Books are nice gifts… Check out Karen Goeller’s sports, fitness, and children’s books. And be sure to check out the book on her life story after a cancer diagnosis.
Books by Karen Goeller
Titles include: Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning, Handstand Drills and Conditioning, Gymnastics Journal, Gymnastics Coloring Book, Fitness Journal, Strength Training Journal, Fitness on a Swing Set, Swing Set Workouts, Legs Plus Workouts, Lymphedema: Sentenced to Life in Bed, Missy’s Voice, and More.
Well, every coach will say conditioning and stretching. I agree. Maintaining strength and flexibility is very important. The skills will be there if the gymnast continues to perform general strength and sport-specific conditioning through this difficult time. Nearly all gymnasts remember most of the conditioning they do in the gym, but they all have favorite exercises. It is important to perform a variety of exercises. If they have space, they should perform their entire pre-workout warm-up to help stay in shape. A good warm-up with stretching and shaping is at least 45 minutes.
Many gymnasts will need a higher than the desired volume of hip flexor conditioning. I bet many will grow during this time. The hip flexors play an important role in the gymnast’s training. They not only allow the gymnast to lift her leg very high, but they help with posture. And when the hip flexors are weak or tight, the gymnast may feel low back pain. That is because they basically connect the spine and femur. When the hip flexors are tight they actually pull on the spine into a lordosis position. And when they are weak they become stressed when the gymnast lifts her legs such as in a glide kip, kick, or leap. As a coach, I can tell when a gymnast has tight hip flexors by her posture; there is a slight bend at the hip while standing. A well-conditioned, well-stretched gymnast usually stands with no angle and the front of the hip.
To keep the hip flexors conditioned I recommend the pike-sitting leg lifts. The gymnast will sit in a pike position, place her hands next to her knees on the floor and then lift both legs. And for the stretch, I recommend the quad-psoas stretch. Kneeling lunge with one foot out front and hips pressed forward. The gymnast should also do this with the back leg bent and that foot facing the ceiling.
But there are other things that will be helpful. For example, balance drills and visualization. For balance, the gymnast can do simple exercises such as RDL and slow-motion needle kicks with and without light dumbbells. They can also perform arm routines with their eyes closed. The gymnast would stand in place and perform her beam routine with just her arm and head movements. That is for both visualization and balance. When that becomes simple, the gymnast can perform it in a passé leg position, one foot touching the inner side of the knee. The gymnast should do this drill with each leg because most gymnasts have a sharper sense of balance on one side. When this becomes simple, the gymnast can add very light ankle/writs weights to the wrists or hold 1lb dumbbells in each hand. And to bring it up one step as far as challenge, the gymnast can do this standing on a softer surface such as a Bosu or balance disc.
And finally, for a change maybe they can do the Legs Plus or Swing Set Fitness workouts. Many of the exercises in my swing workouts were actually gymnastics conditioning exercises my gymnasts have done using a barrel mat. The Legs Plus workouts are really good general fitness as well as dismount-landing and bars conditioning. My gymnastics drills and conditioning book is useful to all gymnasts as well.
So gymnasts should try really hard to stay in shape and keep their sanity. Athletes can use this time to get stronger and heal any aches and pains they may have had.
Many competitive gymnasts are looking to stay in shape during gymnastics club closures due to this COVID-19 virus. That’s great! Just be sure the home program has effective and appropriate exercises.
Many of the drills and conditioning exercises in these books can be done at home. They are easy to read and simple illustrations help. The Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning book has exercises for press handstand, dance drills and conditioning, uneven bars drills and conditioning, vaulting drills, and running drills. www.GymnasticsDrills.com
The Handstand Drills and Conditioning Book has core strength as well as upper body strength and handstand shape. www.HandstandDrills.com
And if the gymnast has a swing set in their backyard Swing Set Fitness would be very effective for core and conditioning specific to uneven bars. There are three books with swing exercises. The Swing Workouts book has over ten effective workouts. www.SwingWorkouts.com
And finally to keep good general strength gymnasts can use the Legs Plus Workouts. The Legs Plus workouts do involve using light weights and a medicine ball. www.LegsPlus.com
With any home program, the gymnast must be mature enough to focus and follow written instructions. It is preferred the parent read along with the gymnast and be sure the gymnast remains focused during each exercise.
