Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.

Utah 197.575, OSU 196.450

Utes hit all 24 routines in a 197.575-196.450 win over No. 11 Oregon State.

Click PLAY or watch Alumni Night highlights on YouTube.

Georgia Godwin – Floor

Georgia Godwin is from Gymnastics Queensland HPC in Australia.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

She won Sr AA at Nadia 2014.

related – IG – Aussies Aim for Fresh Start at Nadia Comaneci International

celebrating Sarah Burke

Sarah Jean Burke (September 3, 1982 – January 19, 2012) was a Canadian freestyle skier who was a pioneer of the superpipe event. She was a four-time Winter X Games gold medalist, and won the world championship in the halfpipe in 2005.

She successfully lobbied the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to have the event added to the Olympic program for the 2014 Winter Olympics. She was considered a medal favourite in the event. Burke died following a training accident in Utah. …

Burke’s memory lived on in Sochi with a tributes from volunteers who skied in a heart shape before the halfpipe finals.

sarah-burke-tribute

via Mashable – 10 Inspiring Sochi Moments That Embody the Olympic Spirit

can we reduce Achilles injuries?

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body. Older, powerful gymnasts are at risk of snapping them.

achilles_tendon_rupture

Dave brainstorms possible causes:

… a gymnast may be taking forces 9x – 17x their body weight with every tumbling pass,

Who may be taking a very high number of turns per day/week/month

Who may have flat feet and looses shock absorption, which also causes almost double the force to go through the inside of the Achilles tendon,

Who most likely has tight/shortened calf muscles getting pulled on forcefully during impact

Who also may have very bad squatting and landing technique at baseline causing a lot of force to go through the ankle joint and Achilles

Who may not possess the adequate strength and muscular/neuromuscular capacity to handle the forces of gymnastics

Who may not be completely ready for the complicated tumbling skill or dismount at the end of their routine

Who is in a very stressful, fatigued physical/mental state trying to perform during the middle of their competitive season

Possibly landing on mats that have seen better days and aren’t ideal for landing

Hybrid Perspective – Combating Achilles Tears In Gymnastics (Pt I): Investigating Possible Contributing Factors