Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Prepare and get started
• Part 2 of 4: Mastering basic skills
• Part 3 of 4: Safe training
• Part 4 of 4: Using information sources
• Tips
• Warnings

Gymnastics is one of the world's oldest and most appreciated physical disciplines, requiring extraordinary strength, balance, agility and coordination. Gymnastics courses are often only found sporadically, and usually quite expensive, which makes it difficult for some to follow such a course. Luckily, you can get a good sense of the basics on your own as well, as long as you're smart about it and are careful while exercising. To teach yourself basic gymnastics skills, all you need is a place where you can practice and a working knowledge of proper techniques and safety precautions, such as a gymnastic mat or an assistant who can help you with the more difficult exercises.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Prepare and get started

1. Make sure you are well prepared physically. Before you start doing somersaults, pirouettes and standing on your head, you must first make sure that you reach a basic level of physical fitness. Build your muscle strength with calisthenic (working with your own body weight) exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats and crunches. Go jogging or swimming a few times a week to get better cardiovascular fitness. Start every day with a few good stretching exercises; flexibility plays a vital role in gymnastics.
   • Keep up with your strength and conditioning exercises and increase their intensity as you progress.
   • If you have serious injuries or have a condition that makes strenuous exercise difficult or risky, gymnastics may not be right for you. In that case it is better to look for a less intensive alternative.
2. Approach each new skill as a beginner. Start teaching yourself all the skills from the ground up. Maybe you've already done some gymnastics as a kid, or you think you have a pretty good idea of ​​how to do it, but if you want to do it the right way, you have to put your pride aside and start at the beginning. By approaching each skill as if it were your first time, you can avoid any misunderstandings and simply orient yourself on the right technique.
   • Any expert will tell you that if you want to get good at something, mastering the basics is the most important thing. Spending time acquiring basic skills will be of great benefit to you in the long run.
   • Some good techniques to add to your repertoire when you first start are exercises for your back, the bridge, standing on your head, front and back flips, the cartwheel and the split.
3. Focus on technique. Do each exercise properly or don't do it at all. Correct form and precision are the two most important factors in gymnastics. Learning something the wrong way not only increases your risk of injury, but you also learn bad habits that affect every other skill that comes out of this practice.
   • Film yourself to test your technique and compare it with the photo and video material you use as a manual.
4. Exercise regularly. Take the time to practice the techniques you have learned as often as you have the opportunity. Only work on the exercises that you can safely perform yourself, or have an adult or someone else who can assist you. These will usually be simple floor exercises on your own, but flips and other difficult exercises are too dangerous to do on your own. Official instructions can give you helpful hints on how to get the hang of things faster, but the progress you make depends almost entirely on how hard you are willing to train.
   • Try to exercise at least three hours a week.
   • Remember, practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. You should always emphasize proper form when training and always do your very best.

