PHYSIOLOGY | waggymnastics101

Exercise Physiology

The VO2 demands of Gymnastics are between 2.4 - 2.6 ml/kg/min for vault, 33-44 ml/kg/min on bars and floor and lastly 27 - 35 ml/kg/min on beam.

Energy Systems

ATP - PC:

In gymnastics, gymnasts are training 80% of the time in the ATP - PC system. The reason being, the routines on the four events that the gymnast performs are relatively short.

Vault takes from the time you present to the time you land the vault, about 15 - 20 seconds. Although the gymnast perform 2 different vaults, the gymnast has about 2-4 minutes in between to wait for the judges to judge the vault. With this time waiting the phosphocreatine will have time to rebuild and be ready for the next burst of energy the gymnast needs when running down the vault strip.

Uneven Bars is one routine lasting about 45 secons to 1 minute. This means for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the routine the gymnast is using their ATP - PC system. Although they will not have that quick burst of power for the whole routine, the gymnast will typically put all of their hardest and most challenging skills at the beginning.

Balance Beam routines are a minute and 30 seconds with a series of acrobatic connections, skills, jumps, and turns. On the beam the gymnasts are continuously moving but they do have "rest" time while dancing. The ATP - PC system will be used sporadically through the routine. Each skill the gymnast performs will last no longer then five seconds therefore the ATP - PC system is not used all at once, so by the time the gymnast gets to the dismount the power will hopefully still be there.

Floor Exercise is a routine lasting a minute and 30 seconds. By the time the gymnast gets to their last tumbling past the phosphocreatine will have already been used up but for at least the first 2 tumbling passes the gymnast will receive that explosive release of energy needed to perform such hard skills.

WAYS TO TRAIN ATP - PC SYSTEM

~ Sprints of 20 meters with 30 seconds rest in between

~ Grip Strength - squeezing stress ball for 20 seconds

~ Lines of long jumps with 30 second rest in between each line

~ Circuit training each exercise 25 seconds with 30 second rest in between

LACTIC ACID:

Althought it seems as though gymnasts would be training mostly in the Lactic Acid system, they only use it about 15%.

Uneven Bars for most of the elite level gymnast will be almost a minute long. These means that the phosphocreatine will have ran out and the lactic acid will start to kick in. By the time the gymnast gets to their dismount they can feel their forearm muscles burning.

Balance Beam routines are a minute and a half long but the gymnast will not typically go into the lactic acid system/state as their are a lot of rest times (dance) but by the time it is time to dismount the gymnast will begin to feel the slight burn in the quadricep muscle group.

Floor Exercise would definitly be where the gymnast is mainly in the Lactic Acid system. Their routines are a minute and a half long and there is non-stop movement. The gymnast will have a minimum of 3 tumbling lines and will typically have 4. Along with those tumbling passes the gymnast must continuously dance while doing jumps, leaps and turns. Some of the tumbling lines will be back to back and there is not much time to take a breath. When it comes down to the last line of the routine, the gymnast will have almost hit their lactic threshold and will have to push through the burning sensation in their legs and arms to finish their routine. Although it might not look like it when watching on TV, inside the gymnast is fighting the burn. Depending on the gymnast the last line can be the difference in a first place finish and a last place finish.

WAYS TO TRAIN LACTIC ACID SYSTEM

~ Shuttle Run - 30 second shuttle run, rest 30 seconds, 1 minute, rest 45 seconds, 1 minute 30 seconds, rest 1 minute. ( Interval Training)

~ Tuck jumps on a rezi mat ( 25 tuck jumps, rest 30, 40 tuck jumps, rest 30, 50 tuck jumps )

Cellular Respiration:

Gymnastics is a stop and go sport and is the reason they are in their cellular respiration system only 5% of the time. Although it is a very hard sport to do, the routines are not very long, but there are multiple repetitions of each routine. Based on the repetitions the gymnast will move into their cellular respiration system throughout their 4 - 6 hour practices.

WAYS TO TRAIN CELLULAR RESPIRATION SYSTEM

~ After a floor routine must run 5 laps around the floor

~ Circuits with tumbling and jumps for 15 minutes

~ In the summer time 30 minute runs outisde

Source: Sports Coach &Physiological Demands