Women Conditioning for young gymnasts

[LilyChow7]

I am after some conditioning/body shaping activities for very beginner gymnasts aged 5-7. We have 30 minutes for this and around 20 gymnasts. We usually split so 10 do a circuit and 10 do shapes all together.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

Do you have a pit? If you do, give everyone one pit block and use them for conditioning. These are some exercises that I use:

- hold the block with two hands standing on two feet. Roll back to candlestick and back up holding the block all the time. 10 reps.

- lay down on your back and place the block betwheen your feet. Put hands behind tour body and under a mat or a beam or something. Try to lift legs up and touch the mat/beam. Straight legs. 10 reps.

- hollow rocks holding the block on your thighs, staight arms. 10 reps.

- lay down on your stomach and hold the block on your hands. You can make the kids sit on their partner's legs. Lift the block up with straight arms. 10 reps.

- put the block on the floor and jump tuck jumps over it. 20 reps

- put your feet under a mat or beam and lay down on your back. Hold the block with two hands. The block touches your chest all the time. Do sit ups, 10 reps

Very basic stuff but kids find it more fun when they have their own bit blocks to use as tools! When you are done let the kids throw the blocks back to the pit. You can make it a contest - who throws it the most far. Kids always look forward to it and it's a nice way to end the conditioning session

 

[LilyChow7]

These are some great ideas. Unfortunately no pit but we do have lots of balls/bean bags these activities can be done with.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

I suggest using the USA-G TOP's program as a starting model and the programs detailed outcome goals as a guideline. IMO, this is the starting point.


TOPS Conditioning - Link Removed
TOPS Physical abilities - Link Removed

Best, Short Balding Guy -

 

[ayyyrial]

I like relay races for young kids...so they barely even notice they are conditioning. Also they don't have to count, which is good because at that age some of them can't keep track. We do stuff like...
-crab walks
-inchworm walks (stand up, touch your toes, walk out to plank, push up, walk toes in to hands, repeat)
-bear walks with straight legs
-sideways log rolls (for abs), try to keep your feet and hands off the ground
-wheelbarrow with a partner
-frog jumps
-koala walks under the beam or bars - they basically hug the beam from beneath and hold on while they shuffle down the beam
-monkey walks on bars - chin up position, try to shuffle down the bar with the chin staying up
-leg lift walks on bars - hold an L shape, shuffle hands down the bar while keeping feet above the floor or an object

They also really like climbing the rope for some reason, which is handy.
I'd imagine they'd like plyo stuff too - obstacle course where they have to jump over a bunch of stuff, do some kind of conditioning exercise at the end.