Part 2 of 4: Mastering basic skills

1. Start with the head roll. One of the simplest skills you can practice as a beginner is to roll. To perform a rollover, squat down and place both hands on the floor directly below your shoulders. Bend your head forward and lean forward until your head touches the floor. Then gently roll the entire length of your spine. Finish by bringing your feet back under you and returning to a standing position.
   • You will have to push off slightly with your legs to gain enough momentum, so that you end up on your feet again after the flip.
   • To make a nice smooth movement, roll your body as small as possible.
2. Then do the backward roll. Squat down again with the weight on your heels. Lower your bottom until it touches the ground, using your hands to guide you as needed. Rock back and pull your knees up towards your head. Turn your neck to one side and roll backwards over your shoulder. Get off with your hands to help you do that. Come to a stop by putting your knees on the floor one at a time and get up until you are standing upright.
   • Because of the amount of control you have in the early stage of this move, the back roll can be done more slowly than the forward roll, making it easier to master.
3. Test your flexibility with a bridge. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Raise your arms and then put your palms next to your head. Take off and push your hips up until you are on your hands and feet in a backward bent position. This looks like a bridge, as the name implies. Ensure a stable posture by keeping your hands and feet firmly on the floor. Then slowly and controlled lower your body to the floor until you are back on your back.
   • The bridge requires a fair amount of strength from your upper body for stabilization, so you may need to practice on it for a while before it gets really good.
   • Slowly lower yourself down so you don't hit your head too hard.
4. Try one handstand. From a normal standing position, put one foot in front of the other. Bend forward from your waist and keep your body stiff and straight with your arms stretched above your head. Place both hands on the floor and at the same time swing your back leg up to get yourself in an upside down position. Push yourself up from your shoulders and keep your elbows straight. Make small adjustments with your fingers and palms to find the right balance. When you're ready to come down, lower your legs back to the floor one at a time.
   • Practice standing on your hands first against a wall, until you have mastered throwing your legs up and balancing.
   • You need to know how to recover safely if you happen to lose your balance while standing on your hands. If you fall backwards just bring one or both feet back to the ground, if you fall forward turn slightly to the side and get out.
5. Learned cartwheel. Stand with your arms down at your sides. Take a big step with your dominant leg, lifting your arms above your head. Shift your weight forward and bring your upper body down while vigorously kicking your back leg up behind you. This move is similar to kicking your legs up in a handstand, except this time you put your hands on the floor one at a time (starting on the same side as the leg that takes the first step) with your kicking leg right behind. Let the shovel throw your body upside down, turn and then land on the same leg, followed by your other leg.
   • This skill gets its name from the movement of the spokes of a wheel. Imagining yourself spinning like a wheel (or a wheel) will help you learn the hand and foot positions required for this technique.
   • Cartwheels are tricky because in order to perform them successfully, all four of your limbs must work together independently. Start practicing the cartwheel without letting your legs go all the way up until you get the timing right. Then gradually kick your legs further up, until you are completely upside down for a moment during the cartwheel.
   • The cartwheel is an important preparation for the one-handed cartwheel and offers the opportunity to practice neat rounding and flying skills.

Part 3 of 4: Safe training

1. Wear comfortable clothes. Choose clothes in which you can move freely. Competitors usually wear a team uniform, with tights or tights, but at home you can also just wear shorts or sweatpants with a T-shirt, or anything else that allows you to bend, turn and jump smoothly. You can also wear shoes if you want. These will protect your feet, although they may feel awkward if you are doing exercises that require a high level of coordination. The most important thing is that it is comfortable and that it does not hinder your movements.
   • If you have long hair, tie it together in a tight ponytail or bun to keep it from falling in front of your face.
   • It may be a good idea to bring a pair of shoes with you if you are going to practice outdoors or in a place with rough, uneven ground.
2. Find suitable places where you can practice. If you don't have access to a real gym, you will have to be a little creative in figuring out places to exercise. For floor techniques such as cartwheel, bridge, handstand and rollover, a simple lawn may be sufficient. In addition, in some public playgrounds you will find equipment that you could use to practice certain skills, such as swinging, leg swinging and jumping. Always have someone around to assist you with difficult or risky maneuvers.
   • A low wall can be used to jump over. You could use a tree stump as a buck. You can buy and hang rings for little money. With a little imagination, the possibilities are endless.
   • Trampolines and swimming pools can help you overcome your fear of new skills. You can then practice movements that you have not mastered very well, such as somersaults, or the twist. Use these tools sparingly, as they can encourage bad habits if you get too used to them.
3. Protect yourself from injury. Pay close attention to the way you exercise to avoid getting hurt. Always warm up and do some good stretching before starting exercises that put a lot of strain on your body. When exercising outside, first check the ground for stones, pointed sticks and other dangerous, invisible obstacles. If you are trying out new skills for the first time, try laying out some gymnastic mats to soften the impact.
   • Ask a friend to assist you with exercises that you don't dare to do on your own.
4. Start small and slowly work your way up to more difficult techniques. Have patience and practice the basic techniques over and over until you are good enough to move on to the more difficult exercises. Your progress will be very slow and gradual, and that's okay. Don't be in too much of a hurry to get better quickly; you are more likely to make mistakes and injuries if you force yourself to try techniques that you are not ready for.
   • When you're ready for more advanced skills, try the bridge from a standing position forwards and backwards, flick-flacks and cartwheels forwards and backwards, and somersaults with raised and straight legs.
   • If you're feeling impatient, remember that a cartwheel leads to a round-off, a round-off to a back-flip, a back-flip to a back tuck, a back tuck leads to a back full, etc. The one move arises from the other.
5. Be prepared for accidents. If you learn and practice on your own, a lot can go wrong. If you practice a lot there will likely come a time when you have a sprained ankle, a torn muscle, or even a broken arm or leg, just like any other gymnast. Invite a friend when you exercise so that someone is with you if you slip or fall. Always have a phone with you and think about who to call in advance if something bad happens to you.
   • Hospital costs can be high. If you are prone to injury, you may want to consider another hobby.
   • One of the worst injuries you can get is a damaged ego, but setbacks are part of life. It can be painful and embarrassing at times, but don't let it discourage you from achieving your goals.

