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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report sprint training for vault off-season training program for 7-12yr old gymnasts valentin uzunov harbour city gymsports wellington new zealand abstract gymnastics coaches are well aware of the importance of a fast run-up for successful vaulting but often fail to devote sufficient time and training to this phase the consequences of which severely disadvantaged those gymnasts who do not have a naturally fast run the lack of attention paid to this phase in vaulting is reflected in available gymnastics specific literature coaching clinics and workshops on vault training the scope of this article is to present a 12 week off-season sprint training program for preadolescent gymnasts 7-12 years of age who have not had formal sprint training a detailed discussion is presented on the theoretical and practical application of the key concepts to effective sprinting for vault optimized running mechanics start of run-up and acceleration the methodology behind this program is based on current track and field coaching methods scientific literature on sprinting biomechanics and preadolescence speed and strength training principles improving the run-up speed of young gymnast is often the single best way to improving their vault in the begining thus the time spent in developing the gymnast sprinting ability is time well invested a well designed and effective sprint training program has benefits not only for improving the vaulting potential of a gymnast but also servers as a great lower body strength power coordination agility and plyometric training program for preadolescent gymnast without many of the potential risks of injury often attributed too more intense plyometric programs key words running vault run up leg conditioning vault approach introduction the importance of a fast run-up in vaulting is unquestionable particularly in all front entry vaulting handspring and round-off entry vaults there is a vast amount of scientific literature that has consistently concluded that the speed of the run-up is a critical aspect of successful vaulting 1-5 particularly as the difficulty of the vaults increase 6,7 not surprisingly sprint training in some form is advocated by majority if not all expert coaches giving presentations at clinics congresses and workshops as well as being included or at least mentioned in gymnastics coaching manuals 8,9,11-13 from a review of various gymnastics technical resources available to coaches useca united states elite women s coaching association vaulting videos personal videos from coaching clinics from us nz itl,ger vaulting videos from gymsmarts youtube keywords using combination of keywords gymnastics sprinting vaulting training various technical literature eg usag technique magazine gymnastics forums nz cep coaching manuals and textbooks the typical recommendations for sprint training in gymnastics seems to be predominantly based around the inclusion of various plyometric exercises skipping sprints tuck jumps bounding and lower body calisthenics exercises ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved eg single leg squats lunges towing sprints etc little or no detail is usually provide as to the purpose behind recommended exercise progressions between exercises program structure or consideration for what form of sprint training is suitable for gymnasts of various levels and ages running mechanics was often either overlooked or very briefly covered the typical recommendations included basic descriptions of the sprinting mechanics and the use of basic sprint training drills like high knee runs butt kicks bounders and sprints types eg progressive runs the presented technical and theoretical information presented in these commonly educational mediums seems inadequate given the importance of this phase to good vaulting and sometimes the information was technically incorrect or outdated when compared to modern sprint training literature for young athletes 14,23,24,25,27 there was little to no mention of optimal and contemporary training methods for developing proper running mechanics and no distinction was made regarding the different training methods required for gymnast of various ages sprint training and child motor development literature recommends that coaches of all sports should employ specialized modes of speed training for preadolescent adolescent and post adolescent athletes which consider differences in stages of child development and gender 14 8

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report 28 some coaches and research suggests that there are two critical periods during growth and development for speed training the first is during preadolescences 7-12 yrs of age 15,16,28 where children at these ages are shown to be be most responsive to coordination and movement speed training stimuli compared to earlier or later ages 16 the second is from 13-15yrs and older at which point improvements in speed are said to be predominantly the result of improved stride length and force development strength while actual improvements in speed of movements stride frequency begin to stagnate during this second critical period of development is also when boys and girls begin to show clear physiologically differences and consequently require different forms of training 16 28 it is during the first critical phase in preadolescences that gymnastics coaches should start their preadolescent gymnasts on a formal sprint training program which focuses on developing the gymnasts running technique start of runup acceleration in order to develop the foundation for more advanced vaulting earlier and more effectively despite the emphasis made by expert coaches and coaching texts on the importance of maximizing run-up speeds for vaulting the author feels that based on his review of available english gymnastics coaching resources compared to a selection of sprint training methods used in athletics for preadolescent sprinters gymnastics sprint training methods using in gymnastics are only partially effective with majority of benefits can most likely be attributed to natural growth and development rather than training adaptations this unfortunately hinders slower non natural sprinters who with proper training could increase their sprint speed significantly and improving their performance in vaulting and tumbling the following article presents a 12 week sprint training program specific for gymnastics vault training based on modern sprint training methods used by athletics sprint coaches and available scientific literature on sprint training develop base level of isotonic leg strength and general anaerobic fitness in preparation for weeks 5-12 teach the sprint specific drills and exercises this is the main focus of this block asses base level of performance at start week 5-8 table 2 continue increasing isotonic leg strength introduce acceleration training perfect sprint specific drills and increase their intensity and volume week 9-12 table 3 acceleration becomes main focus and maintain/continue to improve leg strength maintain level of intensity and volume of sprint specific drills test final performance level after the program has been competed its advised that the gymnast/s