Gymnastics Dismount

Women’s Gymnastic Elements

The world of gymnastics offers several different elements for female athletes to participate in. While most meets or competitions combine a variety of styles together to determine an overall winner those who are simply interested in gymnastics as a hobby can study only those styles that they are interested in, and omit the others.

One of the most common styles or elements that comes to mind is the floor exercise. This is what most people think of when they consider gymnastics however; it is certainly not the only element. In the floor exercise, the gymnast performs a routine on a floor that is 12 meters square in size. The floor is specially created with carpet as well as foam layered onto the top of plywood that is suspended on springs to allow for a soft landing and extra force when doing flips and jumps.

Most floor routines are in the range of 70 to 90 seconds, with very few ever being longer because of the physical energy exerted during a routine. The routine is choreographed carefully to highlight the gymnasts’ specific abilities and skills. In a typical routine, the gymnast will perform several passes from one corner to the other while stringing tricks together.

The second element is the vault, which involves sprinting quickly down a runway that is approximately 82 feet long or 25 meters and landing on what is called a beat board. This then propels the gymnast up onto the vault horse with their hands holding them on upside down, before springing off and landing on a separate platform without wobbling, or losing their balance. While in idea this sounds like a very simple task, this is a skill that can take a very long time to master. Many gymnasts will even attempt tricks while mounted on the vault, though this is generally not a requirement.

One of the most popular elements to watch is the uneven bars. These are two bars that are horizontal to the floor and set at different heights. The level of the bars is fixed so that they cannot come off, and the gymnast is safe to perform spins, circles, and various other moves on the bars. In common practice gymnasts will use a springboard to jump to the lower bar and begin their routine from there. In order to protect the hands as much as possible, most gymnasts wear leather gloves that are called grips, which also help to maintain the grip of the bars. In addition to using grips, many also use water and chalk to help maintain a secure grip of the bars. Using just bare hands is quite uncommon as rips and tears in the skin are possible and the occurrence of blisters is also high as well. Considered as one of the most advanced elements, young gymnasts are usually not permitted to perform on the uneven bars.

The final element for women is the balance beam. This is a routine that is anywhere from 60 to 80 seconds long and is carefully choreographed just as the floor routine to highlight the gymnasts abilities. Using turns, leaps and acrobatic skills the gymnast carefully performs on the bar that is 125cm off of the floor, 500 cm long, and only 10cm wide. This tends to be a highly advanced element because of the skills in balance as well as strength that are required from the gymnast.

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Treating Rips Effectively

Almost every gymnast at some point in his or her career will experience a rip. Very few are able to engage in gymnastics for more than a few months at a time without having at least one possibly several rips. However, many people especially those new to gymnastics do not know what rips are, much less how to help prevent them or even how to treat them to reduce the time spent with healing.

The first and most important step to treating a rip is to always ensure that it is carefully washed with soap and warm water to remove any bacteria and prevent an infection from setting up. This is especially important because of the concerns that can occur with infections. Infections can create so much pain in a rip that a gymnast may be forced to take time off that they cannot afford to lose for some reason.

It is very important to never use either hydrogen peroxide or Betadine on any rips no matter how large or small. These products kill the skin cells that are healing and make it take much longer for the wound to heal. To avoid this problem it is best to stick to just keeping the rip very clean using soap and water and always keeping a clean bandage on it. Another product that many gymnasts have had great success with it called DuoDERM.

DuoDERM is created with idea of creating a moist environment for cell regrowth and produces a much faster healing time than a typical band-aid can provide. However, they are not always readily available. Due to this, it is important to understand other practices that you can use if you do not have access to DuoDERM such as using Neosporin and gauze bandages.

One method that is not always well known amongst the younger gymnasts is using a product such as Preparation H or any other type of hemorrhoid treatment. The best treatments to use are those that also contain a topical anesthetic, which helps to reduce the pain from the rip. This can help reduce the overall swelling and help promote faster healing.

