Beginner with lots of time on my hand

[Ali Dawi]

So I am beginning gymnastics (I found a gymnasium but no coaches). I am having a gap year and I have up to 9 hours of training. I would like to use all the time I have got but I don't really know how to get started and what I should do in those 8-9 hours. I know it sounds lunatic but I will be committed to it. My question is how do I fill those 8-9 hours? I already have some of the basics (L-sits on rings and ground, flares on ground, multiple somersaults, and a few other moves). I would really love to progress on the rings, pomel horse and parallel bars (perhaps the high bar as well). I don't have someone to help me so I have to do it alone.

[Blairbob]

8-9 hours/week or a day?

Go to USA-Gymnastics.org and look through the archived magazines. They are a pain to link because it's all browsed by flash. There are a score of articles from basic swing to the kip and giants, free hips on high bar, etc.

There is a bit of video through the youtube of GymSmarts and the GymnasticsMinute

Go over to the skill development subforum and check out the stickies. I made one sticky that pretty much goes over most of the basics. You can probably find the L4, L5, and L6 boy's routines on youtube.

[Ali Dawi]

8-9 hours a day. I really want to take gymnastics seriously and perhaps have a future in it (even though many have told me that it is near impossible at the age of 16). Thank you, I will check the site out.

[Blairbob]

I don't think it's very realistic to try starting out to train that much.

Maybe starting out you could 2/day. A skill and strength session with time in between. Of course, one of the issues with 2 a days is going to the gym twice in the same day.

Otherwise, maybe just do one long session. You could even take a break in between or just focus on replenishing energy throughout the workout besides hydration protocols.

I mean maybe you could fill out a lot of time per day with trampoline and hand balancing and stretching. Thing is you risk burnout. Too much, too soon you know.

I would check out all those stickies. Then go over to DrillsandSkills and read everything there and do searches for everything you want there. Then watch everything on youtube besides USA-gymnastics.org.

After that, if you still want to learn more about technique, look at some of the videos on GymSmarts.

See if you can find someone at that gym who used to be a gymnast or someone nearby. Maybe get some private lessons, who knows.

I think that sticky I wrote covers most of the basics. Of course, you do have to figure out how to do them. Shouldn't be too hard with all the youtube video out there of various tutorials and routines.