have a recovery week its advised that speed drills and acceleration drills from week 9-12 be continued as part of warm-up or vault training during the competitive season to maintain and continue to encourage good running mechanics subjects the program presented in this article is best suited for preadolescent gymnasts aged between 7-12 years of age based on the limited research of its kind it is during this ontogenic period that children show an increased reception to motor coordination learning and speed development training stimuli 16 there is also little to no differences in physical abilities between boys and girls during this ages 14 making the program equally suitable for both genders program sprint specific drills are always performed first these can be done either as part of the general warm-up or a vault specific warm-up its important that these drill are done when the gymnast is fresh and better able to coordinate the drill movement patterns especially when first learning these drills acceleration drills when possible should be done before the strength training component because these drills require maximal effort and speed of movement which is not possible following intense strength training the strength component also requires maximal effort but not failure in movement and should be done if possible lasts this can be done as part of vault conditioning at the beginning of vault training as speed improvement is the main focus during this part of the season and not technical proficiency or consistency the strength exercises are performed in a superset format all exercises are performed 1 cycle at a time with small 30sec rests between exercises and at the end of each cycle this was done in order to accommodate the need for sufficient recovery between sets while also taking into account that most clubs have strict 9 methodology the recommended program runs over a 12 week course this time frame has been shown to be of sufficient length to elicit improvements in sprint performance with untrained preadolescent children mean age 10-11 and elite soccer players mean age 11 19,20 the program is divided into three 4-week training blocks each having a specific training objectives but also provide continued progression between blocks the exercises selected have a specific function and rationale detailed in appendix i the program should be performed at least twice a week and no more than 3 times with at least 2 days between consecutive sprint trainings different aspects of the program can be incorporated at different parts of the gymnasts regular workout such in the warm-up vault training leg conditioning etc week 1-4 table 1a and b ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report time constraints to work with appendix i provides a strength super set description and merit of each exercises single-leg squats 3 weeks 1-4 drill 5-7 1-2min view view view view table 1a ­ sprint training drills week 1-4 sets reps 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 floor length 10m floor length 10m floor length 10m floor length 10m floor length 10m floor length 10m 10 times each leg video view view view view view drop squats to single-leg long jump 3 5 ea 1-2min leg 5-7 1-2min marching ­ no arms marching with arms high knees butt kicks a-skip b-skip pawback squat jump onto 3 raised surface jump swiss ball hamstring 3 curls single-leg calf raise 3 10 ea 1-2min leg 15 1-2min perform these exercises in supersets with exercises of the same color weeks 9-12 sprint training drills week 9-12 the same as week 5-8 however at this point the gymnast should be aiming to technically perfect each drill by increasing the speed of movement intensity execution exactness volume is retained the same table 3 strength and acceleration program week 9-12 table 1b ­ strength and acceleration program week 1-4 exercise acceleration fast arms sets reps rest 3 30sec 1 20sec betw sets 1min video view view exercise acceleration sets reps rest video acceleration ladder 10 strength super set squat jump 3 5 10 ea 10 5 5 1-2min 1-2min 1-2min 1-2min 1-2min view view view acceleration ladder 7 sprint starts towing sprints 5 5 3 1 1 1 8 1min 2min perform betw towing sprints betw exercises view single-leg calf raise 3 hamstring curls long jumps drop squats 3 3 3 ankling 15m wall march drill view fast arms with 3 1.1lbs arm weights stair sprints 3 30sec betw exercises 10 30sec betw reps weeks 5-8 sprint training drills week 5-8 the same as listed in table 1b however the marching without arms drill is removed and the distance covered is increased to 20m vault run way during this training block greater emphasis is placed on perfecting the drills increased speed of movement is also required table 2 strength and acceleration program week 5-8 strength super set lateral step-up jumps depth jump 35cm to rebound 3 3 7 8 10 15 1-2min view 1-2min 15view 30sec betw reps 1-2min 1-2min view exercise acceleration acceleration ladder starts sub max resisted starts ankling 10m sets reps rest video swissball hamstrings 3 curls 1 leg single-leg calf raise 3 perform these exercises in supersets with exercises of the same color 10 5 5 1 1 1 30sec 1min do ankling drill view do resisted run view discussion up until puberty boys and girls tend to progress equally in sprinting ability 14 16 37 this has been demonstrated in numerous cross-sectional studies on children between 5-18 yrs of age involved in sport and school based physical education classes the results from these studies have also 10 fast arms with arm 3 weights 1.1lbs stair sprints 3 30sec 20sec betw sets 6 30sec betw reps ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report shown that there are several sensitive or critical periods in motor development/function were the learning of certain types of motor skills is accelerated 37 there are three proposed critical periods the first critical period is in infancy or early childhood the second critical period appears at the age of 7 to 9 years and the third during puberty there are some discrepancies in these ages between research but for most part these are the average ages ranges differ by only a few years the second critical period is often reported in literature as being between 7 and 12 yrs of age 16,17 37 during which period children are said to be most receptive and able to improve tasks that involve speed and motor coordination 14,16,17,37 the exact mechanisms for this age related trend is not exactly known however some have proposed that the mechanism are based on neurological development 37 some experts are however skeptical of the existence of sensitive period of motor learning and propose that exercises itself may be the cause that triggers these accelerated trends in learning 37 the author s opinion based on his review of some of the available literature and coaching experience is in favor of coaches using the proposed sensitive periods of motor development as a guide to specialized training for children most sports including gymnastics apply this philosophy to elite athlete development 38 based on this philosophy and research the prescribed program is hypothesized to be most effective with children aged between 7-12 this does not mean that certain aspects of the program cannot be introduced earlier on the contrary its