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| Thermogenic formula designed to increase thermogenesis and assist in fat loss, without eliminating muscle. (Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in organisms.)Now with Fucoxanthin. Fucoxanthin is being explored for weight loss to naturally increase the metabolic rate. Japanese researchers have found that fucoxanthin (isolated from wakame) promotes the loss of abdominal fat in obese mice and rats. Animals lost 5 to 10% of their body weight. Although it's not fully understood how fucoxanthin works, it appears to target a protein called UCP1 that increases the rate at which abdominal fat is burned. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE. |
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| Dear Jodee, can I lose weight by using Cocaine? Dear Prothinspo Member… Cocaine is an illegal and dangerous drug - outlawed in most countries around the world. Many people speculate as to whether celebrities ever partake of the drug to induce rapid weight loss. We can only speculate until they get arrested....Most people already know that cocaine can make you lose weight. Here is a story I found from New Zealand. A wealthy 51 yr-old property developer is a suspected drug dealer. He attempted to justify his actions by claiming that cocaine was helping him lose weight. "In explanation for his actions, the defendant stated that he had discovered taking cocaine in the evening suppressed his appetite and helped him lose weight," the police summary said. This may explain the success of Henderson's slimming regime. Last winter, Henderson seized on the Atkins craze and lost at least 24kg. During the stressful 2000 when he was building the $250 million Princes Wharf redevelopment, "Hendo" was a big lad. But by last winter, the metamorphosis was spectacular. He sported a new wardrobe and cut a much finer figure on the waterfront. Come the summer, he appeared even leaner, as the diet regime continued apace and his face shape changed markedly." I don’t suggest getting hooked on any illegal drugs to lose weight. I only know of one diet product on the market that mimics the effects of cocaine weight loss. Of course it is new to the market after many years of clinical testing. AFTER DECADES OF RESEARCH... Introducing the World’s First Chemically Altered Diet Pill designed to stimulate the COCAINE AMPHETAMINE REGULATORY TRANSCRIPT (C-A- R-T) and Inhibit NEUROPEPTIDE-Y (NPY)! Through years of study and breakthroughs in modern science we’ve discovered the key to long term weight loss success. And you can only find this compound inside of THIS weight loss solution. The reason you are overweight is because there is a YIN-YANG battle going on deep within your brain, inside the satiety center of your hypothalamus. The battle is, C.A.R.T. vs. NP-Y… or Good vs. Evil. C.A.R.T. (Cocaine.Amphetamine.Regulatory.Transcript.) is the “Good Guy”… and if you’re trying to lose weight it's your Guardian Angel! The C stands for cocaine and the A for amphetamine because these drugs put this chemical into overdrive. When C.A.R.T. is stimulated it increases your metabolism, reduces your appetite, and increases insulin to deliver energy to your muscles rather than be stored as body fat. NP-Y (Neuropeptide-Y) is the Villain. It’s a stress hormone that drives the eating chemicals into overdrive. When stimulated it will decrease your metabolism, cause your body temperature to drop, and increase your appetite. THIS PRODUCT was designed to stimulate C.A.R.T. and inhibit NP-Y, thus helping you win the battle of the bulge. (note: This product does not contain cocaine, amphetamine, ephedra, or cannabanoids. We found alternatives to cocaine and amphetamine to activate C.A.R.T.) READ MORE BELOW..Here is what's in THIS CART Program and how this product works: Decades of RESEARCH TO FIND OUT HOW TO COPY THE EFFECTS OF COCAINE AND WEIGHT LOSS.. After decades of research and scientific breakthroughs in the weight loss pills industry, we've finally discovered the key to fast and lasting weight loss success. And that key is only available in this CART PROGRAM. The main reason you're overweight is the back-and-forth battle going on deep within the brain inside the satiety center of your hypothalamus. The ongoing battle exists between the two neuropeptides CART and NPY ... also