Some methods that are used to help prevent rips are well known while others are less well known but equally effective. The first method is using neoprene rubber bands across the wrists and hands to help reduce the friction. This can help eliminate rips all together however is not completely effective.

Another option that you can explore is the use of a callus trimmer, which allows you to shave portions off to reduce the risks of rips. How effective this method is depends on the size of the callus and how long it has been there. Some gymnasts find this to be highly effective, while others have found little benefit to the method.

Another option that is available is to use is creating a tape grip to wrap tightly around the hands using either trainer’s tape or elastic tape. This is also effective in covering any rips or calluses that are already existent but have not actually created problems yet. This method is one of the best since it can be used both before rips and after without using any chemicals or ointments that can stunt cell regrowth.

It is important to note that using methods to treat rips such as dipping the hand into a mixture of bleach water, or even using products such as Tuff Skin, which is a taping base, is not advisable because of the pain and stinging sensation that are created without significant improvements. If you feel that a rip is especially bad, or has an infection then it is advisable to see the doctor to allow for medical treatment of the rip. If possible seeing a doctor before the infection sets in is the best choice, even if it is not always possible to do. Always consult with a doctor if you have any questions about treating your rips as well.

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Tips to Scoring High in Competitions

If you have ever attended a gymnastics competition you know that there is more than just a flawless routine involved in receiving a good score. Between appropriate dress and looking the role of a winner, you can help give the judges a good impression of you by following some simple steps and practicing your routine until you have it perfected.

Aside from the obvious idea of practicing you should always make sure you get plenty of rest before competitions. While you are going to be nervous, excited and probably have trouble sleeping it is important that you take the time you need to rest. Get at least a minimum of eight hours of sleep before a competition to ensure that you are well rested. Slacking on sleep means you will not have as much energy to devote to your routine and can look quite run down. This is never appealing to judges no matter how well you perform your routine.

You should always ensure that you smile. Not smiling can make you look sad, grumpy, or even tired. Not exactly the star traits that the judges are looking for. No matter how bad your day is going, put a smile on during your routine and try to make sure it does not look forced or faked. A small natural smile will go so far in winning over the judges and help cast your entire routine in a positive light.

Stretch and stand up straight. Never, ever walk out onto a mat while you are slouching. This is a huge faux pas and gives the judges an awful first impression. Impression is everything and you want to portray perfection just in simple tasks such as walking. So stand up straight and lift that chin. Never show that you are scared or afraid, try to keep your emotions bottled up, which will help you appear much calmer as well.

Look confident the entire time you are in front of the judges. This includes before and during your routine. You can look confident by always standing straight, keeping your legs straight, and keeping your chin up. Dropping your chin or bending your legs can make you look weak and unsure of yourself. You want to portray to the judges that you are the best they have ever seen. Keep your routine flowing and always recover quickly if you make a mistake. Make sure your movements are sharp and crisp and avoid slow and sloppy movements.

Make sure you stretch thoroughly before doing your routing in front of the judges. Never wait until the last moment to warm up either, you should start warming up a minimum of 30 minutes before your turn in front of the judges. This will allow you plenty of time to warm up your muscles slowly. Rushing through a warm up to hurry and perform can leave you injured and upset. If you rush through your warm up it can also have the negative effect of shaking your nerves. When in a competition you must remain calm, this means a slow warm up, taking your time getting ready and avoiding all stress as much as possible. A slow warm up is relaxing while a rushed warm up will leave you stressed.

Your last step should be always tuning out your competition as much as possible. Someone will always be better than you, and you will always be better than someone else. This is the facts of competition, accept it, and instead of focusing on the competition focus on doing your best.

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Tips to Help Your Gymnast Develop

If you are looking to really help your child develop gymnastics into something more than just a random rare hobby then there are a few steps and tips that can be quite helpful, especially for parents who have never ventured into the world of gymnastics before. Working together with your child’s coach can be a very rewarding experience, but most coaches are not able to hold the hands of parents, which leaves many parents wondering what they can do.