recommended that basic sprint drills like marching without arms high knees are introduced as early as possible speed development can also be improved after these ages it just harder and required different means of training and may not reach the same peak level had specific speed training had started earlier no one is born able to run we must learn it and like most self taught motor skills it has flaws and requires re-learning and perfecting to do so coaches need to understand the fundamental concepts behind sprinting mechanics and training its advised that gymnastics coaches familiarize themselves with these concepts so that they can identify flaws and errors in their gymnasts sprinting mechanics be able to effectively provide accurate feedback and prescribe effective training programs a good examination and description of sprinting mechanics and the relevant concepts is detailed by young 34 and his work will provide the basis for this part of the discussion fundamental concepts the most fundamental concept to sprinting is that that speed is a function of stride length and stride frequency speed v stride length l x stride frequency f improvement in either one or both of these variables will increase velocity however this apparently simple concept is complicated by the loosely inverse interdependent relationship shared by these two variables as one variable increases the other often decreases its the coaches job to be ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved able to help his/her athlete to develop a balance between these two variable interestingly these two variable are both dependent on a single physical attribute force application at ground contact 33 an increase in ground force at foot impact will increase stride length as the gymnasts will cover greater lengths with each stride an increased ground force at foot strike will also increases stride frequency by reducing ground contact times and proportionally increasing flight time research on elite sprinters indicates that the best sprinters spend less time on the ground and more time flying forward through the air 33 equally important as the magnitude of the force is the direction of the force the key is to minimize horizontal braking forces and maximize vertical propulsive forces vertical propulsive forces are important because once maximal momentum has been been developed during the acceleration phase its much easier to maintain the velocity in flight as opposed to when in contact with the ground in order to able to do this efficiently both biomotor strength and sprinting mechanics sprint technique must be addressed during training achieving maximal velocity there are three primary goals to achieving maximal velocity in sprinting preservation of stability minimization of braking forces and maximization of vertical propulsive forces the first two goals are of most relevance to vault sprint demands nonetheless training to improve vertical propulsive forces also offers significant benefits stability stability refers to the posture of the body correct posture is crucial as it ensures that body is able to move with maximal efficiency just as gymnastics coaches train the correct body positions for gymnastics specific movements track coaches emphasise the correct running posture as necessary to ensure effective running movements 39 this requires that the muscles surrounding the spine and pelvis are conditioned to provide a stable platform for movement of the limbs the ideal posture requires that the gymnast maintain the head neck and spine neutrally aligned with slight posterior tilt of the pelvis this posture ensures freedom of movement and facilitates relaxation of movement both of which enhance elastic energy return from the core and musculature of the extremities 34 an upright posture with a posteriorly rotated pelvis also promotes frontside mechanics and limits backside mechanics frontside mechanics refers to the actions of the legs that occur in front of the body similarly backside mechanics refers to the actions of the legs that occur behind the body greater frontside mechanics and minimized backside mechanics are vitally important to sprinting efficiency the conditioning needed to provide stability can be achieved through gymnastics core strength work and was thus deemed not necessary for inclusion in the prescribed program as core strength work should already be part of any gymnastics program trunk rotation conditioning like side arch holds side bridges twisting cliff sits twisting dorsal lifts are of most benefit due to their specificity 11

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report minimizing breaking forces as the terminology describes braking forces are forces which act in the opposite direction of the desired movement resulting in deceleration the primary causes for excessive breaking forces in sprinting is due to ground contact being to far in front of the gymnasts center of mass as the foot lands on the ground during each stride air resistance also causes deceleration but it can be ignored as it is negligible and inevitable under competition and training conditions most commonly excessive braking forces results when a gymnasts tries to increase his/her stride length consciously by stepping further as opposed to through increased force application ideally ground contact should be as close as possible to being under the center of mass of the gymnast 33,34 similarly poor stability can result in premature grounding of the swing leg which also effects the stride length negatively premature grounding of the swing leg typically means that the foot will still be moving forward with respect to the body when ground contact is made instead the foot should be moving backward with respect to the body when touchdown occurs 34 flight phase which begins the instant both feet are off the ground and ends the instant foot strike is made figure 1 figure 1 ­ above a step photo sequence by leszek blanik during a vault run up below stick figure representation of the photo sequence showing the key phase during a step and illustrating the key features of correct running mechanics vertical propulsive forces increasing vertical propulsive forces produces an array of benefits it increases vertical displacement of the gymnast which will in turn result in a more effective ground contact position as well as enhancing leg stiffness which will in turn allow the athlete to better counteract the effects of gravity at ground impact when a sprinter is generating sufficient vertical forces the athletes center of mass will travel in a sinusoidal trajectory in the sagittal plane the amplitude of the curve is often indicative of the efficiency of the sprinter better sprinters tend to have more upward vertical displacement during flight and less downward vertical displacement following ground contact this allows time to get the swing leg foot as close as possible to underneath the center of mass on ground contact which as as ground forces are absorbed and the body passes over mentioned is most desirable 34 front of the support foot the gymnast starts to apply vertical and horizontal propulsive forces to the ground leg stiffness refers to the ability of the legs to act as a spring simultaneously the swing leg foot r-leg in figure 1 