Gymnastics Training Aids

The two sports in which form and mechanics are not only the key to success, but exactly what you're being judged on, are diving and gymnastics. Since these are sports in which score is not kept in terms of goals or times, but in scores given by judges, having perfect form is the only way to success. This is why many divers and gymnasts aren't concerned with cross-training or weight lifting, because practicing and perfecting their technique is the best use of their practice time.

How to Train for Scored Events

The most important thing for someone in a gymnastics event to do is constantly be practicing and tweaking their form. The traditional way to do this is to have a coach who may also be an event judge, who can carefully and professionally analyze the athlete's form. By offering constant feedback, a good coach will be able to talk a gymnast into near-perfect mechanics.

However, there are only so many things that can be caught by the naked eye. And being able to see your own motions helps many athletes. With the cost of video cameras constantly going down, it is often a wise investment for a coach or athlete to buy a video camera. These can be of tremendous help, since you can go frame by frame and explore your mechanics thoroughly.

If you are going to invest in a camera for motion analysis, a slow motion camera is often your best bet. These may be more expensive than a standard camera, but by catching more frames per second, they are able to help more with motion analysis. Having more frames to analyze gives you a more complete and detailed look at your motion, and can help fix problems that even a judge's eye can't consciously recognize.