known as the good and the bad when it comes to weight loss. CART (Cocaine Amphetamine Regulatory Transcript) is your best friend if you're trying to lose weight. On the other hand NPY is the enemy when it comes to weight loss. THIS PRODUCT was designed as the best weight loss pills to stimulate CART while inhibiting NPY to help you lose weight safely and powerfully. On the other hand NPY is the enemy when it comes to weight loss. As a stress hormone, NPY kicks up the appetite and signals hunger. When NPY is stimulated it limits the metabolism and lowers the body temperature. THIS PRODUCT is a product which was designed to stimulate CART while inhibiting NPY to help you lose weight safely and powerfully in a way the best weight loss pills have never been able to do before even from what was previously considered to be the top weight loss pills. What It Does: Cocaine and Amphetamine kicks the body's CART into overdrive which helps to increase the metabolism, reduce the appetite and increase insulin levels to deliver the maximum amount of energy to the muscles instead of storing excess calories as body fat. By igniting CART, This CART PROGRAM product has become the best weight loss pills available! Activators: DiCaffeine Malate - 250mg The rumors that Coca-Cola included actual cocaine when it was first introduced are actually true. When the drug was illegalized after World War I, Coke needed an alternative to stimulate the mind and body while delivering similar benefits as cocaine. Caffeine soon replaced the cocaine and Coke has remained one of the best-selling beverages in the world. In Fenphedrine we use one of the most potent and multi-dimensional forms of caffeine combined with all-natural malic acid bonded to increase energy levels, stimulate thermogenesis and promote greater mental alertness and focus. The only way to experience the full benefits of caffeine is through DiCaffeine Malate. Hops - 100mg Commonly known as Hops, the plant Humulus Lupulus is one of only two plants in the Cannabinaceae family. The alkaloid Lupulinum is extracted from hops and works as a mild stimulant to trigger relaxation within the body. Razberi K™ - 50mg Subjects on a high-fat diet to induce obesity in a recent study (Morimoto et al, 2005) gained less body fat when using 1 to 2% concentrations of this patented and proven form of Raspberry Ketone than a control group on the same diet. Cocoa Extract - 50mg Cocoa Extract is packed with powerful constituents including methylxanthines (theobromine, caffeine, and theophylline), biogenic amines (phenylethylamine, tyramine, and synephrine), amino acids (phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, others), minerals (with a high content of magnesium), several antioxidants and non-psychoactive cannabanoid-related compounds to ignite the weight loss process. The Pea in Cocoa Extract is an amphetamine-like compound closely related to the naturally occurring catecholamine neurotransmitters and the amino acid precursors tyrosine and phenylalanine. PEA works within the brain to promote feelings of pleasure and relaxation. Extracted from chocolate, PEA is the leading aphrodisiac found in chocolate. Ginger Extract (20% Gingerols) - 50mg Ginger has been used for centuries to provide relief from gallstones and numerous other health conditions. Ginger helps flush bile from the gallbladder to eliminate unnecessary waste within the body. Ginger has also been shown to thin the blood and lower cholesterol to help cleanse the body and increase circulation. This process speeds the metabolism and increases the flow of nutrients within the body to provide additional energy. Synephrine HCL - 20mg Synephrine is a powerful weight loss ingredient derived from citrus aurantium. Synephrine HCL provides similar benefits as caffeine and other powerful stimulants without serious side effects. By increasing energy expenditure, increasing the metabolism and suppressing the appetite, Synphrine HCL is key to signalling key weight loss functions within the body. Thermodiamine™ (98% Evodiamine) - 15mg Thermodiamine is clinically proven to reduce fat absorption within the body while increasing thermogenesis. Thermodiamine increases lipolytic activity (the fat–burning process) by increasing the vanilloid receptors to increase body temperature. Lipolide-Sc™ (98% Sclareolide) - 15mg The