should during ground contact this quality is critically important to step over the support knee with the heel tucked to the maximal velocity sprinting and the maintenance of the buttocks an aggressive forward and upward movement of momentum developed during the acceleration period of a the swing leg thigh helps to increase the vertical and sprint 34 when an athlete lacks adequate leg stiffness horizontal propulsive forces applied to the ground 34,35 ground contact times increase significantly and hip height the hip of the swing leg should be projected forward slightly often drops this inevitably begins a downward spiral of as the knee comes to the front to what is commonly referred events that lead to the athlete decelerating a 34 the to as high knee position of the swing leg this position is author believes that the adaptation benefits of the desirable because it places the hamstring and gluteal acceleration training will have a good cross training effect on muscles on stretch increasing their capacity for speed and tumbling performance due to increased leg stiffness and force development during the re-accelerated of the thigh could help explain a common observation as to why good down toward the ground during the subsequent foot strike vaulters also tend to be good tumblers and vice versa it also increases the range of motion through which the thigh can be accelerated leading to faster leg drive sprinting mechanics because sprinting is symmetric and cyclic in nature the posture should remain upright at the moment of toe-off as mechanics can be simplified to an examination of the ideal described before adequate core strength conditioning is sprint step which is commonly divided into two critical necessary especially for weaker gymnasts during toe-off phases a stance phase which begins with the instant of the supporting leg forcefully extends at the hip knee and ground contact and ends at the moment of toe-off and a ankle to launch the athlete into the flight phase at a small ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 12 stance phase as the gymnast enters the stance phase he/she must first adsorb the ground contact forces while minimize braking forces to do so effectively the instant in time of foot strike the foot of the now supporting leg l-leg as in fig 1 should touch down as close to directly under the center of mass as possible both thighs should be line with each other and the tibia of the leg approximately perpendicular to the ground 34 if gymnast is poorly prepared for ground contact has poor running posture stability or leg stiffness they will often have difficulty absorbing the forces generated on impact the result of this leads to mechanical inefficiency increased breaking forces and postural deviations like the gymnasts hips dropping commonly young gymnasts with hyper-lordosis butt-out posture or sway back will present such signs 34

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report trajectory angle of 2-3° 35 better sprinters tend to toe-off closer to bottom dead center than less efficient sprinters in addition to this increased frontside mechanics better sprinters also exhibit minimized backside mechanics at toeoff · it also anecdotally suggested that it can help reduce the workload on the hamstrings by using the gastrocnemius to help with knee flexion 24 27 which is useful for speed maintenance and has injury prevention applications as well arm swing the arm swing serve two important roles the first of these is to counter balance and stabilize the rotary momentum of the legs which twist the trunk 34,36 the second role that the arm swing serves is to enhance vertical propulsive forces research evidence indicates that the arms may contribute up to 10 of the total vertical propulsive forces an athlete is capable of applying to the ground 34 an optimal arm swing will close at the top and open at the back 60-140 degrees with the arms remaining at approximately 90° between back to front swings the motion should be symmetrical and roughly matches the timing and speed of movement of the legs the hands should be open with the thumb and index finger just touching 36 flight phase immediately following toe-off the heel of the push-off leg should be recovered up toward the buttocks it has been show that this action happens predominantly as a result of the aggressive knee flexion following toe-off and not due to active flexion of the knee by the sprinter 34 at the apex of the flight phase the ipsilateral leg r-leg should have moved to a position completely in front of the body with the leg folded and the thigh in high knee position at this point the thigh should be forcefully accelerated down and back towards the ground this is known as a pawing action as this occurs the knee joint will naturally extend and the lower leg will unfold there is no need to actively initiate or amplify this movement and doing so could actually be disruptive to efficient sprinting 34 when unfolding of the lower leg occurs prior to this point it is almost always due to excessive backside mechanics 34 while in-flight the application of concepts gymnast should prepare the counter lateral leg swing leg sprinting is typically divided into 4 phases start acceleration constant maximal speed deceleration in for ground contact gymnastics the two most important sprint phases that need an effective means of preparing for ground contact is to training are the start and acceleration phase s maximal emphasize vertical pushing motion anecdotal evidence speed and speed endurance training is unnecessary as the suggests that it is more beneficial to focus on the vertical vault run up length is to short for gymnasts to reach top pushing aspect of the motion which in turn will ensure that speeds 26 being able to accelerate evenly with control the athlete actively accelerates their thigh down toward the over the full run-up is considered to be the most important ground during the flight phase and will increase leg stiffness sprinting characteristic required to facilitate successful on ground contact this will in turn reduce ground contact vaulting time backside mechanics and increase stride length and the first 4-5 steps of the vault run-up represent the start frequency phase of the run-up in gymnastics like most other sports the start phase of the sprint begins from a standing position the ankle joint the ankle joint should be in a neutral or slightly dorsiflexed the most efficient way for the gymnast to initiates the start position with the toes pulled up towards the shins during the phase is by using a false step a step backward first or hop entire step this ankle positions is refereed to as the having a the false step has been shown to result in superior performance over short 5m distances when compared to cocked ankle this position provides several benefits · it delays ground contact by a fraction of a other standing start methods a forward step and from a second when compared to having a planter-flexed food split start 29 the benefits of taking a step backward is pointed toes position this allows the foot to be placed by as that it results in greater horizontal force production at pushmuch as 2-3cm closer to underneath the center of mass this off 32 this can significantly improve sprint start times may