Assessing the beliefs and impacts of strength training in a Division I collegiate gymnastics team.

Background: Traditionally, there has been a reluctance to use weight training with female gymnasts due to concerns that it could cause detrimental increases in muscle mass and impede flexibility. Recent literature has demonstrated that strength training has no significant effect on flexibility and can improve athletic performance.

Objective: To assess in a pilot study the perceptions of collegiate gymnasts and coaches toward strength training after starting inaugural strength and conditioning training.

Design: Survey-based study.

Setting: National Collegiate Athletics Association Division I women's gymnastics program at a public university in California.

Participants: Of the 23 gymnasts surveyed, 17 (74%) responded to the survey. Of the two coaches surveyed, both (100%) responded to the survey.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measures: Descriptive statistics characterizing demographics, characteristics of gymnasts' strength and conditioning program, and perceptions regarding the safety of strength training and its impact on performance, body shape, flexibility, and injury rates.

Results: Most gymnasts agreed (35%) or strongly agreed (59%) that weight training may improve performance. All gymnasts disagreed (59%) or strongly disagreed (41%) that weight training is not safe; 41% disagreed, 29% strongly disagreed, and 17% agreed that weight training may negatively affect body shape. Most gymnasts disagreed (59%) or strongly disagreed (18%) that weight training decreases flexibility; four (24%) felt neutral. Eighty three percent (59% strongly agree, 24% agree) felt that weight training had a positive impact on performance. More than half of the gymnasts either agreed (24%) or strongly agreed (29%) they had fewer injuries the season after implementing weight training, compared to prior seasons. Both coaches similarly endorsed the safety of strength training and its potential to improve performance.

Conclusions: In this pilot study, collegiate gymnasts and coaches expressed generally positive perceptions toward the safety of strength training and its effect on performance. A small number of gymnasts expressed concerns regarding the effects of weight training on body shape and flexibility.