5 Things I’m Focusing on This Pre-Season

Pre-season is one of my favorite times of the year.

It’s the perfect opportunity to focus on foundations, build strength, and set the tone for the upcoming competitive season. Every year, I refine my focus based on what my athletes need most. This year, these are the five main areas I’m prioritizing in our training.

1. Handstand Shaping

You can never do too many handstands. They’re the foundation of nearly every skill in gymnastics, across every event. It’s not just about holding a handstand, it’s about refining the small technical details through drills and hands-on shaping. Proper handstand shaping builds body awareness, alignment, and control.

This pre-season, I’m placing a big emphasis on handstand holds, shape corrections, and shoulder elevation and depression strength so athletes can feel the difference between being “almost straight” and “truly aligned.”

Want to try my favorite handstand shaping drills? Download the free guide here!

2. Gymnastics-Specific Strength

General strength is great, but gymnastics requires unique, sport-specific demands. As we move into pre-season, I transition from general conditioning to more targeted gymnastics strength. Much of our strength work is based on the USAG TOPs requirements, which cover essentials like leg lifts, press handstands, rope climbs, and casts to handstand.

These movements directly translate to improved performance in the gym and build long-term physical resilience when trained consistently.

3. Leg Tightening, Active Flexibility & Presentation

It’s not enough to just have flexibility, it has to be active. Have you ever had an athlete who can sit in a split all day but can’t hit 180° on a split jump? I treat flexibility work like conditioning. We’re rarely just sitting in splits; instead, we’re focusing on tightening the legs through every skill, developing active flexibility that carries over to leaps and jumps, and elevating overall presentation.

Details like toe point, extension, and posture make the biggest difference once meet season starts — and now is the time to clean them up.

4. Core Control & Stability

A strong core connects everything. This pre-season, we’re dialing in on control and bracing, not just doing crunches or leg lifts, but incorporating stability work that helps athletes hold shapes, absorb landings, and stay balanced on beam.

Core stability under fatigue is one of the biggest areas I’d like to see improve. It plays a major role in consistency and safety, especially as routines get longer.

5. Cardio, Endurance & Quick-Twitch Power

Our final focus area is endurance and explosiveness. We’re training quick-twitch responses and fast, reactive power for punching and rebounding — skills that support vault, tumbling, and overall energy output across every event.

We’re also incorporating longer forms of cardio to build a stronger aerobic base as we prepare for routine work.

Pre-season is all about building a solid foundation before the demands of competition begin. By investing time in these five areas now, we’re setting our athletes up for success — creating stronger, cleaner, and more confident gymnasts in everything they do.