powerful thermogenic properties of Lipolide enhance weight loss by supporting an increased level of lipolytic activity through the Cyclic AMP. Cyclic AMP helps the body produce more energy by breaking down excess fat stored within the body. This is a high performance weight loss supplement that utilizes a formula that is first of its kind! This is the first diet pill to base its formula on scientific research isolating the Cocaine Amphetamine Regulatory Transcript (C-A-R-T) and Neuropeptide-Y (NPY). In short, CART is the good chemical component that triggers increased metabolism and lowers appetites and NPY is the bad stress hormone that causes your body to lower in body temperature, decrease metabolism, and increase appetite. Adjusting the CART and NPY in your body, Fenphadrine increases metabolism, reduces appetite, increases muscle function, and reduces body fat storage. But science aside, THIS is one of the most popular weight loss products on the market. It has consistently received the highest rankings and feedback from consumers as being the Most Powerful Diet Pill. According to our independent research, AND has 97% customer approval rating, which is unheard of in this industry. There are multiple reports citing results ranging from 10 pounds per week to 33 pounds in just 3½ weeks. THIS PLAN IS ONLY AVAILABLE HERE PROTHINSPO/WBDT/THINSPONATION... NOT AVAILABLE IN STORES... THIS PLAN COMES WITH INCLUDED... FREE DIET EBOOK POUNDS AND INCHES $25 VALUE FREE FAT BURNING GROCERY SHOPPING LIST FREE SMOOTHIE HANDBOOK/RECIPES $30 VALUE FREE MEASURING TAPE FREE FOOD JOURNAL FREE MEASURING CHART FREE DETOX FOODS AND TIPS FREE RECIPES FOR 500 CALORIE DIET PLAN $15 VALUE FREE PROTHINSPO TIPS AND TRICKS EMAIL FREE SAMPLES WHEN AVAILABLE |
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| THIS PLAN IS ONLY AVAILABLE HERE PROTHINSPO/WBDT/THINSPONATION... NOT AVAILABLE IN STORES... THIS PLAN COMES WITH INCLUDED... FREE DIET EBOOK POUNDS AND INCHES $25 VALUE FREE FAT BURNING GROCERY SHOPPING LIST FREE SMOOTHIE HANDBOOK/RECIPES $30 VALUE FREE MEASURING TAPE FREE FOOD JOURNAL FREE MEASURING CHART FREE DETOX FOODS AND TIPS FREE RECIPES FOR 500 CALORIE DIET PLAN $15 VALUE FREE PROTHINSPO TIPS AND TRICKS EMAIL FREE SAMPLES WHEN AVAILABLE This product I chose because....Each spray delivers a highly concentrated dose of supplements to help control cravings and suppress your appetite. Unlike pills sprays use micro-size droplets directly into the mouth to start working quickly and yes it is fresh tasting....Crave Control starts to work in minutes without making you jittery or nervous. It's safe, effective, convenient, and easy to use... It is really easy to use. You can just stick it in your bag or jacket pocket and when you start to Crave and need Control you just spray it!! As always .....I will always tell everyone.....The healthy way to lose weight is to exercise, choose healthy foods, control food portions and drink 6−8 glasses of water a day. Limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity.... My best added supplements are a benefit to these lifestyles. READ MORE.. |
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| Olivia Holt Height 5 ft 2 in or 157 cm Weight 53 kg or 117 pounds Olivia Hastings Holt[1] (born August 5, 1997) is an American teen actress and singer, best known for playing the role of Kim on the Disney XD series Kickin' It, and starring in the Disney original movie Girl vs. Monster. She currently stars in the Disney Channel Original Series, I Didn't Do It. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Holt Measurements 33-23-32 in or 84-58.5-81 cm Personal Trainer For the TV show Kickin’ It, she used to take Parkour classes, learned martial arts. She believes that her gymnastics skills really helped a lot in her training regime for the show. Olivia Holt Favorite Things Food – Popcorn TV Shows – Pretty Little Liars (2010-), Make it or Break It (2009-) Drink – Strawberry Banana Smoothie Condiment - Tomato Ketchup Ice Cream Flavor – Chocolate Clothing Item – Scarf Sports – Gymnastics Game – Dart Tag Festival – Halloween Color – Turquoise Candy – Watermelon Patch Kids Movie – Tangled (2010) Band – The Rascal Flatts, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars Accessory – Earrings Source – Teen, Wikia, Seventeen Olivia Holt Facts Olivia was born in Tennessee