Bar clinic today. We’ll be talking, as always, about tangent of release:
… the body’s mass center exits from any external swing at a 90° angle to its radius of rotation (tangent to the swing) …
Just as the archer’s bow establishes the flight direction of the arrow, so too does the tangent release establish the flight direction of the gymnast. …
At the USA Gymnastics Championships last weekend two special events were scheduled for Olympic Teams past:
1) Bronze medal awarded to the 2000 American Women’s Olympic Team
2) Reunion of the 1980 American Olympic Teams MAG and WAG (boycotted)
Blythe Lawrence:
… The press got to meet with members of both the 2000 U.S. women’s Olympic team, who competed in Syndey yet felt like failures, and members of the 1980 men’s and women’s teams, who didn’t compete in Moscow but have recognized that just being selected for the team makes them winners.
The difference, I think, is in age. Twenty years from now, the 2000 Olympians may have a different perspective. …
Like the rest on the 1980 team, Ron Galimore never made it to Moscow. The closest he got to Olympic glory was a trip to Washington designed to honor the hundreds of athletes who weren’t allowed to take the trip they really wanted to take. …
From Judge Judy of JustGymnastics.com by email. (I’m quoting just a few of the highlights. Confirm these changes in your region.)
JO rule changes and clarifications to come out of the annual May meetings effective as of August 1, 2010.
COMPULSORIES
- The “air-o-board,” a cross between a mini-tramp and a vaulting board, has been approved for use at Leve1-3 and Prep Optional. Tiny gymnasts formerly unable to get anything out of a stiff board will be able vault without that drawback.
OPTIONALS Bars
- climbing onto the LB after a fall, then jump to HB is no longer considered a “bar change” fulfilling a Special Requirement. A listed value part element must be performed on the LB.
- Level 7 and 8 may do the “C” skills Back Stalder Circle and Back Pike Sole Circle to Handstand (also with 1/2 turn)in addition to the already permitted Clear Hip Circle to Handstand (also with 1/2 turn). No other “C” skills are permitted.
- Level 7 only may perform a counter swing without an extra swing penalty (0.30) prior to a front (salto forward) flyaway dismount.
- The maximum deduction for multiple extra swings after an element is 0.60, i.e., stop deducting after 2 extra swings per element. (Applies to all levels.)
Balance Beam
- Continuous but slow connections on all series receive the same deduction – Up to 0.20. (Exception remains unchanged: Backward acro series with at least 1 flight element does not receive Special Requirement [0.50] if performed “continuously but slowly.”)
Floor Exercise
- C+C dance elements may be the SAME element and receive +0.10 Bonus e.g., Popa + Popa = +0.10 Bonus
- Definition of dance passage Special Requirement has been expanded to allow any kind of turn on 1 or 2 feet to be performed between the 2 dance Value Parts, and it doesn’t matter if a jump used as the first element lands on 1 or 2 feet as long as the passage keeps moving.
- Balks on the final salto Special Requirement or falls with failure to initiate the salto receive an additional 0.30 deduction resembling the “no dismount” deduction on bars and beam.
- Coach on the FX mat deduction has been reduced to 0.50 (Levels 7-10).
(There is no deduction for Coach on the FX mat for Compulsories or PREP Opt.)
The winning Bar routines in L7 and L8 will be using more Stalder and, especially, toe-on, toe-off. It’s the easiest of the 3 allowed C-parts.
Join us for a FREE sample of our LIVE ONLINE coaches seminar with Mas Watanabe teaching “Strap bar basic technique and skill development” on Tuesday, August 17th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.
All you need to do is – email andrea AT docaliarnold.com and request instructions on how to access your free online session!
Term 3 begins Tuesday, August 24th!
Live presentations by Cheryl Jarrett, Tony Retrosi, Mary Lee Tracy, Russell Warfield, and Tammy Biggs are scheduled.
