Year: 2010

A new site has been launched to rally support for the Men’s team. From this page you can donate to the cause, or send a letter of support.

Cal Gymnastics Forever

Why all the new Facebook links on this site?

Because Facebook is taking over the internet.

… according to a new study from Nielsen showing Internet usage in April 2010, 22% of the time, you’re engaging with social media. …

That’s a big jump over the year before. Brazilians, Australians and Italians are particularly addicted to social networking sites like Facebook.

Are you an addict?

1. You lose sleep over Facebook
2. You spend more than an hour a day on Facebook
3. You become obsessed with old loves
4. You ignore work in favor of Facebook
5. The thought of getting off Facebook leaves you in a cold sweat

Five clues that you are addicted to Facebook

Leave a comment or a LIKE if you linked to this post from Facebook.

Recall the Volkswagon publicity stunt where they installed a keyboard on stairs?

This Volkswagon creation is even better.

A long staircase. Next to it a slide. Which way would you go?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Thanks Marceline.

Big meet for MAG.

HAMBUECHEN vs UCHIMURA vs HORTON.

Update: For the USA, Alexander NADDOUR and John OROZCO have replaced Danell and Tim on the list below. (Thanks Anne.)

As good as Kohei Uchimura is, perhaps the 2008 Olympic Champion Yang Wei was even better.

That’s the opinion of Canadian Olympian Adam Wong.

Yang Wei was a little cautious in Beijing only because he had the AA sewn up if he could simply avoid any conspicuous error.

official competition website (English)

Hollie Vise was one of the most beautiful gymnasts ever, the 2003 World Champion on Bars.

Her piked Jaeger is certainly one of the best ever done.

In 2004 Hollie was not selected to the American Olympic Team, on live T.V. … An outrage to many fans.

Click PLAY or watch a Hollie montage on YouTube.

Happily, Hollie finished her career with a superb finish, leading Oklahoma to a second place finish in the 2010 NCAA Collegiate Championships.

From a coaching clinic hosted by Calgary Gymnastics Centre.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

One of the coaches never did gymnastics. We asked him to look at all of these variations as simply double leg circles.

flank forward > rear support > flank backward > front support … REPEAT

The most important talking point of the session was wrist pain. It’s ended the career of many good gymnasts.

Cut back even at a young age for those kids who suffer a lot of pain. Consider splitting training into two 15min sessions each day, early and late.

Consider bracing the wrists. Take long breaks (e.g 2wks) off pommels if wrist pain gets bad. But continue with all other apparatus.

Mushroom and Floor are hardest on the wrists. Avoid those if you have wrist pain.

Leave a comment if you have other strategies on how to deal with that problem.

First some good news. Now some bad.

One of the good guys is stepping down.

… “I have decided to retire from coaching after a 30 year career in gymnastics, to pursue other career opportunities,” said Shephard. “It has been my great honor, and privilege, to work with all of the gifted young people associated with this program over the last 21 years. …

In 18 years as the head coach, Shephard, the eighth coach in Penn State women’s gymnastics history, amassed a career record of 256-144-2 while guiding the Nittany Lions to eight NCAA Championship appearances. …

Steve Shephard Resigns as Head Coach of Penn State Women’s Gymnastics Program

Penn State is advertising for a successor.

(via College Gym Fans)

Inside Gymnastics just posted the cover of their 50 Most Photogenic issue, my favourite of the year.

Good call. Ivana Hong is cover girl.

Inside Gymnastics

Memo from Jean-Paul Caron, President/CEO of Gymnastics Canada:

Vladimir Lashin to resign as Gymnastics Canada National Coach / High Performance Director in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)

It is with regrets that Gymnastics Canada is announcing the departure of Vladimir Lashin, National Coach / High Performance Director in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics since June 2009, for personal reasons. …

details on Gymnastics Examiner

His hiring was controversial. And, over the past year, Vladimir was unable to rally support for himself nor around the common cause of the Women’s National Team.

Even though it’s mid-cycle for the 2012 Olympics, I take this as good news.

… But who will be Canada’s next National Coach?

Leave a comment if you’ve a nomination.

I assume Vladimir will resume coaching at Omega, his old club in Vancouver.

Former Olympic gymnast Terin Humphrey makes a tiny Raymore police officer in training. But on that note, her dad, Steve Humphrey, is her defender: “To me, the size of her may not seem very intimidating to someone. But once they know what she’s capable of, that’s a different story.”

Read more

(via @1gym18)