but moved to Nesbit, Mississippi at the age of three. She used to do gymnastics in her childhood. She played it for continuous six years. Olivia has also done competitive cheerleading. She is a self-proclaimed chocolate lover. Olivia wants to go to Hawaii to see a volcano as she has never seen it in her lifetime before. She admires Colbie Caillat and Taylor Swift. She would also like to direct and write for a TV show or a complete film. She has a black belt in martial arts. Olivia says she is not good at dancing and would like to polish this skill. Holt’s song “Had Me @ Hello” had been featured on Girl vs. Monster soundtrack. For this song, she also won a Radio Disney Music Award in the category of “Best Crush Song” in 2013. Reese Witherspoon is her dream co-star, with whom she dreams to work with. She laughs too much – as stated by her official Twitter profile. She likes scary movies. She is not sisters with Claire Holt. She was a school president when she was in seventh grade. She has a good mind. She was in her school’s chess team. What Is a Gymnast's Diet? It takes energy to fuel flips, tucks and cartwheels, and that energy should come from a balanced, nutritious diet. Although the caloric needs of a gymnast depend on the individual, it's important to consume enough food per day to not only keep up with your training but also avoid health problems such as osteoporosis, lethargy or weakness. Talk to a sports nutritionist or health care provider to determine the ideal diet for peak athletic performance. DAY 1 BREAKFAST - 1 orange 1 boiled egg 1oz/30g wholemeal bread 2tsp low-fat spread LUNCH - 3oz/90g tuna fish Salad of lettuce, onions and 1 tomato 2 celery sticks 1oz/30g beetroot 2tsp salad cream 2 crisp breads 1 apple DINNER - 3oz/90g chicken without skin cook in casserole with 3oz/90g carrots 4oz/120g onions 2oz/60g parsnips 3oz/90g turnips 3oz/90g jacket potato 4oz/120g cooked green vegetables 1 pear DAY 2 BREAKFAST - Half grapefruit 1oz/30g bran cereal 2.5 fl oz/75ml natural yoghurt LUNCH - 3oz/90g lean ham 3oz/90g mixed bean salad (red/haricot/chick/butter) 1tsp chopped parsley 2oz/60g chopped onions Salad of lettuce, 1 tomato, cucumber and celery 2tsp vegetable oil 1 medium slice melon DINNER - Vegetable soup using 1 stock cube, and 6oz/180g celery, onion and carrot 4oz/120g white fish cooked with 4floz/120g skimmed milk, thickened with 1tsp cornflour and parsley 4oz/120g green beans 1tsp margarine 1 baked apple DAY 3 BREAKFAST - 4oz/120ml unsweetened orange or grapefruit juice 2oz/60g drained sardines 1oz/30g brown bread 2tsp low-fat spread 1 tomato LUNCH - 4oz/120g cottage cheese 2 crisp bread Salad of 1 tomato, celery, cucumber, grated carrot shredded cabbage, onion and red pepper 2tsp low-fat spread/cheese 1 banana DINNER - 3oz/90g sautéed onion in 2tsp vegetable oil with 3oz/90g liver and sauté for 7 minutes 3oz/90g cooked brown rice 4oz/120g spinach 1 tomato 4oz/120g mushrooms 4oz/120g fresh fruit salad 2.5oz/75ml natural yoghurt DAY BREAKFAST - 4oz/120g grapes 1 scrambled egg 1 tomato 1oz/30g brown bread 2tsp low-fat spread LUNCH - Macaroni cheese made with 3oz/90g cooked macaroni 2oz/60g grated cheese mixed with 3oz/90g mushrooms and 3oz/90g cauliflower 2floz/50ml skimmed milk Serve with salad 1 orange DINNER - 4oz/120g mackerel, canned or fresh 3oz/90g potato 3oz/90g peas 3oz/90g carrots 1 apple DAY 5 BREAKFAST - 3oz/90g stewed prunes with their juice 1.5/45g muesli 5fl oz/150ml natural yoghurt LUNCH - 3oz/90g baked beans 1 egg (not fried) 1oz/30g brown bread 2tsp low-fat spread Salad of grated cabbage, onion, carrot, celery and pepper 4oz/120g pineapple DINNER - 4oz/120g salmon, fresh or canned Cucumber 2oz/60g corn on the cob 2oz/60g green beans 2oz/60g pepper 2tsp low-fat spread 1 orange DAY 6 BREAKFAST - Half grapefruit 1 poached egg 1 tomato 3oz/90g mushrooms 1oz/30g wholemeal bread 2tsp low-fat spread LUNCH - 3oz/90g jacket potato filled with 3oz/90g shrimps Chopped parsley 2tsp low calorie salad cream Salad of lettuce, celery, cucumber, pepper, onion 1 pear DINNER - 4oz/120g cooked turkey without skin 3oz/90g cooked pasta mixed with 2oz/60g cooked peas 2oz/60g cooked celery 1tbsp chopped chives or spring onion 1tsp vegetable oil 4oz/120g spinach 5oz/120 blackcurrants 2.5fl oz/75ml natural yoghurt DAY 7 BREAKFAST - 4oz/120g pineapple 1oz/30g porridge 5fl oz/120ml