PMF Gymn Notes Berrini

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GYMNASTICS NOTES February 17th & 18th, 2018

HOST

COACHES

CrossFit Berrini Sao Paulo, Brazil

Dave Durante
 @davedurante
 &
 Kevin Montoya
 @coach.km

GYMNASTICS MANUAL

REPEATED TAKE HOME POINTS BE PATIENT These movements don't develop overnight. Take your time and accept that it is a process. TAKE PRIDE IN THE PROCESS.

LIMIT FRUSTRATION All it does is takes you away from moving in a positive direction. No room for this attitude if you want to truly make progress.

LOCK OUT ELBOWS This is difficult for most people, but critical to proper movements. Gets us away from relying so much on strength, and gets us to a joint extension position that is resting on the skeletal structure which is much stronger and more efficient. Translates to many of the Olympic lifts as well (i.e.: overhead positions, pressing action, etc.).

PARTNER UP We use partners for a number of things in gymnastics. It is a great tool to help learn skills. Not only does it open up a variety of exercises you wouldn't be able to do otherwise, but it also helps you understand the positions and movements much better because by allowing you to be visual. You can see the correct and incorrect positions with a partner that you would otherwise overlook. Makes you think about the skills from a different perspective.

LEARN TO SPOT Goes along with partnering up. Once you build a relationship with a partner and you understand how people do certain skills, you can spot effectively, so partner can work on movement without worry. Spotting is an untapped resource we need to tap into.

SLOW DOWN TO SPEED UP Trust me when we tell you, if you are willing to take the time to slow down and focus on perfecting technique with gymnastics movements, you will progress more quickly and reduce injury. Gymnastics skills are very technical. Foundation needs to be set firmly in place to allow for longevity and true competency. Have faith, and slow down...it works.

POSITIONS OF MAXIMUM POTENTIAL The positions taught will prepare you for any standard thrown at you. Never train solely for a particular standard. Train for technique and any standard will be within your grasp. The positions taught here might be different than what you are accustomed to doing, but by making the change it will allow for more growth to higher level skills.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY Temper the need for instant gratification. We can give you all the tips and cues in the world, but unless you apply them back home on a regular basis, you will not see the improvement you desire. To truly master these movements, they take time and consistency to develop.

HIERARCHY OF GYMNASTICS MOVEMENT There is a hierarchy to how gymnastics movements need to be learned if the goal is to truly gain mastery of movement. Without sticking to this structure, it becomes virtually impossible to understand how to control and manipulate your body within positions. What is important to note about this hierarchy is that once an athlete graduates to the next level, it does not indicate that the previous level is never performed again. The previous levels are always worked on and improved upon. The next level becomes an added dimension to training.

PHASE 1: CREATION OF SHAPES AND BODY AWARENESS This step is fundamental to all movement and is the building block for all future steps. This step revolves around 2 key components. The first is core-centric exercises which help to develop the understanding of what an athlete’s body is doing within space and time. The second piece is flexibility work. Consistent, daily, full body flexibility training is critical to allow for creation of correct body shapes. Within this step, an athlete develops an understanding of how to connect the dots between what they think is happening with their body when attempting a particular position and what reality looks like. Almost all the time, those two pieces are very different from each other, especially for beginners.

PHASE 2: CONTROLLED ACTION AND STATIC HOLDS Prior to appreciating movement that involves speed and/or momentum, an athlete must learn how to hold positions. This is the strength and stability building stage. Being able to control body movement through slow tempo and static holds, an athlete creates not only a higher level of understanding, but also increases activation of key muscle groups that do not always fire properly during dynamic action. Slowing down will allow any athlete to speed up more efficiently.

PHASE 3: DYNAMIC ACTION This is the phase most athletes jump to right away. Swinging/kipping action can be exciting and fun, but can also lead giving an athlete a false sense of understanding movement. Completing a specific skill one time should never be the end goal. Without phases 1 and 2, an athlete can never fully grasp the full potential of dynamic action. If phases 1 and 2 are in place, the range of skills and drills an athlete can achieve increases exponentially. The process takes a time, but anything worth achieving takes consistency. That process is the great separator between the good athletes and the great. Take pride in the process. Appreciate the incremental gains and the skills will not only come, but they will stay for the long term. One of the most frustrating things that can happen to an athlete is learn a movement, have it perfect one day, then forget how to do it the next. Many times the reason why this happens is that steps one and two were skipped and an athlete made a skill more out of luck rather than true understanding. Our goal is to achieve a skill and to make it stick for the long term.

