How to Be a Good Gymnast

Co-authored by Alphonso White

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 Approved

Sometimes, it's hard to stay dedicated to a sport so that you can become good at it. However, letting your passion drive your dedication can really help you to improve your skills. Keeping your goals in sight is crucial to long-term success. To really excel as a gymnast, you have to be dedicated and this article explains some of the things to take into account.

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Joining a Class

1
Find a good class or team. If you are in high school, sign up for your school's gymnastics team. If you are younger you would have to join classes. If you are more advanced, you may be able to join a competitive gymnastics team.
2
Be on time. Arrange a good schedule, and make sure you leave a good amount of time to get to your class.^{[1]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
3
Work hard. Not just vault, floor, beam, bars. Also, work hard in the conditioning and stretching. But don't go too far, especially with the stretching.^{[2]
X
Research source}
4
Ask your coach or instructor for tips. If you are in a group like most gymnasts, asks for tips that are most important to you. But if you have a private instructor/coach, ask them help for all skills, learn to deal with criticism, because most coaches don't mean to insult you.
- Use the tips. Unless your coach is just a friend's parent, or a P.E. teacher, you should trust their tips. Coaches at gymnastics gyms, are qualified, and most competitive ones, have been through the 10 levels of gymnastics some are even elite gymnasts.

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Goal Setting

1
Be positive. Think that you can do a skill, that you are afraid to. Try to be positive at every single practice!
2
Set goals for yourself to reach. Maybe it's something like getting better at double backs, or something like getting your leg higher in a scorpion. What ever it is, if you have a goal in mind, it makes it easier to achieve it.^{[3]
X
Research source}
3
Be dedicated to gymnastics. Usually some people practice gymnastics for even four or five hours everyday, without their lessons. Typical gymnasts usually train for three to four hours, three times every week. If you wish to be a competitive gymnast the training hours will increase prior to an event. You must make sure that you are ready to commit to many training sessions that may affect your daily routine.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Adopting a Daily Exercise Routine

1
Match your routine to your level of energy. If you don't have a lot of energy, exercise 2-3 days a week or on the days that you don't have gymnastics. If you feel stronger, do 6-7 days a week.
- Give yourself time to rest and heal when you need it. Remember that if you are sick, skip this routine for about at least a week, unless it's just a cold.
2
Warm up. Warm up with exercises like running 1/2 a mile, or just a few laps, jumping jacks, high knees and butt kickers, or lunges. Practice stretching and warming up at home before you begin. Your coach will usually pick up on who is the best at stretching out beforehand, and gain their respect. Take part in all coach-led exercises to show that you are committed to gymnastics.
3
Do upper body workouts. Do different kinds of pushups like basic pushups, fist pushups, pushups with your elbows pointed inwards, knee pushups when you are tired, pushups with your legs higher, handstand pushups, and wall pushups if you are a beginner. You can even add 1-5 pound wrist weights to your pushups. Also try plank holds.^{[5]
X
Research source}
4
Do lower body workouts. Jumps, candlestick-jumps, lunges again, v-hold, arch-hold, tuck ups/v ups, and/or candlestick holds could help. There are many healthy variations.^{[6]
X
Research source}
5
Do full body workouts. Try burpees, frog jumps, and basically all exercise where you go to the ground and get back up then jump.
6
Finish up with some other exercises. Do curl/sit ups, and wall sits.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Staying Motivated

1
Set goals along the way. The only way to work towards mastering all your skills is to try, and practice, and try again. In every new skill you learn, you have to attempt it, so set goals to what skills you want to attempt at each practice.^{[7]
X
Research source}
2
Create a check list of your goals. Check it off when you think you got the skill down. Example:
- back handspring ()
- front tuck ()
- split jump ()
3
Be willing to practice hundred percent. If you try your best and practice this all the time, you'll be a dedicated gymnast in no time! If you want to be a good gymnast, you need to commit to the sport. Sometimes you have to realize that you can't always hang out with your friends.
4
Remember to stay fit and healthy. This is very important. Always have a healthy diet. This does not mean to stop eating, it means to eat less unhealthy junk food. Make sure that you eat a small energy snack before a long training session, otherwise you will find yourself running out of energy before the end of training.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Make sure that you're eating enough calories to support muscle growth.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Being Part of the Team

1
Support others. At your lessons, be kind to your fellow gymnasts. Being kind to others will also make you a better gymnast and person. Do not argue with your coaches. You should respect your coach's position.
2
Don't over-react to criticism. It's just something to improve on, a little tiny thing that you could work on to improve your gymnastics skills. Over-reacting will just make people think negatively of you. Take all points of criticism and use them to improve.
3
Show up to classes on time. Showing up on time will help your coach know that you're reliable and that in future tournaments you'll definitely be there to compete. Also, remember your leotard and other equipment. This will prove that you are a committed and serious student.^{[9]
X
Research source}

Expert Q&A

Question

How can women gain muscle and look toned?

Alphonso White
Certified Personal Trainer, CompleteBody NYC
Alphonso White is a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach at CompleteBody in New York City. With over 20 years of experience in the personal fitness industry, Alphonso specializes in fat loss, toning, and functional training. As an ACE Certified Personal Trainer (ACE-CPT), he creates structured, personal workout plans geared towards short and long-term fitness goals. Alphonso also holds a BS in Nutrition and Exercise Science from Queens College and is a Black Belt in Seido Karate.

Alphonso White

Certified Personal Trainer, CompleteBody NYC

Expert Answer

Prioritize compound lifts during workouts, like squats, deadlifts, pulldowns, and presses. Also, make sure that you're averaging 7-8 hours of sleep per night, since muscle growth occurs during sleep/recovery.
Question

Should I bring a water bottle every time, or just on the days I feel that I'll need one?

Community Answer

You should take one to every lesson, because you need to ensure that you are staying hydrated all the time.
Question

What should I do if I mess up?

Community Answer

Keep practicing. If you are at a meet and mess up, don't worry too much. Nobody's perfect and we all make mistakes. Practice the skill you messed up on to improve it for next time and show how much you care about getting better.

Warnings

While practicing at home, do not try anything that is too dangerous. For example, if you just got a new skill that day, don't try it once you get home. You will be tired and worn out. Take a nap or shower if needed.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 252 Not Helpful 37
Reserve at-home equipment use for lower-level (compulsory-level) skills. Higher-level skills are not safe to practice at home.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 218 Not Helpful 44