Author: Rick Mc

Check out this “suspension and support” apparatus.

• inexpensive
• used by all ages and ability levels
• many can use it simultaneously
• low in height to decrease injuries caused by falling

It’s been used and manufactured in Algeria since about 1974. Keith Russell and Hardy Fink feel it’s an ideal piece of equipment for developing nations.

details – The ALGYM by Mohamed YAMANI – President of UAG

Just got a review copy in the mail. (It will be donated to Keith Russell‘s library at University of Saskatchewan).

Wow. It looks great.

A university quality text book. Glossy, heavy pages. Big, beautiful illustrations by James H. Stephenson, the best in the business.

Check out the Table of Contents.

Instantly I jumped to these two sections:

• Twist Direction for Somersault Skills
• Twist Direction for Round-off

I found, happily, that Dr. G.S. George agrees with what I’ve been teaching for years:

– all somersault twisting should be done in the same direction
– the initial turn of of the round-off should be in the opposite direction

For example, if you put your right hand down first on round-off, you normally will twist all somersaulting skills to the right.

If you put your left hand down first on round-off, it’s normal to twist all somersault skills to the left.

We know this is “most common”. Bill Sands published that conclusion in Technique Magazine (2000) – Twist Direction (PDF)

This is for Artistic gymnasts. It’s more important for male gymnasts to be “normal” than for female. And, yes, you can win the Olympics if you are not normal. But – all things considered – your odds of winning the Olympics improve if your twist direction is normal.

I’ve not seen any scientific data on why this relationship between round-off and twist direction is most common in successful gymnasts.
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Trampoline and Tumbling coaches take a far more sophisticated approach to this issue.

Brett MacAulay at Calgary Gymnastics Centre would do many tests before deciding what direction a new trampolinist would twist somersaults.

He’d do a separate battery of tests to determine what hand to put down first on round-off. The two are not necessarily related, despite what we see as “normal” in Artistic gymnasts.
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Order Championship Gymnastics from the official website – Winning Gymnastics. Or phone 888-796-5229. ($79)

Or catch Dr. George at one of his seminars this summer.

related post – ROUND-OFF – problematic tumbling skill

It’s rare to see this specific strength so well developed at such a young age, yet some kids are naturally gifted at planche.

Click PLAY or watch him on YouTube.

See more videos like that on the GymnasticBodies YouTube channel. Or buy the book → Building the Gymnastic Body.

Starts tomorrow.

Though a YMCA sponsored event, both boys and girls ages 5 – 18, will compete.

From June 22 – 25, 2010, the East County Family YMCA will host more than 4000 gymnasts and their families at the 2010 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center, 500 Hotel Circle N., San Diego, CA …

2010 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships Come to San Diego

Here’s the host team:

official website

France and Romania were the most successful nations based on the medal table.

FIG – France, Spain and Romania celebrate as Aerobic Worlds conclude

Brazilian Marcela Matos Lopez took her 3rd consecutive world individual title.

What is Aerobic Gymnastics (Sport Aerobics), you ask?

Click PLAY or watch a montage on YouTube.

Though not much appreciated in North America, the sport is growing and improving worldwide. FIG Academy courses have been training new coaches.

It’s for the first time a demonstration sport in the World University Games (Universiade) in Shenzhen (CHN), August 12 – 23, 2011.

The sport’s been growing on me too, over the past few years. Certainly I admire the incredible level of fitness required. Acrobatic Gymnastics has a greater audience appeal, however, in my opinion.

by site editor Rick McCharles

If your athlete always wanted to perform in the Circus, consider making the trip to Lost Wages:

The Cirque du Soleil Casting team is hosting open acrobatic auditions in Las Vegas in September 2010 for the following disciplines:

Gymnasts – Tumblers – Trampolinists – Sports Acrobats – Divers
September 18 from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Callback session for the above disciplines: September 19.

Professional Martial Artists – Inline Skaters – Extreme Sports – Rhythmic Gymnasts
September 20 from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.

details

Normally athletes should be age-18 or older to attend. Ask permission from Cirque if they are younger or they will likely be turned away at the door.

What’s it like to go to audition for the first time?

Let’s ask Peter Andersen from Surrey Gymnastic Society on YouTube.

The main link to the casting page is atop every page on this site. Email me if you have a specific question regarding one of your athletes: RickMcCharles@gmail.com

disclosure – I love Cirque du Soleil

I’d rather watch Glee or American Family than that teen gymnastics TV show.

For me MIOBI has too much drama, not enough gymnastics. (Similar to the Romanian National Team, come to think about it.)

It starts up again June 28th.

Click PLAY or watch preview #3 on YouTube.

(via Gymnastics Examiner)

Perhaps we should send Sasha to Romania to not coach there. He competed for them, you recall.

Katrina and friends.

via TweetPhoto

Often included on lists of the best beam routines all time, this old training footage of Ekaterina from 1993 has a wonderful historic vibe.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Here’s the routine itself in competition.

(via Gymtage)