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Do gymnasts suffer from connective tissue/joint problems later in life?


AzureWarrior
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Regarding gymnasts that trained from a very young age and competed.

 

Also if there's somebody here that has started gymnastics training at an older age (15-20-25-30) and has achieved relatively impressive skills (planche, cross etc) and is now with over 10-20 years of training experience I would very appreciate to hear their experience with this subject.

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I think that all this landings gymnast do are too much for knees and other leg joints. Im not saying anything, this is just my opinion. :)

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Alexander Egebak

I think that all this landings gymnast do are too much for knees and other leg joints. Im not saying anything, this is just my opinion. :)

I would also like to hear of the wear and tear in the joints affect gymnasts the same, more or less than "ordinary people".

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Daniel Burnham

Sure. It just depends on their training. It is just as possible for them to exceed their limits as someone starting new.

I have seen guys get into college and tear biceps and pecs due to overstrain. Most of the time this is improper strength prep beforehand and the gymnast trying to catch up and obtain the skills of their peers.

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Sure. It just depends on their training. It is just as possible for them to exceed their limits as someone starting new.

I have seen guys get into college and tear biceps and pecs due to overstrain. Most of the time this is improper strength prep beforehand and the gymnast trying to catch up and obtain the skills of their peers.

 

 

I guess my question wasn't so accurate. 

Are there stuff the body is built of which even by correct and safe training (taking into consideration connective tissue work) of gymnastics will deteriorate as age progresses as a direct result from performing the hard strength elements?

 

Another question: why are there gymnasts which after finishing competitive training start to neglect their body? is it because their experience of training over the years was remembered as 'bitter'? 

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Daniel Burnham

Safe training means you know your limits. Sometimes to be the best you have to compromise your safety. So no by definition you can't get hurt by safe training unless there is a freak accident because it would then be considered unsafe training.

Everyone's connective tissue will loose elasticity and will not regenerate as quickly as you get older. Smart training can slow the process and you may even be able to build some but you can't escape aging.

You would have to ask a sports psychologist but many people don't have time to train like they did because of other goals and life in general. All sports are alike in this way. Not just gymnastics. Some people continue to workout. There is a guy in my gym who is in his 60s and still has his splits.

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First of all, I would say that the GST programme here is quite an outlier in terms of the approach of training.

 

The focus is always technical skills and from many instances seen, corners are cut. I would say this is not only in gymnastics but most sports in general. 

 

For former competitive gymnasts, males seem to suffer more upper body ailments while females are more in the lower body region. Due to the apparatus events.

 

From conversations with some former competitive gymnasts, most feel burnt out from the training and all the competition.  

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Interesting, thank you for your comments. Just sharing my experience;

I am competitive in nature, but my fire wasn't cultivated at an early age by circumstance and I was the main maneuverer of it over the years of training.

I felt a bit down about my parents not putting me in competitive sport but eventually accepted the fact that I am satisfied with continually improving/ working my body and be inspired by those who inspire me to work out and become better. It seems I became moderated in my fire, and it's an on-off switch. I think this will last for a lifetime, and am happy with it. 

Edited by AzureWarrior
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