Train Like a Gymnast Workout Routine

Gymnastics athletes have a coveted combination of strength and flexibility, and they’re always looking to improve their skills. Whether you’re an aspiring gymnast or just a fan of the sport, this week’s workout challenge can help you get one step closer to the Olympic podium. This 30-minute gym-inspired sweat sesh, created by Danielle Gray from Train Like A Gymnast and available on IGTV, combines calisthenics and plyometric movements that will strengthen and tone your body—just like the athletes in the games. It also includes some of the conditioning drills that gymnasts use to stay powerful, so you’ll be ready to cheer on your favorite Olympians this weekend.

Getting started with a gym-inspired workout to train like a gymnast is relatively easy. First, determine what your goals are. You’ll want to decide how many days per week you want to workout, and how long each session will be. Also, you’ll need to figure out what type of equipment you have access to. For example, for beginners, a simple gym mat may be sufficient, but as you become more advanced you’ll need to invest in more specialized pieces of equipment such as balance beams or bars.

Once you have an idea of your workout goals and equipment needs, it’s time to create a plan. Gymnastics workouts typically focus on building strength, agility, and endurance. They can include a variety of exercises, including tumbling, jumps, and balancing movements.

It’s important for gymnasts to build muscular endurance, which is the ability to perform repeated contractions without fatigue. This is especially important for long, repetitive routines such as floor exercises or the balance beam. Aerobic endurance is also a key component for gymnastics, as it helps reduce fatigue between routines and during competitions.

This month’s gym-inspired workout takes three cardio exercises and pairs them back to back with two bodyweight exercises. This creates the ultimate workout to test your work capacity—it’s tough, but it’s worth the results.

Despite the challenging nature of this month’s workout, it’s safe for almost anyone to try. You’ll need basic bodyweight skills, such as the hollow hold and superman hold positions, and a stable surface to perform this workout on. For maximum safety and results, you should also make sure to properly warm up and cool down before and after your workout. Start off your session with a dynamic warm-up, and follow the rest of the workout as shown in the video above. Make sure to take as much rest as necessary between rounds, and feel free to add or subtract repetitions as needed based on your level of experience. To avoid injury, it’s best to have a spotter present at all times. For a less intense version of this workout, you can also take out any jumping and swap double arm/leg moves for single-arm/leg variations. Then, repeat the circuit 2-3 more times before completing your cool-down. You can listen to the podcast version of this article here.