Do's and Dont's during training

Training sessions vary depending on the coach, your age, your level, and a number of other things. But, after all, we all aim to get better at the same sport, and some guidelines apply for all gymnasts. Time is precious, so let's have a look at some Do's and Dont's during training to make the most out of our practices!

DO

1.Have patience

You have been stretching, exercising and practising for that mastery that you want to get. You have been working exceptionally hard for a whole WEEK. And you are starting to get desperate wondering why can't you get it right. Does this sound familiar?

The truth is, gymnastics is a long-distance race, not a speed one. By this, we mean that we need to work reasonably hard EVERY DAY, and results will slowly start to show. Speeding through your skills won't work. Improvement happens progressively and patience while waiting for progress is something that every gymnast should do.

2. Practice your basics

Basics are essential at so many levels. They are called basics for a reason, after all. Think about basics as the foundation of a routine: You need the foundation to have a strong and presentable final product. No matter your level, apparatus basics should be a must on your training. Body difficulty basics are normally part of your physical preparation. And although they can be boring at times and you may feel they are too easy or not challenging enough, there are so many benefits to them.

Basics will improve your body literacy. This means it's going to give you the skill you need to do bigger skills and will improve your technique. Repetitive exercises like basics also improve your concentration and can reduce stress.

3. Make the most out of your time

It's not easy to be always at 100% in training. There are other interesting things around us like friends, someone's new routine we want to check out, maybe we are zoned out because of something has happened at school or home. That's completely normal, but if you waste 10 mins talking or distracted in total in a training session, after a few weeks that can add up to hours.

If you have something important to talk about with your teammates, meet 15 mins before training!

DON'T

1. Compare yourself to others.

Comparing your beginning to someone else's middle or end. It isn't useful nor fair. We all have our talents and our weaknesses, they are different for everyone. You may envy a competitor with fabulous back flexibility, and that same competitor could be wishing they had your great leaps. Only compare your present to your past!

2.Underestimate the power of physical preparation

Physical preparation is not the most entertaining activity, we all know it. But is essential for getting strong, flexible and more. We may not feel excited about it, and this can cause us not to focus or push ourselves as much as we should. Think that the more aware you are and the more attention you put into each rep, the better you will get at gymnastics, you'll see!

3.Get frustrated

Have you ever tried the same skill/drill so many times that you have gotten extremely frustrated? When we enter this dynamic we won't improve it, but we may find ourselves doing it worse than ever. This is because we are a bit angry and we are not focused.

Here's what you need to realise; there are only some things you can control. If you can't control the circumstances -cold weather causing stiff muscles, not being able to hear your music properly, or simply having a hard time with a certain difficulty- you will have to learn to let it be (As long as you've tried your best).

Some times it's just better to leave whatever is getting tedious to one side and move on to a different thing for a while.

What are your most important do's and don't during training? Share with other readers in the comments!