seem like very little but it is enough to significantly and consequently the amount of momentum/velocity generate over the sprint start phase the same applys for the reduce braking forces 24,27,34,35 hop with the ideal method being a personal choice once · a cocked foot places the fascial linkages of the momentum has been initiated first 1 2 steps the gymnast posterior anatomy chain on stretch calfs hamstrings this should lean forward and fall into an off-balance position increased stretch should theoretically produce a faster the gymnast needs to remain in this of off-balance position downward acceleration of the thigh and lower leg this in order to continue to accelerate during the start coaches greater acceleration should produce greater negative foot need to look for the following kinematics speed and help to reduce braking forces at ground · the strides length and frequency start of short contact 24,27,34 and slow and gradually increase as velocity increases · a cocked ankle prior to ground contact preground contact times are long in order to stretches the gastroc-soleus muscle complex increasing its · maximize the impulse of each ground contact triple capacity for elastic force production upon ground contact extension of the ankle knee hips is highly advantageous 27,34 and should be encouraged ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 13

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report · the first 2-3 steps characteristically display greater backside mechanics but as the gymnast builds speed and transitions into the acceleration phase he/she needs to begins to maximize his/her front side mechanics in order to continue to accelerate evenly based on limited research 30,31 concentric leg strength has been shown to be the most important predictor of the sprint start performance in light of this the first 8 weeks of the sprint training program prescribed in this article emphasizes the develop of the concentric leg strength of the gymnast as the gymnast transitions into the acceleration phase the gymnast needs to lift his/her head and shoulders and adopt the described ideal sprinting posture ref to stability the training demands for this phase require the development of the hip-extensor muscle groups to fire quickly in the correct neuromuscular pattern and increased leg stiffness 35 this is best achieved though specific acceleration and plyometrics exercises the physiological adaptations of doing such exercises is to recruit more appropriate motor units improve the motor unit activation rates and program the sprinting mechanics to be more efficient which may not be achievable as a result of vault sprinting repetition alone or concentric strength training the kinematics of each step during this phase was described under sprinting mechanics heading above a critical reminder during the acceleration phase is that the gymnast should increase his/her stride length through greater forces application on ground impact as opposed to deliberate action by the gymnast conclusions sprint training in gymnastics is accepted by majority of coaches to be an important facet to vault training for most part this is also recognised by commonly available coaching resources unfortunately these resources fail to provide sufficient modern and progressive technical information on sprint training specific to gymnastics the program outlined in this article presents an introductory 12week sprint training program suitable for young gymnasts 7-12 yrs of age who at this age are very receptive to speed training stimuli the program helps to develop the gymnastics sprinting mechanics through a series sprinting drills that breakdown sprinting into its key components along with a focus on developing the necessary strength required the first 8 weeks of the training program emphasis the development of concentric leg strength which is critical for developing a strong start to the run-up the remaining 4 weeks focus on developing acceleration through a series of drills and conditioning exercises aimed at improving the gymnasts ground contact times and forces application disclaimer delete heading every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information published within this article the views and opinions expressed within this article are those of the author/s and no responsibility can be accepted by the gym press gym coach or the author for the consequences of actions based on the advice contained herein acknowledgements i would like to thank hannah and phoebe for being such awesome demonstrator and a hard working gymnasts this article is dedicated to them address for correspondence uzunov v harbour city gymsports wellington new zealand valentin.uzunov@gmail.com appendix i table 1a marching without arms purpose the marching drills emphasise proper running mechanics ­ a driving knee lift upright posture ideally these drills should be learned before moving onto skipping and running techniques drills these drills can and should be started with beginner gymnasts 6-7yr olds to teach them how to sprint description start standing with a relaxed upper body and hands on hips begin marching by raising your right knee to hip and above height with the right foot cocked and directly under or slightly behind your right knee your knee should be at a 90° angle at the top of the knee lift rise onto the ball of the left foot with an extend the left knee as your body passes over the left foot during the walking stride switch legs once the right knee reaches peak height by driving the right foot/thigh directly downward not forward ensure to strike the ground onto the ball of the right foot with the ankle cocked and the heel of the ground as you plant the right foot raise the left knee with the same motion described for the right throughout the drill the chin is held level while looking forward trunk held upright cues chest tall and slightly ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 14

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report forward hips maintain square avoiding twisting feet cocked and the heel of the supporting leg maintained off the ground perform slowly at first and progress to a dynamic knee drive on strides 21,22 marching with arms purpose to develop correct running mechanics ­ a driving knee lift upright posture and a coordinated arm swing this drill is significantly harder to learn and coordinate compared to marching without arm swing description this drill is done just like the marching without arms but this time you also swing your arms do it slowly and deliberately in a mock running motion opposite arm to foot in rhythm with the marching/walking strides your elbows should be bent at approximately 90-110 degrees and your hands should swing to chin level avoiding coming towards the midline of the body during the forward arm swing on the back swing your hands should move past your hip to the rear of your body avoid twisting of shoulders with arm swings 21,22 high knees purpose the aim of this drill is to improve leg turnover stride frequency and develop high knee lift description this drill is very similar to the marching drills essentially perform the marching drill with the arm swing but this time emphasise the the knee lift by driving the recovering leg downward below the