are sitting in a chair. clinbiomech.2014.04.013. Frequently the complex research available suggests some minor changes during training. In my mind, the warm-up should not really be the main time we are looking to make massive changes in flexibility. Other forms of stretching like PNF, dynamic stretching, and others appear to be effective when regularly done, Consistency over intensity is a key concept everyone in gymnastics must follow. Handstands, beginner jumps or leaps, and introductory ring or parallel bar skills demand extreme mobility to execute. We do not want to excessively relax the muscular tissue and increase lots of joint motion before we then subject them to extremely high forces. By the end of a few months, they usually just throw their hands up and say he/she is just unflexible, they have bad genetics. All of the studies that did show a change in range of motion from various techniques (static stretching, PNF type, more dynamic stretching) did not push the subjects into very extreme pain or use excessively long periods of stretching past 2 minutes. Out of all the things I have seen in flexibility methods for gymnastics, the one that drives me the most insane is pushing knees into extension during splits or pikes. Many different thoughts and practices exist in daily gymnastics training. The active structures are more what people know about from gymnastics flexibility methods: muscles, tendons that attach muscles to bones, and the nervous system. The ACL tear and knee injury rates in gymnastics are already high enough. There has been a large spike in the rate of hip flexor strains, groin strains , and cranky shoulders that I feel is being very much swept under the rug in gymnastics. Just as with the sleeve of a shirt, depending on where your arm is in space, different parts of the shirt sleeve are more taught. The ability of the good quality gymnastics are based. Right and Left Leg Split on Line Your legs should be at a 90 angle. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. I suggest these to outline the complexity of the human body, in hopes that people are more cautious in some flexibility decisions they make. In this setting, we are looking to ramp down the body and assist in recovery (known as facilitating parasympathetic tone). Third, on an even geekier motor control point I think the use of external loading far away at the ankle joint greatly distorts the movement pattern the brain is trying to adopt neurologically. The science must be blended with expert coaching opinion and consistency in training. The issue is more about, The lack of assessments being used before and after stretching, The lack of flexibility exercises that target active muscular structures (muscles and tendons) over passive structures (ligaments and joint capsules), The lack of a consistency over intensity mindset that is supported by research, and also avoids aggressive techniques that may cause injury, The lack of individuality and specificity being used based on a gymnasts individual issue, The lack of stretching being used as one small piece for the overall flexibility approach that carries changes in range of motion to actual skills, The current body of research on stretching suggests that, Changes in the nervous system are likely the main reason why stretching overtime increases range of motion (changing stretch reflex, changing perception of discomfort, desensitization of specific nerves), Changes in the muscle or tendon tissue itself also likely occur (change in number of sarcomeres, length of sarcomeres, amount of stiffness in muscle tissue). Clin Sports Med 30 (2011) 349-367. They often struggle quite a bit to lift their legs even against gravity alone. Those looking for more research related to ACL tear mechanisms can start by following this link here. Due to these reasons and the research I have read about the human body, there will likely be a very limited long-term change in flexibility that change gymnastics skills. Pictures 2 and 3 are showing a dynamic chest stretch over a foam roller where the shoulder blades are held down/ in while the arms slide on the floor from overhead to hip. As I did with the shoulder section, here are three graphics that walkthrough. Im not saying all the stretches or flexibility approaches we use must be discontinued because they are dangerous. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2013 Sep 18; 95 (18): e133, Dumount GD. Following a full-bodied dynamic warm-up, athletes can then do some core basics, jumping and landing basics, handstand or other gymnastic specific prep work, and then progress naturally to their first about. flexibility changes in a gymnast. (2, 5). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012; 26(8) 2119 2129. Many gymnasts struggle with excessively tight hip flexors, inner thighs, and quads. We must always remember that the structures that have the most opportunity for improvement, the active structures, should be the focus of flexibility training. Helpful or Not? This can also happen withhip extendingmovements (think backleg kick or leap) as the back of the femur bone makes contact with the back and outsideof the pelvis (impingement) and then the contact acts as a fulcrum for thefemoral head toslide out the frontof the hip joint (instability). 2012 Mar;5(1):18. doi: 10.1007/s1217801191058. As with the shoulder, I also feel that extreme hip stretching methods from a very high surface, or when a coach is pushing aggressively on a gymnast, have no place in our sport. 2011. They tell me they often times find temporary progress, but nothing seems to stick long term and actually show up in their skills. Why Do So Many Gymnasts Struggle Even When They Stretch Daily? This natural selection type introduction to gymnastics presents an essential background foundational concept of flexibility training. 