Jonathan Horton on weight training and gymnastics.

[@Mitchx42]

Gymnasts are amazing athletes

[@pauljb07]

I used to be a kids coach at this gym. Used to see this guy training before the olympics.

[@ericisaacson1]

That's not surprising at all. Olympic level gymnasts in fact the majority of gymnasts in general do not touch weights. I've given up weight training and done strictly bodyweight gymnastics training and have made crazy gains! Highly recommended!

[@CanditoTrainingHQ]

So he doesn't even lift?

[@missandeisass4671]

CanditoTrainingHQ LMAO just found this comment. Why does it only have one like.

[@davepazz580]

Yes... himself.

[@calisthenick6131]

To everyone saying u can't build muscle with bodyweight training

[@ZUZAINFINITY]

I know it's not a necessity, but weight training can have its place for gymnasts, not for building physique, but strength. Dumbbells are helpful when training for ring exercises.

[@DriftDeeper]

justus005 Keenan Smith You are talking about Coach Sommer's account from his book - "Want some concrete examples? One of my former students, JJ Gregory (1993 Junior National Champion on the Still Rings) developed such a high degree of strength from my gymnastics conditioning program that on his first day in his high school weightlifting class he dead lifted 400lbs, and this at the scale breaking weight of 135 lbs. and a height of 5'3". "

[@Larry_Suave]

+Drift Deeper being that short does help put up big weights. Also if you are training for strength all your life even if your not necessarily doing a particular exercise like dead lift you will still be able to do a lot. For example if you can bench press 400 lbs even if you have never done shoulder press or some other upper body lift chances are you can do a lot.

[@Polarcupcheck]

I think a safe bet is that all the top ring guys are 2.3x bodyweight or more on the benchpress. 400 lbs. isn't hard to believe if they benchpress as an assistance exercise. But for someone who is 130 lbs. and never does it, I can't imagine 3x BW on the first try.

[@houghtonization]

I suggest gymnastics for an elite body.

[@JediKnight1007]

Amazing

[@justus005]

I remember reading somewhere, that a gymnast in high school took a weight lifting class. He was quite a competitive gymnast but had never lifted weights. On the first day of his weight lifting gym class, he dead lifted over 400 lbs and weighed around 150. I will try to find his name for you. Really good read.

[@Nediler]

Paid you find the article?

[@justus005]

@@Nediler whoa. This is a long time ago. It was one of Coach Christopher Sommer's students. He wrote about it in a book I believe. Also mentioned on the Tim Ferris podcast now. Coach Sommer's is famous individual now so you can probably look up the student he is referring to.

[@Nediler]

@@justus005 Always pretty crazy when people comment on years old stuff, eh? Im sure your life has changed a lot in those 7 years ;)

[@amtbmind]

I believe this is the article you mentioned in your comment, the student's name is JJ Gregory. www.dragondoor.com/articles/building-an-olympic-body-through-bodyweight-conditioning/

[@justus005]

@@amtbmind JJ Gregory is the student. Yep. He is pictured doing a Maltese on the rings. That isn't the exact article I read about him from, but that is the same information in your article. Thanks for sharing! Very cool.

[@infini.tesimo]

@justus005 Did you find that link yet for the highschool gymnast lifting weights? I'm very curious myself..

[@MiggsMultiple]

How do you even begin to practice those flips without breaking your neck?

[@clorox9484]

I went to the berry center and he was there talking to.us about what he went through to become a gymnastic ,it was sad 😭

[@Simon-oy7kf]

Lol, if you weigh 58kg you don't need weight but try bodyweight training at 80+kg at 190+cm, it's not so easy when you're tall weights definitely help

[@alxnd_r6345]

Yeah but this small guy could lift some really nice numbers in the gym. Most of them benchpress 100kg without ever training for it. And deadlift 2x their body on first try.

[@PeanutButterGtr]

I miss his triple twisting dismount so much.

[@Polarcupcheck]

I doubt he would get up less than double bodyweight in the bench. Every guy I've seen that has maltese, inverted cross, and cross pulls is 2x bodyweight bench on up. One gymnast who weighs 155 lbs. said he got up 350 lbs.

[@crysty200718]

Very true!

[@diabolusdc]

The answer appears to be, they don't know either since they've never tried. I improved my overhead lifts with a sort of a bench press, we have a bench in the garden... and I pressed it!

[@Colass]

Good luck!

[@absrivastava9691]

He is 5'2

[@ice_wallow_come5449]

So what

[@TheHabsification]

For fuck sake the bench press is the most overrated exercise in existent.

[@Larry_Suave]

+TheHabsification It's really not. It is the best single lift that represents your upper body strength and power by far. It incorporates the majority of the muscles in your upper body and the main one it's using is the biggest muscle up there, your peck. If it wasn't important people wouldn't care so much about it.

[@canilhan98]

+TheBrother171 It doesn't work your back, biceps and forearms at all. Maybe forearms a little. And you are wrong. Back(lats especially) is a bigger muscle group than chest. Also benchiing does not improve your pulling strenght.

[@Larry_Suave]

Can Ilhan Your forearms and biceps don't mean shit. And to bench a lot you have to have a strong back. There is no upper body lift that uses as many muscles as the bench press.

[@canilhan98]

TheBrother171 Bench Press is not efficient for determining pulling strenght.

[@fourways_]

+Can Ilhan of course bench doesn't help with pulling strength because its a pushing exercise. pull ups is pulling :)

[@charles125]

Oh no he definitely can bench a lot, Ying Mingyong at 115lbs could bench 285. Look up a guy on YT named fitness on the run, in his senior college year he was 135 benching 225 3x. Gymnastic strength easily translates to weightlifting.

[@ziki02101979]

resspect

[@hanniiiiiii-g7x]

와우

[@akashpatel13]

yea 130 lbs of pure muscle

[@MistRDonuT94]

well he's only 5'1 so thats pretty heavy for his height...

[@elban43]

yo creia que era el canelo!!

[@jamesgabbitus2927]

No, he lifts is body

[@evanvaughan9]

You only weigh 130

[@forteastro6996]

That type of strength seems odd tbh.

[@SuzyYue]

when you skip leg day

[@Roosyer]

Do all gymnasts have chicken legs??

[@Roosyer]

***** lol

[@ianstratton1629]

They are actually pretty built but lean. And if you think about it male gymnasts have 4 arm events and only 2 leg events. Legs are really only needed for short explosive bursts.

[@DanDan-ez5yg]

It's usually based on genetics. They just need strong, explosive legs for athleticism while not getting heavy enough that the arm events become more difficult.

[@seungk8607]

They do workout their legs. Many of them squat and all that jumping do work the legs

[@TD4f22]

Yeah, but check his body haha

[@DEvlogss]

first!