hips alternate this knee lifting as fast as possible aim to lift each leg up as soon as the ball of the foot of the recovery leg touches the ground its important to swing the arms as quickly as possible in order to maintain a fast knee lifting motion like with marching drills maintain an upright posture and ensure to keep the knees up heels up toes up 22,23 butt kicks purpose this drill like the high knees helps with leg turnover quick recovery however the emphasis in on activating the hamstrings and improve the recovery stage of the stride reducing backside mechanics description from a jog the gymnasts starts to rapidly kick the heels one at time in a straight line up to their butt and down commonly this drill is seen done with the thigh remaining perpendicular when the foot contacts the buttock but this is incorrect 27 p4 34 the knee should be raised reaching a parallel position as each heel slaps the buttock the arms should be swug in a typical running motion through out the drill the gymnast should keep their feet cocked and stay the balls of the feet do not allow heels to touch the ground on ground contact 23 horizontal speed is irrelevant a-skip purpose develops inter-muscular co-ordination during fast movements to a greater degree than do the marching drills which are carried out at a slower tempo this additional loading due to the skipping leads to increases in strength in the motor support structures of the feet and lower part of the leg as well as the thigh hip and trunk muscles description the a-skip is a combination of the high knee and marching with arms drills however this time as the knee is driven up there is a small hop/skip off the ground before returning the leg back down again as with the other drills the strides are short with the action being predominantly on the ball of the foot however the pace is faster than the marching drills to accommodate for the skip 22 23 b-skip purpose the b-skip emphasizes the development of an active foot strike providing the basis for improved stride length in addition to strengthening the hamstrings improving co-ordination and balance and reinforcing running posture description this b-skip is like the a-skip drill however this time at the top of the knee lift the foreleg is extend forward while simultaneously pulled down hip extended this action is know as pawing 22 23 it is not necessary to try to kick-out the lower leg in front the gymnast wants to able to learn how to create this action as a natural result of the quick change of direction and re-acceleration of the thigh downward pawback drill purpose the purpose of this drill is to re-pattern the neuro-muscular sprinting movement and create improved vertical leg speed of the stride description standing in an upright position next to a wall place adjacent hand against wall for stability start by lifting the outside leg into a high-knee position ensuring that that lower leg is tucked under the thigh and the ankle is cocked like a butt kick from this position extend the lower leg forward and pull the heel back and down accelerating the foot toward the ground beneath center of gravity as done in the b-skip drill the knee joint should remains loose allowing the lower leg to swing out naturally as opposed to being pulled back which is incorrect skim the ball of their foot against the ground and extend the hip as the hip extends quickly with ankle cocked fold the knee by pulling the heel towards and buttocks while simulataneously driving the knee forward and upward finishing in the starting position 24 ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 9

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report table 1b fast arms purpose this drill helps to develop the correct arm action as well as speed of the arm swing the faster the arms move the faster the legs can potentially move description start this drill from a sitting on the floor in a pike from this position start to swing your arms slowly and deliberately in a running motion your elbows should be bent at approximately 90-110 degrees and your hands should swing to chin level and slightly toward the mid line of your body during the forward arm swing on the back swing your hands should move past your hip to the rear of your body progressively increase the speed of the arms ensuring to keep your body tall and relaxed practice driving your elbows down as they swing when the drill is performed correctly you should begin to bounce up and down side to side bouncing or moving is the result of poor technique and is usually because the shoulders are twisting and the arms are crossing over into the midline of the body this must be avoided acceleration ladder purpose this training tool helps teach the gymnast how to effectively accelerate it improves the kinesthetic awareness of the gymnast by allowing them to feel the proper foot placement on ground contact description the acceleration ladder is a collection of ten rungs attached by cords that identify the approximate spacing of each foot-placement throughout the acceleration the rungs or sticks used to make up the ladder help to there are 2 two different ladder settings the most common setting for a young or developing athlete is a 40:10 ratio were the second rung or stick is positioned forty centimeters from the first and each additional rung is placed at a point that is ten additional centimeters away eg 40cm 50cm 60cm the second setting is appropriate for taller or more faster gymnasts and consist of a 50:15 ratio even though the actual stride-length of the performer may not exactly match the pattern rehearsed the benefits of the incrementally increasing steps will translate positively to the actual run-up acceleration in the beginning its recommended to start with five to six rungs and depending on the gymnasts size speed/power coordination progressively increase the number of rungs up to 9-10 at most 25 at no time should the athlete step on the rung sticks rather the gymnast should drive back into the face of the the rungs as a method of determining exact foot placement 25 squat jump purpose this exercises work the concentric leg strength and help develop power in the legs specific in nature to sprint starts description start by standing with hands on hips and feet shoulder width apart keeping the chest up and back flat lower down to deep squat up to 90° bent at the knees pause for 3 sec and explosively jump up as high as possible by extending completely thought the knees hips and ankles on landing resist the decent and lower back down to a deep squat and hold ensure that the gymnast is using correct landing technique and is absorbing the landing encourage the gymnast to avoid using his/her arms to assist in the jump single-leg calf raise purpose this exercise helps develop ankle joint strength single is more specific and helps provide a better overload description start by positioning the toes and ball of foot on a raised surface with arches and heels extending off use one or both hand for balance and lift other leg to rear by bending knee from this position slowly allow the heel to drop toward the ground stretching the calf muscle is hold for a one count and explosively push down raising the heel as high as possible and hold for a one count the centre of pressure sure remain between big toe and the toe next to it slowly return to the starting position and repeat hamstring curls purpose to develop hamstrings strength which is critical for fast flexion of the knee and extension of the hip during running its also important to do one hamstring exercises for every three quadriceps dominant exercises in order to maintain a quadriceps:hamstring ratio of 0.6 this ratio is ideal for preventing muscular imbalances which will negatively effects on the running mechanics and expose the sprinter to hamstring injuries description one gymnast starts from laying down and another gymnast holds onto the performers heels from this position the performer tries to flex the knees pulling her/his heel towards her rear while the partner provides the resistance long jumps purpose this exercises like the squat jump helps develop concentric leg strength with an emphasis on horizontal force ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 10

