For Coaches: How to Cue Gymnastics in a Group Class
Updated: 23 hours ago
It is 5:58 p.m. Twelve athletes are drifting toward the rig. Two are chasing their first kipping pull-up, one has a sore shoulder, a couple can already string butterfly reps, and several are not sure what they should be doing today. The skill of the day is the kipping pull-up, and you have maybe fifteen minutes to teach it before the workout starts.
This is one of the hardest jobs on the gym floor, and long technical explanations will not get you through it. What works is a clear demo, a few short cues, a sensible progression for every level, and a coach who keeps everyone safe while moving around the room. I'm still a newer coach learning this myself, and coaches with more gymnastics background may run it differently. The class below is a composite of the group sessions I've coached, walked through minute by minute, with what's working for me so far. Take what fits your gym and leave the rest.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Before the clock starts: the plan on one card
Good gymnastics coaching begins before anyone walks in. By the time the doors open, I try to have picked one or two points of performance for the movement. For kipping pull-ups, that might be "active hollow" and "push the bar toward your hips." Not ten points. Two.
They have also prepared the progressions: the two or three options on offer, and what an athlete must be able to do to move between them. They have planned the floor, too. Where will people stand on the rig? Is there enough space between athletes for kipping swings? Are there enough bands, boxes and mats? And they know their athletes: who has an injury, who is working toward a new skill. A quick check-in at the start of class confirms the rest.
Minutes 0–5: the briefing
The briefing is short and specific. The coach names today's skill, states the two points of performance, and explains the tiers everyone will choose from. This is also when the check-in happens. The athlete with the sore shoulder gets asked directly, not in front of the whole group if it can be avoided, and gets a plan before the warm-up starts.
One habit I picked up from more experienced coaches is building the gymnastics progressions into the warm-up itself. Scapular pull-ups, hollow and arch holds and kip swings rehearse the movement before the skill block, which buys back minutes later in the hour.
Minutes 5–15: warm-up and the demo
Most athletes learn a movement faster by seeing it than by hearing about it, so the demo does most of the teaching. The coach positions the group so everyone can see, and for most gymnastics movements, a side view shows the most useful information. They show the full movement first, at normal speed, so athletes see the goal. Then they show the key positions slowly, pausing in the ones they are cueing: the hollow and the arch of the kip. If it helps, they show a common fault next to the fix, because seeing the difference is often clearer than describing it.
The whole thing takes under two minutes. And if the coach cannot demonstrate the movement well, they use a competent athlete in the class. A good demo matters more than who performs it.
Minutes 15–30: the skill block
Now the room splits into tiers. I usually use three. Foundation is strength and position: ring rows, banded strict pull-ups, hollow and arch holds. Developing is the skill with support: kip swings, kipping pull-ups with a band, or a low volume of kipping reps. Advanced is the full movement at workout volume, or a harder variation such as chest-to-bar.
The tiers are based on clear criteria, not on who asks. As a guideline, I want athletes to have some strict strength, such as a few strict pull-ups, and a controlled kip swing before they kip in a workout. That protects shoulders and builds better long-term skill. Moving someone to a different tier is not a punishment, and I try to say so plainly and positively: it is how they get the movement they want.
The block itself runs as a short, structured format, such as an EMOM, so every athlete gets regular attempts while the coach rotates around the room. This is when cueing matters most. Research on motor learning generally shows that cues directing attention to an external target or outcome, rather than to specific body parts, tend to help athletes learn and perform movements more effectively. In practice, that means cueing what the athlete does to the bar, the floor or the space around them:
Movement | Internal cue | External cue |
|---|---|---|
Kip swing | "Engage your lats in the hollow" | "Push the bar toward your hips" |
Toes-to-bar | "Flex your hips harder" | "Kick your toes up to the bar" |
Handstand hold | "Elevate your shoulders" | "Push the floor away" |
Ring support | "Lock your elbows" | "Push the rings down and in" |
Internal cues still have a place, especially when teaching a position for the first time. But in the middle of a set, a short external cue of three to five words is usually more useful.
Feedback follows the same economy. One correction at a time, choosing the fault that matters most, usually the one that affects safety or causes the others. Specific rather than vague: "Good hollow on that one" beats "nice job." Given between sets, not during a rep unless it is a single cue word. And then the step I used to skip: watching the next set to check the change happened.
Coach's cue: One correction, then watch the next set.
Minutes 30–50: the workout
Once the clock starts, the coach's job shifts from teaching to protecting. Gymnastics carries real risks: falls, rips, collisions and shoulder strain. A few habits prevent most of them:
Space athletes out on the rig so kipping swings cannot collide.
Teach bailing first on any day with inverted work. Every athlete should know how to step down or roll out before handstands begin.
Spot at the hips or legs, not the arms, for handstand kick-ups and assisted muscle-up drills, standing to the side rather than in the fall line.
Protect the neck on handstand push-ups with controlled descents onto a mat, never dropping onto the head.
Watch hands. Remind athletes to look after their calluses, stop anyone who has torn a rip, and keep a first-aid kit accessible.
Know when to stop someone. Sharp pain, numbness or tingling means stopping the movement and referring them to a physio or doctor. You are not there to diagnose.
Through all of this, the coach keeps moving, standing where they can see as many athletes as possible and staying close to whoever is attempting the riskiest movements.
Minutes 50–60: cooldown and the notes nobody sees
The last ten minutes look quiet, but this is where the next class gets better. While athletes cool down, I check in with the athlete who has the sore shoulder and the two who are chasing their first kip, and make a note of who needs more attention next time. Consistent follow-up over weeks matters more than trying to fix everything in one class. Skill practice happened early, when athletes were fresh, and the notes make sure it builds from session to session.
When athletes want more
Group classes are a great place to learn gymnastics, but some athletes want more focused development than an hour on the rig can give. If you have athletes who want a structured plan with video feedback outside class, ATHLETESPHERE coaching is built to complement what you do on the floor, not replace it.
If you are a coach and want to talk gymnastics progressions, or you are not sure which option fits one of your athletes, reach out to me.
Your turn. I'm still learning as a coach too. If you run this differently in your gym, share it in the comments below. I read every one and would love to learn from you. If it was useful, tap the heart so more coaches find it.
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Coach Fritz Bautista · Head Coach, ATHLETESPHERE
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2) ✓ · CrossFit Programming Certificate · MBA · Digital Marketing Certified · Coaching athletes from all walks of life online
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