How to help dd to get more strenght in middle/upper body?

[ponisto]

My daughter if feeling really desperate and I don't know how to help her. DD (12 years) has been doing gymnastics for five years, currently 15-18 hours a week and she STILL has major problems with her middle body/upper body strenght. She is not able to do rope (without legs), press handstand or leglifts (with straight legs, 10 in 20 sec).

How could I help her? In our country she actually needs to have these strenght skills or she can not move to higher levels - she is stuck "for the rest of her life". (she actually has all the "gymnastics" skills for the higher levels but she needs to pass the strenght requirements as well).

She has really been working on her middle body/upper bodyas hard as she can for a very long time but she does not seem to progress. For instance in rope her legs just "collapse" and point towards the floor at the middle of the rope.

Any help/hints/suggestions/ideas for home practice? DD has a short torso and very long legs - great for appearance but maybe not so great bodytype for a gymnast...

 

[iwannacoach]

All you can do is help her with healhy food choices that include a little extra protien, encourage her to get plenty of sleep, and ask her to do her best on the exercises she's doing at the gym.

We are all created equal in the sense that the sum of all of our gifts essentially equal everyone elses, but some people are going to have less strength, and more kinesthetical sense.........or some other gift that's out of proportion.

The bottom line is to do the best you can with what you have.

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

At home, if she wants she can do extra conditioning such as sit ups, V-ups, hollow hold, etc. That may help.

 

[thefellowsmom]

The Fellows is always working on upper body strength as it is something that doesn't come as easy to her as the other girls. They also work a lot on core strength at her gym. She has the following home exercises she does on days she is not in the gym (she does these generally 2-3 times a week). Some of these are also targeted at helping her gain stability in her elbows due to hypermobility issues.

- Handstand holds
- Handstand pushups
- Press handstands
on chin up bar
- pull ups/chin ups
- V-holds
Using a Pilates ball
- pike ups with straight legs
- opposite arm/leg raises, slow and hold
- lays with her shoulders on the ball and legs bent (looks like a table) and holds, lifting one leg and holding then the other.

For the ball moves, we are now starting to add in gentle nudges. I will push her just a touch while she is holding a position at the top so her body will have to adjust.

There are progressions for some of these that will make it a little easier if needed and remember, safety first.

I am not a coach or a trainer or a doctor, just a parent. These were provided by coach and trainer, but what do I know?

 

[serenity's Momma]

Diet and extra conditioning at home. But she has to want to do them. Don't feel bad, my daughter can't even climb a rope with her legs. Talk to her coach maybe they can offer some suggestions too.

 

[wallinbl]

- Press handstands
on chin up bar

I read it like that the first time and thought the other, stronger girls must be really strong f she's the weak one!

 

[thefellowsmom]

I read it like that the first time and thought the other, stronger girls must be really strong f she's the weak one!

hee hee! She is making huge progress on her strength. She amazes me, but some of those brute upper body stuff is hard for her. Still has a hard time with the rope with no legs, but I am starting to wonder if that is more of an understanding of the physics of it all. She tries to climb with large arm reaches like she has her legs to support her but ends up looking like she is trying to do a one armed pull up.