training the injured gymnast

From coach Tony Gehman’s blog on GymSmarts Community. That link is now defunct though you can still buy GymSmarts coaching videos.

… RETURNING TO THE GYM

Following an injury we all want the gymnasts to return to practice and be part of the group. It is good for their psychological state, it keeps the desire to return high. We can all think of an athlete who did not return from a relatively minor injury because of too much time off and they felt that the group moved on with out them.

I like to see the girls back at their normal practice schedule even if hours are reduced. Speaking to an athlete on their return is a crucial part of their rehab. What is the plan? Because of the nature of women’s gymnastics leg injuries are the most prevalent as well as the most limiting in the gym. If an athlete hurts her leg, This is an opportunity for them to really make improvements on bars. They can learn to be more subtle with their arm movements on dance. I have had a great deal of success with gymnasts practicing mental choreography for leg events that they can not do.

If she has injured her arm, there really is a lot they can do in the gym. Tramp will become their new best friend! There are literally thousands of drills and skills that kids can do on tramp for every event.

I like injured gymnasts to train about 50% of their normal hours. Come in each day at the normal start time, but leave early waving farewell to their teammates when they go.

gymnast foot cast

Varna World Cup – Finals 2

Beam … no falls in the Final 🙂
1. Marine Boyer (FRA) 6.2 8.3 14.5
2. Thi Ha Thanh Phan (VIE) 6.3 8.067 14.367
3. Ilaria Kaeslin (FRA) 5.8 8.3 14.1

Click PLAY or watch Marine Boyer’s Beam on YouTube.

Floor
1. Giulia Steingruber (SUI) 6.1 8.633 14.733
2. Ilaria Kaeslin (SUI) 5.5 8.433 13.933
3. Evegeniia Shelgunova (RUS) 5.5 7.867 13.367

full results

Click PLAY or watch Giulia’s FX on YouTube.

Navarro, Ramler, Hurd win American Classic

Senior
1T Ramler Lexy 55.95
1T Navarro Lauren 55.95
3 Paulson Abby 55.90

Junior
1 Hurd Morgan 57.05
2 Marshall Jaymes 56.30
3 Alexeeva Irina 56.10

full results

USAG – Navarro, Ramler and Hurd top standings at American Classic

Click PLAY or watch Morgan’s Beam on YouTube. (14.15 with a fall. 1/1-in.)

Kieran Behan – Olympic sacrifices

I try to boycott those entertainment sports where one multimillionaire competes against another.

Why?

In support of those athletes who train just as hard or harder but who don’t have enough money in their pocket to take the bus to Gym.

Irish News:

… “I get £300 (€380) a month from Gymnastics Ireland,” Kieran tells me. “It doesn’t go far in London. For a professional athlete, that amount wouldn’t even cover the cost of food. I appreciate they are helping me with limited resources but on a day-to-day basis, it’s very difficult.” …

He has qualified for the Olympics but, with 10 weeks to go, our best gymnast is working on a London building site

Behan

via Gymternet Clan

Simone Biles at home

If you’ve not yet seen this feature, click through to watch on WTHR. Very interesting. Very informative.

Simone was adopted at age-6. Who knows where she would be now if she’d not have grown up with her biological grandfather?

At home with Rio Olympic hopeful, champion gymnast Simone Biles

Simone

Olympian Houry Gebeshian’s life

Click PLAY or watch it on BBC. (Flash needed.)

https://plus.google.com/+RickMcCharles/posts/VCH6PiT3KuG

Varna World Cup – Men’s Finals 1

Vernyayev, who qualified to all six finals in Varna, picked up gold medals on floor exercise and pommel horse, and finished second to teammate Igor Radivilov on still rings. …

IG

Floor
1. Oleg Vernyayev 6.9 8.500 15.400
2. Rok Klavora 6.5 8.733 15.233
3. Dominick Cunningham 6.6 8.400 15.000

Click PLAY or watch Cunningham on YouTube. HUGE, original opening pass.

Pommel
1. Oleg Vernyayev 7.0 8.533 15.533
2. Robert Seligman 6.4 8.900 15.300
2. Cyril Tommasone 7.0 8.300 15.300

Rings
1. Igor Radivilov 6.9 8.567 15.467
2. Oleg Vernyayev 6.6 8.767 15.367
3. Daniil Kazachkov 6.5 8.633 15.133

Click PLAY or watch Kazachkov on YouTube.

Varna World Cup – Finals 1

Vault
1. Giulia Steingruber 15.134
2. Thi Ha Thanh Phan: 14.400
3. Katarzyna Jurkowska-Kowalska: 14.167

Click PLAY or watch Guilia’s best Rudi ever on YouTube.

Bars
1. Daria Skrypnik: 6.7/15.067
2. Evgenia Shelgunova: 5.9/14.067
3. Giulia Steingruber: 5.7/14.000

full results

Click PLAY or watch Daria’s Bars on YouTube.

GymMapStics is there. And here’s Lauren’s write-up on the day.

Victoria & Rose Woo

A mini-documentary.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Both sisters have a shot at making the Canadian Olympic team.

It’s Arabian Punch Front’s first video interview. Thanks.