Flexibility for Gymnasts
How to accelerate change by putting the brain first.
In this post, I’m going to take you through the basics of how to use a brain-based approach and tools to improve flexibility for gymnasts, and I’ll explain a little of the neuroscience behind it. And of course I’ll share a few neuroperformance drills that demonstrate how quickly you can see changes for front splits, pike and bridge.
What does the brain have to do with flexibility and how do I use it for improving flexibility for gymnasts?
The most basic concept is that your brain is the CEO of everything you do. We know that it’s responsible for things like memory, thinking, learning, and analyzing, right? But one of the big things most gymnasts (and most people) don’t realize? It regulates muscle tone, so it can help with flexibility. And by going to the brain, the boss of everything, changes can happen in as little as 20 seconds.
There are specific parts of the brain that help activate flexors (like biceps) or that help with extensors (like triceps); and the interaction between them helps enable efficient and effective movement.
What does this all mean for you as a gymnast or for the gymnasts you coach? There are easier and more efficient ways to get ‘unstuck’ - to find a range of motion that either you used to have or maybe never thought was possible.
1) Splits Flexibility for Gymnasts
Neuromechanics for the Tibial Nerve
For most gymnasts - hamstring tightness is a limiting factor for getting all the way down in front splits or a pike stretch (more for this below). This drill is a tension and relax sequence for the tibial nerve, which travels down the back of your leg all the way down to the bottoms of your toes. (Technically it’s also stretching & relaxing the sciatic nerve; the tibial nerve is a branch off of the sciatic nerve.)
Why would we move nerves to help with flexibility? By moving it (because nerves are designed to move), we are helping the nerve slide better through tissues and muscle fibers that they feed or innervate. Nerves can get entrapped or compressed, limiting range of motion.
Tips for this drill
MOST IMPORTANT: The level of tension or discomfort you feel should be a 3 out of 10 at the most
The sequence and specificity matters:
Your leg is straight, turned in, and across the body
Lengthen your spine, then bend forward slowly
Once you feel a 3/10, flex and relax your ankle 10 times
Watch the video for adjustments and corrections if you don’t feel anything
You can use it to reduce hamstring and calf muscle ‘tightness’
While this exercise is safe and I do it with nearly all of my clients, because you’re not in front of me, I recommend that if you have active sciatica or a spinal disc injury, to be extra gentle when doing this one or consult with your PT first.
2) Pike Flexibility for Gymnasts
Pencil Push-up: Using the eyes to find more flexion
Yes, using your eyes! As I mentioned at the top, because we understand the effects specific parts of the brain can have on muscle tone and function, we can take advantage of our wiring to find more flexibility (and do it in less time).
This movement with your eyes helps to facilitate flexion - what’s happening at the hips for a pike stretch. This vision drill activates a part of the brainstem (looks like a stem at the base of the brain) that helps turn on flexors including your neck muscles, biceps, trunk and hip flexors. And when those are more turned on, it can help flexibility by ‘turning off’ or inhibiting the opposite muscles, the hamstrings.
Tips for this drill
For your visual target, you can use your thumbnail, a pencil eraser or a pen cap. The gymnast in the video using a stick with letters on it.
Make sure to hold the visual target directly across from your eyes, bring it in until it’s almost touching the bridge of your nose
Hold it there for half a second, then push it back out
You can try this upside down, in a V-hold or hollow hold
Do 10 reps
By the way, a good bridge requires good shoulder flexion, so this drill can also help bridge flexibility. Speaking of bridges…
3) Bridge Flexibility for Gymnasts
Using the the vestibular system to open up your spine
In addition to having good shoulder mobility, gymnasts need significant spinal flexibility. This drill is going to activate the vestibular system, which regulates the tone of muscles down the back - from your neck, down the spine, glutes, hamstrings, calves and muscles on the sole of your foot.
The vestibular system is deep in your inner ear and is responsible for our balance and ensuring that we see clearly while we’re moving. It’s what helps gymnasts stay focused on the floor, beam or bar while twisting and/or flipping. It’s super critical for gymnastics skills, but also super powerful for changing muscle tone and helping quickly change flexibility for gymnasts.
Tips for this drill
For your visual target, you can use your thumbnail, a pencil eraser or a pen cap. In the video I’m using a stick with letters on it.
Make sure to hold the visual target directly across from your eyes, and keep your eyes focused on it
Turn your head a little more than a quarter of the way to each side - it’s not a full head turn
You can try this upside down, while in a bridge, balancing on one foot
Do this one for 20-30 seconds
How did it go?
Did you feel a change? Maybe all 3 drills created a change for you, or maybe just one of them was a winner. This is totally normal - our brain and body’s history is different, so we’ll respond differently to each drill.
In order to see lasting changes, when I’m working with individual gymnasts to improve their flexibility, the goal is to do a set of exercises (usually about 10-15 minutes worth) 5 days a week. Often they’ll see changes within a week, and even more if they keep it up for 3-4 weeks. (Things may take a little longer for adults.)
Check out these other posts:
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