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report description starting from standing squat down and jump forward as far as possible using a double arm swing upon landing use proper landing technique and absorb the landing impact perform each jump with maximal effort the actual landing is not important aside from a safety point of view drop squats purpose this exercise help improve the gymnast eccentric leg strength which is critical for absorbing ground impact forces improves the stretch-shorten cycle and thus is a great preparation exercise to more advanced plyometrics and also improves leg stiffness description from standing on raised surface about 30-45cm high the gymnast steps forward and drops on landing the gymnast aims to decelerate the drop by absorbing the downward force and finishing in a squat no deeper than 90° at the bottom hold for a count of 3sec and than stand and repeat its important that the gymnast performs a quick drop with a smooth deceleration upon landing emphasize the soft landing and teach the gymnast to let the muscles do the work not their joints table 2 resisted starts purpose resisted speed exercises help to recruit more muscle fibres and promote greater neural activation during a speed performance which is then transferred to the non-weight-resisted sprinting this type of training increase the movement resistance which requires the athlete to increase force output especially in the hip knee and ankle-extensors to continue to run at speed 35 description this drill requires to work in pairs one gymnast provides the resistance while the other performs the drill the performing gymnast wears a belt around the waist or a harness around the shoulders and waist which has a rope or tubing attached to it at the back held by partner the rope or tubing needs to be held tight without slack at the start and throughout the drill once ready the performing gymnast performs a maximal effort sprint over the acceleration ladder while the partner provides resistance the partner providing the resistance must provide just enough so that that the performing gymnast feels it but is still able to go a fast pace the performing gymnast must aim to maintain proper running mechanics stride length will likely be shorted thus the performing gymnast should strive to main a progressively increasing stride length ankling purpose this exercises helps develop the elastic response in the ankle joint in order to reduce ground contact time description begin with a walk taking small steps with each small step taken step no higher than the top of the opposite ankle slowly increase the speed to a maximal emphasis is placed on keeping the ankles cocked and spending minimal time on ground arms are bent at the elbows to about 90° but the swing motion is smaller and faster horizontal speed is insignificant the focus is on limiting the time spent on the ground 1 repetition is done over 10m not including the walk in to the drill stairs sprints purpose running every other step on the stairs mimics acceleration mechanics description this drill is as it sounds the gymnast aims to run up a flight of stairs as fast as possible when performing this drill the gymnast must skip a step so they are running every other step skipping steps is important because maximum velocity work is not the goal of this drill proper running machanics are again enforced and of vital importance single leg-squats purpose this exercises is ideal for developing the musculature of the leg and increasing concentric and eccentric leg strength of the quads gluts hamstrings description this drill is done free standing on leg on a high beam or floor the gymnast performs a squat to stand focus is on maintain good hip alignment chest up and keeping the heel down its important to control the squat motion and explode up to a stand complete knee stretch is essential without a lockout drop squat and jump purpose this exercises helps develop the eccentric and concentric leg strength using similar force patterns as in sprinting description this exercises is exactly like the drop squat performed in weeks 1-4 but this after the 3 sec hold at the bottom the gymnast performs a single/or double leg long jump and or vertical jump alternating using a double arm ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 11

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report swing its important that the gymnast performs the jump from the bottom of the squat position without addition movements to aid the jump alternate legs between repetitions squat jump onto raised surface jump purpose this exercises helps develop leg power through fast explosive concentric actions without great joint impact this make it a suitable exercises for young gymnasts and is a good introduction to plyometrics description the gymnast performs a squat jump onto surface hip height landing on the balls of the feet to a squat no deeper than 90° immediately upon landing the gymnast explodes into a straight jump up emphasis a soft landing on the box and a immediate jump swiss ball hamstring curls purpose this exercises serve a similar purpose as the hamstrings curls with the added benefit of training core stability and a single leg motion description gymnast start by laying on his/her back with his/her heels supported on the swiss ball with the legs extended and the hips off the floor the neck should be relaxed and the stomach is pulled to a straight body the gymnast performs the curl by rolling the swiss ball towards their glutes by drawing the heels back finishing with the shoulder hips knees in a straight line and heels underneath the gymnasts knees remind the gymnast to contract hamstrings at the end of the movement in order to learn how to active that muscle group properly during the exercises release the tension and return to the staring position by extending the knees this exercises can be performed with 1 leg at time for stronger gymnasts table 3 acceleration ladder sprint starts purpose to develop a consistent and effective run-up start description for this exercises the gymnast uses the acceleration ladder to accelerate into his/her vault run-up maximal effort is placed into the run the gymnast should run towards the table towing sprints purpose resisted speed exercises help to recruit more muscle fibres and promote greater