Andy Thornton asks a good question: “… it seems like girls just don’t tumble like they used to. What happened to huge double layouts and full-in dismounts?”
It’s even more true on Vault. That apparatus has seen very little progress over the past 20yrs. Yet Men’s Vault and Floor tumbling are insane in 2010.
Kytra Hunter’s demo Floor at American Cup shows impressive tumbling.
Click PLAY or watch Kytra on YouTube.
In the past, powerful gymnasts could do 3 apparatus and get away with relatively easy Bars. (i.e. Romania)
Today, in my opinion, coaches must select gymnasts first for Bars and Beam. And try to develop tumbling and vault difficulty later. Nastia would be one prototype.
(via About.com Gymnastics)
Gymnastics Coaching.com 