PHASE 4: CREATION OF SEQUENCES/COMPLEXES This is the pinnacle of the gymnastics world. Combining the skills learned in phases 1, 2, and 3 performing them with ease. For a gymnast, this essentially equates to some form of a routine (parts, 1/2 routines, full routines) that would be performed in competition. For the fitness world, this would equate to a complex where a variety of movements are combined. In the gymnastics world, the goal is to make the near impossible seem effortless. Gymnasts have to take aesthetics into account, but aside from making things look pretty, there is function in working to make things look effortless. It allows for an athlete to create efficiency. This efficiency can be applied to complexes in the same way they are applied to gymnastics routines, which in turn allows for conservation of energy during long intensity based workouts. As the fitness world strives toward more intricate complexes, there is greater need for appreciation and application of phases 1, 2, and 3. Skipping steps only leads to dead ends, so take the time to learn the body weight movement and gymnastics exercises in the proper order

WARM UP Every workout should start with a proper warm up that raises core temperature. Ideally, we would want to incorporate a full body warm up each day, but with limited time constraints for a class setting, we must be diligent with the structure of our warm up. Structure the daily warm up around the skills that will be performed in your daily workout taking extra time to warm up body parts that will be heavily used.

Theraband Shoulder Sequence: A theraband can be a fantastic tool for any athlete. If you go to any gymnastics gym or competition, you will see most gymnasts using an elastic band of some kind to warm up. It is an inexpensive and portable training tool that every athlete should have in their arsenal. The sequence taught in the Power Monkey Clinic is the “Durante Shoulder Warm Up”. Many of the straight arm exercises in the sequence will also assist with elbow conditioning prep. - Power Monkey Fitness: Theraband Sequence 1 - Power Monkey Fitness: Theraband Sequence 2

4 Basic Body Positions: (1) Tuck: Create a ball shape with body, attempting to become as compact as possible. Drop chin to chest, and both knees and hips are flexed. Toes pointed. There are 2 versions of the tuck position. Positive Tuck (knees into chest for maximum efficiency) and Negative Tuck (knee bent, but hip angle open at 180 degrees).

(2) Pike: Legs stay straight and back stay flat bringing chest down to legs. Toes pointed. Objective is deep compression.

(3) Straddle: Legs are separated at varying degrees. Can be with open or closed hip angle. Knees straight and toes pointed. Hips also externally rotated so knees/feet are pointed up towards sky.

(4) Layout: Body is completely extended in one line. Legs are together and knees are straight. Toes pointed.

National Team Warm-Up Breakdown (1) Jogging Sequence

(2) Walking Sequence

Light jog

Wrist rolls: into horizontal/Vertical arm extensions

Side shuffles (both sides)

Arm circles: Single arm (5x each direction): arm stays close to body and elbow stays straight; Both arms (10x each direction): arms stay close to body and elbows stay straight.

High knees

Walking lunges (5x each leg)

Butt kicks (heels to butt)

Walking pike stretch: keep knees straight and bend at hips. Try and reach fingertips down to ground as you walk. Ideally, you would want to work towards putting palms flat down on ground with each step.

Run backwards

(3) 4 exercises in Sequence

(4)

Standing Stretching Sequence:

Jumping Jacks (10 reps)

Neck circles (3 each direction): very slow movement. Work on the range.

Straight Jumps (10 reps): arms up over

Hip circles (3 each direction): start in straddle stand. Range is important here as

head, keep core tight and feel like you are

well. As big of circles as possible.

bouncing just off of balls of feet. Try keeping knees straight throughout

Torso circles (3 each direction): same as previous exercise, but with each circle,

movement.

whole torso goes down as well. Create large circular motion with whole body.

Push-ups (I0 reps): elbows tucked in by

Knee circles (15-20 sec hold): hands on knees, feet together. Move knees in all

sides moving through full range of motion.

directions. Bending, straightening, and circular actions.

