The Gymnastics Alliance movement has taken the world by storm following the release of Athlete A on Netflix. Started by Olympian Jennifer Pinches, it has caused a massive ripple effect in the last 6 months. The film produced by Jennifer Sey and her colleagues rightfully exposed many serious systemic issues within our sport. Ones that […]
Gymnastics strength and conditioning is changing faster than ever before, which is amazing to see. Cultural barriers around gymnasts lifting weights, using mixed models of gymnastics specific and general strength work, and more science based practices are finally making their way into mainstream gymnastics. I firmly believe that this will be the biggest change we […]
With gymnastics changing so fast, we are seeing massive new discussions on training techniques, cultural practices, the ongoing scandals, and how to have some hard conversations. In the last 6 months, I have been getting asked by a lot of people my thoughts on everything going on related to these topics. I get 30 or […]
Gymnastics coaches frequently contact me with questions on a range of topics related to flexibility, strength, culture development, injuries, and much more. Recently, as part of a give away for launching our brand new Hero Lab and SHIFT HQ online gymnastics group, I offered off a free consulting session for one lucky winner. Last month, […]
Mental health issues in gymnastics like depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and others are some of the most important, yet least discussed, topics in our sport. Between the perfectionism, unhealthy comparisons, constant critiquing that occurs in daily training or at meets (it’s literally called ‘getting judged), so many gymnasts, coaches, parents, and other professionals suffer in […]
This is the 100th episode of The SHIFT Show and the podcast! And yes I have a HUGE surprise, Aimee Boorman is today’s guest 🙂 First, a huge thank you to everyone who has been listening and helped the podcast grow over the last two years. It has turned into a medium and a space […]
Glute strength following hip injuries in gymnasts is essential. Along with the rest of the lower extremity musculature, the glutes help buffer extremely high impact forces going through the hip joint. Not to mention, they are essential to maintain dynamic hip stability under extreme ranges of motions seen in gymnastics skills. Without proper strength of […]
Rehabilitation for gymnasts with hip, knee, and ankle injuries can be extremely complex, and often frustrating. Research shows that up to 71% of gymnastics injuries occur in these body parts. Although it’s mind-boggling to consider, it’s not shocking considering impact forces have been recorded between 8.9 – 14.9x body weight. I, unfortunately, have treated or […]
With so much happening in our sport, many people have been asking “why has it taken so long to change?” It’s a good question. While there are thousands of great gymnastics professionals who are constantly learning, keeping a growth mindset, and are open to hearing feedback as well as constructive criticism, it’s not universal. In […]
It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of Ellie Black, particularly her approach to strength and conditioning programs. She regularly uses external loading, weights, and “non gymnastics’ type strength programming to compliment what she does with her more traditional gymnastics physical preparation work. If you follow her #TheGrind series you can regularly see her […]