And please remember, with any movement injury is possible. You and your child are responsible for your own personal safety.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Just a quick note to say enjoy I hope your holiday season…
Spend time with friends and family, enjoy the colorful lights and decorations, or just relax with your time off from work. No matter how you choose to spend this time, I hope you enjoy it.
Yes, I do have many products and services that would be nice gifts. Here are some links in case you are looking for gifts.
www.LegsPlus.com (legs Plus workouts, exercise every major muscle group within a quick, effective workout.)
www.SwingSetFitness.com (Exercise outdoors with a playground swing. Quick and very effective.)
www.SwingWorkouts.com (Workouts using a playground swing. Have a blastr getting in shape!)
www.LymphedemaBook.com (You’ll be inspired when you see how I went from bed-ridden cancer patient to who I am now. A cancer diagnosis and life afterwards.)
Karen Goeller at a networking event in NJ was asked to sign a few of her books. Check out her fitness, sports, children’s, and health books, www.amazon.com/author/karengoeller
So, I hear this or a variation of one of these ALL THE TIME…
I got hurt after trying an exercise that my personal trainer made me do. I had trouble doing an exercise and they kept telling me to keep going. I was being rushed through an exercise.
I really do not understand WHY people who get hurt by personal trainers do not stop training with them immediately and sue them. The carelessness would eventually stop if the lawsuits started to be filed.
Some personal fitness trainers are trying to call everyone an athlete and train them as if they are really competitive athletes. The average adult looking for general fitness or weight loss is NOT a competitive athlete and should not be trained as if they are a competitive athlete. The average person who has not competed in a sport on a high level in recent months or years SHOULD NOT be doing advanced exercises such as box jumps, burpees, or sled pushes among other exercises on day one. There are specific progressions and fitness levels that must be mastered before the advanced exercises are introduced. That is like telling a person who never drove to compete in a NASCAR race.
It’s unbelievable how many personal trainers hurt people because they are feeding their egos or they have very little experience and knowledge. Did you know that many personal trainers just pay for and take an online exam without any real-world preparation, knowledge, or exercise experience? And then they call themselves fitness trainers. It’s SAD and the general public is paying for it.
Now, do you know WHY I am so proud to be an NSCA-CSCS? We know how to train athletes and we know when to hold back while helping an adult become more fit. We understand the SCIENCE behind the exercise and we know exercise progression. A college degree is required to take the CSCS exam and you are given (and need) six months to study all of the material. It is a serious certification and it must be maintained with continuing education once certified.
Please DO NOT trust just anyone to train you. Do your research, get referrals, and check the trainer’s credentials. Many people come to me AFTER they have been seriously damaged by personal trainers. It’s your body, your money, and your time that will be spent by going to the wrong trainer. Please CHOOSE WISELY!!!
Well, every coach will say conditioning and stretching. I agree. Maintaining strength and flexibility is very important. The skills will be there if the gymnast continues to perform general strength and sport-specific conditioning through this difficult time. Nearly all gymnasts remember most of the conditioning they do in the gym, but they all have favorite exercises. It is important to perform a variety of exercises. If they have space, they should perform their entire pre-workout warm-up to help stay in shape. A good warm-up with stretching and shaping is at least 45 minutes.
To keep the hip flexors conditioned I recommend the pike-sitting leg lifts. The gymnast will sit in a pike position, place her hands next to her knees on the floor and then lift both legs. And for the stretch, I recommend the quad-psoas stretch. Kneeling lunge with one foot out front and hips pressed forward. The gymnast should also do this with the back leg bent and that foot facing the ceiling.
Karen Goeller at a networking event in NJ was asked to sign a few of her books. Check out her fitness, sports, children’s, and health books, 
