Just because we’ve always done it that way, doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly stupid.
Tradition – despair.com
Dave Adlard calls it “traditionitis”. Coaching inertia.
What about you? As a coach, are you willing to change? Try new drills? Use innovative equipment? Work smarter instead of harder?
Since you are reading this blog, I suspect you are.
One of my biggest complaints in 2008 is seeing coaches assign too much tumbling on hard surfaces. Repeating technical and form errors. And putting athletes at greater risk of overuse injury.
Too much “pounding” is just stupid.
I noted that Utah coach Greg Marsden, after too many injuries last season, had his team train “on soft surfaces” up until the first meet of the year with Georgia. Which Utah won.
At minimum, kids need to tumble on sting mats atop the hard Floor. Best case scenarios: trampoline devices from companies like TumblTrak. Or rod floors. Or even air floors.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 