To start with the first step you should take to help develop your little gymnast is to seek out a coach that they feel comfortable working with. If your child is scared of the coach for any reason, it may be a good idea to change coaches no matter how good the coach is supposed to be. Your child will not develop to the best of their abilities if they are frightened and afraid so ensuring your child is comfortable is a very important step.

You should also look for a coach with many years of experience. If the coach is fairly new it increases the risks of injuries, and nothing can kill the dreams of a fantastic gymnastics career faster than a severe injury. Working with someone who is experienced can really help to reduce the risk of injury and also ensures your child learns the best and safest methods for all techniques and tricks.

Listen to your child. If they say that there is a problem, you should listen to what they have to say. It may be a problem with their leotard, it may be a problem where they are hurting, or they could just be tired. Anytime your child has a problem you should listen and work to resolve the problem. If they are tired, make sure they are getting plenty of sleep; if they are hurting see if you can figure out why as well as how to stop the pain.

Consider changing programs once your child has developed the skills and desire necessary. While not all parents have this problem, many parents face the issue of their child outgrowing the coach or the gym. Never a pleasant experience, this means it is time to start looking for a new coach to handle your child’s development. While nobody likes the ideas of leaving a coach whom they are comfortable with, it must be done sometimes in order to find a coach who is able to help your child continue their development, rather than get into a rut.

Never jump into moving your child across the country immediately. This is not usually a good idea for your child, and is a decision that takes a lot of careful consideration. While it may seem best to move across the country to work with a particular coach, think about what your child is going to give up in the process. They are going to lose their school, friends, home and possibly even more. This can sometimes make the idea of moving for gymnastics seem like a horrible punishment, rather than as the opportunity to grow and improve.

Finally, you want to ensure that your little gymnast has the medical treatment they need when they need it. This means often taking seemingly unnecessary trips to the doctor for check ups and treatment. What may seem to you as a small and insignificant injury can actually develop into a serious problem if not properly treated. This is especially important in the muscles and tendons of a gymnast. If an injury results in the development of scar tissue, then the gymnast has lost some of their flexibility that they cannot regain. Which is critical since gymnastics puts great emphasis on flexibility as well as strength.

Keeping your child as happy and healthy as possible is one of the biggest steps that parents can take to help their child develop. Remember, doing nothing more than spending all of their time locked away inside of a gym is never an idea situation for your child and should be avoided at all costs. Instead, look for ways to get them out of the house and stimulate their minds as much as their bodies, which will help them, concentrate even more while they are practicing or competing.

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Tips to Help Your Gymnast Develop

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Tips to Avoid Becoming an Unpopular Gymnastics Parent

Each kid’s activity has the potential to create that horrible parent that nobody wants to be involved in. We all know the type, the parent who is sure their child is the best, and everybody else is simply dragging them down. The parent who is always pushing their child to go further, faster, quicker, and be overall better than everyone. The parent who is always the first to every meet even if their child is still tired. The same parent is also the first person to usually at each gymnastic event and talks badly about those who arrive just right before it starts.

This is who most parents really do not want to become, yet without a conscious effort to avoid this it is relatively easy to slide into this role. You can go from being a popular parent with the other parents to being the number one person to avoid quite quickly and that is never a good idea. However, with these suggestions it is possible to keep your head firmly squared on your shoulders and cheer your child on.

Do not start comparing your child to every other child in the gym. This is important regardless of whether your think your child is better than everyone else, or everyone else is better than your child. Rather than focus on how your child compares to everyone else instead focus on how they compare to themselves and what accomplishments they are making on their own.

Do not start telling your child that winning is very important. Gymnastics should be fun and entertaining for your child first above anything else. A child who loses sight of how much fun it is will start to burn out quickly. Burnout can cost a talented gymnast a complete career, so avoid this problem, and emphasize fun over victories.

