Coaches Games at practice

[GymnastPotterhead]

Are there any games you have used during practice to keep gymnasts motivated / help them get skills/ get over fear / work hard etc.?

Could be any event and any level (team/rec)

 

[Mthegymqueen]

For beam, we have a game called "pressure cooker", where each person does a skill on beam, and if they fall or wobble, they get pit blocks thrown at them (after they are done with the skill of course, not mid skill)

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Our coach often comes up with games like snakes and ladders but beam themed (like the spaces could be stick 5 of your acro, first half no wobbles etc.)

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Ok, so I came up with a game once where they could do routine parts to earn points, and then they could spend those points to be able to work upgrade skills.

So like a particular skill or sequence from their routine might have a particular point value, but only if they can show it to me with less than .2 in deductions. Then once they have a certain number of points, they spend them to get, say, 5 attempts at their favorite upgrade skill.

They loved it, worked great. Probably would have worked better if I had physical tokens to use as points, might try that some time.

 

[GymCAMom]

I've seen end of practice handstand competitions where the winner calls the style of handstand to be completed next round. It's a huge boost to the end of practice between levels.

I've also seen a graduation game where girls are given a particular skill on beam and they must do it on all of the beams. If you fall, back of the line. There's eventually a final skill and then you receive free time.

 

[JBS]

Stickers.

 

[JustAGirlWhoLovesGym]

Mix up conditioning for the athletes. Maybe take them outside on a nice day to do running/cardio drills (tell them to bring tennis shoes beforehand!), or let them help choose the playlist that you workout to. Its not exactly a "game", but little things like this help gymnasts work harder/be happier about conditioning.

 

[presshandstands9]

We do the card game at my gym!! Ie spades: 20 reps hearts: 15 reps etc
#2 is vsnaps
#3 is leg lifts
Etc
You can also do this with suits like
Spades= vsnaps
Clubs= chinups
Hearts= high box jumps
Diamonds = pistol squats
Etc

 

[raenndrops]

Mix up conditioning for the athletes. Maybe take them outside on a nice day to do running/cardio drills (tell them to bring tennis shoes beforehand!), or let them help choose the playlist that you workout to. Its not exactly a "game", but little things like this help gymnasts work harder/be happier about conditioning.

Depending on the projected weather, in the summer, once or twice a month, they go outside to run (if they have running shoes and parental permission). Any others run inside.

Sometimes, they do "obstacle course" running ... over/under the beams, down the vault strip, squat-on onto the table and hop down, over to bars - either swing on the low bar and dismount or jump to front support cast squat-on jump down to other bar set and try to jump to the high bar, to the air track for zig zag hops, to the floor to run up over and down the velcro lines, and back to the beams.

 

[pt coach]

Stickers and small cheap prizes they can win for moving series or acro up to high beam on "game day."
Brought in a portable speaker to the beam area and played games of how many series can stick during the song etc
Coloring sheets and crayons and designated how they can color based on accomplishing assignment
Assigning partners and then designating points for each skill on assignment - most points wins....