Uncle Tim has been on a roll lately. All Artistic coaches (MAG and WAG) should be following his blog.
He crunched some numbers from European Games Baku with some surprising results – Do Height and Weight Matter in Women’s Gymnastics?
• height wasn’t a statistically significant predictor for E scores in Baku
• weight wasn’t a statistically significant predictor for E scores
• neither height nor weight was a statistically significant predictor for D scores
* If the data supplied by the delegations is correct, we have a wide range of heights and weights. We have someone as tall as Gabriela Janik (169 cm) and someone as short as Laura Jurca (140 cm). As for weight, we’re looking at weights from 35kg to 72kg.
He concludes with an overreaching statement: “Smaller isn’t better. Lighter isn’t better.”
That’s wrong, of course. Relative strength IS critical for success in women’s Gymnastics. Correlation is not causation, as every PhD knows. 🙂
There are many variables aside from height and weight.
You must be either strong or light. Ideally both. Being smaller and lighter make the acrobatic components easier. It’s a disadvantage for vault. A slight disadvantage on Bars.
Still, the easiest way to become Olympic Champion is to be short, light and fast twitch.
- 1980 Yelena Davydova* 4ft 10in (148cm)
- 1984 Mary Lou Retton* 4ft 9in (145 cm)
- 1988 Yelena Shushunova 1.47m (4ft 10in)
- 1996 Lilia Podkopayeva 1.49m (4ft 11in)
- 2000 Andreea Raducan* 1.49m (4ft 11in)
- 2004 Carly Patterson 152cm (5ft 0in)
- 2012 Gabby Douglas 4ft 11in (1.50m)
It’s possible to win the Olympics at Nastia Liukin’s height 5ft 3in (1.60m), but ask her if Gymnastics is as easy for her as it is for the shorter girls.
But our good Uncle’s main point is important. I am convinced that height and weight (within the small range of female gymnasts who compete at the highest level) is not as critical as it once was. I’m not sure why.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 
I am light as a feather
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