Lisa Adlard at IEGA had trouble scheduling coaching meetings. As do we all.
It’s difficult to get your staff together and free at the same time ANYTIME during the week.
Instead, Lisa schedules coaching “huddles”. These are very brief get-togethers (15min or so) inside the gym. With very few talking points.
The week I was there:
• Weekly Focus …
• Certificates …
• Thanking volunteers …
• Customer service … smile, greet parents and inform them of something their child did well that day
• Keep the Front Office clear
Lisa schedules 2 each week. Every coach must attend one or the other.
COMING SOON! Web and iOS Athlete Management Application for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. Communicate, Collaborate and Motivate your athletes.
The first promo video is interesting, but doesn’t reveal anything about the app.
For a majority of gymnasts, my main strategy when training routines is to start with the dismount. And work backwards, adding subsequent elements as quality improves.
That way the athlete ends up with more last half volume of training. They can “finish”, even when tired (or in case of problems) during the competition routine.
My second strategy is “mini-routine” ~ mount to dismount with whatever parts of the set the gymnast can do easily.
In season, with gymnasts who can get through imperfect target routines in series, I like best “start / stop” sets to improve quality. The gymnast starts the routine … I call STOP if there is any significant error. The grumbling gymnast must start over.
Due to strong demand, Arjen Butter’s launched an iPad app for WAG ($3.99) to accompany his MAG app.
Features:
• up to 24 Users (gymnasts)
• as many routines as you wish for each
• browse the Code of Points
• click on elements in the Code;
~ Let an element zoom out to see it more clear
~ Add the element in your routine
• Within your routine change positions of elements
• Drag elements out of your routine to delete them
The WAG version is similar to the MAG, but it has a couple of extras:
- a notebook on the routines you post
- PDF files with extra information from FIG
It’s pretty much finished, but updates are in the works as Arjen gets feedback from users.
Gymnasts are now enjoying a small break in Spain! There will be some time spent doing some training, mostly conditioning and other exercises to build up strength. There’s no plans to train on any apparatuses however until their return to Moscow on the 17′th. (But as always.. this decision can change.)
Brigid linked to a far more informative than usual Gymnastics Australia report:
GA Women’s Junior Camp, Canberra, August 31 – September 4, 2012:
Last weekend, at the AIS in Canberra, Gymnastics Australia held the first training camp for the 2013-2016 Olympic Cycle.
Jo Richards, Gymnastics Australia’s Women’s National Junior Development Co-ordinator, provides a review …
24 of our best, keen, young female gymnasts and their coaches flew into Canberra for 5 days of everything gymnastics. It was a great few days filled with plenty of skill development, video education, mentoring, hot and cold spas, … everyone enthusiastically working together with a common goal – improving the standard of Australian Gymnastics.
There were plenty of great D dismounts off beam and bars – all forms of double backs were seen with all programs embracing the National direction of double rotations off beam and backwards landing dismounts off bars.
… they were all challenged but enjoyed working with choreographer Stacey Umeh on their beam and floor dance bonus.
A highlight of the camp was the exquisite quality and skill direction demonstrated by Peter Abbott and his young WAIS crew – many Adlers, Double layouts, Hindorfs and Shaps were on display. Way to go Pete! Brooke Callcott’s inside stalder and ‘L’ grip endos along with Molly McKenzie’s excellent bar form, including her sky high Hindorf and ‘true’ double layout bars dismount were great. Georgia Godwin (MBC) showed some new Weiler kips on bars – another great skill choice. Maddi Leydin’s (VWHPC) Markelov was huge! …
During the camp all girls participated in the Physical testing. Congratulations to:
• The ‘most physically prepared athlete’ Emma Curry (MLC/Waverley) – full credit to Emma’s long term coach Michelle De Highden. Emma also won the Press to handstands and Cast to handstands (13 each);
• Eden Tarvit (QAS) was best on the chin-ups with 19 performed under test conditions in 30 seconds. She also had the longest standing broad jump – 74.5 cm longer than her standing height;
• Emily Conran (QAS) won the leg lifts with 23 in 30 seconds;
• Karla Danelutti (Balance) was the fastest at the rope climb and can also jump a whopping 2m 32cm;
• Emma, Brooke Callcott and Darcy Norman (both WAIS) were the most proficient at the kip to handstands (11 good ones in a row);
The American Head Coach gives us a glimpse into what’s happening in the days leading up to the Olympics.
… The proven plan has been to arrive on site well in advance with the strategy being to adjust to the time change as well as rehearse transportation and logistical issues.
Arriving a minimum of one day early for each hour of time change is the goal. Our team ran the gambit gamut with team members from Eastern, Central and Pacific time zones (5-6-8 hours difference from London respectively). We arrived one week in front of our official podium training (basically the dress rehearsal for competition). …
Mitchell revealed … that she and her teammates have been subjected to as many distractions as coach Peggy Liddick could throw at them in a bid to have them conditioned for the intimidating cauldron of London’s Millennium Dome.
“We have had various distractions in the training gym in Canberra,” Mitchell said.
“Peggy had everything out. There was a green and red light and she has had a strobe light flashing as if it was a camera.
“She has had a projection screen up with different people performing gymnastics as if it was another competitor out there. She had tapes going at the same time as we were competing and different countries’ floor music going while we were on beams or bars. …
And as Australian head coach Peggy Liddick told us about training at the Olympics Games…
“All the preparation was done at home, so when you come here it’s just about doing the normal in an abnormal situation. That’s the game. It’s not about the gymnastics anymore.”
Where I live June is the most difficult month to stay motivated. School is ending. Season is over.
What’s the best way to keep up Gym Momentum?
Simon Rego, PsyD, director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City … shares some methods … for breaking the cycle of negativity.
Aunt Joyce questions whether Jordyn and Team USA are peaking too early, as they have in the past.
I don’t think so. Marta has changed. And the sport has changed.
Marta:
“I think Jordyn is doing well. She has her training plan and her training plan is to get in her best shape by the Trials. And that’s exactly the training plan I suggested to all the coaches. And the coaches, some of them want to push it and get ready earlier, but my suggestion was 90 percent at Championships, 100 percent at Trials.”
You must peak for trials if you want to make the Olympic Team.
And then you must have a smart plan for the last cycle leading up to the Games. Recover and rebuild. Geddert knows how this works as well as any coach in the world.
Lisa Adlard at IEGA had trouble scheduling coaching meetings. As do we all. 
