Author: Rick Mc

I had my doubts when I heard about the first world free-run contest which was hosted in the U.K.

How would they “judge” parkour / free running?

Evaluate street acrobatics?

Here’s how. …

Click PLAY or watch the first “world champion” Gabriel ‘Jaywalker’ Nunez on YouTube.

Pretty lame, in my opinion.

(via shergymrag)

Sher liked the runs of Ben ‘Jenx’ Jenkins (great gainer 1/1) and Tim ‘Livewire’ Shieff better.

UPDATE: The vibe seems a lot more fun and authentic at the 5-10 free-running convention in Salt Lake City — see video. No judges. No “champion”. Only bragging rights and street cred.

Shawn Johnson.

larger version – flickr – crazlujan

TV show Ninja Warrior: The Fireman

Click PLAY or watch a highlights clip on YouTube.

(via Straight to the Bar)

Yet another career for ex-gymnasts.

Alison Carroll will be the next actress to play the super heroine Lara Croft, promoting the game Tomb Raider Underworld which ships November 2008.

Alison is an experienced competitive gymnast with more than 12 years of … training. (Considerably more than Angelina Jolie.)

In preparation for this role, Alison is now training combative arts and weapons training, as well as world archaeology coursework.

BBC video interview linked from Gymnast.com

more photos – photos – Macho Chip

I have no idea what these guys are doing.

source – Dark Roasted Blend

Funny.

Watch the TV commercial – Active.com

(via Shergymrag)

Competes All-around!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I recommend Victory Collegiate Consulting to anyone not sure the best way to put together an NCAA Gymnastics package.

Tom Kovic posted a good article for families looking at the option. Here’s an excerpt:

Initiating phone calls to the coach

I think one of the toughest challenges prospects face in the recruiting process is initiating that first phone call to the college coach and for good reason. They are scared! Somehow, many young athletes envision an unapproachable coach on the other end of the line and view the task of calling the coach with fear. Coaches are former athletes who went through the same process. More importantly, they are educators who “know the stakes” and the importance of the 4 year college experience. Sure, they are competitive and want to attract the best and the brightest, but for the most part, they want prospects in general, to arrive at a comfortable college choice and one that is the right match. They typically see their role as being a “resource,” with a sincere obligation to provide family’s with valuable information and to answers their questions. They want to assist the prospect reach his “comfort level” in an effort to begin developing a collaborative relationship.

I would not encourage a prospect to pick up the phone and make a “cold call” without preparation. …

read the entire article as a .DOC file: Navigating College RecruitingConfidence.doc

Victory Collegiate Consulting – official home page

Beth Gardner is a preschool gymnastics guru. Here’s her take on the back bend:

… bridging in preschoolers. It has been such a controversial issue for a long time, and it is a never ending debate among coaches.

…

The current industry standard for bridging recommends that children do not start bridging until age 5. The industry standard USED to be based on the concept of “developmentally correct” in which the child was allowed to do a bridge if they could place themselves into the bridge position on their own. This, however, is no longer the standard. …

Bridging in Preschoolers – GymSmarts blog

I agree with the general age guideline. However, every gym has kids under age-5 that do back bridges easily and safely.

My own policy for all once a week gymnasts is not to REQUIRE bridges. Offer recreation gymnasts alternative stretches.

I don’t “ban” back bridges, but I also do not “push” back bridges.

In fact, even competitive gymnasts are better off doing bridge with the feet elevated. It results in better technique later on many skills including walkovers. We want gymnasts to use upper back and shoulder flexibility, not the lower back.

Leave a comment if you have a position on this issue.

original bridge photo – Picassa

This transformation seems so unlikely, I can hardly believe it.

April Burkholder is perhaps the greatest gymnast in LSU history. (She’s even got her own own bobblehead doll.)

In 2006 she won the beam title at NCAA Championships. She earned first-team All-America honors on each of the four events and in the all-around.

Two years later she’s a bad girl rapper?

rapper Alazae – MySpace