Month: October 2008

One blog post in the past drew a lot of discussion: is Texas the center of the gymnastics world?

In the end, I agreed that Romania, with the same population as Texas, had been more successful in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics in recent years.

But since then … another Texas gal won the Olympic Games 2008. At a recent media event, the WOGA trio of Nastia Liukin, Carly Patterson and Hollie Vise showed off their combined 21 Olympic and World Championship medals.

Has Texas NOW surpassed Romania in number and quality of top gymnasts?

I am far more optimistic about Texas than I am about Romania. Texas has far more depth.

WOGA – Plano gym

(via International Gymnast)

UPDATE: The 2009 VISA Championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics will be held Aug. 12-15th in Dallas.

Even at the end of a 4hr workout, these gymnasts had plenty of energy to climb ropes over and over again.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Ropes and rings are the best general upper body strength conditioning apparatus.

related post: teaching safe rope climb to beginners

This is Altadore Gym Club, the same Altadore that is looking for a new Women’s Head Coach.

by site editor Rick McCharles

I led sessions at the Recreation and Men’s Artistic streams Oct. 4-5th, 2008 in Lower Sackville & Dartmouth, NS. An excellent event, well organized by Susan Gallagher. Thanks!

Unfortunately I was teaching at every session. And had no time to take in any of the other presenters.

I did my best to try to distract and heckle Allen Duschesne over on trampoline:

Here are a couple of photos from the Men’s sessions. First, using a crash mat to “catch” the gymnast working “bail” (cross support lay away to long hang swing). The boys find it “fun” to splat into the mat at the bottom.

And here’s a unique pommel mushroom so steep that young gymnasts actually find it fairly easy to do single pommel circle.

Click through for more information on my sessions.

I love our set-up for tumbling at Altadore Gymnastics Club.

Best of all is the Powertrack.

This is the world’s best (and most expensive) TumblTrak. The same one used by Cirque du Soleil. Custom built for our club by Dave Ross.

It’s very tight. Almost like floor. And we have good matting for learning new tricks on to a resi-mat pit.

From there gymnasts move to our competition rod floor.

It’s not quite regulation length. But including the pit landing zone, it’s close. The #2 men’s tumbler in Canada, Andrew Egyed, trains at Altadore on this floor.

Very popular with artistic gymnasts is training advanced skills from rod floor on to the “woofie” mat. (Another resi-pit)

This is stiff enough to land — or even punch front — but still very forgiving on bad landings.

Finally we take the skills to our competition floor. Often we tumble from the hard floor into the pit.

Olympic Floor Champion 2004 Kyle Shewfelt trained at this gym. Though over the years he rarely ever did full difficulty tumbling on competition floor. Instead, to avoid overuse syndrome injury, Kyle used the many alternate tumbling set-ups.

We have two in-ground competitive trampolines, as well. Ideal for introducing new elements.

Altadore is still searching for our next Women’s Head Coach. Great facility. Great salary. Check out the details on this job on a related post: Gymnastics Coaching job in Calgary, Canada

An excellent release for very flexible gymnasts.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

UTAH vs Georgia 2008.

An amusing video filmed in China.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Gymnastike)

Gymnast.com posted a couple of ESPN photos including this one:

2008 U.S. Olympians Visit White House

The Couch Gymnast has an interesting post on gymnastics in Trinidad:

… Gymnastics only came recently to Trinidad and Tobago as a formalised sport. The now national coach Clifton McDowell can remember when he and his friends were boys, that teaching themselves gymnastics tricks outside, or looking for schools with actual mats on which to practice was the only way to do gymnastics for acrobatic enthusiasts back then. …

Click through for a brief history with photos: Cartwheels in…… TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO! – The Couch Gymnast

I can add a paragraph. In 1997 I volunteered for 3 weeks coaching and doing clinics in the National capital Port of Spain, a wonderful experience. In fact, I was Head Judge for the Trinidad and Tobago National Championships that year.

The culture of the island paradise is rich.

One anecdote. Every morning we bought a bag of ice to take to the hot, humid gym. The kids pressed their hands on the ice bag between turns on bar to reduce the chance of ripping. Surprisingly, it seemed to work.

The top gymnast today is 12-year-old, two-time Sportswoman of the Year nominee, Thema Williams. She competes Level 9 in the States.

From Sports Girls Play:

With two girls who play sports and love fun fashion, I spend a lot of time shopping at Justice Just for Girls and its sister store Limited Too. …

Sport Tees from Justice Just for Girls

details – Shop Justice – $12.95

The top girl at my gym has done some Equestrian vaulting:

… most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback, …, it is an art and not a competitive sport. It is one of ten competitive equestrian events recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports …

Wikipedia

Jumping over horse on Sokol slet in Prague 1901

larger original – Wikipedia

Thanks to the commenter who sent me a link to this photo.