Gymnasts are highly skilled athletes who need strength, balance and extensive flexibility to execute very difficult skills on the various events and apparatus. In order to improve flexibility and prevent injuries gymnasts need to perform a thorough warm up before every practice and performance. Especially in gymnastics, it is vital to avoid rushing through the warm up portion of your workout.
Aerobic Portion
The first segment of any warm-up routine should be cardiovascular exercise. Moderate aerobic activity that raises your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat will get blood flowing to your muscles to ready them for action. Include marching in place, light jogging or aerobic dance movements into your warm-up routine. Make sure whatever you choose to start with is not too intricate, such as complicated dance moves, and does not require any great feats of flexibility, such as high kicks. You may even want to fulfill this part of your routine on a treadmill or stationary bicycle.
Dynamic Stretching
A dynamic or active stretching routine should come next in your warm-up process. Perform dynamic motions such as leg swings, knee lifts, torso twists, arm circles and shoulder shrugs, developing a routine that you use at every practice. Stretch the parts of your body from head to toe in order to make sure to hit every muscle. Build a routine that is done exactly the same way at each practice in order to make sure nothing is overlooked. Perform eight to 10 repetitions of each dynamic stretch you use to form the dynamic stretching portion of your routine.
Static Stretching
Because of the high degree of flexibility required in gymnastics, it is important to include static stretching in your warm-up routine as well. Static stretches are those that are held. Include static stretches for your shoulders, back and even for your split positions. Hold each stretch in your warm-up routine for 30 seconds and repeat each stretch three times. Never bounce in a stretching position. This is ballistic stretching and can lead to injury.
Cool Down
Do not neglect a cool-down portion of your routine. It is just as important as a warm up. After your entire practice or performance, spend 10 to 15 minutes cooling down your muscles. Do static stretches during this portion of your routine. Spend time doing multiple stretches for areas where you are trying to make significant flexibility gains. For example, do more than one split stretch to increase the degree of your split. Execute this portion of your workout very slowly, breathing deeply during it. The goal of a cool down is to return your heart rate to a normal speed and stretch out all of the muscles you used.
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