Gymnastics is one of the most popular forms of exercise for children in the United States, particularly young girls. From balance to arm strength, the sport involves developing many different skills and parts of the body. One of the most important is speed. If you or your child is trying to improve your gymnastics skills, running faster may be the way to do it. Here’s a guide to why this is and how to improve your speed during training.

Why Speed & Lower Body Strength Matter in Gymnastics

The use of the lower body is vital in gymnastics. In women’s programs, the vault, balance beam, and floor exercises are all leg-driven. Those who can put out and absorb high amounts of force have an advantage in these events. For men, advanced tumbling passes and difficult vault exercises also require athletes to spend more time building lower body strength.

Speed is particularly important in the vault exercise. This is because athletes need to sprint a short distance (about 30 to 40 meters) to the pommel horse and use this momentum to perform in the air. If a gymnast wants to increase their success rate, they need to improve their speed and running techniques.

How to Train to Improve Speed

First, athletes should work on their posture, since it’s difficult to run quickly when you’re slouched. To improve your posture when you’re at a desk, sit all the way back in your chair and place a rolled-up towel behind your lower back for lumbar support. Bend your knees at a right angle and place both feet flat on the floor.

A common mistake many athletes make is to run quickly towards the springboard, then slow down right before they hit it. This might be rooted in lack of confidence. Try starting closer to the springboard. Once you’ve mastered this, move back several feet and try again. Before you know it, you’ll be running the whole distance at full speed.

A kettlebell swing may also be helpful for building lower body strength. Start with the kettlebell between your feet and slightly in front of you. Bending your knees, pull it back between your legs to build momentum, then drive your hips forward and straighten your back to send it up to shoulder height. This will help strengthen your glutes and core, which will help you run faster.

The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester in Penfield, NY, helps all children be the best gymnasts they can be. Their 22,000 square foot facility has the latest equipment, all of which adheres to the U.S.A. Gymnastics safety specifications. Whether your child is three or 13, this training center has age-appropriate exercise options for them. Visit them online to view their scheduling, or call (585) 388-8686 to enroll your child.