skimmed milk 2tsp honey LUNCH - 3oz/90g lean beef 3oz/90g baked jacket potato 2tsp low-fat spread 4oz/120g spring greens 3oz/90g carrots 3oz/90g boiled parsnips 5oz/150g strawberries 2.5fl oz/75ml natural yoghurt DINNER - 3oz/90g canned drained pilchards Mixed salad of lettuce, tomato, celery cucumber and peppers 3 crisp breads 2tsp low-fat cheese 4oz/120g plums If you can't eat lunch at home, you can prepare meals beforehand and take them out with you. TAKE OUT - 2oz/60g low-fat cheese 2oz/60g brown bread roll Mixed salad 2tsp low-fat mayonnaise 1 orange TAKE OUT - 2oz/60g large bread roll and fill with Mixed salad 2tsp low-fat salad cream Other product (shrimp, ham or egg) This is a sample menu for just one week. Try to invent similar meals for a whole month to start you off, and then mix up the meals you have tried already with new ones for subsequent months |
Posture and Gymnastics
For athletes participating in sports like swimming and gymnastics, there is a need to assume a totally different body posture compared to other sports to be able to compete well. This posture can carry over to their
personal lives as well, and one can easily identify a swimmer or gymnast by the particular way they stand, walk or carry themselves.
While football and basketball are “leg based” sports, swimmers and gymnasts have assimilated a decidedly hunchbacked posture because of the “hand based” orientation of their particular athletic activities. The
hunchbacked posture in gymnastics is part of the sport’s proper form and is known as “hollowing out”. Constant training in this posture can lead to the athlete’s assuming the same form in the daily course of his or
her life, which is potentially a cause for serious injuries in the knee, shoulder, neck and lower back.
The Fundamental Athletic position in most land-based sports requires the athlete to assume a medium stance with the hips back, and the chest and head aligned with the spinal curves. This posture enables swift
movement forward, backward or sideways. It is the basic position assumed for squatting, dead-lifting and executing Olympic lifts, as well as to maximize leg, hip and back power during leaps and jumps.
A gymnast assuming the proper position hollows out the chest, pushes the head forward, tucks the hips in and contracts the spine. The only instance when a gymnast takes on the fundamental athletic position is
during landings or dismounts.
Athletes beginning their gymnastics training at a very young age while their bones are still undergoing growth and development will encounter problems with the gymnastic posture. This is especially true when they
reach puberty and the end of their growth cycle. The “hollowing out” posture, and even the specific manner gymnasts are required to run, can become a fixed posture for young gymnasts, and this can cause serious
and long-lasting side effects when they are older.
Most gymnastics programmes aggressively cultivate this peculiar posturing in young gymnasts. Strength and conditioning exercises have been geared to develop exactly that training gymnasts in the required stance,
thereby generating imbalance. This is a great disadvantage for female gymnasts who are made to forgo upper body conditioning altogether.
Former parallel bars gymnast, Mark Alexander, having worked with fellow athletes for more than 30 years, has observed that most female gymnasts from the Elite level are unable to perform push-ups or maintain a
sturdy handstand. Most gymnastics clubs have misguidedly neglected to encourage flexibility exercises among their gymnasts, instead leaving them to fend for themselves.
Alexander’s first sport was gymnastics, and at the age of 14 started a mostly skill-based training. He remembers having experienced mastering tricks before being aware of any inherent weakness, and without even
attempting to develop basic strength. The sport principles require that a gymnast lands and remains grounded, or “stuck” in the same landing position. For this reason, most gymnasts executed landings with rigidly
straight legs, bending only at the hips to establish balance. The result of this is an L5 – S1 fusion that could go undetected for a great number of years. Because of a lack of leg strength or proper lumbar curve
positioning, dislocated knees were a frequent occurrence during attempts to “stick” a full twisting back.
