by site editor Rick McCharles
Gymnastics Coaching is an aggregator. We try to link to the best of the best published online in English. The most interesting ideas, photos and videos.
Artistic Gymnastics, especially WAG, dominates the Gymternet over all other acrobatic disciplines. That’s OK — I guess — since we want every child to start with Artistic & Trampoline before specializing. 🙂
I’ve blocked recommendations into 3 categories:
INDEPENDENT SITES (blogs, coaches, etc.)
OFFICIAL SITES (magazines, organizations, FIG, NOCs, etc.)
PHOTO & VIDEO SITES
Artistic Gymnastics is the Foundation.
_____ INDEPENDENT SITES:
The very best have not changed much since a year ago:
Blythe Lawrence (USA) – Gymnastics Examiner | Facebook | @GymExaminer
Brigid McCarthy (Australia) and friends – The Couch Gymnast | Facebook | @TheCouchGymnast
Albert Minguillón i Colomer, Nora Schuler & Elizabeth Long (Europe) – THE ALL AROUND | Facebook | @THEALLAROUND
Katie (Ireland) – Full Twist | Facebook | @full_twist
Tony Retrosi – Gym Momentum | Facebook | @gym_momentum
The biggest development of the past year was the launch of a major videocast — GymCastic. … That’s Spanny, Dvora of Unorthodox Gymnastics, Uncle Tim, Blythe Lawrence and moderator Jessica O’Beirne of Masters Gymnastics.
Gigi – WOGymnastike is definitely worth following. As is Gymnast 391.
But a number of my favourite sites have advertising annoying enough for me to be reluctant to link: IG (auto loading video), WOGymnastike, Examiner. If you are irked, consider using Clearly. It lets you read a post bypassing too aggressive advertising.
Other must reads not focused on WAG:
• T&T Coaches Canada on Facebook is a terrific T&T source, too. Invitation only.
• GYMMIN’ MIEL! (all disciplines)
Those sites post prolifically. Each is quite unique. Please subscribe, follow and/or like those as well as others listed here that don’t post quite so often. (A much longer list of sites we follow is listed in the right hand navigation of every page on this site.)
The only site with more content for coaches than this one is GymnasticsZone, a terrific resource. Original content.
Ask Al Fong is another superb site for technique.
I’m collaborating with Sara Gill, a coach / consultant for those looking for NCAA scholarships. Her site is GymDynasty.
I follow the NCAA mostly on these sites:
Aunt Joyce is starting a new Skating audiocast. That may keep him too busy to follow WAG.
The following sites publish less frequently, but I never miss a post:
• Triple Twist Gym Blog (new address as of Dec. 31st) | Facebook | @tripletwistgym
• Andy Thornton – American Gymnast | Facebook | @americangymnast (company tweets)
• Ron Noe – Stick It Media (MAG) | @StickItMedia
• Kristal Sergent Boulden – Double Front | Facebook | @Double_Front | Tumblr
• Bronwyn & Clara Stoi!
• JAO Coaching Gymnastics in the New Millenium
• Tsuk the Pain | @TsukthePain | Tumblr
• Between the Olympics | @BTOgymblog
• Bekah’s “Get a Grip” Gymblog | @GetAGripGymblog
• E Panel | @TheEpanel
Valentin Uzunov’s The Gym Press | @thegympress.
Sites dedicated to geographic regions:
• GymMedia (English & German)
• turn-news (German)
Romania:
• Cris – Gymfever
• Alina – Tare! magazine
• Mihai – FanGymnastics (Romanian)
• Bea – Gymnastics No Ceiling | Facebook
• Carmen – Romanian Gymnastics Fans on Facebook
• Blossom, Chinese Gymnastics Flowers
• Rewriting Russian Gymnastics
• GymPower (Dutch)
• Gimnasia Latina (Spanish American)
• Revista Magnesia (Mexico)
• Doble en Plancha (Spain)
• Tsukahara Tucked (Argentina)
• Gymnastikfabriken (Sweden)
• GimSpor.pl (Poland)
• Gymania (Hebrew)
• gymnet.org (French)
• Gym-Nast-iique (French)
• Gym Blog Brazil (Portuguese)
• Jennifer Isbister’s Gymn.ca (Canada) … perhaps the original dedicated National site
The Chrome browser offers automatic Google language Translate, one of the main reasons I use it.
_____ OFFICIAL SITES:
I link a lot to IG. Dwight Normile, Amanda Turner, John Crumlish & team – International Gymnast magazine online News | Facebook | @intlgymnast
Last year and again this year I was astonished at the quality of communications out of USA Gymnastics and FIG. Those organizations have media people equal the best bloggers. In the past information from both was whitewashed — no bad news. But both have gotten increasingly open, over time.
• USAG Headlines | Facebook | @USAGym
• FIG News | Facebook | @officialfig
Great Britain did a terrific job too in 2012. Other nations, … not so much. I’m looking at you Canada. 🙂
I’ve long criticized Inside Gymnastics magazine. But the IG2 posts were better this year, I thought. Especially during LIVE events. And especially on Facebook.
Inside Gymnastics News | Facebook | @InsideGym
_____ PHOTO & VIDEO SITES:
Anne Phillips and team are the leaders:
• Gymnastike | Facebook | @gymnastike
I link only to their free pages, not their new Premium content.
The best thing that ever happened for gymnastics coaches is YouTube. Thank Google for buying that company and letting us share with the world for free. In 2011 I still link to YouTube over Vimeo and others as YouTube streams quickest over a weak WiFi signal.
Some of my favourites this past year:
• American Gymnast Gymnastics on Demand videos on the JoeLangley YouTube channel (1150+ coaching tutorials)
• Coach Sommers – Gymnastic Bodies videos (the #1 MAG strength guru)
Nick’s recently relocated to Canada. And started up Blanton’s Gymnastics Consultancy. Recommended.
• Tony Retrosi – Gym Momentum YouTube Channel
• Mary Lee Tracy – USAmlt YouTube Channel
• Gymnastics Minute YouTube channel. And GymSmarts for DVDs $.
• RedNasvw YouTube channel, especially his MAG Code of Points videos
There were fewer gymnastics montages in 2012, me thinks. I link most to AshleyakaFlipper and CSaccullo.
Inside Gymnastics has the photographer I link to most. That’s the terrific Grace Chiu. She uses Facebook perfectly, posting a few of her best shots in order to promote sales from GraceClick.ca.
There are a number of equally wonderful photographers around the world. But many are over-protective. Almost nobody sees their work. Foremost of those is the great Eileen Langsley.
_____ …
Did I MISS one of your favourite sites? … or links to their content?
I’m reluctant (yet) to start listing too many Tumblr sites or Twitter feeds. Those can be as messy as Facebook. Too much crap interspersed with good content.
But … leave a comment and I’ll update this list in a week or so. I could name many more.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 