Month: January 2008

The international gymnastics community has lost one of its most respected members and an exceptional person.

Karl-Heinz ZSCHOCKE, the former head coach of the GDR artitic gymnastics men’s team and long-standing president of the Technical Committee for Men’s Gymnastics of the International Gymnastics Federation (F.I.G.), who in the last few years was its honorary vice president, died after a short, serious illness in a Berlin hospital on Saturday evening….

His career spanned nine Olympics and 18 World Championships. …

He is survived by his wife Christine, six children and eleven grandchildren. They mourn an exceptional human being, whose kindness and personality will be remembered.

GYMmedia.com

I only met him once when I judged in Australia in the early 1990s. And was quite impressed.

Rest in peace Herr Zschocke.

More great photos by Trent Nelson, Chief Photographer at the Salt Lake Tribune.

From the Utah vs Georgia opening season meet:

Kristina Baskett

If you know Kristina, you know she has “perfect” form on Yurchenko. Yet here the feet are still apart, closing from her takeoff position on the beat board.

… Luckily, the judges can’t see it from their angle.

see the rest – Tribune Blogs — Fly on the Wall

Everyone wants to know how Shawn became World Champion training only once a day, 25hrs / week, with very positive coaching.

Even former World Champion Shannon Miller.

Shannon visited Shawn’s gym to see how she’s progressing towards Beijing. And what new tricks the coaches are considering adding for the Olympics. The video includes some excellent split screen showing both coach and athlete simultaneously.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That clip is just part of the Gymnastics 360 Olympic preview show. It starts here if you want to watch the whole thing.

(via InGymMom on Chalk Bucket forum)

Gymkata is a 1985 film filmed in Yugoslavia and starring Kurt Thomas as Jonathan Cabot, an Olympic gymnast who combines his gymnastic ability with ninjutsu to enter a deadly competition in a fictional country, Parmistan. It is based on the novel The Terrible Game (1957) by Dan Tyler Moore.

The film has developed a minor cult following as an unintentional comedy for its dubious premise, poor production quality and low budget. Maxim lists the film as the 17th “Worst Movie of All Time”.

Gymkata – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The scene always bemoaned loudest by every coach is the pommel horse battle:

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube:

Gymkata – Amazon

These days Kurt is a successful coach and club owner in Texas. his annual competition is getting rave reviews from judges. That meet — February 15, 16 and 17, 2008 — is full and closed. They are taking registrations for 2009.

This is the kind I like best.

It not only pads the hips, but also keeps beginners from sliding their hands too close together.

Home made. At Can-Am Gymnastics, Saskatoon.

Related posts:

gymnastics bars “safety straps”

video – gymnastics safety bar straps

8 color-coded pairs of bar straps – $50

new video – Working the Strap Bar

Altadore gymnasts from Canada made their first trip to Las Vegas to compete at the Lady Luck competition. One highlight was a visit to the awesome theatre housing Cirque du Soleil’s (always sold out) performance called “O”.

photo – coach Sheena Steacy

See more of the unique acrobatic sculptures by Robert Macdonald at the Bellagio Casino: The Cirque Tribune :: View topic – “O” Lobby Sculptures

( P.S. Congrats to Brit who competed Yurchenko for the first time.)

Jan. 13, 2008 the UCLA gymnastics team hosted it’s annual Meet the Bruins event. Fans were treated to exhibition routines, skills demonstrations, Q&As and autographs.

This is what the NCAA does right!

Coach Chris Waller educating the crowd:

Click through to see more photos: Meet The Bruins Photo Gallery

By the way, UCLA won their first meet of the season, but it was not nearly a perfect day (194.975).

Michelle on Gym Chat posted the good news and linked to this photo of Imke (in grey) back visiting the gym:

larger version

Details of the injury we posted when it happened: 13-year-old Dutch girl injured on vault

Michelle’s post has a link to Imke’s website (in Dutch):

… Imke glas fight to walk, recently she made her first steps. Incredible said her fahter.

she goes to fast, that doctors try slow down the little girl. the chance that she gets a repercussion is there. …

Gymnastics & Cheer Forum – Gym Chat :: View topic – Imke Glas Could WALK again

Wonderful news like this is fun to post. But let’s remember Imke and be careful in training.

Good thread on Gym Chat – topic Shawn Johnson – links to a training montage:

When you watch Shawn’s video clips, and with husband & wife coaching team Liang Qiao (Chow) and Liwen Zhaung at Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance, you get the feeling they are doing a good job at that gym. …

Gymnastics & Cheer Forum – Gym Chat :: View topic – Shawn Johnson videos

Click PLAY or watch Shawn on YouTube.

This is another good edit by Ashley (AshleyakaFlipper). Thanks.

Shawn Johnson is an “original”. There is no one like her.

I hope she is “Mary Lou Retton” original and challenges strongly for the Olympic title. But, like Mary Lou, Shawn has many weaknesses. Her line and technique on some skills is poor. Yet her power unbelievable.

I recall Bela on Mary Lou: “She’s a flyer. Not a flower.”

The same statement applies to World Champion Shawn Johnson.

If you do Powerpoint presentations I highly recommend this interesting and original post by Darren Barefoot:

• Respect the Narrative Arc.

• Tell Stories.

• Embrace Metaphors.

• Dialogue Starts on the Page.

• Slides are Your Costumes, Lighting and Set, Not Your Speech.

• Your Set Design Needs Soul.

• The Play’s As Long As It Needs To Be (or Not To Be).

• Surprise Your Audience.

• Begin In Media Res.

• Find the Funny.

Everything I Know About Presentations, I Learned in Theatre School

Dread Powerpoint presentations are finally starting to improve, I feel. They suck less than ever before.