Discover 11 amazing things you can do on a gymnastics air track and take your skills to the next level! From perfecting your cartwheel to improving your flexibility, our blog post outlines the benefits of having an air track and how it can help you improve faster and safer.
Read on and explore the exciting world of air track gymnastics!
Disclaimer: This article is for guidance use only and does not replace the need for professional coaching in a recognized facility. Please stay within your ability and don’t try anything you haven’t been taught properly.
An Introduction to Air Tracks
Gymnastics is an exciting sport that requires a lot of practice and dedication to achieve perfection. To enhance their skills and perfect their moves, gymnasts need a safe and supportive surface to practice on. This is where the gymnastics air track comes in.
An air track is an inflatable mat made of durable materials that provide a soft and bouncy surface for gymnasts to practice on. They are popular among gymnasts, cheerleaders, martial artists, and other athletes for their numerous benefits.
One of the main reasons people buy air tracks is for safety. Traditional mats and floors can be hard and unforgiving, causing injuries if a gymnast falls. An air track provides a soft and cushioned landing surface, reducing the risk of injury.
Another benefit of having an air track is the ability to practice difficult moves with more confidence. With the cushioned surface of an air track, gymnasts can practice difficult moves and landings without fear of injury, allowing them to improve their skills faster.
Air tracks are also portable and easy to store. Unlike traditional mats that can be bulky and heavy, air tracks can be deflated and stored in a small space when not in use. This makes them perfect for home use or for traveling to competitions and events.
In this blog post, we will explore 11 fun things you can do on a gymnastics air track. So let’s dive in and explore the exciting world of air track gymnastics!
1. Rolling
Rolling is a basic but important skill in gymnastics. An air track provides a soft and cushioned surface that makes it easy to practice and perfect your rolls. Whether you’re learning to roll forward or backward, or trying to improve your form and technique, an air track can help you do it safely and comfortably.
Read my tutorials on Forwards and Backward Rolls and learn the correct techniques.
2. Cartwheels
Cartwheels are a classic gymnastics move that requires coordination, balance, and strength. With an air track, you can practice your cartwheels with confidence, knowing that the soft and bouncy surface will provide a cushioned landing if you fall.
You can also use the straight line printed on the center of the air track to keep the alignment correct, which can help you improve your form.
If it’s safe you can practice your cartwheel at the end of the air track and benefit from the additional airtime it creates.
Do this by placing your hands near the end of the air track and cartwheel ‘off’ the end down onto the lower floor. The extra time and height allow you to focus on hitting that star shape when you are upside down.
Check out my top recommendations for which air track to buy.
3. Bridge
Using the Edge of the Air track as an Incline
The bridge is another foundational move in gymnastics that can be improved with the use of an air track.
By using the edge of the air track as an incline, you can practice your bridge and improve your flexibility and strength.
Start by laying down ‘off’ the air track and having only your feet placed up on the slightly higher air track. The additional height will make it easier to hit the correct Bridge position which requires the shoulders to be pushing back over the line of the hands.
The bridge is super important as it opens up the shoulder angle needed for Handstand and Back Handspring.
You can also use the air track to practice the handstand drop to bridge, a more advanced move that requires balance and coordination.
4. Plyometrics
Linking Jumps Together on the Rebound
Plyometrics is a type of training that involves explosive and dynamic movements, such as jumping and bounding. With an air track, you can link jumps together on the rebound, creating a challenging and fun workout that will improve your power and agility. You can also use the air track to practice other plyometric exercises, such as tuck jumps and split jumps.
Examples of plyometrics that can be easily practiced on an air track:
- Straight Jumps
- Straight Jump, Tuck Jump, Star Jump,
- Straight Jump, Straddle Jump, Full Turn Jump
They should be performed as a sequence whilst traveling along the center line of the air track. A good plyometric sequence will be smooth, transition from one jump immediately into the next and show good form.
Keep your chest up and your eyes looking forwards to maintain balance.
Push through your feet and toes quickly to improve your plyometric ability.
5. Improving Flexibility
Using the Raised Height for Over Splits
Flexibility is a crucial aspect of gymnastics, and an air track can help you improve your range of motion and flexibility safely and comfortably. You can use the raised height of the air track to practice oversplits or use it as a surface for conditioning and strength work, such as push-ups and planks.
