How to train for the Pommel horse?

Question

I want to get started on being able to do somewhat decently on th Pommel horse. But i have no experience in gymnastics? What must I do to be able to rotate at least once on the Pommel horse?

It seems like you need good balance and strong arms? What should I work on to get started before I actually attempt the Pommel horse?

Answer 1

--As has been stated strength is not primary, simply because you are endeavoring to do all the parts of the pommel horse routine with arms locked straight!

--Timing & balance are of extreme importance in any part of the exercise on the p-horse.

--There are portable hand stand exercise units that resemble the pommels on a horse that you could purchase, use them to simulate your arm locks and try to do some minor exercise on them that could give you the concept of holding on to the pommels & releasing them is also an integral part of side horse routines, as you would be doing scissors, and circles etc. with hand release movements
--You can even put them on 2 chairs side by side and mimic what you would be doing to lock your arms as on the p-horse!
--As you start working on the horse visualize your arms and body in positions(skiers do that kind of visualization of their downhill movements) such visualizing can lock in your mind what position you need to be in ,and how your arms would be working in cadence to your body movement!

When I competed on the still rings,(college champion) I used that method and it did indeed help a lot in my competition!

You can also view good competitors in their exercises and watch their timing and balance.

When you first start , don't get too discouraged if you slip a lot, it is the apparatus most easily to fall off from in mens competition!

--You need to see if you can get somewhere , which you can start working on this apparatus!

Site below might give you an idea on what you could make as similar or if you can afford to buy!

Answer 2

Pommel horse is more about balance, flexibilty, and swinging ability than it is about strength. Having said that, strong arms and chest are important too, but the best way is to practice on the apparatus itself or on those training pommels that are on a bean bag.