music video – OK Go – Here it goes Again

Any excuse to see this great video again.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… “Here It Goes Again” featuring an elaborately choreographed dance on treadmills, also directed and choreographed by Trish Sie. This video was viewed by over one million people on the media site YouTube in the first six days.

As of the end of June 2007, the original video upload for “Here It Goes Again” has been viewed over 19 million times, putting it in 6th place for the most views of any video and 4th place for most favorited video of all time on YouTube.

OK Go – Wikipedia

Thanks Robbie.

Abercrombie & Fitch gymnastics controversy – loser or winner?

USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi is asking the clothing retailer to stop selling a T-shirt that has the slogan ‘L is for Loser’ next to a picture of a gymnast on the still rings. The sport’s governing body also asked members to boycott the store until the T-shirt is pulled.

‘No individual, regardless of race, gender, age, intelligence or athletic ability, can or should be deemed a loser,’ Colarossi wrote in a letter to Michael Jeffries, chief executive officer of Abercrombie & Fitch.

‘Athletics as a whole, and gymnastics in particular, provides a great foundation in physical fitness and offers skills for a lifetime,’ Colarossi wrote. ‘… USA Gymnastics feels that A&F has promoted this latest product in hopes of generating public outcry, attention, and media exposure for their brand.’

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YouThink.com – Do you think this `L is for Losers` shirt should be pulled off of Abercrombie & Fitch`s shelves?

Abercrombie flinched and yanked the shirt. (Personally I’d like to get one.)

We can all forgive them after seeing an excellent gymnastics promotional video they produced.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Filmed at International Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania, the two-minute feature is the first in a “lifestyle” series on Abercrombie Kids’ Web site.

Abercrombie spent three days in April filming the spot, camp director Brent Klaus told IG. After being approached by Abercrombie, IGC put the call out to a few gymnasts who have been coming to the camp for years.

The gymnasts, along with Klaus, can be heard in the video describing the sport of gymnastics.

“Every gymnast who’s in it gave a little bit of input,” he said.

Though doing gymnastics under bright lights wasn’t easy, Klaus said it was a memorable experience for all the gymnasts who took part.

“Abercrombie is such a large company and for them to feature gymnastics was exciting,” he said. “The gymnasts in the film did it just in support of gymnastics, knowing this was an amazing opportunity to promote the sport.”

International Gymnast

So … Ambercrombie gets a ton of publicity for the t-shirt stunt. And does not pay the gymnasts. They must be a PROFITABLE company. Sounds like they are winners to me.

video – inside look at Karoli Ranch in Texas

Click on episode 4. High speed internet connection needed.

AT&T Behind the Team – Deep in the Heart of Texas

Dartfish video analysis

Dartfish is the Cadillac of video analysis software.

For a number of years we’ve used the system at Dave and Lisa Adlard’s High Performance Training Camp in Idaho.

Dr. Jeni McNeal, one of the top gymnastics sports scientists in the World, is the expert.

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Dartfish does dozens of things. Once the video is “captured” and saved, coaches can spend many hours doing analysis. (See a SAMPLE video clip after analysis.)

There are 6 different software packages available.

The software is very expensive. Not many gymnastics coaches could afford to buy it for personal use.

And it has a fairly steep learning curve if you want to use advanced features.

Best use at camp in my opinion, however, was to compare side-by-side the same gymnast working the same skill trying different techniques. (You need to SAVE and NAME the attempts you wish to keep and compare.) Any coach is able to use simple features like this without attending a seminar.

We used Dartfish on every apparatus, but most valuable for the girls, I feel, is bars. Especially for release moves.

Dartfish – official website

Hamms to compete at USA Championships

The most interesting article I’ve seen yet on the comeback of controversial Paul Hamm:

“We’re going over to some pretty hostile environment in China, especially judging,” Hamm said. “I don’t think the U.S. is going to be getting any favors.”

WCSN.com: News

For the first time I’m starting to see the inclusion of one or both Hamms on the American Olympic team as a real possibility.

D’HOLMIKERS – comedy Parallel Bars act

A positive review from Gym Score Depot’s Stu Cram who saw a TV promotion on this troop having just performed in Halifax, Canada.

You can see some photos on their website:

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D’HOLMIKERS – SWITZERLAND’s MOST SPECTACULAR GYM TEAM

Leave a comment if you find a video preview anywhere on the net. I’d like to compare D’HOLMIKERS with the fantastic Hungarian PBar comedy acts of the past.

Head Coach needed in Charlotte, NC

We are looking for an experience Head Coach to lead our 70+ girl’s team.

Last year we had 18 State Champs, 5 Regional qualifies, and 1 National qualifier.

Are you the coach that can keep this going? We will be moving into a new 20,000 square foot facility and are looking for the right coach to build the best program in the area around.

Pay based on experience. Benefits include health care, paid vacation, partial salary and more.

Send your resume to thomasgymnastics @ aol.com

gymnastics bar training – Ultimate Straps

CoachL pointed me to something new. TumblTrak sells an innovative product I have not yet tried:

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ULTIMATE STRAPS

The Ultimate Straps securely attach a gymnast to a strap bar, without the need for several different sizes of straps. Includes two PVC tubes.

Ultimate Straps are fully adjustable for all sizes and the double buckles with the velcro system are very secure.

TumblTrak – Gymnastics Equipment Bars Ultimate Straps

I cannot coach without safety straps. The biggest headache with using them, however, is getting a good fit on different gymnasts.

This would solve my last problem.

More information on training with strap bars.

gymnastics bar suspended from ceiling

It’s been years since I last saw this set-up.

But this really should be standard equipment for recreational bars in gyms with a low ceiling. The chains are a danger. (Especially for me. I trip backwards over them all the time.)

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The roof was reinforced at the base of the bar support.

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Funtastics Gymnastics, Couer D’Alene, Idaho

elite gymnast – eating disorder

My opinion is that female elite gymnasts eat a far more healthy diet than the rest of the population.

They are motivated.

Moreover, they suffer from far fewer eating disorders than their non-gymnast peers.

But it does happen.

For example, to Josie Hancock of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

If you are interested in this topic, read the full article:

759516.jpegThe memories are still too fresh. But the 21-year-old is still enrolled at Arizona State. Feeling she’s conquered her disorders, Josie wants to work in nutrition to help women avoid similar experiences.

Journal Gazette | 06/24/2007 | Eating disorders help end career of gymnast at 21

bio – Josie Hancock

(via Gym Chat)

UPDATE. Seems the Journal Gazette reporter has overstated Josie’s health problems. From a comment on this post:

“Poorly written article about me… very disappointed.

This article was poorly written and largely inaccurate. Although I did have some trials, and do intend to reach out to other girls, the information was misrepresented and I am not happy with the reporter. Please contact me directly for any clarification. Thank you.

-Josie”