Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.

are your gymnasts actually getting STRONGER?

I see many Gyms with conditioning lists filled with general physical preparation.

Kids quickly adapt to the load and advancement soon flatlines. Many of our programs result in maintenance, not improvement.

Nick Ruddock consults with many Gyms around the world. One of the first things he looks at is their conditioning programs.

  1. Be Proactive
  2. Don’t Wait
  3. Collaborate
  4. Avoid ‘fluffy’ programming
  5. Have a structure
  6. Supervise
  7. Prioritise the Time
  8. Listen to your athlete
  9. Ensure Volume and Frequency is adequate
  10. Don’t neglect the significance of the time

Nick recommends 25-33% of your total training volume to be spent on physical preparation related activities. Bill Sands would say you could spend as little as 30 minutes / day if the program is individualized, correctly targeted and efficiently done.

Click over for the details:

PHYSICAL PREPERATION MUST HAVES FOR GYMNASTS – “10 QUICK TIPS”

GAGE Summer Camp 2019

I visit a lot of clubs around the world.

The safest I’ve seen is GAGE in Kansas City, Missouri. Al builds a lot of his own equipment and matting to make circuits safer and more efficient.

If you want to see for yourself, consider registering for camp this summer.

details

related – Former GAGE gymnasts Sarah (Shire) Brown — currently Head Coach at Penn State — is very entertaining and eloquent in talking about her years at GAGE. Listen to that interview on GymCastic episode 358.

Michael Paradise – Pommels

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

Sam Mikulak – 6 routines from Tokyo

Great result and great experience competing in the Olympics 2020 city.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Zoé Allaire-Bourgie training

Wowser.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

Penn State wins Big Ten Championships

Much different than women’s Collegiate Gymnastics, on the Men’s side anything can happen.

Penn State (410.35)
Illinois (410.10)
Michigan (409.55)
Nebraska (406.00)
Minnesota (404.80)
Ohio State (401.90)
Iowa (398.75)

Penn State (410.35) overcame a 2.9-point deficit in the final rotation to clinch a thrilling Big Ten Championships title …

The newly crowned Nittany Lions got balanced scoring from Sam Zakutney (AA-80.15, FX-14.15, VT-14.30, PB-14.50, HB-13.70), Brennan Pantazis (FX-14.05, VT-13.90), Stephen Nedoroscik (PH-14.95), Clayton (VT-14.30), Wyatt Tyndall (VT-14.20, PB-14.65) and Michael Burns (PB-14.05, HB-13.70). Their PB rotation exceeded their previous season high by over a point-and-a-half (69.65). …

Stick It Media

Penn State coach Sarah (Shire) Brown

If you missed GymCastic #358: Regionals Preview, Shire Brown, Olivera, Ruddock from last week, be sure to catch up.

You’ll absolutely become a Sarah (Shire) Brown / Penn State fan.

‘We Are … Penn State’

Navy won ECAC Championships

Navy (401.15)
Army (390.55)
William & Mary (388.55)
Springfield (383.15)
UIC (373.65)

It was their second straight conference title, adding to their USAG team title last weekend. …

Stephen Lewis defended his ECAC AA title (79.35) to lead Springfield. Also pitching in with notable scores were Noah Candocia (VT-14.05), Jannik Haas (HB-13.00), John Murphy (VT-14.05) and Trevor Lamberton (FX-13.55, VT-13.20). …

Stick it Media

Oklahoma wins #116 in a row

8th consecutive Conference title.

Click PLAY or watch OU highlights on Twitter.

Yul won the AA.

JO Improvement Proposal

Coach BRETT WARGO has some good ideas here. He want to encourage more gymnasts to stay longer in the sport as specialists, for example. As they do in NCAA.

His proposals should reduce the number of injuries, too.

Click through to read Brett’s recommendations.

JO National Proposal