The world of gymnastics shouldn’t be about scores and earning medals; it should be a journey of personal growth. It’s often easy to get caught up in making score related goals, or aiming to finish on the podium at gymnastics meets. While striving to improve your routines and score higher than your last meet is often a focus, setting non-score goals is more under your control and it will help you become a better athlete all-around. We’ve written before about why scores don’t matter. This gymnastics season, consider making non-score goals that you can work towards.
One reason why we made our new Gymnastics Achievements Water Bottle, is to help gymnasts work toward a well-rounded set of goals and gymnastics achievements. We want to help gymnasts be more motivated to work hard and improve their gymnastics!
Consider these 10 non-score gymnastics goals that you can work towards:
1. 10-Second Handstand
While it’s important to have a pretty looking handstand, it’s also important to be able to hold your handstand longer. 10-seconds doesn’t seem like a long time until you’re in that handstand. Gymnasts are often able to hold a quick 1-2 second handstand but it requires a lot of strength and balance and a perfect straight body position to be able to hold a 10-second or longer handstand, so it’s quite an achievement! Also, being able to hold a 10-second handstand will undoubtedly help skills on all 4 of the gymnastics events! Here are 4 tips to hold a longer handstand.
2. Rope Climb to the Top
The dreaded rope climb. The rough hands and scrapes on the thighs. The rope climb requires a lot of upper body strengthening in order to complete this task. It’s often one of the most hated conditioning exercises, but if you’ve achieved it, you know how satisfying it is to accomplish this goal! Getting to the top also means that you have the arm strength you need for a bunch of skills on each of the events.
3. Learn an Upgraded Jump or Turn
This is a great goal that you can work towards at home, that will really improve your routine. Check out our guides to jump and turn values.
4. Achieve a 180º Leap Angle
Whether a 180º leap angle is your required angle or not, it’s definitely a goal to strive for, no matter what level. If you plan on sticking with gymnastics, you will eventually be required to achieve a 180º leap angle, so you might as well start perfecting it now!
5. Journal After Every Meet
Gymnastics can be mentally challenging. Set a goal to strengthen your mental resilience by journaling after each meet (our Mindset & Meet Journal is excellent for this as we explore multiple mindset topics). Work on visualization techniques, positive self-talk, self confidence, and mindfulness to stay focused and calm during competitions.
6. Plank Hold for 1-Minute
We already know gymnasts are strong, it comes as part of the territory! Plank holds are great for whole body strengthening. Planks are helpful in maintaining a nice, tight body positioning for handstands and many other skills, so it’s a great goal to set to achieve a 1-minute plank hold.
7. Relevé Hold on Beam for 30-Seconds
Relevés are SO important on beam. This little skill will help your routines look crisp and clean. It’s one of those behind the scenes skills that can actually make a significant difference in your scores, without focusing on your scores. At every level there are deductions for poor foot form and not performing dance in high relevé.
8. Learn a Higher Cast
Each level has their own casting angle requirements. Figure out what the requirement is for your gymnastics level and then make it a goal to be able to cast to that level (or higher!) with a nice, tight body position.
9. Practice for 15 Minutes Every Day
You can’t completely control your scores, but you can control how hard you work! Make it a goal to practice for 15 minutes every day, whether you have practice or not. You can do SkillTrakker, drills to improve your form, or a flexibility routine.
10. Support Your Teammates
Gymnastics is both an individual and team sport. Make it a goal to be a supportive teammate. Encourage and cheer for your fellow gymnasts, and foster a positive team environment. The bonds you form with your teammates will last a lifetime!
Remember that these non-score goals can have a profound impact not only on your gymnastics career but also on your personal development and well-being. We’ve created a Gymnastics Achievement Water Bottle which incorporates not only gymnastics achievements, but also gymnastics score-related, skill-related, good human-related achievements that you can show off to the world just how amazing you are! So, go out there, give it your all, and let the journey be as rewarding as the destination.
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