Part 4 of 4: Using information sources

1. Study instructional videos online. Download instructional videos from YouTube and similar websites. By entering a simple search query, you can often find useful videos explaining certain techniques, giving detailed explanations of unusual movements with slow-motion demonstrations. Please note whether a particular video has been produced by an official gymnastics school or coach, otherwise the information may not be reliable.
   • Study videos of skills you are learning to familiarize yourself with what it should look like.
   • Make notes of the videos you watch so you can refer to them as you practice.
2. Read books and magazines about gymnastics. Read all the books, magazines, and other published gymnastics information you can get hold of. The articles and photos they contain will be very illustrative and can give you technical tips and ideas for new training exercises. You could start with an instructional guide that provides a comprehensive overview of the sport, such as Gymnastics for Dummies.
   • Read all written material carefully to gain insight into how certain techniques work. Since you don't have the benefit of a coach, you should be willing to give yourself homework assignments.
   • If you're lucky, you might even be able to track down copies of old gymnastics manuals that have been used to teach competitive athletes over the decades.
3. Take an online course. In some cases you can sign up for gymnastics via the internet for a small fee. Online education can take the form of ebooks, video courses and / or virtual classrooms led by experienced coaches. These online courses are usually designed to help new instructors find clients, but you can probably learn a lot from this option if it is available to you.
   • Before enrolling, verify that an online course is presented by a reputable coach or athlete.
4. Seek qualified advice. Ask for tips from those involved in the sport. If you know someone who does gymnastics, ask them to pass on some of what they learned to you. Ask to attend a gymnastics class if there is a school nearby and absorb as much of the instructions from the coaches as possible. You may even be able to find a friend or acquaintance who is willing to work with you in his or her spare time.
   • See if there is a gymnastics or gymnastics club near you. Clubs like this one are often cheap and open to people who live in the area.
   • Try asking questions online on turnblogs. These can be an excellent resource for obtaining information from many different knowledgeable people. If you are under 18, first ask your parents if they would like you to seek help on an internet blog for gymnasts.

Tips

• Watch gymnastics TV shows for guidance and inspiration.
• Customize your own training schedule so you can free up time to work on specific skills.
• Take a day or two off every week (especially when your body feels sore) to give your body time to recover from the hard workout.
• Wear shoes when exercising outside to protect your feet from rough terrain, stones, broken glass, etc.
• Follow a balanced diet of lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats to fuel your body.
• Never be afraid to try out new skills. Chances are, you'll get hurt, but once you master that new skill, it's been worth the pain.
• When exercising indoors, it is always safer to do this barefoot to avoid possible injuries caused by slipping on your socks.
• Always warming up beforehand reduces the risk of injuries. Stretching or tearing a muscle, or getting injured in some other way, can cause your progress to stagnate.

Warnings

• Gymnastics is a potentially dangerous sport, even if you do it under the watchful eye of a professional coach. Always practice safely and and be prepared in the event of an accident or emergency. There is a real risk of injury, which will only increase if you try to teach yourself difficult skills.