2016. They concluded, that both Hold Relax Stretching and Static Stretching can increase end range of motion, which may be because of the decreases in muscle stiffness and modified stretch tolerance during the stretch application. Epub 2014 Apr 10. Through their chapters, the researchers outline that flexibility training must be viewed in a broader context outside of only aiming to increase joint range of motion. Although its purely anecdotal, I have consulted with cases where x rays show a very similar phenomenon in gymnasts doing oversplits while getting hip xrays. 0, No. Many medical assessments can be used to determine why a gymnasts hip, shoulder or spine may not have the range of motion needed to achieve a full handstand, split, or bridge. Seated Overhead Screen with Stick Sitting at the wall with the lower back flat and head against the wall, the gymnast raises the bar overhead with the arms shoulder-width apart and palms down. IJSPT. This simple change in the stretch, along with follow up work, tends to make large progress in gymnasts who cannot progress in their overhead flexibility. Im glad you asked! With this concept of overuse muscular stiffness in mind, I want to pause for a critical point. Her ankles are very lax and she also tends to hang out in the down and in position that may predispose it to roll. There are many other important tools such as proper strength training, eccentrics, managing workloads, and regular mobility work that must be considered and used as well, as they are supported by research, Movement assessments are essential to seeing progress with flexibility, Screening, soft tissue care, stretching, strength work, eccentrics, and gymnastics specific drills should all be used in flexibility programs, Cutting edge soft tissue, strength, and active flexibility techniques for splits, handstands, and shapes, Practical traditional stretching methods combined with latest scientific research, Techniques for increasing flexibility, and making changes transfer to gymnastics skills, A reduction in the threshold of stretch reflexes within muscles, A reduction in the sensitivity of nerves that transmit signals of danger (nociceptors), A change within the brain related to perceived discomfort. Even if a young athlete does fall into the category of being not naturally hypermobile but powerful, we still should gravitate away from putting excessive stress on the passive structures like bones, joint capsules, and ligaments. There is a lot of medical and science nerdiness in there. Other researchers combat these ideas and say that effects locally in the muscle like water hydration levels, changes in the viscoelasticity of muscles, and even interesting ideas down to stem cell changes within tendinous structures may be factors. 2008;108:379390. I find many gymnasts who have shoulder injuries or are struggling with flexibility display significant strength deficits within their upper back and scapular area. This is usually why they were noticed as a good candidate for competitive gymnastics, as they naturally had full splits and bridges. Definition of Gymnastics Is the system of selected physical exercises that can be performed with &without apparatus in physical education program It is a harmonious system of physical exercises which are scientifically organized methodological arranged to achieve objectives Gymnastic is one of the famous competitive sports. Flexibility 5 Flexibility In addition to the strength/conditioning program, the coach must also provide training for the enhancement of flexibility. They explain that the short-term effects often seen from stretching must be supported by other qualities of athleticism. While on this note, there are a few stretches that really need to be advised against in gymnastics. Journ Sport Rehab, 2015, 24, 286 292, Nelson RT, Bandy WD. If you are not into that and are just looking for a particular area of the body without the geeky stuff, please click the table of contents below to jump to a certain section. Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery Vol. Its not that these are bad, but there needs to be equal amount of hamstring, glute, and deep hip external rotator work as well. Simple changes to choose types of stretching exercises that bias the correct structures of the hip or shoulder may make a notable difference in long-term flexibility and injury risk. Riboh JC, et al. The analogy I use with people from a coaching background is to compare it to the giant swing and the necessary components to complete the skill. Hold this position without touching your legs for as long as you can. It can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with it. Skills like Shaposh releases for female gymnasts, Tipelts for male gymnasts, and other extreme overhead motion demands require this amount of mobility. J Appl Physiol, 2002, 92: 565 601. Place your right hand on the left arm's elbow and pull toward the chest. This allows for more or less inherent flexibility, but as always many other factors contribute. 