Author: Rick Mc

From Japan … but this isn’t Kohei Uchimura, for a change.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Engadget)

Sérgio is an up-and-coming gymnast who’s not got nearly as much press as he deserves.

His Parallel Bar routine has a combination you’ve never seen before.

UPDATE: From Wordsmith:

Yes we have: Tkatchev-Geinger…on high bar. (~_^)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Thanks Cedrick.

Ben Carson:

This is one drill I use to teach beginners to do front giants for the first time. I believe in teaching front and back giants at the same time. Even though USA JO gymnasts can’t compete a front giant until level 9, young gymnasts love these drills!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’d go so far as to say we should be introducing forward giant first with girls. As we often do with boys. It’s more difficult, but less “scary”. Also, less problematic. When the girls can do both, they’ll make far fewer errors on forward giant than backward.

I’d do John Smith’s sole circle drills first, however, to get the kids comfortable in undergrip.

Click PLAY or watch those on YouTube.

Mark Folger suggests a “Card System”:

Green Card – “I was late to gym.” This card will come home to be signed by a parent each time a gymnast is late to practice. It should be signed and returned at the very next practice.

The Yellow Card – “I missed gym.” This card will come home after the gymnast misses a scheduled practice. It should be signed and returned at the next practice.

The Blue Card – “I modified my practice.” This card will come home when a gymnast modifies their workout due to aches and pains, injuries, emotions or attitude. It’s not a measurement of whether or not they complete their assigned workout. The blue card’s purpose is to monitor how often a coach must modify a gymnast’s workout due to these reasons. It should be signed and returned at the next practice.

Our attendance policies are all about education. Getting accurate information to all involved speeds the education process, and that’s our goal. Obviously, if a gymnast has poor attendance habits and can’t change them, she will be asked to leave the team. Children

Mark Folger – Behavior – Education vs. Rules and Consequences

… I’m guessing having the latecomer wear the t-shirt of shame is not happening at Mark’s gym. 🙂

If I supervise free tramp and/or pit time for kids who arrive early, I find many fewer are late.

Posting attendance with late arrivals / early departures on the wall works for me too.

We’ve posted this video before.

But at this, the start of a new year, a new decade, coaches should redouble our efforts to prevent catastrophic injury in gymnastics.

… about the sad stories in gymnastics. I cannot even imagine the pain of training your whole life for a dream then having it taken away.

Footage includes Julissa Gomez, Christy Henrich and Yelena Mukhina, whose stories are perhaps the greatest examples of tragedy in gymnastics.

Also included is Sang Lan, who is a very inspiring amd courageous woman. She has managed to keep a positive outlook on life and do many great things. She hopes to be one of the final torchbearers at next year’s Beijing Olympic Games.

The other gymnasts I chose becasue they were perhaps the best examples of gymnasts forced to retire in their prime, or before their career even really began.

I also included those who never lived up to expectations, those supposed to be the next big thing who were then forced to watch their dreams slip away in the spotlight.

REST IN PEACE:
Julissa Gomez
Christy Henrich
Yelena Mukhina
Alexandra Huci

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related post – goodbye Yelena Mukhina

related video – Yelena Mukhina Rest in Peace

related post – Sang Lan should light the torch in Beijing

Coach Bart is putting together a great website with drills on video.

Check it out from the home page.

One sample, the classic round-off “scoop” drill. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Another sample, a safety drill Bart calls “Atomic safety flip”.

… teach an athlete to keep their head in-between their legs when they are in trouble pulling any type of double back flipping skill on any event. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

When in doubt, “cowboy” out. Piked and straddled.

Also check the blog. We’ve subscribed.

As decided by online poll on Gymnastics Examiner:

2009 Gymnast of the Year — Senior women: Bridget Sloan, USA

2009 Gymnast of the Year — Senior men: Kohei Uchimura, Japan

2009 Gymnast of the Year — Junior women: Viktoria Komova, Russia

2009 Gymnast of the Year — Junior men: John Orozco, USA

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js
John Orozco

Click through to see more. Ariella Kaeslin, Epke Zonderland, Kayla Williams, Danell Leyva, etc.

2009 Gymnasts of the Year winners

Stu sends us a clip featuring Julia Paliy & Igor Gavva, Acrobatic gymnasts doing a dance piece.

Igor is outstanding. The video will begin at 2min 40sec, a unique 1-arm handstand if you click here.

Or, you can watch the entire thing by clicking PLAY below.

maRin creation in Kiev, Ukraine is the brainchild of Vladimir Marin.

I saw this great photo on a Romanian blog called Gymnastics … and other things

Marius Urzica – Athens 2004 Gala

Check out Gymnastics … and other things translated to English

Cristina, the editor, has a great sense of style.

As the calendar flips to 2010, we reflect on the past 12 months of the unpredictable world of gymnastics. Here’s hoping the new year will provide even more excitement.

By Dwight Normile – International Gymnast magazine – Codes, Comebacks and Cinderella