As an analogy, consider gymnastics training as jumping off a roof and landing motionless with legs straight. Jump over and over, dozens of times each day, six days a week, over a period of several years. The impact
generated by these landings is way beyond the gymnast’s body weight. And the higher the altitude of the jump, the more force is involved. Landing mats are a mere token, and seldom help. Floors in gymnasiums act as
mini-trampolines, allowing young athletes to soar to ill-recommended heights. Although there are foam pits available to cushion landings, they prevent the athlete from actually learning how to steady their bodies for
an actual competition.
Without the needed leg, hip and back conditioning allowing a gymnast to assume the correct position during landing, instead of diffusing, the impact is centred into the joints and bones. This is the explanation behind
the never-ending injuries sustained by Elite and lower-ranked gymnasts. Most of these injuries last long into retirement.
Mark Alexander specialized in the parallel bars and was awarded a full athletic scholarship by the University of Iowa in 1975. He was captain of the University gymnastics team from 1976 – 78.
Recommendations
Due to the unhealthy postures called for by sports like gymnastics and swimming, it is extremely crucial for athletes to establish a strengthening programme to balance out their bodies. This will enable them to return to
a normal and healthy body position after having temporarily assumed the required stance during practice and performance of their sport.
General Flexibility Is A Must
Looking at gymnasts perform, one would think that they are among the most flexible humans on earth. This is a misconception. Upon close observation, one will find that only certain body parts that they frequently
utilize in the sport are flexible, and only so to a certain degree.
Locked Ankles
Much like ballet dancers, gymnasts spend most of their waking lives on their toes. This has an averse affect on the ankle’s range of motion. Most gymnasts are unable to perform dorsi-flexion, or being able to bend their
ankles the other way. Much worse, many find it impossible to get their ankles to assume a neutral stance, which is considered the normal position for ankles. This poses a serious complication on the ability to run well,
and to perform safer and better quality landings through the proper movement of the knees over the toes, allowing the hips and buttocks to work as they should.
Stretching and strengthening exercises performed on the gastroc, soleus, and anterior tibialis will result in better ankle conditioning, less ankle injuries (e.g., rolled ankles – a frequent injury); more stuck landings, and
improved overall performance power.
Unfortunately, the answer that most gymnastics programmes have for ankle conditioning is to require more toe raises, greatly conflicting with gymnasts’ need for safer strengthening programmes. Five to six hours a
day of pointing and leaping off one’s toes can exact a heavy toll in terms of injuries.
Taut And Unstable Hamstrings
Apparently, stretching exercises have all but been discarded by most gymnastics programs. Only a precious few minutes of stretching is allowed before launching into the proper training. It is for this exact reason that
female gymnasts have very tight hamstrings. This is caused by the continuous pelvic tucking present in each gymnastic activity. In doing so, they are in effect shortening the muscle by bringing its origin and insertion
closer to each other for several hours each day.
The same is true for people who sit for a living. The knee flexor and hip extender portions of the hamstring are shorter in people who maintain long sitting positions everyday. Being in a sitting position the whole day
takes the lumbar curve off the spine – the primary aim of every gymnast. It’ll score well with the judges, but spell disaster for performance power and the lower back.
Static and dynamic hamstring stretches, especially using the PNF techniques will add strength and enhance performance power.
Conversely, weak hamstrings are another problem, particularly the portions near the hips and buttocks. As most gymnastics moves involve tumbling and jumping off the toes, a greater portion of leg power develops at
the quadriceps. Not using a muscle causes that muscle to degenerate, and this is what happens to the underused hamstrings. A gymnast’s hips are also frequently tucked under, and this leads to very minimal activity
for the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius. As a consequence, gymnasts have a harder time executing stick dismounts from a height of 20 feet, due to a very unstable hip area.
For the hip to extend fully, the muscles of the buttocks require a neutral or arched spine. A tucked hip and a round lower back eventually leads to weak glutes.
