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FOCUS on gymnastics … It’s a matter of SAFETY!

What’s behind the ability to concentrate?

Focus is the key to success … But there is more than just thinking about the skill or routine to perform. What’s behind the ability to concentrate? Believe it or not, what an athlete does outside of the gym is just as important as what they do inside the gym. An athlete’s hydration level, eating habits, sleep quality, and medications greatly affect a gymnast’s training, as well as her performance in competitions.

Dehydration … Did you know that when you are thirsty you are already dehydrated? Gymnasts can suffer a loss of performance of up to 30% when dehydrated. As little as 2% fluid loss will adversely affect your athlete’s body, mind, training and performance. Mild dehydration can cause confusion, irritability, constipation, drowsiness, fever, and thirst. Mild to moderate dehydration symptoms include dryness, sticky mouth, muscle weakness, stiff joints, headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, cramps, decreased urination, cold extremities, slow capillary filling, and sunken eyes. With moderate dehydration, your gymnast may experience flushing, low stamina, rapid heart rate, elevated body temperature, and rapid onset of fatigue. Severe dehydration is the loss of 10 to 15% of body fluids and is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. Signs and symptoms of severe dehydration include extreme thirst, irritability and confusion, very dry mouth, dry skin and mucous membranes, lack of sweating, little or no urination, any urine produced will be dark yellow, sunken eyes, wilted and dry. skin, palpitations, fever, coma, and even death.

Dehydration of any kind will not correct itself. It is imperative that your gymnasts drink enough fluids before, during and after their training. The good news is that mild to moderate dehydration can usually be reversed by drinking fluids. The bad news is that when your gymnast is moderately dehydrated, they can lose focus. If you lose concentration, your gymnast is at risk of injury from an accident. The results can range from severe to catastrophic. Some accidents and injuries could be avoided simply by drinking plenty of fluids.

Drinking during training is one thing, but if your gymnast hasn’t had enough fluids throughout the day, she’ll enter the gym dehydrated and already at risk of serious injury. As coaches, we must encourage our gymnasts to drink enough fluids before, during and after training. How much liquid should they drink? It is recommended that your gymnast drink the number of fluid ounces that is equal to half his body weight for each day of normal activities. For example, if your gymnast weighs 100 pounds, her hydration goal would be about 50 ounces per day. That is not the same as serious training time. Your gymnast would drink more during intense training. What should your gymnast drink? A sports drink is recommended for those who exercise for more than an hour. Athletes NEED the carbohydrates and electrolytes in these drinks to train safely. Professional athletes take Gatorade for a reason, because it works. Don’t you want to do Gatorade? Use coconut water! Coconut water works great and is healthy.

Nutrition in relation to performance. Without enough carbohydrates, your gymnast will not have the energy to perform their training or competition safely. When there are not enough carbohydrates in the diet, energy comes from protein. When your body is forced to use protein for energy, it gets that protein from muscle. When the body is forced to use muscle energy on a regular basis, it is difficult to gain or maintain strength and muscle mass. The long-distance runner is an example of someone whose body uses protein for energy. They have very little muscle mass. It is counterproductive for a gymnast to allow the body to use protein (muscle) for energy on a regular basis. Gymnasts need energy to train and strength to perform skills and routines. Lack of energy and strength will greatly affect the gymnast’s ability to concentrate. Lack of concentration can result in catastrophic injuries. There is not enough space here to fully discuss nutrition, but you can visit the websites of Dr. Fred Bisci or Dr. Joe Kasper to learn about nutrition.

And finally, sleep … We all know how difficult it is to function when we are tired, especially if we do not sleep well for more than one night in a row. How can we expect our gymnasts to perform safely when they are not sleeping well? We can not. Imagine a gymnast learning a new skill or going through a full routine when she hasn’t had enough sleep. Would you be comfortable performing a double back when you are chronically tired? It is difficult for your gymnast to concentrate when she is tired and it is extremely dangerous. Your gymnast’s ability to focus and react is diminished when she is not sleepy. Again, a lack of concentration can lead to a catastrophic accident. Driving tests have shown that people who are tired drive just as badly as those who are under the influence of alcohol. They cannot react as well as those who have rested well. Did you know it was National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week in November 2010? That is what fatigue affects the ability to focus and react. About one in six fatal car accidents in the US is due to drowsy driving, according to a new study from the Foundation for Traffic Safety. I wonder how many gymnastics accidents are due to the gymnast being tired due to bad sleeping habits. It is imperative that your gymnast is well rested and able to concentrate.

Be aware that when focus is lost, accidents can and will occur. As coaches, we have a responsibility to talk to parents about hydration, nutrition, sleep, and even medication side effects. It seems that many parents do not realize the direct relationship between daily life and performance during training and / or competition.

That’s why I keep saying FOCUS IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS, but more importantly, FOCUS IS THE KEY TO SAFETY. Without proper hydration, nutrition and sleep, our gymnasts will not be able to concentrate well, putting them at risk. I think we should call these risk factors (hydration, nutrition and sleep) the SAFETY TRIO. It’s quick and easy to remember the phrase I just named. The SAFETY TRIO is as important as all the exercises and conditioning used to prepare our gymnasts for new skills, routines and competitions. Without all of these factors, our athletes may be at risk of injury. Best of luck with your training and always keep safety in mind while training.

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