How To Do Gymnastics At Home With Minimal Equipment
Since the dawn of time, men have always sought to defy gravity: Icarus with his wax wings, the Wright Brothers in their crude Kitty Hawk, Cirque Du Soleil acrobats performing death-defying gymnastics.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to fly like them, even for a moment? To move with the grace of a gymnast and feel completely in control of your body? To defy gravity with strength and balance?
The good news is: it’s totally possible. With a little practice and enough effort, you can be a gymnast. You don’t have to be as agile as Simone Biles or as powerful as Louis Smith; all you need to be is a willing and teachable learner.
What Is Gymnastics?
When one hears the word “gymnastics”, what comes to mind are balance beams and pommel horses, rings and uneven bars--stuff beyond the capabilities of us mere humans. However, by definition, gymnastics is a lot less intimidating; it simply means: physical exercise designed to develop strength and coordination (Merriam Webster).
By this definition, even familiar movements like pushups and pullups can be considered gymnastic exercises.
Believe it or not gymnastics doesn’t require special equipment or an advanced facility. In fact, there are so many gymnastic exercises you can do from the convenience of your home.
Where To Start?
For the uninitiated, getting into gymnastics can be tricky. Most gym-goers, especially those used to machines and isolation exercises, tend to struggle with body weight movements and gymnastic exercises.
Why? Because they’re not used to working their body as a single unit, which, by the way, is how a body should work. Everything we do from walking to picking up stuff on the floor to getting up from bed in the morning requires our entire body.
Besides, real strength isn’t measured by how much your individual muscles can lift, but by how well they can work in unison. Rather than build useless (read: display only) muscle, put greater emphasis on exercises that can actually make you fitter and stronger, like gymnastics.
All you’ll need are your body (obviously) and the following: resistance bands, sliding discs, parallette bars, and gymnastics rings.
1. Resistance Bands
Make your exercises more challenging (or easier) with a resistance band. Resistance bands come in all kinds of shapes, lengths, and tension levels. Plus, they’re super portable. Perfect for those with no time or space for a gym. These are the resistance bands that I prefer.
Unlike free weights, that are nearly impossible to bring around, resistance bands are light and easy to carry. And they work just as well. And they can fit in a regular suitcase.
Resistance bands come in several types: therapy bands, tube bands with handles, and loop bands (which look like giant rubber bands). Each band is made for certain kinds of exercises and works the muscles in different ways. For example, a therapy band is generally used for exercises that wrap around your torso, creating tension meant for stretches and floor exercises; whereas tube bands with loops are used for standing exercises and exercises that need a floor anchor.
Band Bent-Over Row
Stand over the center of a tube band, feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees slightly bend and hinge your waist forward, making sure your hips stay back. Grab each handle palms facing your knees and, with elbows bent slightly, pull the band toward your hips until your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
Band Pushups
Take your pushups to the next level. Drape the resistance band over your back and grab each handle. Enter the plank position and contract your core. Make sure your hands are shoulder width apart with palms planted firmly on the ground. Perform a regular pushup. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
Lateral Raise
Stand over the center of a tube band, feet together. Keep your knees and elbows slightly bent and your core engaged. Lift your arms to your sides until your elbows reach shoulder level. You should feel the burn immediately in your deltoids. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
2. Sliding Discs
Sliding Discs or Gliding Discs are frisbee-like equipment made of high-quality polymer. They are used on both the hands and feet to provide a smooth gliding surface.
Adding a sliding disc to a workout works your muscles twice as hard. Because your hands and feet are sliding about, your core has to work double time to keep your limbs in place. The added difficulty helps sculpt the legs, tone the inner and outer thighs, firm up the arms, and tighten the buttocks. It practically turns every movement into a full body workout. Furthermore, it reduces impact for people experiencing injuries and joint pain.
Pike
Enter a pushup position with your feet together, one disc beneath each foot. Tightening your stomach and lower back, drive your buttocks to the ceiling until you look like the letter A. Slide back down and repeat. You should feel the burn in your sides and at your lower back. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
Mountain Climbers
Enter a pushup position with your feet shoulder width apart, one disc beneath each foot. Engaging your core, bring one foot forward driving your knee towards your chest. Bring your foot back and repeat the exercise with the other foot. That’s one rep. Repeat for 20-30 reps.
If done right, this should feel as if you’re sprinting on the floor.
