The new issue starts with an article by German authors Thomas Heinen, Pia Vinken, and Konstantinos Velentzas addressing a very interesting dilemma of twist directions.
The second article is the contribution by Trevor Dowdell from Australia who is exploring characteristics of coaching.
The third article is about the reliability of judging in men’s artistic gymnastics at the University Games in Belgrade 2009, written by a group of authors from Slovenia and Hungary: Bojan Leskošek, Ivan Cuk, Istvan Karacsony, Jernej Pajek and Maja Bu?ar.
The fourth article comes from Slovenian author Matjaž Ferkolj who has researched kinematic characteristics of Roche vault on vaulting table.
The second issue of our journal concludes with an article from Portugal in which José Ferreirinha, Joana Carvalho, Cristina Côrte-Real and António Silva analyze the evolution of flight element on uneven bars from 1989 to 2004.
It’s all free. Click through to the home page for links (PDF) to each article.
Alexandra is a junior international elite who trains at Brestyan’s Gymnastics in Massachusetts. Alexandra turned elite in 2009. See an August interview with her on Gymnastike.
For such an unusual judging system, there are remarkably few complaints about scores in Women’s College Gymnastics.
Until now …
Even though Utah’s gymnastics team beat Georgia 196.55-196.5 Friday, many in the crowd of 15,522 at the Huntsman Center were unhappy with the judging on floor and let the judges know it by booing several of Utah’s floor scores.
The No. 3 Utes scored a 49.125 on the floor with Gael Mackie recording a team-low of 9.575, and Kyndal Robarts and Jamie Deetscreek also earning low scores of 9.725 and 9.75, respectively.
While the marks might have surprised some in the crowd, they didn’t bother the Utes, who acknowledge they and the judges still are adjusting to some new judging codes and qualifications for deductions this year.
For example, on the floor judges previously could take up to a tenth of a point deduction when a gymnast crossed her legs on a twist. Now the code says the deduction is a tenth or nothing at all.
Robarts said her first pass “wasn’t very good,” and Utah coach Greg Marsden said he expects scores to be unpredictable for a bit longer.
“Everyone is still trying to get a handle on how to judge things and what deductions to take,” he said.
It reminds me of another strange routine: Zhu Sang Sang – Floor – 25 turns
If you count up all of the turns, twists, and jumps, she actually does exactly TWENTY-FIVE 360-degree turns in her routine! That HAS to be a world record. That was a quad turn at the beginning …
Another great clip from GymSmarts – The Gymnastics Minute.
When you start twisting gymnastic skills, determining which way you are twisting is extremely important. Here George Hery show how he figures out which way a gymnast is twisting. He’s used this method for over 20 years.
This can be confusing for the athlete. And sometimes the coach.
Men’s competitive coaches are rarely confused as they’ve trained or coached Kasumatsu vault. (1/4 on, 3/4 off)
But since most female gymnasts do not train “Kaz”, twist direction of the round-off can generate arguments. If some coach disagrees with coach Hery, wrap a rope around his waist and have him do a round-off on Floor. … Then check the direction of twist of the rope.
George H. Hery is one of the most recognized figures in the gymnastics world as an acclaimed gymnast, acrobat, performer, and mentor. For over 40 years he has been one of the most well know clinicians and presenters worldwide on trampoline and acrobatics. …
I like everything about this sequence. Artistic gymnasts can do exactly the same progressions, but with an Artistic arm position.
The next drill I’d like to see Krista do is 1/1 twist to prone fall on a throw mat. … There’s something odd about the way she finishes the twist. That drill would improve her “untilt” more cleanly … and help her finish the twist earlier.
I’ve got George’s Trampoline Flipping and Twisting DVD. It’s solid.
You can find additional DVDs and booklets linked from his GymSmarts page.
LilyPod on the IG forum started another great thread on the topic:
Can we go through the deductions for twisting form, and what is regarded as acceptable and what is not? (Not talking about height or landing here, just the leg form in the air). Where do the judges draw the line with deductions, and what deductions are given at each degree? I’m really just trying to understand …
Want to see a double double? She can do it — as a second pass. A 3.5 twist? Showed it in September. A double layout? Not a problem. A triple full? Does it on floor, does it off beam.
The Japanese women’s gymnastics team is certainly on the ascent.
I love this system of introducing tumbling used by Tony Retrosi.
It’s fun. It’s safe. And it’s very difficult to make major mistakes in tempo tumbling working downhill. (If the kids are still making errors, increase the angle of the down ramp.)