6. Aerials
Aerials are a challenging and impressive move that requires a lot of practice and skill. With an air track, you can practice your aerials with extra bounce and airtime. You can use the soft and bouncy surface of the air track to perfect your form and technique and build the confidence you need to perform the move on the floor.
However, Air tracks do not completely guarantee safety.
So a more advanced skill like an Aerial should only be performed by gymnasts that have been taught by a professional coach. Even with correct coaching, injuries can still happen.
7. Round Off
The round off is a basic tumbling move that is essential for more advanced skills, such as back handsprings and back tucks. With an air track, you can practice your round off and improve your form and technique, while also reducing the impact on your joints and muscles.
Use the air track to create more bounce at the end of the round off.
8. Handstand
The handstand is a fundamental move in gymnastics that requires strength, balance, and coordination. With an air track, you can practice your handstand safely and comfortably, and work on improving your form and technique. You can also use the airtrack to practice handstand drills and exercises, such as handstand walks and handstand pirouettes.
Handstands can take a long time to master correctly but with patience and attention to detail, many gymnasts can learn how to hold a handstand for 30 seconds.
9. Conditioning and Strength Work
Next up, an air track can be used for conditioning and strength work. The soft and bouncy surface of the air track provides a low-impact surface for exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, and planks. You can also use the air track for balance and stability exercises, such as single-leg squats and lunges.
Here’s an example of a conditioning set for core strength that can is ideal for the gymnastics air track:
| V-Sits | 3 sets of 12 | – Lay flat on your back – Lift legs and torso – Keep legs straight – Return to flat position |
| Hollow Rocks | 3 sets of 15 seconds | – Lay flat on your back – Lift feet, shoulders and head about 2-3 inches – Rock from feet to shoulders holding the hollow shape |
| Planks | 3 sets of 20 seconds | – Start face down with only forearms and feet touching the floor – Keep back rounded and hollow |
| Russian Sit Ups | 3 sets of 12 | – Start in a regular sit up position – After you lift up, add a twist to either side – Elbow to the opposite leg |
| Arch Rocks | 3 sets of 15 seconds | – Lay flat on your front – Lift into an arch position – Use your feet to rock from your upper to lower body – Keep legs straight |
| Dorsal Lifts | 3 sets of 12 | – Lay flat on your back – Lift legs and torso – Keep legs straight – Return to a flat position |
Adapt this set so it’s right for you.
To be able to perform more advanced strength and conditioning exercises it’s super important to master the basic gymnastics shapes first.
10. Leaps
There are several gymnastics leaps that can be practiced on a gymnastics air track, including:
- Split Leap: This is a basic leap where the gymnast jumps into a split position with one leg in front and the other leg behind.
- Straddle Leap: This is another basic leap where the gymnast jumps into a straddle position with both legs extended to the sides.
- Switch Leap: This is a more advanced leap where the gymnast jumps and switches the position of their legs in mid-air, going from a one-legged position to the other.
- Ring Leap: This is an even more advanced leap where the gymnast jumps and brings their legs up to their chest, creating a ring shape with their body.
11. Levers
Finally, there are several gymnastics levers that can be practiced on a gymnastics air track, including the pike lever, straddle lever, and planche.
The pike lever is a strength move where the gymnast hangs from a bar or rings and extends their body horizontally with their legs together and toes pointed towards the floor. The straddle lever is similar, but the gymnast extends their legs to the sides in a straddle position instead of keeping them together.
The planche (pictured below) is an advanced strength move where the gymnast supports their body weight on their hands while keeping their feet off the ground. In this move, the gymnast extends their body horizontally with their arms straight and their hands firmly planted on the ground, while lifting their feet off the ground and keeping their legs straight and together.
In Conclusion
Overall, a gymnastics air track is a versatile and valuable tool for anyone looking to improve their skills, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced athlete. With proper care and maintenance its soft and cushioned surface provides a safe and supportive environment for practicing a wide variety of moves and skills. Although it is safer than working on many other surfaces, injuries can still happen.
So whether you’re working on improving your rolls and cartwheels or practicing more advanced moves like aerials and handstands, an air track can help you reach your goals faster and more safely but still take care.