Do not act as if the scores from the judge’s are an accurate reflection of your child’s self worth. There are many parents who come to associate the score from the judge with their own level of satisfaction with their child. This means on days when the child needs extra attention from their parents after a bad routine the parent could not careless because they received bad marks. Yet the same parent is the child’s personal cheerleading squad when they do well. Avoid letting this become you, give your child attention regardless of whether they did well or badly.

Do not ever scream at the judges or coach during a meet and tell them they are they stupid. No matter how many days you have been a self-proclaimed professional parent you do not have the knowledge and experience that the coaches and judges do. Let them do their job and you do yours – supporting your child!

Do not create goals and expectations for your child that are completely unreasonable. This means for example if your child has never participated in gymnastics before do not expect them to become a professional quality athlete in just a few short months. Keep your expectations realistic and your child will do much better.

Do not ever make your child feel guilty for the money you are spend on their gymnastics activities. While everyone knows that they are not cheap, you should never make your child feel bad about it. One example of why this is a no no is telling your child that for the $1,000 a month you spend on their gymnastics you expect better results and effort from them. While you may have the best of intentions with the comment, it is very damaging to your overall relationship with your child.

Do not pretend you can be your child’s own coach. Many parents make this mistake after their child has participated in gymnastics for a while. They become under the impression that they are much smarter than all of the coaches and are convinced that they know exactly what their child needs. There is a reason that gymnastics coaches are professionals, they have training and experience that you can only dream of.

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Tips to Avoid Gymnastics Injuries

Gymnastics always has the ability to leave people breathless and amazed at how simple the routines look, while being amazingly quick moving. Yet in the real world of the gymnasts performing, it is not easy to perform at all. Gymnastics is a skill that takes many, many years to master and many end up retiring their gymnastics careers before they ever master all of the skills.

During the course of a gymnastics career there are likely to be several injuries ranging from mild and easily healed to those that are major and can potentially end a career quite early. Sometimes the difference between a minor injury and a severe injury depends on the type of planning that is put into each routine and practice. For example, following some simple guidelines can help you avoid as many injuries as possible.

One of the first things that all gymnasts should be taught is how to properly fall. This is because falling is almost as much a part of gymnastics as the actual tricks and routines themselves. Having the knowledge and training to help control your fall can often mean the difference between finishing a routine or being carried off of the floor. Practice on occasion the falling techniques that you are initially taught to ensure you are still capable of helping yourself.

A gymnast should never attempt any trick that they do not fully understand first. Always watch several times and ensure that you understand the exact order that steps are performed before you try yourself. Once you have a general idea of what you are doing, always ensure someone is with you in case you are injured.

Ensure you always have a firm idea of how your body should feel, as well as look during a trick. You should immediately stop if something does not feel right. For example, if you feel that you foot is pointing in the wrong direction stop and find out why. Some gymnasts have discovered that they injured themselves and their leg was sprained or even broken as a result of feeling the position did not feel right. Never be afraid to stop and try again, rather than pressing ahead and making a potential injury worse.

Take some toning and conditioning classes. These will help you strengthen all of the muscles in the body to help reduce the damage that can occur from weak muscles. Taking two short classes each week is generally sufficient, however some gymnast prefer to take classes much more often. The choice of how often is ultimately up to you, but at least two a week is highly recommended.

You should always focus when performing tricks or practicing routines. While talking to others may seem like fun, being able to walk away at the end of the day is even more fun. Talk to your friends after doing the routine or trick, rather than while you are attempting the trick.

Never practice without the appropriate clothing. Gymnasts are required to wear leotards for several reasons. First, they allow coaches an unobstructed view of the body and how it is moving, and second because there is nothing to be accidently caught while in the middle of a trick. Wearing sweatpants, jackets, or other clothing can be an accident waiting to happen.

Finally, you should remove all jewelry before practice or competition. This is important because rings, bracelets, earrings, and even necklaces can cause serious injuries if they are hung on something while you are moving. Remove them and store them safely in your bag rather than risking an injury.

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