V-ups (10 reps): lay down on back on floor in complete extension. Lift arms/

Crouch down (10 sec hold): with feet together, crouch all the way down trying to

torso and legs off ground. Balance on butt

keep heels flat on the ground. Hit bottom position, just as you would on

bringing hands in contact with toes before

squatting, and stay in bottom for duration of exercise. This stretch is a good

lowering body back dawn to extended

indication of your ankle flexibility

position. Straddle single leg knee bends (10 sec hold): starting in straddle stand, bend one knee and crouch all the way down. Keep knee in line with toes and attempt to have heels flat on the ground. Use arm on same side to keep knee from drifting inward. Repeat on opposite leg. Sumo stretch (10 sec hold): starting in straddle stand, bend knees. Put elbows on inner leg area and use them to push knees out. Sink deep down into squat position and shift back and forth a bit from side to side.

(5) Seated Stretching Sequence

(6)

Split Stretches: Stretch 1: on knees, put one leg forward. Keep front knee straight and attempt

Pike Stretch (5 sec leg lock out…relax and sink deeper into stretch x 3 reps): knees straight, feet together, and flat back. Go down as far as you can in good position. Can shift back and forth from side to side.

to bring chest down towards knee with a flat back. Put one hand down on each side of leg for balance and to make sure hips are squared up. Stretch 2: staying with the same leg forward, bend the front knee and attempt to push the back leg hip flexor down to the ground. Again, put hands down on either side of you front leg for balance. Move around within the stretch and find where you are getting the most out of the stretch.

Straddle/Pancake Stretch (5 sec leg lock out…relax and sink deeper into stretch x 3 reps): sit with legs at 90 degrees, no wider. Same instruction as pike stretch. Try to have

Stretch 3: Full Split. Repeat on both legs.

knees and feet externally rotated.

(7) Stretches from knees

(8) Lay Down Sequence

Sit back on heels, and lean back getting a good quad stretch. From here, stretch out wrists by

Lay down flat on stomach and have right arm underneath body, across

putting palms down on the ground in all directions

your chest. Bend right elbow to 90 degrees∘and with left hand, push right

and shifting weight on each side. If you are on a

hand down towards floor (externally rotating). Making sure to keep arm at

soft surface, you can put back of hands on

same angle the entire time, bring hand down towards ground in other

ground as well and stretch wrist in the opposing

direction (internally rotating). Repeat action on both arms.

direction.

Cat Stretch: from knees, reach hands out in front, placing finger tips down on ground. Keep elbows straight and try pushing arm pits down towards the ground. Try getting a nice back arch going to facilitate the stretch. To get a deeper stretch on each side, you can bend elbow on one side, shift weight to that shoulder, and try pushing arm pit to the ground with that bent arm. Repeat

Crossover Shoulder Stretch: lay down flat on stomach and have arms out to side (perpendicular to body). Roll towards the right side so weight is now on right shoulder and left leg/arm are off the ground. Use left leg as a guide to put more pressure on that shoulder. The more you move the left leg to the right side, the more stretch you will get in that right shoulder. Repeat action on opposite side.

action on other side.

Seal Stretch (Cobra Stretch): shift forward from cat stretch and have your arms locked out holding your torso off the ground. Your hands should be in line with your shoulders and your body should be in a big arch shape. Only your lower half should be in contact with the ground. You can shift

Crossover Hamstring/Glut Stretch: lay down flat on stomach, arm straight overhead. From here, roll to the right, and as you roll leave left leg crossing body. Grab left knee (leg should be bent) with right hand and pull knee up towards chest/down towards ground. Do your best to keep left shoulder down flat on ground during this stretch. Move around within

weight from side to side to get more pressure on

stretch to get the best result for your level of mobility. Repeat on other

each arm.

side.

(9) Achilles Stretch

(10) Weight on Hands From this pushup position, attempt to get some weight onto hands by jumping off ground towards a handstand. Doing a handstand is NOT

Get in push-up position and work on an achilles

important here. What is important is being in a correct position. Hands

stretch by pushing heels down towards the

should be shoulder width apart, fingers facing forward and spread apart,

ground. Vary it up with both straight and bend

and elbows should be locked out the entire time. Jump off the ground,

knees while doing the stretch and shifting weight

trying to get hips over shoulders as best as possible. If you feel yourself

from one side to the other. Hold the stretch in a

bending your arms, don’t jump as high. Again, with this drill it is more

static position for a few seconds, but also bounce

important to feel some weight on your hands than it is to do a full

back and forth a bit to get that tendon moving.

handstand. Focus on being in a good position rather than going to complete inversion. If you feel strong and can do it technically correct, go for the handstand. Repeat 10-15 times.

