one armed moves and gymnastics

[cathal]

im just wondering do gymnasts use one arm moves like one arm pushups and and chinups to increase their general strength or is it better to stick with two arm exercises?

[John Sapinoso]

personaly i rarely...if ever used one arm exercises to build strength.

i did occasionally use it for fun or to measure strength though.

[Guest cklbwe]

I got the same thought as you, cathal. I see gymnasts use both hands all the time, but I still wonder if one arm exercises will make us stronger than two arms exercises. Coach Sommer and any coaches here, can you guys give us your opinions?

[Guest Valentin]

Hi

I think that there is limited benefits to doing certain 1 arm exercises to increase overload, however these exercises are usually not specific enough for gymnastics, and i as a coach would not use them. As you said gymnastics is usually done on 2 hands, aside from on pommel where there is a lot of 1 arm support (which however still is dependent on maximal 2 hand support before transitioning to 1 arm and then back to 2), some P-bars work but this is for support rather then pulling.

Training for many of the 1 arm exercises is time consuming, which is time that could be devoted to much more important aspects of the training. Overall i don't see the cross-over benefit in doing 1 arm strength work for most exercises. The beneficial exercises done on 1 arm are anything in support. so like 1 arm handstands, 1 arm press to handstand (even thought this is not as good as doing progressively harder press to handstand work). Anything that is pulling I don't think is worth the benefit to time ratio spent to learn to have a benefit.

In short i think 1 arm support work will have some to very good carry over training benefits, anything pulling is not worth it the time for most gymnasts, 1 arm pushing exercises aren't specific enough i think.

[Guest cklbwe]

Thank you, Valentin! I have unbalanced muscles (triceps, chest...). To compare with my right arm, my left arm is weaker by 30%. In my case, should I use unilateral training or there is other way to fix this?

[Blairbob]

About the only thing I have my gymnasts do with one arm is handstand variants.

Handstand hold against the wall with 1 arm ( for pirouettes or just working a one arm HS hold ), Handstand walks ( technically somewhat 1 hand at a time ). Shoulder and side tappers in a handstand and perhaps 1 arm handstands.

Having a one arm HS is generally a big focus for sports gymnastics acrobatics. This is done sometimes on floor or beam but that's about it.

[Paul]

Cirques, as outlined by Coach Sommer in the link below would be considered a one arm move.

http://gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338

Paul.

[Raizen]

One-armed strength techniques are definately impressive, but I don't see why gymnasts would make extensive use of them in their training, as generally in competition they'll be using both arms, and will need the coordination developed from training in that fashion.

[Edward Smith]

I think, as Coach mentions in the Cirques topic, one-arm training is best used as preparation for harder movements i.e cirques/one-arm comedowns for maltese. Another thing is Gymnasts might not use them lots but fitness enthusiasts may want to include some one-arm work.

[Guest cklbwe]

Thank you everyone!

[Coach Sommer]

I do not know of any gymnasts or gymnastics coaches that make extensive use of one arm strength training. The closest that I come with my own athletes are the cirques. That is not to say however, that such a focus may not be beneficial. Our very own Ido Portal is capable of performing several one arm chins on each arm. Perhaps he would join into this discussion and share whether or not he has found the one arm chins to have viable strength transfers to other gymnastics strength elements, as well as overall athleticism.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[JoeSimo]

I would say then that one arm movements, ie. chins and pull ups, can be seen as a byproduct of Gymnastic Strength Training™ and not the goal.

I don't really focus on one arm movements anymore but have noticed that If I try to do a one arm chin I can usually do 1 or 2 on my best day. I just attributed this to all the other strength training.

[Guest Ido Portal]

A good discussion going on here.

I would argue that gymnastics is neither performed on one leg for the most part (beam being the exception here) but gymnasts use mainly one legged strength movements for conditioning. Why? the ineffeciency and non specific work that can be provided by the low load two legged bw strength movements.

I dont think that gymnasts need the one arm movements as an end goal, but sometimes those movements are the natural progression required for further development, if you choose not to use external loads. (I see too many gymnasts training in a high rep zone and justifying it as 'conditioning work')

The one arm chin, when used regularly and not performed as a feat, helps develop much more than pulling strength. The stability component of the shoulder joint and body tension required are only some of the benefits.

Also, one arm handstands is another thing that few gymnasts ever achieve , because it requires so much work and is not specific for gymnsatics, but it can provide greater margin for error in parallel bar work (some of the greatest PB performers have the one arm handstand down) and also helps to develop the shoulder joint, trapeze and body tension that cannot be duplicated by the normal handstand work.

To sum up: I dont think gymnasts have to start working towards the one arm movements as their end goal, but I do think that using those movements with very capable gymnasts that are stuck in their development due to the low requirements of the normal two arm movements is wise.

[Coach Sommer]

Ido raises some very good issues. If you are focusing on basic bodyweight elements as your main source of maximal strength training he is completely correct. As I mentioned in a previous essay, I personally also had some very significant strength returns focusing on assisted one arm chins and lock offs.

Perhaps another interesting aside, is that for my athletes, once they reach an acceptable minimum of basic strength, focusing on more advanced ring strength elements and series becomes our maximal strength training and the other more traditional elements shift to being used as dynamic strength training and joint prehabilitation work.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Edward Smith]

I completely agree with Ido on this one. One-arm moves are probably best used as GPP and a sort of over-strength for muscles and connective tissues.