Pommel Horse Trainer Tips

By: Mike Potts

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Pommel horse trainer tips can help you improve the strength and ability of your gymnasts. The pommel horse is one of the most popular pieces of equipment in gymnastics routines. This means that to train successful athletes, they will need to be well accomplished and skilled at incorporating the pommel horse into drills and routines.

  1. Set up a few routines. Practice routines done daily will help improve the strength and coordination of the gymnast you’re training. As the gymnast performs the drills and routines, watch carefully. Correct any bad form and make a note of muscle groups that may need some extra work.
  2. Emphasize wrist strength. As your gymnast is training, emphasize how important it is to have strong, stable wrists. Without strong wrists, pommel horse routines are nearly impossible. Holding a weight with the wrist facing outward and bending the wrist forward is an excellent strengthening exercise. Practice balancing the body on the wrists will also help with strength and stability.
  3. Hit the weight room. Your gymnast needs to have exceptional upper body strength in order to successfully complete advanced pommel horse routines. This requires exercises the shoulders, back, biceps and triceps muscles. Without adequate upper body strength, your gymnast will not have the power to balance and hold various moves during pommel horse routines. Supervise your gymnast in the weight room to make sure challenging but safe amounts of weight are being used.
  4. Increase endurance. Endurance can be increased in your gymnast with some simple practice drills. While on the pommel horse, ask your gymnast to periodically stop mid-routine and hold the position. Make sure the position you choose is reasonable with plenty of stability to hold it for about a minute. Time you gymnast with a stopwatch. Start by asking that the position be held for a full minute and work your way up from there.
Posted on: Feb. 13, 2011