389 398, Sands WA, McNeal J. Mobility Development and flexibility in youths. Increasing muscle extensibility: a matter of increasing length or modifying sensation? Some naturally flexible gymnasts have a bony alignment where the hip socket is not as deep. I will cover those in-depth below. Sadly, many young gymnasts are requiring hip surgery, or are retiring due to hip injuries of this nature. I know there is a large spectrum of positive or negative views on soft tissue work. Ive seen hundreds of them and had plenty myself during my years of gymnastics. Sands WA, Flexibility. A commonly seen stretch in gymnastics is when the lower back of an athlete is excessively arched, or the pelvis is excessively tipped forward as depicted below. Gymnasts are already notorious for having really tight calves because of how much time they spend in a toe point along with doing so much jumping and landing. A rolled ankle or inversion sprain is definitely among the most common for gymnasts. Using proper movement assessments, understanding the anatomy, and a consistency over intensity mindset is what will reduce injury risk and increase gymnastics performance. I dont want readers to think static stretching is bad, and that we shouldnt do it. I view it as a tool to open the door for gymnasts to then perform strength, technique, and control work for gymnastics skills. J Am Osteopath Association. J Strength Cond Res. Lats, Teres Major, Pec Major and Minor, Thoracic Spine, etc. In parallel to the points made above, it is not that this stretch is inherently bad or dangerous for a gymnast. Effect of self-myofascial release on myofascial pain, muscle flexibility, and strength: A narrative review. Some degree of abnormal hip bone motion may be needed for success in aesthetic sports. This means the hip bone was slightly migrating out of the hip socket to reach such large ranges of motion. Warm ups and cool downs are another common topic that comes up when discussing flexibility. Mobility tends to refer to the amount of motion someone can actively show on their own. Im just saying there are many factors to consider and that there may be a more optimal approach to take. When you combine these three areas, along with the already discussed points about not having the best science behind flexibility methods to stress muscular tissue and spare joint capsules, it certainly makes sense why gymnasts may struggle with their flexibility. improvements on how we have typically taught athletes/gymnasts to stretch their hip flexors, groin and lats. Elastic band openers, shoulder circles to mat laying on stomach, PNF techniques For me, it takes a minimal amount of time and does not seem to have too many negative effects when correctly implemented. Unfortunately, this leaves the gymnast feeling very defeated as if something is wrong with them, not to mention still struggling with skills and possibly at an elevated injury risk. Many people want to know what the best approach is, either static or dynamic, if they should be aiming to increase range of motion, what are the best drills, and so on. These topics tend to be what I write and lecture about most because they are often underrepresented or misunderstood in gymnastics. Dave I have also seen what was believed to be a hip flexor strain turn into a large labral tear and career-ending injury. I have this theory based on the changes in boney rotation that baseball players exhibit from throwing when younger. As I mentioned above, research does support specific stretching and soft tissue work, but as one piece to a larger program. 2015; 23: 203-212, Escamilla RF, Hooks TR, Wilk KE. Lets dive into some safer and more science-supported methods. The aim of this study was to review the tests used to measure flexibility in gymnastic disciplines. They tend to be more biased towards strength or power and less towards inherent flexibility. That article can be found below, but before readers jump to creating only static stretching circuits based on those parameters, please read the rest of this chapter. They found that to achieve this full straddle split position; there was evidence of micro subluxation in the hip joints. Hip and shoulder flexibility limitations are one main contributor I see clinically to wrist, elbow, shoulder, lower back, and hip injuries in gymnasts. This creates a situation where the femoral head has more access to move in larger ranges of motion, creating significantly more hip mobility in all planes. 2018: 39; 39: 243 254. I can often see an appreciable change in the range of motion within only a few sessions, pending that gymnasts are dedicated to the follow-up a home program. The athlete is encouraged to round their upper back to create upper back flexion. It canhelp to lower their injury risk for another ankle sprain, but it also can help their performance by increasing single leg and double leg landings/jumps etc. The Theraband strips should be black in color or they should be among the stiffest of the elastic material you can obtain. Many of the gymnasts I coach or treat for injuries report that light, soft tissue work makes them feel more warmed up and helps to reduce perceived muscle soreness. zerofive 43 foot vertical 10 160m. Straddle Split on Line, kneeling lunge test at wall for Dorsiflexion (wow this video is old! Department of Exercise and Sport Science University of Utah Most gymnastics coaches would agree that flexibility is an essential aspect of gymnastics training and performance. Limitations in thoracic spine flexibility can create a situation where a gymnast is unable to get their arms fully above their head or behind their back. I typically have gymnasts perform moderate pressure that does not cause pain, for 10-30 seconds per muscle group, away from bony areas. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400218/, https:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20075147, https://www.ncbi.nlm. Subacromial Impingement. Soft Tissue care, specific stretching, and eccentrics can help male gymnasts get where they need to be. 21, 788-792. 