Coaches New Men's Coach

[Matt Simmons]

I have recently become a coach at a local gym that I used to be a gymnast at. It has been 8 years since I was a gymnast.

I am having trouble building an outline of a program that will help the guys I coach improve.

They are all 5-10 years old. Typically they only meet 2 hours once a week. I do have a couple that will come 2 hours once and three hours another time.

Where could I look to find resources on how to train them in a logical progressive manner?

Thank you!

 

[Aussie_coach]

What is the goal? Will these boys become competitive MAG gymnasts? If they do, how soon will this happen and what level will they start competing at?

 

[BlairBob]

Do you any sort of skill chart system in place?

It sounds like a recreational program ATM, but that doesn't mean they won't end up doing a demonstration a few times a year in the gym or maybe even an in-house meet.

If you don't have any sort of skill chart system, I should have mine I developed around. I also have a men's gym handbook in pdf I can send you.

PM me with your email address and we can go from there.

For 2hrs a week; I would do a warmup of about 15 minutes and 15 minutes of basic headstands and Handstands. That leaves you 90 minutes to hit events which you can fit about 3 events.

I would alternate F/V, PH/PB, SR/HB. Or you can use shorter rotations of 20 minutes and try to get 4 rotations in and have 10 minutes to cool down, play, stretch at the end.

A lot of your warmups could simply be a floor circuit. Get on tumbl-trak and on the return set up a wedge and panel mat for rolls and cartwheels.

For 3 hours, you can do longer rotations or more rotations or add in strength training time. If it's just the 2hour class with an extra 1hr, I would add strength training and 1 more event and more dedicated stretching at the end.

To some degree, I think all male beginners should be doing circle work every day they are in the gym. Be it mushroom drills or in a bucket or just 2/3rd circle or working on getting past their first circle into the second.

 

[Matt Simmons]

What is the goal? Will these boys become competitive MAG gymnasts? If they do, how soon will this happen and what level will they start competing at?

I have one that is competing right now and another that will be joining him soon. Starting at level 6 I believe. But the rest are far from it. The sooner I can get them to that point the better (assuming they are ready that is).

 

[Matt Simmons]

Do you any sort of skill chart system in place?

It sounds like a recreational program ATM, but that doesn't mean they won't end up doing a demonstration a few times a year in the gym or maybe even an in-house meet.

If you don't have any sort of skill chart system, I should have mine I developed around. I also have a men's gym handbook in pdf I can send you.

PM me with your email address and we can go from there.

For 2hrs a week; I would do a warmup of about 15 minutes and 15 minutes of basic headstands and Handstands. That leaves you 90 minutes to hit events which you can fit about 3 events.

I would alternate F/V, PH/PB, SR/HB. Or you can use shorter rotations of 20 minutes and try to get 4 rotations in and have 10 minutes to cool down, play, stretch at the end.

A lot of your warmups could simply be a floor circuit. Get on tumbl-trak and on the return set up a wedge and panel mat for rolls and cartwheels.

For 3 hours, you can do longer rotations or more rotations or add in strength training time. If it's just the 2hour class with an extra 1hr, I would add strength training and 1 more event and more dedicated stretching at the end.

To some degree, I think all male beginners should be doing circle work every day they are in the gym. Be it mushroom drills or in a bucket or just 2/3rd circle or working on getting past their first circle into the second.

As I just mentioned to Aussie_coach the goal is competition but it seems more recreational. I try to treat them like they are a team though. I think that handbook would be very helpful if you'd be willing to send it.

How do you recommend I get them working on their circles? I have been having a hard time coaching those. We do have a bucket rig that I made, but we haven't had anywhere to hang it until just recently.

 

[BlairBob]

There should be some good tutorials on youtube.

I prefer to train the circle in thirds besides circle walks and positions on floor. Front and rear plank, side plank on one arm.

From support, feint and circle till you have to bump the first hand, then the second hand and until you are circling into the 2nd.

Teach to counterturn the hips from the start and past position 1 and 2 besides leaning on wrists.

You can do hip circles from hanging on the rings and in support on PB with a mushroom underneath. You can also do this from upper arm hang on pb and bucket circles on forearms to extend the circle.

For the very little guys, they can do around the worlds on mushroom. Feet on mushroom, hands on floor. They can also focus on the pb mushroom drill and dont need to do hanging hip circles or bucket work.

 

[tweez94]

There should be some good tutorials on youtube.

I prefer to train the circle in thirds besides circle walks and positions on floor. Front and rear plank, side plank on one arm.

From support, feint and circle till you have to bump the first hand, then the second hand and until you are circling into the 2nd.

Teach to counterturn the hips from the start and past position 1 and 2 besides leaning on wrists.

You can do hip circles from hanging on the rings and in support on PB with a mushroom underneath. You can also do this from upper arm hang on pb and bucket circles on forearms to extend the circle.

For the very little guys, they can do around the worlds on mushroom. Feet on mushroom, hands on floor. They can also focus on the pb mushroom drill and dont need to do hanging hip circles or bucket work.

Hey BlairBob, any chance I could see those two documents too? It would be greatly appreciated!

 

[tweez94]

But anyway Matt, I am in the same boat but we have been going for about a year now practicing 9 hours a week for our two older kids and 6 hours a week for our 5 younger ones. I am still in the learning process but I think the biggest things that I have learned are: circles and handstand must be worked every day(just not to the point of sore wrists), core strength must be worked every day, boys love record books and competitions (even the one kid that always says "i hate competing" I have finally learned loves to win and just hates to lose....PERFECT!), other than that for drill specific I usually alternate between swinging skills on some days and strength/skills other days. I've learned that unlike girls, boys need less words and more verbs, the older they get the more and more they like responsibility, I get the two older kids our lesson plans for the month in advanced, they love the idea of coming into practice already knowing what they have to be working on and knowing that they can kind of be on their own. I could go on and on and on but by far the most important piece of advice I can give you that helped me out (still helping because the learning NEVER stops) is look up Marc Yancey's presentation from over this past summers USAG National Congress 'The real job description of a competitive men coach'. Best lecture I have ever been to, unfortunately I can not find a copy of the video but there is a link to all of his slides up somewhere.

 

[BlairBob]

Yep, I really do like working circle work everyday. Maybe not pommel horse every day but definitely circles, especially if their circle ability is lacking for their level.

HS of course. Walking, Static, presses.