Author: Rick Mc

More and more athletes are starting blogs.

This is a good way for coaches to gain perspective on the point of view of their students. The athlete’s worldview is often much different than coaches expect.

The Trampoline Queen lists her favourite trampolinists:

Women: Kirsten Lawton, Huang Shanshan & Karen Cockburn (pictured)

Men: Yasuhiro Ueyama, Gary Smith, Jason Burnett

Leave a comment if you know of any other good acrobatic athlete blogs.

thanks Dana

Artistic Worlds in Denmark begin October 13th.

Some countries will enjoy TV coverage of the event. Better we feel is on-line internet webcast for only $4.95 a month. That’s cheap! Sign up on WCSN.com.

Commentary by Bart Conner. Watch the video live or archived after the competition.

Some call this the “unimportant Worlds” as it does not directly qualify for the Olympics. It is important in the sense that the top 24 teams advance to Worlds 2007.

More on the official website of the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships.

Or check the up-to-date Google News coverage.

“I don’t like the fact that a 10 score is no longer possible as that was the system under which I competed,” said Nemov, who compiled an impressive tally of 12 Olympic medals before bowing out in 2004.

Nemov laments demise of perfect 10

Public criticism of Nemov’s horizontal bar score in Athens was as much as anything else the impetus for the new code of points where the scoring is virtually open-ended.

But I agree with him. Disposing of the 10.0 brand brought to us by Nadia is a colossal mistake.

Often as a rehabilitation tool, most gyms have some kind of “wobble” board, home made or of commercial design. Before getting to Woodward I had never seen the Indo board — it’s much more challenging than any other I’ve seen.

It offers a difficult balance task ideal for gymnasts, skateboarders and anyone wanting to improve. This clip was filmed at Woodward West Action Sports camp where skaters, skateboarders and cyclist of every description train in the gymnastics gym — enjoying trampolines, foam pits and training aids like the Indo Board.

Click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.

Wages based on experience. First Aid & CPR, Police check required.

Clarington Gymnastics Academy is a privately owned and operated gymnastics club. We are conveniently located close to the 401 in Bowmanville ON, Canada (20 mins east of Toronto). Clarington Gymnastics prides itself on having the best Recreational Programs around. With over 1,500 kids passing through our doors on a yearly bases and programs always full!

For more information: claringtongymnastics@bellnet.ca

The best I know is the huge new Lions Adventureland children’s playground/waterpark, in Parksville on Vancouver Island in Canada.

The town wanted to live up to their name.

Most kids must be introduced to gymnastics-like activities on the playground. Those who excel on the playground (like Nadia) are often recommend to a gym club.

There must be many fantastic free outdoor gymnastics playgrounds around the world. Where are the best ones?

If you have a favourite — leave a comment below.

UPDATE: Here’s my shout out for the VitaCourse fitness playgrounds.

The successful gymnastics movie Stick It will live long.

It is not a perfect film, but I find I can easily watch it repeatedly.

Why?

The great visuals. It was a master stroke using the red GymNova mats. And some of the cinematography reminds me of the ultimate cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

To see what I mean click PLAY or watch a short clip on YouTube.

This site GymnasticsCoaching.com is easily confused with CoachingGymnastics.com — but happily they are both great sites.

The other, CoachingGymnastics.com, is a UK based site edited by Val Sellars, a senior University lecturer.

Val posts animated drills and video clips geared mostly for beginners — check a sample “practice of the month” video clip.

You can sign up for a free Teaching Gymnastics e – Newsletter which I recommend.

There are many other features for members. Take a browse of CoachingGymnastics.com.

Another great book by Roland Carrasco is no longer in print.

Back in the day we referred to it as the flexibility torture book. That was black humour — in fact this is an excellent resource and we added many of his exercises. Though in French, the photographs told the tale.

There were a number of stretches we crossed out with a large X — in particular those showing knee hyper-extension drills.

cover image from – The Souplesse Lover : Gym Training