Author: Rick Mc

Ideally, gymnasts should not need a spotter in competition. Not for warm-ups. Not in the meet itself.

If I see a gymnast being spotted, I question whether they are physically, technically and / or (especially) psychologically ready.

There are exceptions. Spotting or sliding a mat for release moves on Bars can be good coaching.

That photo was linked by Gymnastics Zone — The Perils of Coaches Standing There Instead of Spotting

When is it appropriate to stand-in for a gymnast?

If something goes wrong, are you ready to spot?

Nora Schuler is in Penza, Russia reporting for THE ALL AROUND:

David Belyavskiy from Yekaterinburg won the all-around title at the 2012 Russian Cup in Penza today. The 19-year-old scored 89.131 points to take the gold ahead of Sergei Khorokhordin (87.997) and Igor Pakhomenko (87.932). Belyavskiy looked stronger and more confident than at the recent European Championships in Montpellier but still struggled with his vault, landing the Tsukahara double pike on his knees. …

Russian Cup: Belyavskiy Takes All-Around Title

That post has results. But they’re prettier on International Gymnast, if you can stand the auto-loading video advertisement:

Garibov, Balandin and Ablyazin are considered locks for the Olympics after their medal-winning performances at last month’s European championships, Russian coach Andrei Rodionenko said. The all-around medalists in Penza will fight it out for the remaining two spots on the five-gymnast squad, he said, though an additional two gymnasts will train as alternates.

Belyavsky Wins Russian Cup All-Around

There’s more commentary on Rewriting Russian Gymnastics, including an update on injured Anton Golotsutskov.

If you don’t know David, you should watch for him in London. A stylish guy with plenty of big difficulty.

Click PLAY or watch his Europeans Pommels on YouTube.

I’ve subscribed to the Korbut Flip tumblr via RSS.

I’m enjoying the .gifs they share on Tumblr. But am flummoxed trying to find out who originally created them. Leave a comment if you know how to backtrack to the source.

I saw that first here.

While we await the prognosis and recovery of Olympic hopeful McKayla Maroney, I hear that Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie just suffered a possible concussion when his head hit the diving board while training in Madrid.

Bad timing. 😦

But he expects to be back for the Olympics.

Canadian Olympic Trampolinist Rosie MacLennan (Facebook) had a concussion some weeks ago. But is back in competition. Whew. … Rosie is awesome, by the way. (VIDEO)

We’re only just starting to understand concussion. As coaches we need do everything possible to reduce the risk of impact to the head.

A Review.

And here’s another positive review on All Chalked Up.

Washington Post – Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu critical of Karolyis’ role in USA Gymnastics

Begin in Yakutsk, Russia in 3wks. I was happy to hear that Cambodia is sending one Artistic gymnast.

The Children of Asia International Sports Games … were launched in 1996 … patronaged by the International Olympic Committee and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

… resemble the similar junior sports forums and the “adult” Olympic Games, but they are of smaller scale. …

Games home page (English)

@MikeCanales1:

Sources at International Gymnast magazine sadly report Cheng Fei‘s run for a third Olympics ends w/ an Achilles tendon rupture 😦

It seems near inevitable that older female power gymnasts rupture an Achilles. She’s age-24.

Is there nothing we can do about it?

Bleacher Report’s London Summer Olympics 2012: Power Ranking World’s Top 10 Women’s Gymnasts had Cheng Fei at #10.

Oksana Chusovitina, soon turning age-37, tore her Achilles in 2009. And yet is planning to upgrade the difficulty of her Vaults for London. She’s training double twisting Tsukahara.

LIKE Gabrielle Douglas on Facebook.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Thanks again, Chris.

Some good drills here from Will Banthorpe, Pipers Vale Gymnastics Club, UK. Thanks.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (7min)

JAO:

I appreciate the tip on using the mirror to get a better view of the gymnast … A very simple idea to solve the problem of spotting a kid but getting a bad perspective because you’re too close? ….

Dariya Zgoba performing an interesting transition from an inbar stalder.

(via Pushy Queen)