Gymnastics is a beautiful sport that requires discipline, perseverance and dedication. It is also a dangerous sport, because in it we are putting almost all the muscles and tendons of the body to the limit, but with care and preparation we can become great athletes in this field.
Far from what is thought, gymnastics should not be practiced only from a young age, in reality it is a sport that can be practiced at any age, it also provides numerous benefits for the body and mind, such as the development of flexibility and mobility, which prevents our muscles from atrophying due to not using them and training them.
In addition, it is a very economical sport, since you can develop it without having to buy equipment unless you want to complicate the exercises or use equipment.
Follow these steps on how to start practicing gymnastics and start putting them into practice!
What do you need to start practicing gymnastics?
- Work on strength and flexibility
- Use gymnastic equipment such as bars or rings
- Practice in a safe space
Instructions to start practicing gymnastics
- To start practicing gymnastics, you can choose to do it at home or in a park, following the instructions of tutorials that you can find online or there are even books with which you can learn to do certain exercises.
Another option is to sign up for classes; in fact it is the one I recommend, especially at the beginning. Ask in gyms or gymnastics teaching centers, surely there is a class in which you can start, although it is also possible that you find the possibility of practicing gymnastics with a trainer for yourself. Ask about the type of training, the experience of the coach, if it is individual or team gymnastics, if they offer you the possibility of practicing gymnastics because you want to or to participate in competitions, etc. - When starting to practice gymnastics it is important to take into account the space and the environment, safety is the most important thing. The equipment to be used must be safe, in addition, it is important that there are mats (especially at the beginning) and padded walls or with mats.
- To begin with, make a training program with your coach, which takes into account your physical level, so that it starts at your level and progresses and intensifies from there, because if it starts too intense or too slowly you will get tired and you will remove
- When you start practicing gymnastics you will start doing exercises on the floor, but you will also be able to do other activities using different equipment such as the balance beam, the easel, the rings, etc. Depending on your gender, man or woman you can do some exercises or others, since these exercises require different strength,and the strength that men and women have is also different. I recommend that you try them all and then decide which one you feel more comfortable with and the one you most want to exercise on, if you want to use several pieces of equipment it will be much better when it comes to presenting versatility in the exercises.
- At the beginning we told you how important flexibility is in gymnastics, so the first step should be to work on the flexibility of your whole body, not only your legs, which is what is most often exercised, but also your entire body. Body, especially the back, since in gymnastics it is essential. You can take advantage of free time or watching TV or listening to music to stretch at home.
- In addition to flexibility, another important aspect to work on is strength. You may not see very muscular gymnasts but they are very strong. Strength is important in gymnastics, especially in the aspect of being able to support one’s weight to carry out the different activities. Train all muscles but put special emphasis on the abdominals, biceps, triceps, deltoids, quads or last. For this you can perform exercises with weights and also push-ups, pull-ups, etc.
- As you progress, if your coach does not change the intensity or the exercise routine, tell him about it and try new turns, new jumps, wheels, somersaults, or even want to try increasing the level in the equipment that you already practice or want to try others.
- Consistency and hard work is important, not only practicing gymnastic exercises, but also keeping the body strong and flexible.
- When you are ready talk to your coach to enter competitions to advance to a new level.
Tips to start practicing gymnastics
- Warm-ups and stretching are essential when practicing any sport, but in the case of gymnastics they are even more essential. It is necessary that you prepare all the muscles and tendons very well beforehand and train them and take them to the limit.
- Sufficient chalk will be important when using the equipment to do the exercises. Little by little you will get used to it and you will recognize the right amount for you.
- If you feel too tired or feel a pull when you do weights, it is better to stop and rest, otherwise you can suffer tears. Gradually increase the weight you take and try to leave good rest periods between one workout and another.