GB + gymnastics classes

[James McKenzie]

Hi there,

I'm a beginner, starting F1, H1 and the Stretch Series.

I also want to take gymnastics classes and learn the skills and apparatus. I.e. tumbling/acrobatics, tramp, high bar, pbar, rings, pommel etc.

However, I am wary of doing too much, too soon, potentially resulting in an injury.

In terms of gymnastics classes; 

- What apparatus can a beginner safely starting training on?

- What apparatus should I initially avoid? 

- Excluding the warm-up, should I avoid core, strength and handstand work during the class, to avoid repeating work I would be covering in the GB courses?

Thanks for any advice provided

[Alessandro Mainente]

HI James, yes I would separate the technical work from strength work. use the previously mastered elements as a warm up.

I think that if you want to do basic elements on apparatus you can do them without problem like basic swing on all the apparatus where swings it is allowed like pbars, high bar, rings. some basic work on mushroom for circles and swing on pommel, for the floor I wan to say that it is pretty hard to do something cool at the beginning basically because you need to be proficient in handstand . without it all the basic  skills like round off or handspring will have a bad development. listen to me, handstand first. you can of course do some basic roll, forward, backward, basically what it covered on movement 1.

[James McKenzie]

Hi Alessandro,

Thank you for your advice. I will separate strength and technical work, doing the former in the morning before work, and the later in evening. 

In terms of technical work, I am most interested in learning tumbling above all other apparatus. I will be making handstand work a priority and will be starting the GB Handstand 1 course this week.