Pushup Crunch
Enter a pushup position with your feet together, one disc beneath each foot. Tightening your stomach and lower back, perform a pushup then after drive both knees to your chest in a crunching motion. That’s one rep. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
3. Parallette Bars
A parallette bar or parallette looks almost like the handrails beside a flight of stairs, except shorter and supported by a base. They usually come in pairs like these.
[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></v:path> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="image2.jpg" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Description: formed-parallettes-web5.jpg" style='width:468pt;height:322pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/Jayce/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image001.jpg" o:title="formed-parallettes-web5.jpg"></v:imagedata> </v:shape><![endif][if !vml][endif]Parallettes versatile pieces of equipment used for all kinds of workouts including dips, L-sits, and handstand pushups. They’re nifty devices that can be brought and stowed away quite easily--perfect for a home gym or on-the-go.
Handstand Pushup
Before you even attempt a handstand, make sure you get these prerequisites out of the way: 15 strict pushups, 5 straight pike pushups, and a 5 second handstand hold. If you can’t perform these exercises just yet, work your way up until you can.
Position your parallettes perpendicular to a sturdy wall, a bit over shoulder width apart. Face the wall in a pushup position, grabbing each bar with one hand. Kick your legs off the ground until your feet are over your head. They should land on the wall. Engaging your core and bracing your shoulders, lower yourself until your head reaches the ground, or until your elbows are at 90-degrees. Repeat for 10 reps.
L-Sit Hold
Unleash your inner acrobat with a solid L-Sit. Performing a proper L-Sit requires tremendous upper body and core strength. To get it right, you need a solid shoulder and a bulletproof core.
Position your parallettes on the ground, shoulder width apart. Sitting in between each parallette, grab each bar with one hand, brace your core and prop yourself up until you’re in a sitting position. Make sure your back muscles are engaged and keep your legs straight in front of you. Point your toes. You should look like a letter L (duh!). Hold for 30 seconds.
If you can’t perform a proper L-Sit, use your legs as support or by keep your knees tucked. Gradually extend your legs out and work your way up to a full L-Sit.
4. Gymnastics Rings
The great philosopher Beyonce once said, “If you like it then you should put a ring on it”.
Gymnastic rings are some of the best equipment you can buy today. Not only are they versatile and portable, they also challenge the hell out of your core. If you’re looking for ways to tear up the gym, this is definitely something you need to try. Seriously, ever wondered why gymnasts are so ripped? Rings.
Ring Dips
With your rings shoulder width apart, grab each ring with your hands directly at your sides. Keeping your core tight and shoulders engaged, push yourself up the way you would with a regular dip. Make sure your muscles are tight throughout the movement to avoid unnecessary injury. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
If you’re having a hard time with this movement, work on your pushups and chair dips. Once you’re able to strengthen your chest and triceps, you’ll be ready to take on the rings.
Ring Rows
With your rings shoulder width apart, grab each ring with one hand. Slowly lower yourself onto the ground until your arms are fully extended. Pulling your shoulder blades together and engaging your core, pull yourself up and focus your strength on your lats and upper back. Repeat for 15-20 reps.
To make the movement more difficult, move your feet forward; and to make it easier, take a few steps back.
Pistol Squats
Before you can perform a proper (read: unassisted) pistol squat, you need to be able to crank out a few reps of assisted pistol squats.
Standing on one leg with rings shoulder width apart, grab each ring with one hand. Squat down until your buttocks cross your knee, using your hands to balance. Drive yourself back up and squeeze your buttocks at the very top. That’s one rep. Do for 20 reps and repeat on the other leg.
Bonus: No Equipment Needed
Contrary to what many believe, gymnastic exercises can be performed even without equipment. All it takes is a little creativity and some floor space. You’ll be surprised how much you can do with just your bodyweight.
Hollow Body Hold/Rock
Lie on the floor in a supine position (back to the ground and eyes facing the ceiling) with your arms and legs outstretched. Make sure to keep your arms shoulder width apart and your feet together. Engage your core and bring your body to a banana shape or a U-shape. Hold for 30 seconds.
To introduce some variety into the workout, hold the U-shape and rock back and forth, like the base of a rocking horse. Do that for 30 seconds.
While some of the workouts above can be difficult to perform at first, they can do a lot to improve your balance and coordination. Instead of sticking to the regular back, chest, leg, and shoulder days, train your body as a unit using gymnastic exercises.
Whether you’re a basketball player, a ballet dancer, a runner, or just someone who wants to get fit, gymnastic movements can help you gain better control of your body.
Ready to unleash your inner gymnast? Get moving today!
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