To develop correct lumbar curves and strengthen the back, hips and glutes, including the hamstrings and quadriceps, a series of exercises involving squats, kettleball swings, snatches, windmills and dead-lifts are
recommended. Use a stability ball to improve basic balance and body control. Proper execution of one-legged, no arm hip extensions will determine the extent of upper hamstring strength.
More importantly, a coach is needed who is cognizant of the risks of gymnastics-related injuries, and is educated enough to advocate the use of stretching and strengthening exercises. A lot of injuries and physical
imbalances can be corrected if a coach is concerned enough about conditioning gymnasts’ bodies instead of pushing them to learn the latest release moves.
Working The Spine
One of the causes of abdominal and spinal erector imbalance is a constantly tucked pelvic posture. A warm-up of spine stretching should counteract frequent trunk flexion common in a majority of gymnastics
manoeuvres. The absence of spine extensions will result in grave back problems.
Instituting an effective strength training program tuned towards the basics of squats and dead-lifting will minimize most back injuries. Consider viewing gymnastics as a series of plyometric exercises, and before
performing any of them, appropriate warm-ups, like squatting double bodyweight need to be executed. Looking at the injury rate in gymnastics, one might be of the opinion that none of these athlete’s bodies are ready
for gymnastics at all.
The problem lies with the fact that most gymnastic coaches are former gymnasts themselves, and the system they use to train their athletes is the very same system by which they were trained. If and when they do
implement strength conditioning exercises, it typically involves using a bodybuilding hypertrophy program, which is something that gymnasts do not need. Rather than allowing them to achieve their desired athletic
goals, it impedes sport development and leads to higher injury risk. A gymnast needs an exceptionally high strength to weight ratio and great relative strength. To accomplish this end, low repetition training in the basic
moves will strengthen their fundamentals and actually allow them to lose weight without having to starve themselves. As previously mentioned, eating disorders are prevalent in this sport. Supplementing their training
with correctly performed kettleball swings will also help to work off any excess weight.
After using this technique, gymnasts realized how well this benefited them and adapted this method immediately. As they have already mastered the art of tightness and how to achieve maximum tension, all they need is
the proper coach.
Supple Shoulders
The problem with habitual hollowing of the chest is that it causes very tight pectorals, front deltoids, biceps, lats and teres major. Apart from the excessive training and overdevelopment it gives the rectus abdominus,
poor shoulder flexibility in female gymnasts and zero external rotator work can lead to bad shoulder injuries.
Focusing more on dynamic “flexibility” training offsets the possibility of discovering shoulder limitations until the injury actually occurs. One solution to avoid shoulder injury is to perform slow stick dislocates to
condition and add shoulder flexibility.
For male gymnasts, inflexible shoulders are not the main concern. Training and performance on the rings opens up the shoulders, but this can bring about totally different shoulder problems relating to extreme rom
and excessive rotator cuff motion.
A male gymnast performing on the rings puts a huge strain on his shoulder girdle. Doing isolation rotator training with bands and dumbbells, working the transverse, sagittal and frontal planes, will help in stabilizing
the shoulders. Adding exercises targeted at the rear deltoid and rhomboid also aids in counterbalancing gymnastics training and lessens the risk of injury.
Speaking from his experience as a gymnast during the 1970’s, Mark Alexander remembers acquiring chronic shoulder bursitis and tendonitis, before fully dislocating his shoulder while working the rings, effectively
ending his gymnastics career. He recommends that coaches take injuries more seriously, as a lot of the injuries in young athletes show up later as arthritis in their thirties and forties.
Conclusion
The solution to a more balanced gymnastics programmes lies in strength training and conditioning, instead of concentrating on gymnastics specific exercises. Constant evaluation and assessment of young gymnasts’
bodies will afford them a better foundation of healthy posture and physical stability.
While striving to train the next Olympic gold medallist is a lofty aim, pressuring athletes to conform to rigid and risky standards is not only unreasonable, but also dangerous. Less than 1% of young children who begin
gymnastics training make it to the Olympics. Exposing thousands of young bodies to the risks of injury and long-term affliction makes no sense given the statistics.
Finally, gymnastics coaches need to be re-educated on new training methodologies involving strength and rehabilitative training, and equipping them with more knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, kinesiology and
basic free weight training.
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