I think so.
The new FIG code of points is making routines long. Too long, it seems to me, especially for Junior athletes trying to compete FIG.
Difficulty-wise, it’s impossible to stop the best in the world from pushing the limits of what’s possible.
They banned Olga’s back tuck on beam. Now some would suggest we ban Kovacs on the girls bars.
Adam Wong performing a Kovacs on High Bar at the 2006 Canadian National Gymnastics Championships in Quebec City.
If you are a member of Facebook, you can see the larger original – Facebook | Trip Lewis’ Photos – Gymnastics Pictures
Some girl, somewhere, is already catching Kovacs. You can’t stop her.
So … routines getting longer. Difficulty increasing, long-term.
What are we to do?
Two things:
Promote the concept of specialists. That’s a done deal in Men’s Gymnastics already. Fewer and fewer of the best in the world want to do the AA.
It’s even more necessary in Women’s gymnastics. And can’t happen fast enough for me. The all-arounder in Artistic Gymnastics should be like the Decathlete in Athletics.
I want to see what the best vault specialists can do. The best beam specialists.
Specialists will need less training hours. Have fewer overuse injuries.
Secondly, we need to devise more sensible developmental regulations for age group gymnasts.
The goal should be a healthy, safe set of rules where most of the kids in any division can get through the routine, scores are fairly high, and the “winners” are those who stick landings, have slightly better rhythm and “perfect” execution.
It happens now-and-again already in some lower levels of competition. I love those meets — where one wobble drops you 10 placing on the apparatus.
Kids really focus. They learn.
That’s an exciting competition!
Oh — and they should do the All-Around for as long as possible.
Leave a comment if you have other ideas, not on how to make gymnastics EASIER, but how to make it BETTER for gymnasts and coaches.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 