Category: physical preparation

In praise of gymnast Manila Esposito

Tony Retrosi has worked with Manila for 10 years as a guest coach.

He knows the Gymnastics superstar very well.

Tony wants people to know just how hard she’s worked:

The True Measure of a Gymnast: More Than Looks

  • Silver in TEAM at the 2024 Olympic Games 
  • Bronze on BEAM at the 2024 Olympic Games 
  • two-time European all-around champion (2024, 2025) 
  • European Beam and Floor champion 2024

    Before this controversy erupted online, I watched Manila win Floor — second on Beam — at European Championships 2026 in Zagreb last week. Against Russians.

She was the gymnast who impressed me most.

At Men’s Europeans, it was AA champ Illia Kovtun who impressed me most.

With both these superstars, I can’t understand how and why they are so good. So consistent in competition.

Manila is very difficult for a judge to deduct. Her movements so fluid. On Beam she shares that kind of quality with Sanne Wevers & others of the Dutch system.

Chari Knight – Reverse Planche

introducing Rope Climb

For more ideas, check out a VIDEO put together by a group of coaches in 2008.

introducing straddle press handstand

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Compare with GymTactics Straddle Press Handstand.

via Gymnastics Coaches Skills & Drills on Facebook (private group)

Kip progressions

I’d say the most frustrating skill to learn in women’s Gymnastics is Kip on Bars.

Here’s an excellent and comprehensive overview of progressions and conditioning for both Glide and Kip.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

introducing Rope climb

Inexperienced coaches ask young kids to climb too high, too soon. 

Instead, challenge them with these drills. And others close to the ground.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.  No audio. 

Those are precomp kids from Taiso, Saskatoon and Altadore, Calgary. But the drills are the same for everyone. Even non-gymnasts.

SAVING handstand on Bars

I admire gymnasts who have the physical preparation and mental quickness to SAVE a handstand that ends up in reverse planche position.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

gymnasts are incredible

This is from the private Cognition Coaching – Conscious Growth Facebook page.

The benefits of training acrobatic sports are incredible. These are super humans.

Super Humans

coaches should not require weigh-ins

The last time I saw a scale in a Gym was 2003. I asked that it be removed.

Unless there is some specific reason — scientific research in training, for example — there’s no need for weigh-ins at training. And there are some risks, as we’ve seen in the past.

I prefer gymnasts weigh in at home in private. Or under instructions from medical staff.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. This is the new policy of British Gymnastics.