online acrobatic tutorials – DANGEROUS

The internet is a wonderful tool. But it has a downside too.

George Palmer sent me an important question by email:

I think hearing what you think of instructional videos on you tube would be interesting. Is it promoting dangerous “park gymnastics”. Is it the blind leading the blind? Is it useful? How about for regular gymnasts? Is it useful for them or should they pay attention to coaches? Any value in having home gymnasts watch instructional videotapes (like a coach would)?

George pointed me to this fairly typical example: (UPDATE: Editor Sizzi took this video down after my critique below. Perhaps that’s for the best.)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube (8min).

SIzzi does many things right in this tutorial. And he is very good at standing full twist.

Even the dumbest kid on YouTube cannot miss his disclaimer:

*W A R N I N G* …

THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A REFERENCE. DO NOT TRY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PROPER TRAINING, A GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTOR, AND A PROPER GYMNASTICS GYM. I’M NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES WHILE ATTEMPTING THIS.-

People need to stop “chucking” moves …

… if you just came across this video and have no former training, then you have no business trying this move, so DON’T DO IT! Have some common sense.

Still, I wish Sizzi would take the video off the net.

Any trampoline coach would criticize:

using a crappy backyard trampoline …

with insufficient padding and no throw mat

teaching beginners “early” twisting

no progressions for twisting are shown

progressions shown on hard floor rather than on a mat or on grass (that’s just dumb)

What Sizzi should do instead is show his COOL SKILLZ. Then tell young kids to go join a gymnastics or trampoline club. To find a good coach.

His other videos are better.

I DO find Sizzi partly responsible for kids hurt trying the progressions he “taught” them in an 8min video.

Honestly, Sizzi, how many of the people who tried your drills do you believe can learn a standing full using your methods? Two? Three?

I think you are misleading everyone else who does not have your strength to weight ratio and acrobatic background.

… End of rant. Leave a comment if you have an opinion, especially if you know of some good online tutorials. For example: Gymnastics Warm Ups on Expert Village

Another example I like better is this tutorial on backward handspring by Chelsie Memmel.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It’s inspiring for kids to be “coached” by a “star”. (Chelsie, by the way, was an advanced but awful tumbler as a young child. Doug Davis of TumblTrak has videos of her back to when she was 3ft tall.)