Coach Sommer: May 2008 Archives
Allan Bower, Coach Sommer's senior student, recently placed second all around at the US Jr National Championships and is also the new Jr National Champion on Parallel Bars. Congratulations, Allan!
A very nice article detailing Allan's success and future plans is available in the Community forum under "Coach Sommer's Student".
The photo to the left shows Allan in action on pommel horse earlier this year in Houston, TX.
Dynamic strength is one of the primary components in the Gymnastics Bodies Program. It is essential for transferring maximal strength into athletically usable power. Swinging dips to 45 degrees are an excellent example of this type of strength.
A video demonstration of swinging dips to 45 degrees is available here.
An article detailing this movement is available in the Dynamic Strength forum under "Swinging Dips"
To be successful at even moderate levels of gymnastics strength training, it is necessary to build a core that is essentially bullet proof from all angles. Side lever pulls are one of the tools which I use to achieve this with my own athletes.
A video demonstration of side lever pulls is available here. Please choose "high quality" for the best viewing experience.
An essay detailing performance guidelines and progressions is available under "Side Lever Pulls - The Ultimate Side Press" in the Basic Strength forum.
A common theme song in fitness circles today is that specific conditioning for building core strength is both unnecessary and over-rated. This may indeed be the case in regards to less comprehensive pursuits. But for gymnastics strength training, specific work is not only necessary, but is so essential that it must be a primary focus.
L-sit lifts are an excellent choice for bent body work that requires no equipment other than some floor space and a health dose of sweat. A video demonstration of L-sit lifts is available here.
An essay detailing this movement is available under "L-sit Lifts" in the Basic Strength forum.
