Gymnastics and Bodyweight Demos
Split Stance – Bottom Reps
Cues: Start from the bottom Align shoulders, hips and back knee in vertical and straight line Raise up 1-2" and return to floor under control Back foot should be on ball of foot and straight Front foot should be on heel with knee above ankle, or slightly behind...
Split Stance – Bottom Hold
Cues: Start from the bottom Align shoulders, hips and back knee in vertical and straight line Raise up 1-2" and hold Back foot should be on ball of foot and straight Front foot should be on heel with knee above ankle, or slightly behind Mistakes: Starting from top...
Ab Roller – Knees
Cues: Keep lumbar spine in flexion Keep elbows locked Extend out based upon your skill level Work smoothly and under control Mistakes: Allowing spine to extend and sag Bending elbows Extending too far/hurting yourself Working out of control/flopping on the ground
Sumo Good Morning – Super Wide
Cues: Adopt a wide stance based upon your skill level Place hands behind head and hinge forward maintaining your natural lumbar curve Keep knees straight Move through the hips only Mistakes: Rounding (flexing) the low back Bending the knees Going so wide you hurt...
Split Stance – Top Reps
Cues: Start by aligning shoulders, hips and back knee vertically Weight should be on heel of front foot and ball of back foot Descend to 1-2" above ground maintaining vertical alignment Front knee should be above or just behind the front ankle at the bottom position...
The Diagonal Stretch
Diagonal Stretch – Advanced
Cues: Keep the front leg straight Everything else with the diagonal stretch Mistakes: Bending back knee excessively Twisting excessively A combination of excessive bending and twisting Reaching the wrong direction Failing to place pressure in the quad and moving...
Diagonal Stretch
Cues: Start with heels together and toes turned out 45 degrees Step back from the heel into your diagonal stretch position Balance is part of the diagonal stretch Press through the ball of the back foot to pressurize quad and drive the hip forward Lean back and touch...
Protracted Push-up
Cues: Maintain protraction and depress of scaps throughout push-up Touch the nose to the floor Keep elbows close to body Keep hips in line between feet and head Mistakes: Allowing scaps to come together into retraction Touching the chest to the floor Flaring elbows...
Wushu Stretch – 45 Degrees
Cues: Get the heel very close to the brace point Hinge with flat back Keep hips square to the stretch Mistakes: Rounding the back Twisting the hips to the side Having the heel far away from the wall so the lower leg loses tension
Front and Back Lever Pulls – Tuck
Cues: Start in inverted hang with desired amount of tuck Lower into front lever and hold Pull back to inverted hang in same position Lower into back lever and hold Pull back to inverted hang in same position Mistakes: Holding at an angle Bending at the elbows Lowering...
Skin the Cat – Flat Back
Cues: Pull and lower into skin the cat with a flat back Allow body to relax into full skin the cat Flatten back to pull out of skin the cat and lower through front lever position into passive hang Mistakes: Failing to relax fully into German Hang Bending elbows at any...
Handstand – Kick Up – Wall Assisted
The wall assisted kick up is a drill for those already somewhat comfortable with entering a freestanding handstand. In this case the wall acts as a guide to refine the entry. Those who typically overarch at the start of their handstand will benefit by learning to be...
Handstand – L-Switches on Wall
L-switches are a great drill for those working to develop consistency with their handstand entries. Learning the feeling of reaching with the top leg while the bottom leg stays down allows the athlete to recognize their body position in a controlled environment. Those...
Horse Stance with Stick
The horse stance is an active mobility and endurance drill for the legs. Conscious effort should be applied to make your horse stance the best it can be, rather than simply finding the most comfortable position to pass the time. Cues: Heel to toe four times to...
Handstand – Straddle Scissors – Wall Assisted
The straddle scissor with wall assistance is a precursor to performing them away from the wall. With careful execution greater endurance can be built as balance and hip mobility continues to be developed by the athlete. Cues: Use the wall as little as possible...
Round Back Flat Back Hinge – Anchored
Cues: Roll down keeping hips forward to mobilize the middle and upper back Grasp anchor and pull through hips to stretch hamstrings as you flatten back Hinge up to return to standing Hinge down and grasp anchor to pull against hamstrings once again Relax into stretch...
Round Back Flat Back Hinge
Cues: Hinge forward maintaining lumbar extension and creating anterior pelvic tilt to stretch the hamstrings Pull into the lowest depth to accentuate hamstring stretch Roll back to standing smoothly Roll forward keeping hips forward to emphasize middle and upper back...
Prone Handstand – Wall
Cues: Create a clean line from hands through feet Actively push through shoulders into wall Brace abs, squeeze glutes, quads and calves, point toes Squeeze legs together Mistakes: Arching the low back and lifting the hips Over emphasizing posterior pelvic tilt and...
Shoulder Extension Hang
Cues: Step into hang slowly and with straight arms Keep body straight while relaxing through shoulders to stretch through chest and shoulders Breathe deep to accentuate stretch as you hang Start at an angle you feel comfortable with and work gradually towards hanging...
Skin the Cat
CUES: Start with locked knees and pointed toes and maintain throughout the entire movement. Keep elbows straight the entire set Raise legs as high as possible to create compression before raising hips Descend slowly and create tension through the chest to support in...