International Gymnast - October 2009

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2009 Women’s Academic
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Posture

Shoulder Secrets

5 ways to stretch them

1: Arms up High The setting: A gym club in Suburban, Anywhere. A gymnast has a poor body line in handstands. The Posture Lady notes that the gymnast’s arms do not go all the way up overhead. She also notes that the gymnast arches her back when her arms are forced overhead. No time is spent on correct stretching. Clue #1: The wall is straight; use it. Stand against a wall with your heels a few inches away. Start with your arms extended out to the side. Slide arms up, keeping them in contact with the wall. Be sure to keep the abdomen pulled up and in and the low back flat against the wall. Stick to it with 5 repetitions every day.

2: Arms by Ears

A witness passes by during the wall stretch. Firsthand account given that above gymnast had arms too wide. When bringing the arms overhead, the gymnast must have the arms touching the ears. Otherwise, certain musculature, namely the teres major muscle, is too tight. This tightness is evidence that the arms go too wide on skills such as front and back handsprings. Clue #2: Touch your right arm to your right ear and touch your left arm to your left ear. During the above wall stretch exercise, be sure to slide arms up close to the ears, remembering to keep the abdomen and back flat.

3: Arms out Wide

Perplexed? The gymnast’s arms should go by her ears and go out wide? Yes. When lying flat on her back with palms facing up, the gymnast’s arms should touch the floor at all angles of movement.

International GYMNAST October 2009

Edited by Dwight Normile

Praise &

Criticism

In general, it’s much

easier for people to

take criticism in pri-

vate rather than in

front of the whole

world. A wise prac-

tice is praise in public,

criticize in private.

Adapted from “The Double-Goal Coach” by Jim Thompson, founder and executive director of Positive Coaching Alliance ( www.positivecoach.org).

P. T.

Clue #3: Keep your chest muscles flexible by sitting and standing straight and tall. Have a motive. Don’t be a slouch. I have a hunch that your arms do touch the floor when you are lying on your back with your arms out wide. Keep them this way. This will help you with presentation and poise, much-needed qualities of gymnasts.

4: Rotate that Rotator Cuff

The plot thickens. The puzzling rotator cuff needs to be rotated. Medical detectives say that the rotator cuff is a network of four muscles and tendons that need to be carefully balanced.

Quick Test: Gymnast stands up straight, no back arch, and reaches one bent arm up behind their head and the other bent arm behind their back.

Clue #4: Fingertips should touch. Don’t be a victim of rotator cuff trouble. Work on touching your fingertips during the rotator cuff test. Do both sides daily. Tighten your abdominals and keep your low back straight while your shoulder rotators do the work.

5: Shoulders Stretched Back

As I look at a gymnast from the front, I see the backs of the her hands as her arms hang at her sides. What is her alibi? Was she lying down with her arms resting on her belly and having a coach, parent or teammate stretch her shoulders back and down to the floor? No. She needed that stretch but was slouching, instead.

Clue #5: When standing, with arms hanging down, the palms of your hands should face in, toward your body. Lift your chest up and pull your shoulder blades gently down, back and in. This is a breakthrough! It will help your palms face your body. Be sure to find a partner to help you stretch your shoulders down to the floor for one minute each day.