(11)

Back Bridge Using a variety of scaling options (box, stall bars, etc.), the bridge helps build flexibility as well as strength in the arch position. Strength and flexibility in the shoulders as well as the posterior chain are critical in achieving this skill.

HANDSTAND MECHANICS TRIUMVIRATE OF HANDSTAND EXERCISES ALL THREE ARE CRITICAL TO LEARNING A PROPER HANDSTAND

STRENGTH

POSITION

STABILITY

POINTS OF PERFORMANCE W/ PROPER HANDSTAND 1. Hands shoulder width apart (defined as middle finger to outside of shoulder) 2. Elbows locked out 3. Fingers spread wide w/ middle finger directing to 12 o’clock 4. Head in neutral position (ears in line with shoulders) but gaze set to fixed point between thumbs 5. Body fully stacked (feet over hips, hips over shoulders, shoulder over hands) 6. Lower back in posterior pelvic tilt or hollow position. No lower back arch.

HANDSTAND WARM UP EXERCISES & ACCESSORY DRILLS [1) PVC Pass-through Neutral and full grip around PVC. Start with hands as wide as possible where elbows stay locked out and both shoulders pass through together. Head to toe stays in one straight line (no piking or arching). When passing through vertical, drive hands/PVC through ceiling elongating the body as much as possible. Keep full grip intact throughout action.

(2) PVC Compression/0verhead Extension PVC starts behind back with palms facing forward. Hands start closer together than width used with pass-through. Chest compresses down towards knees as arms extend overhead. Knees and elbows remain locked out. Hold end position for 5 seconds before returning to stand. Add weight to PVC if/when position becomes manageable.

(3) Partner Shoulder Stretches Stretch l: Seated position with legs extended. Arms fully extended overhead. Spotter stands behind athlete interlocking arms. Athlete's arms shoulder width apart. Spotter drives knees into scapula of athlete and leans shoulders back. Slow and controlled stretch, with spotter communicating with athlete throughout.

Stretch 2: Same seated start as stretch 1. Athlete brings arms around the back keeping torso vertical. Spotter brings in hands towards each other. If hands can clasp, bring hand up towards vertical. Slow and controlled stretch, with spotter communicating with athlete throughout

(4) Wrist Pushups ▪ Progression I: start on knees with fists on the ground, shoulder width apart. Very light fist pressure on ground. Push up from fist to back of hand. Elbows locked throughout. This is a wrist range of motion exercise.

▪ Progression 2: wrist pushups on knees. Keep weight/butt back as far as possible to allow for proper building of strength/flexibility. Be patient with this exercise...takes time to build to next progression. Only bend elbows as much as athlete can handle when first starting out. Not necessary to get chest fully to ground.

▪ Progression 3: full wrist push-ups. From back of hand push up to fists, then back down to back of hand. Repeat action. Will take significant time to build to this version.

(5) Body Tighteners Lay down flat on stomach with hands overhead pressing hands into wall. Mimic handstand position, but instead of being vertical body is horizontal. Try to push arm pits down towards ground and roll hips under (posterior pelvic tilt). Keep feet together, knees locked out and feet firmly on ground. Hold 10 seconds tight position before releasing.

(6) Partner Kick Ups Spotting is key to this drill. Spotters stand on side with midlines aligned where athlete’s hands are on ground. Spotters should be prepared for an aggressive or timid kick up. Primary spotter will grab kick leg off the ground, holding around hamstring and quad. Secondary spotter will grab lunge leg around hamstring and quad. DO NOT wait for leg to come to hand of spotter. Spotter must go to the leg to ensure a safe and comfortable kick up.

(7) Box Rocks Used to help athletes open shoulder angle for handstand position. Can be done with or without a spotter. Place feet/knees on box. Set up so that hips are stacked over hands. Let shoulders drift forward over hands, then push head/shoulders towards box working towards getting armpits to box. Drill should be done without any pain in shoulders. Slow and controlled throughout range.

(8) Handstand Rocks Similar objective to Exercise 7. Start with hands close to the wall and slowly move further away as position becomes more comfortable/stable. Move slowly throughout action.

HANDSTAND PUSH-UPS

POINTS OF PERFORMANCE



1. Tripod Position: equidistant triangle. Find equal weight distribution among all 3 points (hand, hand, head). Top of head on ground, not forehead. 2. Train for the highest level version of any skill. NOT JUST THE STANDARD. 3. Understand the angle needed (finding equal weight distribution) for freestanding as well as "swooping" (transferring of weight from 3 points back to 2) on return to HS.

