The sport of artistic gymnastics involves a series of complex events that can expose young gymnasts to relatively high forces. The sport is recognized as attracting early specialization, in which young children are exposed to a high volume of sports-specific training. Leading world authorities advocate that young athletes should participate in strength and conditioning-related activities to increase athlete robustness and reduce the relative risk of injury. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a needs analysis of artistic gymnastics and to highlight key issues surrounding training that practitioners should consider when working with this unique population.
© Copyright 2019 Strength and Conditioning Journal. National Strength & Conditioning Association. All rights reserved.