• Level 2 Manual – CAD$75
• Level 3 Manual – CAD$75

Though not updated for years, these are still the best English language coaching manuals. The Rings, Pommel and Parallel Bar chapters are particularly strong.

Planning, Biomechanics and Physical Preparation content is good, too.

Leave a comment if you’ve other MAG coaching manuals you still use.

I assume that’s in German. He’s possibly the most famous male gymnast in the world.

With Sandra and Kai Beckedahl Psotta
Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag GmbH
256 pages
ISBN 978-3-89602-948-5
Price 19,90 EUR (D)

Fabian hates pommel horse. I wonder why they didn’t use a Horizontal Bar photo?

Fabian Hambüchen – career highlights, so far

There are some limitations as to how much of the text you can read online. Google Books service is free.

Google Books – Periodization: theory and methodology of training

The dead tree version is available on Amazon. ($15)

Matthew Miscisin authored The Big Book of Gymnastics Games:

While growing up in a family of ten children I had an abundance of early lessons in cooperation and competition. …

Matthew sent me a copy for review. It’s excellent.

But what I got was much different than expected. From the title – Big Book of Gymnastics Games – I expected traditional warm-up games like those in Rushkin’s Up Down All Around lesson plans. And in Dave Adlard’s Cool Games DVDs.

Not.

Matthew’s “Games” are mostly contests and drills. With FUN names like:

• Cartwheel of Doom
• Human Catapult
• Flip-Flop Factory

It could be called Big Book of Gymnastics Contests for Serious Skill Development.

Matthew:

One of the biggest challenges a gymnastics coach faces is motivating the students to perform a skill or exercise with enough repetition to produce mastery. Another challenge is motivating the students to put 100% of their effort and concentration into each attempt …

If you want to have more FUN at training, this text is highly recommended.

Amazon

Retail price is $25 plus about $3 standard shipping (in USA), $7 priority shipping and about $14 international shipping. It is also available at the wholesale price of about $15 domestic shipping included (media mail) through Gymnasticsman.com.

You can also download games one-at-a-time for a dollar each.

The review copy will be donated to Keith Russell‘s library at U of Saskatchewan.

Keith Russell, current President of the FIG Scientific Commission, wrote this decades ago. Advocating to keep some kind of gymnastics in school Physical Education. A losing battle, I fear.

… The most useful aspect of the “Activity of Gymnastics” is the principle that you teach a student to control their own body in a variety of situations; while doing various locomotor activities: swinging, springing off hands and feet, balancing, landing etc and while on the ground, off the ground, right side up, upside down etc. …

It seems quite reasonable to assume that if students can first control and manoeuvre their own bodies with a fairly high degree of skill then they can subsequently better control and manoeuvre themselves PLUS an implement (bat, stick, racket) or themselves plus a projectile (ball, discus etc). Likewise, they could then better control themselves in various mediums (water, snow, etc), or better handle themselves PLUS an opponent. …

GYMNASTICS – WHY IS IT IN SCHOOL CURRICULA (PDF)

Keith also developed the Up Down All Around lesson plans, the best school gymnastics resource anywhere.

Coach Jim Holt (Seattle) sent me a review copy. Jim’s been a friend for decades. I knew I’d enjoy his gymnastics autobiography.

A book of Jim Holt’s memoirs about his two decades striving for the international development of gymnastics. It is an extraordinary saga of inspiring and (often) hilarious efforts to change the world through sport. …

Anyone who knows Jim Holt knows that he does not do what he does for money. He’s in it for love of the sport. Jim’s got the #1 “talent” required of a gymnastics coach: irrational dedication.

I was immediately charmed by the many typos and the conversational tone of the book. Jim Holt is talking to me personally.

He’s a terrific raconteur. Intelligent. Witty. Eloquent. Engaging.

(His many references to literature and classic movies may turn off some younger readers, though.)

Jim’s led Olympic Solidarity coaching courses in 9 nations. I’ve so far led 2 courses and am booked for Saudi Arabia this Fall. His anecdotes and misadventures in Bolivia, Chile, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Yemen and Egypt (amongst others) were the highlights of the book for me.

Read an excerpt – Fun in Bolivia

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any gymnastics buff, especially older coaches who’ve lived through similar personal gymnastics disasters.

Jim’s subtitle is “An Odyssey in International Sport“. Indeed, he’s a hero to me. His accomplishments as a coach are extraordinary considering the obstacles overcome.

The only sour notes are in Chapter 14. Jim’s failed (so far) attempt to be awarded an “FIG Diploma”. … And his too harsh critique of the F.I.G. Academy Program, currently run by the best man at his wedding, Hardy Fink.

Sour grapes?

If you are looking for an exposé of international gymnastics you’ll be disappointed. There are plenty of examples of corruption, petty greed, cronyism, miscommunication and epic inefficiency … but also much love.

Jim Holt even has some good words for Grandi. How about that?

What is Jim doing today?

Chasing impossible dreams, of course. Last time I saw him was at the Canadian National Championships. He’s coaching 2008 Olympian Nashwan al-Harazi from Yemen.

Jim’s bags are packed. If you need an experienced coach, contact him via the official website:

ChasingImpossibleDreams.com ($22.45 USD)

Keep speaking truth to power, Jim!

related post → profile – Jim and Hannah Holt

Futures Gymnastics Center, Mississauga

details (PDF)

G.S. George is author of Championship Gymnastics. Greg Marsden is the legendary women’s coach at Utah, oft credited as the most important builder of the successful NCAA Women’s Collegiate program.

… learn the secrets of success from an Olympian? A Nobel Prize winner? A Fortune 500 CEO? Olympic gold medalist Nikki Stone has compiled a treasure trove of compelling stories to illustrate each step on the path to success. …

Amazon

(via Gymnastics Examiner)

Stephenson, volunteer coach and former co-head coach for the Golden Gopher women’s gymnastics team, recently finished work on a book, “Championship Gymnastics: Biomechanical Techniques for Shaping Winners.”

Stephenson illustrated the entire book, which was written by Dr. Gerald George, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Louisiana. Here, Stephenson answers questions about the project, his artistic career, and future artistic endeavors.

How did the project of putting together “Championship Gymnastics” start?

“It really started in the early 1980’s, I had worked with Dr. George in creating a book called “Biomechanics of Women’s Gymnastics”. That book was probably the only book out in years that addressed so many of the important fundamentals of women’s gymnastics. We were pleased with it, but Jerry called me a couple of years ago as he was preparing to retire, and he said that he’d learned so much since writing that first book that he wanted to redo the whole thing. I was thrilled because my artwork has improved so much that I wanted to redo the whole thing too. We decided that we would make this happen. …

read the entire back story – Gopher Sports – Stephenson Completes Book Illustration Project

Thanks Roy.

Here I am promoting the 2 best new gymnastics coaching manuals published in many years.

• Building the Gymnastic Body by Christopher Sommer

• Championship Gymnastics by Gerald S. George, Ph.D.

I can wholeheartedly endorse both.