HSPU PROGRESSIONS [1) Headstand Push to Plank Great tool to help understand the angle with a freestanding HSPU as well as the sequence of events that happens when performing a freestanding HSPU. Start in headstand. Let body fall towards hands, then push to plank position. Remain hollow the entire time. **headstands in general should be a bigger part of an athlete’s handstand training.

(2) Downward Dog HSPU [from feet and knees) Being stacked is the key to making this work. Bring feet as close to hands as possible to allow hips to stack over shoulders. Create solid tripod position at the bottom position. On the return back to full elbow lock out, drive shoulders open to a full 180 degrees. If hamstring flexibility is an issue, bend knees. This scaling option can be challenging. Drop to knees prior to coming to tripod to shorten the lever and simply the exercise. This can be an excellent scaling option for most beginner athletes.

(3) Handstand Pushups with Box/PhysiobaII As a scaling option, a box can be used to assist with grasping the understanding of a HSPU position/action. Stay stacked with shoulders directly over hands to simulate the proper position. Knees on box if simplified version needed. If athlete feels comfortable with box, the difficulty can be increased by using a physioball. Place feet on ball get into stacked position and do same HSPU pattern. The instability of the ball will add an element of core strength/awareness to the movement.

(4) Handstand Pushups with Partner Positional drill (not strength drill). Spotters assist with descent into headstand, creation of body angle, as well as weight shift from 3 points back to 2 prior to being pulled back to starting handstand position.

(5) Headstand Set Up w/ wall Another positional drill. Main goal is to find optimal distance away from wall that allows for tripod to be put into place. Start in headstand with back of head close to wall. Elbows at 90 degrees and only heels touching wall. Push to handstand keeping elbows in and heels against wall throughout. One missing piece here will be the body angle we see during the freestanding versions.

6) Handstand Pushups [stomach facing wall] Position doesn't change when doing these against the wall. Keep working on keeping elbows in and hands facing forward. Hands will start a little further away from the wall to allow for the body angle to be put in place. Stability will still be a nonfactor since feet are up against wall. Doing with socks and a smooth surface allows for the best result.

HANDSTAND WALKING

POINTS OF PERFORMANCE



1. Eye line 8-10 inches in front of hands. No longer neutral head position as seen with static handstand. 2. Body in uniform arch position (no broken shoulder angle). This arch (directed by feet) dictates the speed of the walk. The further the feet drift over the head, the more speed that can be generated. 3. Each hand placement is a bend and lock out technique. Elbow bent when hand off ground. Locked out when hand in contact with ground. 4. A shift happens from shoulder to shoulder with each step. This shift helps to find a balance point before hand comes down. The shift is initiated by the shoulders, not the hips.

HSPU PROGRESSIONS [1) Handstand Shifts [against the wall] Hands flat on ground (shift side to side feeling more weight on each shoulder). Move on to next progressions when ready...on finger tips, shoulder touches, side touches, one arm holds. DO NOT start with Shoulder Touches. Drill is about weight distribution, balance and control. NOT about ripping hand off ground and getting it back to ground before collapsing. Use scale option that allows for correct technique. If needed, start in plank position, then on box, and build towards more vertical position.

[2) Box Inverted Walks Starting in the same stacked position used in the box HSPU, walk around box on hands while feet stay firmly planted on the box. Drill is used to help understand the correct rhythm for hands when walking in inverted position. Each step should be done with a slow and controlled action.

(3) Partner Wheelbarrow Part 1: start in push-up position. Partner stands behind pulling feet off ground so body is parallel to ground. Walk across floor making sure to lock out elbows when hand comes in contact with ground. Keep core engaged, trying to stay in hollow position throughout movement. No twisting from the hips or shoulders while walking. Part 2: same exercise as above, but this time with feet on shoulders.

(4) Handstand Walks with Partner Partner spots in similar method to "partner kick ups" except everyone acts as a primary spotter (done only with 1 spotter). After getting the athlete vertical, spotter walks around so their stomach faces athlete's back. Partner pulls legs forward and dictates the speed of the handstand walk. While doing handstand, stay as tight as possible (keep legs together). Head should be slightly up and feet should be tilting forward as you walk. The gait should be just like walking on your feet, making sure to lock out elbows when hand is in contact with ground.