115-122, Reinold MM, Curtis AS. eccentrics, or skill training, is mainly what causes changes in the muscle tissue itself. For that reason, I typically approach the warm-up is getting the body ready for the training session. Although these traditional training methods can yield short-term benefits and may help increase an athletes awareness of body position, problems clearly exist with this model. . The on-going process of training will include the development of strength, co-ordination, spatial awareness and the core gymnastics movement skills which are the foundation upon which high level and good quality gymnastics are based. This is unlike the hip joint, which due to having a deeper hip socket (remember hips are built for weight-bearing while shoulders are not) has more inherent stability with less mobility. (3), For the geeks like me reading, they more specifically are subdivided into the Superior Glenohumeral Ligament, the Middle Glenohumeral Ligament, the Inferior Glenohumeral Ligament, and the Posterior Glenohumeral Ligament. 2015. I think that daily soft tissue care is one important piece of the puzzle. Thomas E., Bianco A., Palma A. Thomas E., et al. A Review of the Literature Part 1: Neuromuscular and Anatomic Risk, Risk Factors for Anterior Cruciate Ligament InjuryA Review of the LiteraturePart 2: Hormonal, Genetic, Cognitive Function, Previous Injury, and Extrinsic Risk Factors, Anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention training in female athletes: a systematic review of injury reduction and results of athletic performance, The Best Gymnastics Leg Conditioning For Explosive Power on Vault and Floor, Exactly How to Build Explosive Power in Gymnasts Using a Hybrid Lifting Program with Scott Willgress, 5 Ways Gymnastics Coaches Build Healthy & High Performing Gym Cultures, Luke Carson on Gymnastics Culture Change, Handling Disappointment, and The Olympics/Worlds, 5 In Season Pitfalls for Gymnastics Coaches to Avoid, SHIFTs 200th Episode! The thought process is that by following the anatomy of the shoulder joint and latissimus dorsi, teres major, and pec musculature 62-64, this version of an overhead flexibility drill biases stretching the soft tissue that needs attention and takes the pressure of the often already hypermobile shoulder ligaments. These stretches below are seen daily in gymnastics. In my mind, these are two different applications of static stretching or foam rolling and should be viewed as having different goals. This concept simply means the passive structures like the ligaments or joint capsules tend to be already very lax and they naturally may have much less stiffness throughout their body. They accurately outline that areas like muscular strength and joint control must be trained in parallel with stretching. Gymnasts partake in stretching every day for months on end, so we cant conclude that changes in muscle tissue over time are not occurring. If someone is continuing to struggle with hip mobility, rather than just pushing more take a step back and consider this concept. Both skills allow the spine, shoulders and hips to bend while the body is in continual motion. Stretching the shoulders overhead typically produces discomfort in the underarms where the lats and teres major are, with some possible chest tissue stretching where the pecs are. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 25(6):36479, 1997. Similar to the shoulder, when you look at the anatomical and biomechanical science of the hip joint, hip ligaments, hip flexor and quadriceps muscle (5, 8-12, 17) the more the lower back is arched, or hips are tilted forward, the less these muscles may be biased in this stretching alignment. Importantly enough, following a review of the literature, it was outlined that the combination of appropriate self-myofascial release and targeted static stretching may yield the most beneficial gains to acute changes in flexibility. strength, co-ordination, spatial awareness and the core gymnastics session. Especially in gymnasts, the changes in sensitivity of nerves that transmit pain, and also reductions in stretch reflexes likely are the main mechanisms. 1) increase ankle range of motion and 2, 3, 4). The effects of myofascial release with foam rolling on performance. To help clarify, many use the analogy of the sleeve of a shirt to visually highlight the joint capsule. Does stretching induce lasting increases in joint ROM? Then brainstorm how to divide out the group of gymnasts who may or may not fit, and who may need an alternative exercise based on their issues. In a study by Zollner et al (17), the researchers looked more at changes in muscle tissue when chronic stretching was used in simulated animal models. Not to mention their flat feet may cause those same outside ankle structures that may be inflammed/damaged to get re-irritated when impinged upon. Corrective exercises consist of stretches that improve chest and lat flexibility (fig. The anatomy and theory, as well as some of the joint based material for this blog are taken from that chapter. Naturally, fast kids may do well in soccer or track and field. Nakamura M., et al. If these joints are subject to ongoing stretching past their normal end ranges of motion, it can significantly increase the risk of injury. 1-13. I have found that many of the traditional general stretches we use as go to methods for increasing flexibility do not have proper assessments preceding them or may not have anatomical considerations in mind. I hope that this guide can be a place for everyone in gymnastics to find some useful information without feeling so frustrated and overwhelmed. Jumping and landing athletes are already at a huge risk for ACL tears, not to mention the even higher risk for young developing female athletes. While I think these longer static or active flexibility circuits do have some value (and this is supported by research when used properly), the abundance of research outside of just the literature on stretching suggests a more optimal approach. Not only do they happen quite a bit as a first time injury for a gymnast, they seem to keep popping up as re-occuring injuries for