Author: Rick Mc

From prelims.

Click PLAY or watch her Bars on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch her Beam on YouTube.

On Bars our World Champion will win more often than not against He Kexin and Beth Tweddle. She’s awesome and consistent.

But she fills me with unconfidence on Beam.

For fun I’ve been reading some articles from “content mill” or “content farm“ sites mentioning gymnastics. They are hard to avoid in 2011.

Low quality crap written to get a high Google ranking, pushing Google ads deceptively.

The best known (and most banned) is eHow.

Here’s an amusing one from All Expert Articles:

… There are plenty of fresh and also enjoyment toys in a gym. Nevertheless possibly the almost all fun doll in the health and fitness center is actually a stuff security gap.

There’s 2 varieties * a shed memory foam hole and also a resi-pit. A loose polyurethane foam hole is a lot like a major, enormous pool area filled up with quite gentle space-age foam hinders alternatively of water. Resi-pits resemble major big soft cushions, generally one yard thick developed down into the floorboards. …

How to Have Fun With Gymnastics by ElenovskajaMedlents

It seems to have been written by a computer programed to include key words at any cost: nudists, Huge Playthings for ladies, etc.

Don’t Let Anybody Wreck Ones Gymnastics Enjoyable

related – Read Write Web – Content Farms: Why Media, Blogs & Google Should Be Worried

I’ve predicted that Louis Smith from England will win Pommels, over Berki and the rest. … He qualified to the Final with the 4th highest score.

I like Louis’ attitude under pressure. And I respect his coach.

Duncan White on The Telegraph:

Paul Hall
The Coach

I can’t remember the exact day when Louis first came down to the gym, he was just one boy among a group. I noticed there was something special about him early on, but it wasn’t special in terms of gymnastics.

He was hard work, very different to the other kids. He had a very poor attention span and was mischievous. He was always messing around, getting into trouble. …

I’ve known Louis most of his life. At the start I was very dictatorial, shouting and screaming at him, with lots of strong discipline. That changed as Louis matured. It has been a learning curve for both of us.

As Louis has grown I have changed my methods, tried to approach him more as an adult. It’s as much about understanding motivation as it is about training. …

Louis Smith
The Gymnast

When I was young I was probably the worst kind of kid to coach: the problem child from hell. I had ADHD, a short attention span and I was just crazy. …

Paul was strict with me and sometimes he’d get me to focus, he tried his best. It was certainly clear I paid more attention to things that I enjoyed doing. That was probably why I had problems at school, because it didn’t interest me. …

I have become more independent in some respects. Paul has adapted to that well and he understands how to treat me individually. …

read the entire interview – London 2012 Olympics: gymnast Louis Smith and coach Paul Hall are raising the bar

Every blogger on the most recent Gymnastics Examiner Discussion picked World Champion Aliya Mustafina to win. They pretty much guarantee it.

She modestly refutes.

International Gymnast – Mustafina: No Guarantee of European Victory

Blythe:

On the men’s side, I’m torn between the sheer athleticism of Philipp Boy and the supreme elegance of Maxim Devyatovskiy. Deviatovskiy’s gymnastics is a little prettier in some places, but Boy is absolutely on fire, and he’s basically in his hometown. …

read The Discussion: 2011 European Championships all-around podiums?

Tim McNeill, the best gymnast in Cal history, was named Head Coach this season following the retirement of Barry Weiner.

… The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation named McNeill its coach of the year on Monday.

In his first year at the helm, McNeill has led Cal to a 5-7 overall record, going up against top-five teams in all but two meets. …

Cal Bears

Congratulations.

related – Gymnastics Examiner – Commentary: At Cal, women’s gymnastics preserved, men’s gymnastics down the tube

Andrew Hampy of Cal Gymnastics Forever set-up a twitter account to keep people up-to-date up on what is happening with the effort to save Cal Men’s Collegiate Gymnastics

Full Twist posted the qualifiers for each Finals apparatus and the All Around Finals.

Philipp Boy from host Germany had a great day.

After leading Thursday’s qualifications at the European championships in Berlin, Philipp Boy (Germany) said mental strength will be key to holding off his rivals in Friday’s all-around final. …

Boy said he is confident that he will be fully prepared for the final, despite the short amount of time to rest. Thursday’s qualifications ended at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time, and Friday’s final will take place at 2 p.m.

IG – Boy: ‘Every Hour Counts’ Before All-Around Final

Here are the top 3 on each event:

H Bar
1. Boy GER 15.700
2. Zonderland NED 15.500
3. Nguyen GER 15.250

Vault
1. Bouhail FRA 16.437
2. Golotsutskov RUS 16.237
3. Koczi ROM 16.150

Pommel
1. Berki HUN 15.425
2. Tommasone FRA 15.400
3. Busnari ITA 15.025
4. Smith GBR 15.000

Rings
1. Pluzhnikov RUS 15.575
2. Balandin RUS 15.525
3. Rodrigues FRA 15.375
5. Van Gelder NED 15.150

P Bars
1. Petkovsek SLO 15.600
2. Zonderland NED 15.525
3. Nguyen GER 15.525

The top 2 AA are both from Germany. … Imagine if Hambuchen was there, too.

Full results on Full Twist

Championships for the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs are being hosted in Richmond, Virginia, Thursday, April 7 through Saturday April 9.

… The NAIGC is a nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is to support collegiate gymnastics clubs in the United States.

… membership is open to any gymnastics club with college-aged participants …

There is a listing of current clubs (MAG / WAG) on the NAIGC website. …

FAQs

The flying Dutchman, Epke Zonderland, in podium training.

Cassina to Kolman.

Click PLAY or watch him on YouTube.

His form is much improved since Worlds.

Men’s prelims is in progress in Berlin. Follow the action on Gymnastics Examiner’s LIVE blog.

Here’s the killer conclusion to Jason Shen’s 3-part series on the lessons he’s learned through gymnastics:

… Gymnastics is a sport about delivering under pressure. …

When you raise your hand and salute before your routine, it is all on you. … I estimate that I’ve had saluted for nearly 1,000 routines over 16 years of competition …

David Sender was my teammate and 2008 USA National Champion in the all around. He’s one of the greatest clutch performers I’ve ever met.

Jason explains how to HIT under pressure under these headings:

Preparation:
• Practice how you want to perform.
• Create the performance environment.
• Visualize perfect performance.
• Prepare all equipment carefully and ahead of time.
• Get lots of sleep, eat well, leave early.
• Practice recovering from mistakes.

In the Moment:
• Be aggressive.
• Don’t try to make yourself better.
• Don’t make a big deal out of the event.
• Walk in knowing you’ve done your best to prepare.
• Have a few phrases/ideas to focus on.
• Don’t worry about the competition / distractions / outside stuff.
• Use music to put yourself in the zone.
• Don’t let the past distract you.
• Don’t try to be perfect.

This is another must read.

The Art of Ass-Kicking – Step Up and Deliver: What Gymnastics Taught Me About Performing Under Pressure