BAR WORK The goal of the Power Monkey bar station is to provide insight for building a solid foundation. Strength, technique, and basic positions are essential for learning and mastering all movements on the bar. We don't think in terms of competition standards (rep or no rep) but rather in terms of teaching quality movement that encourages individual progression, efficiency, and potential. This mindset lends itself to longevity, shoulder health, and a long life of pull ups!

[1) GRIP Over grip/pull-up grip with neutral false grip: This is the standard grip used for most skills. Thumbs should be around the bar to ensure the athlete's safety and to promote advancement of skills. Under grip/chin-up grip: This grip is useful for moderating strength exercises, specifically aiding in the training of upper body pulling strength and developing the top end range of the pull. Elgrip (Dorsal) Grip: Used specifically for certain gymnastics elements to increase difficulty. Not a grip you will need to be considering for basic level movements.

(2) Hang Variations We use the hang as way to test your bar height requirements. An athlete should be able to perform a full passive hang, making their body as long as possible (fully open shoulder angle) and not be able to touch the ground. This allows for maximum power generation once dynamic action enters into the skill.

Passive Hang: fully extended position, braced neutral/slight hollow global body position with shoulders covering ears. Have to get strong in this position to be fully capable with a fluid swing/kip action. Active Hang: Same body position as passive hang but with full engagement of the scapular supporting musculature. Ears should be visible and shoulder blades pulled down (depressed). Strength and positional awareness of this entire range is needed for maximum movement understanding.

(3) Scap Pull up Moving from a complete passive (relaxed) hang into an active hang position: - full grip on bar - head neutral throughout - elbows locked out - initiate up in a straight movement through shoulder blades. - body stays in straight line throughout action (no arching) **Improving the range of motion and building strength through this full range will create higher potential for all dynamic variations on the bar as well as increase shoulder health.

(4) SCAP PULL UP --> 1/2 PULL UP Starting with the same scarp pull from previous drill, initiate pulling action from arm to help understand placement of body/arms during pulling phase (core to extremity) • keep elbows in line with shoulders and hand and pull only to a height where elbow angle is at 90 • maintain hollow body position (straight body) throughout pull • head neutral

[5) STRICT PULL UPS Starting from a full relaxed hang to as high as you can pull (peak pull) • full grip on bar • head neutral throughout • start the movement with a scap pull up (core to extremity) • elbows in on the pull • tight, straight (slightly hollow) body • pull as high as possible without a change in body position **For partner assist: partner should assist enough to allow a smooth pull with no change in speed or body position. Help the athlete around the waist to get to a higher position than they are able to get on their own. Athlete keeps pressure into the bar at the top on the way up and down to create stimulus in a new range

(6) PARTNER BAR HOLLOW-ARCH STRETCH Overhead range of motion plays a major role in the arch position (on and off the bar.) When an athlete is restricted in that position, the potential to generate power through a kip is limited, and the likelihood of injury is greater. • full grip on bar - elbows locked - head neutral • feet together - body relaxed • partner pushes on shoulder blades • communicate with partner for intensity adjustments - always push/lower slowly and with control • 10-15 sec holds in both hollow and arch

(7) CHEST/UPPER BACK BANDED KIP SWING DRILL The purpose of the drill is to teach the athlete to move through the shoulders • into the hollow and arch positions. • band at chest level (slightly higher or lower for females) • full grip • elbows locked out • head neutral • tight body with feet together • movement initiated through shoulders • hollow and arch feeling the stretch in the arch and hollow positions **ideally the bar height allows for a full swing through the bottom with hips/knees extended and toes pointed without making contact with the ground.

(8) KIP SWING Looking for all the same points of performance seen in the banded kip swing drill. • full grip • elbows locked out • head neutral • tight body with feet together • movement initiated through shoulders (not hips) • hollow and arch feeling the stretch in the arch and hollow positions. Angles are our enemy...curved shapes and straight lines are our friend. *ideally the bar height allows for a full swing through the bottom with hips/ knees extended and toes pointed without making contact with the ground

[6) KIPPING PULL UP + CHIN OVER BAR HOLD The focus of this drill is to: Assess strength at the top of the pull work on the straight (slightly hollow) position at the top of the pull If the body position is of at the top, there's a good chance that the rhythm will be thrown off. This is another opportunity to work on squeezing the body tight. No angle at the hip. No head tilt and eyes forward! 3 Versions of Descent: 1. C Shape: this version aggressively pushes shoulders away from bar from top of pull leading to a large circular downward action. This type of descent leads to an athlete working through a range of motion that is too dynamic (angle from shoulders, elbows, etc.). 2. I Shape: this version is seen with someone who has a strong pull, but very little shoulder/t-spine mobility. The descent is very vertical and each rep relies on a strict action with no efficiency from the swing. This athlete needs to spend much more time on mobility and kipping mechanics on their own. 3. J Shape: this is the preferred descent. Chin away from bar on descent with more vertical drop in mind. Once head clears bar, shoulders drive forward hitting arch position when at peak front swing. Timing and position of this descent is critical in maximizing the full potential of the swing.