neural activation during a speed performance which is then transferred to the non-weight-resisted sprinting this type of training increase the movement resistance which requires the athlete to increase force output especially in the hip knee and ankle-extensors to continue to run at speed 35 description this is very much like the resisted run except the gymnast drags a 2.5kg weight as means of resistance the resistance of the load should not exceed 7 of the gymnast bodyweight 40 41 load greater than this lead to the gymnast changing body position and forcing a sacrifice in running technique it is important to have a long attachment on the sled 5m as shorter attachments can result in the sled bouncing along the ground instead of sliding smoothly as the athlete increases speed 35 wall march drill purpose to mimic the sprinting action found in acceleration improve ground contact times description the gymnast starts by leaning forward supporting him/herself with his/her hands on the wall the arms are parallel to the ground and a little wider than shoulder width and maybe slightly bent the feet should be behind the hips hip width apart on the balls of the feet with the heels held slightly of the ground not on high toes the torso should be erect with the head up hips forward and stomach pulled in there should be a straight 45 degree line from the head through the hips to the ankles of the gymnast once in this position the gymnast start of by marching lifting one knee up good cue word is punch to hip height with the foot cocked underneath the knee ensuring that the hips do not stick out and break the straight body line pause in this position and drive the leg back down to the start position and repeat for the other leg the gymnast must striking the ground with the ball of the foot and not the toes or heel once the gymnast becomes proficient in doing the slow march they can increase the tempo and do a leg switch where as the leg drives down the gymnast quickly switches legs punching the other knee up the switch is initiated from the back leg there should still be a pause at the top of the knee punch during this drill once this is mastered and the gymnast can perform the switch between legs without form breaks gymnast can progress to 2 3 than eventually continuous leg switching rapid fire for 15sec at a time as fast as possible lateral step-up jumps ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 12

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report purpose helps develop the knee and leg drive during toe off and sprint start description the gymnast start standing sidewards to a box with one leg raised on the box the knee must be no higher than hip height and the other on the ground the torso held is erect with the head up and stomach pulled in the arms should be held in a running position bent 90° at the elbows with arm forward being opposite to the leg on the raised surface from here the gymnast does an explosive jump up from the leg on the raised surface while simultaneously driving the knee of the foot on the ground up and the arms switch the gymnast lands back through the jumping leg and lower back to the starting position switching arms again on the decent the gymnast must aim to keep hips level throughout the jump and completely extend the knee on the jump depth jump purpose to develop the ankle joint stiffness and the bodies ability to tolerate high impact loads 35 description the gymnast starts standing on a box about 35cm in height he/she step slightly forward off landing on the ball of the foot reacting as quickly as possible to the ground rebounding the gymnast springs up into an immediate vertical jump the gymnast should use his/her arms to aid the rebound speed by drawing them back prior to stepping off the platform and swinging them vigorously upward as their feet hit the ground its important to keep back and head in neutral alignment ie not arched or rounded references and recommended readings takei y 1991 a comparison of techniques used in performing the men s compulsory gymnastic vault at the 1988 olympics international journal of sport biomechanics 71 54-75 2 takei y 1989 techniques used by elite male gymnasts performing a handspring vault at the 1987 pan american games international journal of sport biomechanics 51 1-25 3 takei y 1990 techniques used by elite women gymnasts performing the handspring vault at the 1987 pan american games international journal of sport biomechanics 61 29-55 4 takei y kim ej 1990 techniques used in performing the handspring and salto forward tucked vault at the 1988 olympic games international journal of sport biomechanics 62 111-138 5 takei y 1988 techniques used in performing handspring and salto forward tucked in gymnastic vaulting international journal of sport biomechanics 43 260-281 6 cuk i karacsony i 2004 vault methods ideas curiosities history slovania std sangvincki 7 knoll k krug j zocher h 1998 running approach velocities and energy transformation in difficult vaults in gymnastics 16th international symposium on biomechanics in sports 8 still s 1990 baga women s gymnastics manual england springfield books limited 9 readhead l 1997 men s gymnastics coaching manual england springfield books limited 10 arkaev li suchilin ng 2004 gymnastics how to create champions united kingdom meyer meyer sport ltd 11 new zealand gymnastics 2002 coach education resources level 3 coaches 12 new zealand gymnastics 2002 coach education resources level 2 coaches 13 new zealand gymnastics 2002 coach education resources level 1 coaches 14 bompa to total training from young champions need to fill in 15 faccioni a 2001 young athlete conditioning [url]http www.oztrack.com/juniorcondition.zip accessed 03.08.09 16 viru a 1994 adaptations in sport training informa healthcare 17 hirtz p starosta w 2002 sensitive and critical periods of motor co-ordination development and its relation to motor learning journal of human kinetics 7:19-28 18 jushkevitch t the a and z of sprinting [url]http www.athleticscoaching.ca/userfiles/file/sport%20science/planning%20 20periodization/sprints%20 %20endurance%20events/jushkevitch%20the%20a%20and%20z%20of%20sprinting.pdf accessed 03.08.09 19 venturelli m bishop d pettene l 2008 sprint training in preadolescent soccer player international journal of sport physiology and performance 34 558-562 20 kotzamanidis c 2006 the effect of plyometrics training on running performance and vertical jumping in prepubertal boys journal of strength and conditioning research 202 441-445 21 moore g 2003 born to run fast technique 231 22 corbo c 2009 running drills [url]http www.americanrunningcompany.com/news/2/techniquedrills.aspx accessed 09.07.09 1 ©2009 the gym press all rights reserved 13

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v uzunov gym coach vol.3 2009 8-20 technical report clark g 2006 the next level a complete training guide to help you be a faster smarter more agile and explosive player victoria canada trafford publishing 24 moss d 2004 tricks of the trade for the sprints hurdles and replays ontario canada physical education digest 25 edward d hansen j o rourke t stolley s eds track and field coaching manual los angeles la84 foundation 2008 217-33 17 aug 2009

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