Hello, I am new to coaching boys and I am looking for some stations ideas to have on each event to help them (and keep them busy)
They are doing basics on each event (Im newer to boys levels, but I think it is around Level 1, they are all around ages 5-8)
Thank you!
Here's the best general guidance I can offer:
FLOOR:
-Same as for girls, just without dance elements such as leaps, jumps, and turns. Candlestick rolls, forward and backward rolls, handstands, cartwheels, etc. As a general rule, any time spent on handstands or candlesticks is time well spent
POMMELS:
-Literally anything you can think of that involves their weight being supported on their hands is helpful -- especially if it involves transferring weight back and forth between hands. I like support walks on p-bars (with mats stacked high enough that their shoulders are above the bars when they're standing between them), pocket tappers in both front and rear support, walking circles, quarter circles, etc. But literally anything involving transferring their weight left and right while in some sort of support position.
RINGS:
-Rings are a bit more technical at the beginning. Candlesticks are still a good side station, because they mimic the shape of a good front swing. Any sort of arm and/or shoulder strength is good
VAULT:
-Anything involving running or jumping. Literally anything at all; I hate to sound like an old man yelling at clouds, but kids these days don't spend enough time running and jumping on their own, so get them doing it as much as you can in the gym.
P-BARS:
-Again, anything in support is good. Front support or rear support on floor, tuck support on low p-bars or parallets if you have them, even just holding a support on p-bars. Building confident support swings is the overriding priority for beginning p-bars
VERY IMPORTANT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED: when working support swings, stack mats under the bars high enough that if the athlete stands between the bars, his shoulders are higher than the bars. This way, if he falls out of his support, he'll catch himself on his feet before he can injure his shoulders
HIGH BAR:
-Technically boys can do all the same things girls can do, but boys should have a much earlier and heavier emphasis on tap swings. This being the case, the two main focuses should generally be hollow and arch shapes, and developing hanging grip strength. Anything that develops mid-body control, or anything in a hang, works will as a high bar station
STRENGTH:
-The biggest advice I can give here is don't treat strength as a numbers game, treat it as skills just like any other event -- but then once they understand correct execution, turn it into a contest and they will work their butts off.
To give an example, I often tell rec boys we're going to have a push-up contest -- not to see who can do the most, but to see who can do one push-up with the most perfect technique. Spend some time coaching them on correct body positions, give them a minute or so to practice on their own, then have a push-up contest. As they get stronger, this can turn into a contest of who can do the most perfect set of 3 push-ups, or 5. But I never ever give them high numbers, because I want them to understand that the goal isn't to crank out as many as they can, but to focus on correct execution of each individual exercise.
You can take this same process and apply it to pretty much any strength skill. Pull-ups, v-ups, leg lifts, 5-second tuck support, etc.