(10) SPOTTED VARIATIONS OF KIPPING PULL UPS Spotting from the side, hands on the lower back and hamstring, this variation of spotter assistance has potential utility in helping athletes feel the rhythm of the swing, especially the push away to hollow body "down" swing between reps. Spotted strict pull ups, partner spots from the hips which reinforces correct global body position and overall tightness.

(11) BAR MUSCLE UP TURNOVER DRILL (Between PANEL MATS/PLATES)

Core flexion work is typically done in high rep (endurance based) effort’s. The bar muscle up requires a fast turnover. The goal behind this drill is to train to flex fast and create upward & forward momentum lie flat with arms between 2 panel mats tight body (feet together, rib cage down) sit up fast into locked out support position with eyes forward - heels hit the floor on turnover or hold an L-sit move fast but maintain tension lowering the height of the mats will make this drill easier.

(12) BUILDING THE BAR MUSCLE UP The body position for the bar muscle up is an extension of the kipping pull up. They are the same skill along one single continuum. Mastering the fundamental hollow/arch positions in the swing and working strict pull up technique is essential for building a solid kipping bar muscle up. Learn to pull high in the kipping pull up with a tight, straight (slightly hollow) body and keep the eyes forward. Prioritize good body positioning with a high pull before worrying about the turnover and you will be in good shape :)

(13) DIFFERENT STYLES OF BAR MUSCLES UPS Strength bias: more vertical body position. Hybrid: slight front and back swing, arch is held longer in order to utilize some of the swing momentum to aid in arcing the shoulders over the bar.Glide kip/swing bias (demo).

(14) GYMNASTICS TAP SWING [HOLLOW, ARCH, KICK/SCOOP) Same positions we emphasized at the onset of the bars session. Now the positions and transitions between them can be used to generate swing, or power to move the body around the bar. These basic positions and gymnastics tap swing form the basis for a majority of the bar movements in the sport of gymnastics.

(15) LAYDOWN T2B Prioritization with this drill is to keep lower back on ground and bring legs up towards bar. Activation should be from hip flexors and abdominals, with minor let activation. Will create proper movement pattern for strict TTB. Great exercise to prevent excessive pull down seen with learning kipping version prior to strict.

(16) STRICT T2B/K2E Focus on the compression coming from a tuck under of the hips and not a lean back (push away from the bar) with the upper body. Compression is a combination of 4 elements. Two strength (hip flexors and abs) and two mobility (lower back and hamstrings). • Full grip • Elbows locked out • Slowly pull legs up • Control the movement (get as high as possible without changing speeds or using momentum) • Spotter can help get the feet higher (lower slowly through the full range)

(17) KIPPING T2B (BUILDING DRILL)

Same idea as the pull up builds. Athletes are building correct movement patterns, positions, and strength. As mobility and strength improve concurrently, an athlete's T2B build should get higher without any deviation in basic technique. Same points of performance as the strict version in terms of body position: • Full grip • Tight global body position changes to generate power (hollow/arch) • Hit the hollow position then scoop the toes and tuck the hips under no shoulder angles • Each rep should pass through a full hang position directly under the bar

(19) BUILDING THE BAR MUSCLE UP The body position for the bar muscle up is an extension of the kipping pull up. They are the same skill along one single continuum. Mastering the fundamental hollow/arch positions in the swing and working strict pull up technique is essential for building a solid kipping bar muscle up. Learn to pull high in the kipping pull up with a tight, straight (slightly hollow) body and keep the eyes forward. Prioritize good body positioning with a high pull before worrying about the turnover and you will be in good shape :)

(20) DIFFERENT STYLES OF BAR MUSCLES UPS Strength bias: more vertical body position. Hybrid: slight front and back swing, arch is held longer in order to utilize some of the swing momentum to aid in arcing the shoulders over the bar.Glide kip/swing bias (demo).

