Lower Back and Lower Body Training Question

[Donald Lee]

I'm considering switching from CrossFiting to gymnastics type training b/c I don't know if I can afford to keep going to my affiliate and b/c I've gotten a little bored of barbell training after stalling in my weight lifting.

I know many gymnastics moves train the core, but do any gymnastics moves train the hips and lower back like with the deadlift, swings, and olympic lifts? I am also wondering how to strength train the lower body without a barbell. Would it have to be progressively increasing weight with pistols, or sandbag squat variations?

[Steven Low]

The way it occurs in "higher" level gymnastics is because of the amount of floor, vault and big rings swing movements putting large plyometric forces on the body especially legs and back. Combined with generally high rep back/hip extensions and some plyo in the workout, the guys at least tend to have fairly strong backs (not to mention they're used although not to a large extent in stuff like back lever, planche and other things of that nature).

If you're not doing giants on rings, tumbling or vaulting.. or at least 2 of the 3 + plyo and/or high rep back/hip extensions, I would suggest continuing on with oly lifting/DL/squatting. If you want to focus on power, that can be arranged.