many gymnasts leading to cumulative issues down the road. Keywords: gymnastics, stretching exercises, flexibility, balance 1. I think this is especially true in those with natural hyperflexiblehip joints who are not fully developed andlack hip strength. (46-48). List of Gymnastics Exercises. The main way people approach increasing the flexibility of the active structures is through regular stretching. It has all become wildly popular in the last five years, and its starting to show up much more in the gymnastics community. I did this for a decade as a gymnast, and for the first five years I was coaching. An alternative version based on anatomy would be to flatten the spine position as well as the pelvis, and then perform a similar stretch with core/glute engagement. Speaking beyond the research on this idea, I think light soft tissue work and static stretching may have the most impact on blood flow or lymphatic drainage. Hip Instability: Current Concepts and Treatment. I think that by using correct stretching consistently over time (not into excessive pain or passive tissue damage) combined with strength in full range of motion. Just as with the warm-up concept above, it is only one piece of the bigger puzzle to increasing shoulder or hip flexibility long term. There is typically much less seen where gymnasts elbows are being stretched into hyper extension, but that also should be avoided. My best recommendation is that people become more familiar with the research, practice, and use of self-soft tissue work. Coaches understand that with more strength and technique training in a more structured environment they can progress quickly. Understanding multidirectional instability of the shoulder. They outline, as do many other great researchers, that correctly performed stretching bouts of 10- 30s that move to tolerable discomfort can be effective. Ensure you are warmed up correctly Undue force to these passive structures becomes problematic over time as the high force of gymnastics can cause injury. These issues are commonly overlooked as culprits to why a gymnast struggles in this area of gymnastics. significant difference (p > .05). Scand J Med SCi Sports, 2010: 136 144. Atraumatic Hip Instability in Patients with Joint Hypermobility.Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine. Now let me tie this into why I no longeruse of ankle weights. While it is true that male gymnasts need extreme behind the back shoulder motion for pommel horse and pbars, I think there are much better ways to get it than being aggressive with behind the back stretch. Dynamic flexibility is often the focus during warm-up exercises. Zollner AM., et al. Amplitude - refers to the fullness of the movement with respect to flexibility stretch, and height Apparatus - one of the five pieces of hand-held equipment used in rhythmic gymnastics. Forcing a split down into extreme ranges of an oversplit without a proper assessment behind it, asking a gymnast to perform over splits when they are not even close to a split on flat ground, or blindly pushing someone down just to be tough, is most definitely dangerous. If a gymnast is already very mobile and lax, pushing further on the ankle joint my only be making it worse. Champagne, IL: Human Kinetics. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2018 Nov; 17(11), Macdonald GZ, et al. Given the material I have read, this has been my main thought process as well. Part of the reason it is so common in gymnastics is because the gymnast has to move from an extreme toe pointpositionto a toes up landing position within an extremely small time window. North Am J Sports Phys Ther 1(1):1631, 2006. These two things often happen together in very flexible gymnasts, theoretically as the contact of the femur on the pelvis creates a fulcrum type point for the head of the femur to lever against contributing instability. Gymnasts practice up to 30 hours a week and have regiments full of conditioning and exercises. These structures and systems tend to have much more potential to change through training. This helps to enhance strength, power, and reduce the risk of instability- based shoulder injuries. The search was conducted on PubMed, WOS, Scopus, Sport Discus and Google Scholar databases, and . They measured ankle range of motion and end range stiffness before and after these stretches. Naturally tall kids may do well in sports like basketball or volleyball. Jargon Note The medical world typically refers to Flexibility as the maximum range of motion a joint can passively reach, including the length of all structures from the joint level to the soft tissue and neural level. *Medical Note Also, remember that this blog post is for educational purposes only and does not represent medical advice. Also, you must remember that immediately following the warm-up genetically go to an event has very high forces. Lastly and most importantly, this complex approach tends to create much more engagement from gymnasts, as the longer static holding of flexibility can be very prolonged and monotonous. This would suggest that with significant immobilization or time spent in prolonged tension, sarcomeregensis may occur within the muscles. Elsevier. With slightly more difficult exercises and higher volume, the workouts are still only up to 45 minutes in duration. Recently many gymnasts are reporting to have hip flexor strains that they push through. Athlete is encouraged to round their upper back flexion chest and lat flexibility (.! Addition to the amount of motion and 2, 3, 4 ) https: // www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20075147,:. As a gymnast struggles in this area of gymnastics power and less towards inherent flexibility, but always! 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