(21) GYMNASTICS TAP SWING [HOLLOW, ARCH, KICK/SCOOP) Same positions we emphasized at the onset of the bars session. Now the positions and transitions between them can be used to generate swing, or power to move the body around the bar. These basic positions and gymnastics tap swing form the basis for a majority of the bar movements in the sport of gymnastics.

KIP MECHANICS MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY: INITIATION OF MOVEMENT FROM SHOULDERS

INEFFICIENT: INITIATION OF MOVEMENT FROM HIPS

GYMNASTICS SWING VISUAL GUIDE HOLLOW, ARCH, KICK (H.A.K)

STRICT MUSCLE UP Ring training can be broken down into 2 separate categories: ▪ Strict/Strength Based Movement ▪ Dynamic/Swing Based Movement * *Both components need to be worked on simultaneously to understand the proper building blocks to advanced skills. With this mentality in mind, please note that a proper swing needs to be mastered in conjunction with strict action to eventually apply to a skill such as a kipping muscle up. Any skill requiring a basic swing can never be fully mastered until the swing is in place and consistent.

FALSE GRIP/NEUTRAL GRIP: WHEN TO USE THEM? False grip will be utilized with any movements that are strict or strength based. Cutting down of the lever by creating an angle at the wrist will allow for a mechanical advantage. False grip is NOT used during dynamic action. Anything requiring a swing/kip will be from a neutral grip. The reason for this is because of gravity's work on the body. When coming through the bottom of a swing, the intention is to be at our absolute maximum bottom position so we can create a fluid swing. Any angles are our enemy and gravity will eventually pull us to the bottom point, no matter how strong an athlete is in a false grip ("GRAVITY ALWAYS WINS"). False grip in dynamic action will lead to slack. Slack leads to unnecessary stress. Stress leads to potential injury.

FASLE GRIP BALL DRILL Hold a ball in one hand (tennis, lacrosse, baseball, etc.) and wrap wrist around ring. Opposing free hand hangs on to ring in neutral grip. Attempt to hold on to ring by your wrist, not grabbing ring with your hand. This drill forces you to stay in false grip position, keying in on the locked in wrist position. Start out with free hand grabbing the other ring for support. Build to point of being able to support without second hand.

STRICT MUSCLE UP BREAKDOWN - 4 SECTIONS 1. SUPPORT At top point of muscle up, must get used to holding body in the correct support position. Head and chest are neutral, elbows are locked out, and keep body as tight as possible. The critical portion of this is to work on turning hands out (external rotation) as much as you can. Use the spotting technique discussed. Grabbing rings/hands and assisting with the external rotation, making sure to keep rings propped up against the sides of the person the whole it me. If person isn't quite ready for this support on rings yet, have them work on the support position on boxes, parallel bars, or placing parallettes on boxes to show off ring turn out position. Perfecting position on static apparatus should always be first line of defense prior to working towards dynamic apparatus. 2. PULL UP Make sure to keep hands/elbows as close to body throughout movement, pulling up as high as possible. When you hit the top of the pull up hold rings to chest for 2 seconds before coming down. This action should be done slowly. Objective is to always finish with shoulders as high above the rings as possible. This will allow for a much more manageable turn over/transition. Eye line stays on horizon and torso remains vertical through pull.



3. DIP Starts from the goad support position and goes all the way down as far as you can go. The bottom position is very important in building the deltoid strength and flexibility to be able to handle the turnover on a strict muscle up. Work on trying to get shoulder to be as close to top of hand as possible. Hold that bottom position for a couple seconds, before pushing back up. Working on these strict dips on a fixed apparatus (parallel bars), is an ideal way to build the strength and flexibility without worrying about the instability of the rings. If you have access to parallel bars/dip bars/boxes/etc., USE THEM! It is critical to perform dips safely to avoid any overextension of the joint. When performing a dip, work within a range where you can keep your shoulders neutral (no internal rotation). Keep ring the head up and eye line on a fixed paint will assist with this position.

Train your dip training as you train your squat training. Objective being to become STRONG, COMFORTABLE, AND FLEXIBLE (S, C, &F) in the bottom part of your dip in the same way you are working to become S, C, &F in you squat. Incorporation of more tempo and pause dips will be an incredibly valuable tool for any athletes training.

4. TURN OVER The hardest point of muscle up. First thing to remember is to keep rings against body and elbows in throughout this ac