Will the USA have 3 gymnasts who can score 15.0+ on Pommels at Worlds 2011?
At the 2012 Olympics?
That’s what they’ll need to challenge for a Team medal in London.
Why is Pommels the weak apparatus right now?
Why did very talented boys have so many falls at J.O. Nationals 2011. This lad, for example.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Ron Noe of Stick It Media noted that well over 50% of the (young) Level 9 boys fell on Pommels.
The USA, I feel, is still putting boys on the pommeled horse in competition too soon. They’d be far better off keeping them on a lower (safer) horse without pommels, longer. I blame the JO rules for providing too much incentive to go for a hard routine.
Team USA will continue to produce a lot of guys with “piked”, muscled swing if they don’t correct this problem.
Leave a comment if you feel the American pommel problem is improving. Or if you think I’m wrong altogether.
5 comments ↓
In the UK they are keeping guys from the actual Pommel Horse much later… there are around four to five guys that can put up a 15+
I disagree so, so much that there is too much incentive to go for a hard routine. A point for falling is a huge incentive to do ONLY skills you have mastered. The problem is that athletes and coaches don’t always remember that.
That said, I agree that a horse without pommels is a good idea, and so do the people who make the rulebook — the draft version for 2013′s program includes just that.
Thanks. I’d heard it’s steadily going in that direction in the USA.
Kids looked good at JOs. But they couldn’t stay on.
Bare in mind, even with the pommels set as close as pommels they are still too big for some of those and small gymnasts.
FutureStars is leaning toward that direction even though the standard levels are not.
It’s worth a lot of discussion to figure out a long-term strategy. Some kids get it, and some kids don’t. The transition from level 6 to level 7 is very dramatic. Kids who were tremendous at level 5/6 routines (swings/scissors) tend to struggle at level 7, and as a result, some get very discouraged. Chinese kids don’t even touch pommels until age 12.
In Region 1, there is a separate “future stars” division that many of the better level 6s are being steered toward. The pommel horse routine at this level is very similar to that at the national Future Stars program… no pommels. The thinking behind implementing the regional future stars level is to get these kids better prepared for the optionals program. This is debatable, but it appears that many of these kids do appear to do better on pommels when they become level 9s. Currently, the best level 7s are easily able to compete with the best regional future stars competitors. In fact, in Region 1, the best future stars probably couldn’t beat the best level 7s in the AA.
Whatever the eventual solution, it’s still up to the individual gymnast to work their tails off on this often dreaded event. Quality repetition of the basics is key. Coach Yoichi Tomita has an excellent DVD that highlights single leg work and circle development… http://www.gymsmarts.com/gs_prsearch.cgi?action=DispPR&pid=15
Pommel horse can be a great “equalizer” at the optional level!
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