Taking control UPDATE…

My boys finished their ‘taking control of your own training’ programme on Saturday after a 2 week experiment. I have to say i am very proud of what they did. Heres how it went..

The programme was given to 3 of my gymnasts aged 13, 13 and 12. They are all members of the GB junior squad and train 6 days per week. The gymnasts were told that i did not expect them to train on all 6 apparatus everyday as long as the target was achieved at the end of the week.

GYMNAST 1: Eager to please but not always worried about style as long as he gets the numbers done.

GYMNAST 2: Hard working, self motivated and will die trying rather than admit defeat.

GYMNAST 3: Massively talented but has daily battles with his demons if the slightest thing goes wrong. When he is good, he is very good.

Week 1 was only a 4 day week as it was a National holiday on Monday and Tuesday for the Queens Diamond jubilee. The gymnasts were expected to perform 7 routines on each apparatus by the end of the week

Week 2 was a full week of 6 training sessions and the gymnasts were expected to achieve 10 routines on each apparatus by the end of the week

The gymnasts had 3 ways to complete the task:

1 full routine on each apparatus was equal to 1 full routine (easy really)

2x each half on an apparatus was equal to 1 full routine

2x full routines on tumble (power) track was equal to 1 full floor routine

The only stipulation was that full routines must make up 50% of the total number at the end of the week.

GYMNAST 1:

FLOOR : 12/17 FULL ROUTINES,     5/17 TRACK ROUTINES

POMMEL: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

RINGS: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

VAULT: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

P.BARS: 16/17 FULL ROUTINES,     1/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

H.BAR: 16/17 FULL ROUTINES,     1/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

THIS EQUATES TO 93% FULL ROUTINES OVER A 2 WEEK PERIOD

GYMNAST 2

FLOOR: 12/17 FULL ROUTINES        5/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

POMMEL: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

RINGS: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

VAULT: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

P.BARS: 15/17 FULL ROUTINES        2/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

H.BAR: 9/17 FULL ROUTINES          8/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

THIS EQUATES TO 85% FULL ROUTINES OVER A 2 WEEK PERIOD

GYMNAST 3:

FLOOR: 11/17 FULL ROUTINES         4/17 TRACK ROUTINES           2/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

POMMEL: 11/17 FULL ROUTINES     6/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

RINGS: 16/17 FULL ROUTINES          1/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

VAULT: 17/17 FULL ROUTINES

P.BARS: 13/17 FULL ROUTINES        4/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

H.BAR: 13/17 FULL ROUTINES        4/17. 1/2 ROUTINES

THIS EQUATES TO 79% FULL ROUTINES OVER A 2 WEEK PERIOD

The results allowed the gymnast to identify apparatus that needed more work . Funnily it also identified the apparatus that all 3 gymnasts do not particularly find appealing. By the end of the 2 week duration the gymnasts seemed to be far more aware of their bodies and how not to ‘force’ routines if they were not up to that particular apparatus. several times the gymnasts missed apparatus out if they were tired or aching which showed that they were listening to their bodies before making training decisions. Something that i think will be key in future injury prevention.

Overall i am extremely pleased with how the gymnasts took to the programme and made it work. All 3 gymnasts, by the end of the 2 weeks, were thinking about style as well as completing routines and with 2 weeks to go before their British Championships i believe that, as a result of these 2 weeks, are more prepared, both mentally and gymnastically, than they have ever been before!

Lets wait and see shall we…….