I’m hopeful judges will get more discriminating in the next quadrennial.
This very cool skill should finish square on regrasp. And show sufficient height.
Category: Gymnastics
Tap Swing conditioning
Short bodies with short limbs are not mechanically suited to do good Tap Swings. I find coaches spend too much time on this basic when it’s in a compulsory.
Easier is to have them condition. And introduce long swing on Rings. WAIT for them to grow before expecting a good Tap Swing.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Zhang Boheng – P Bars
Slider Kips
Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.
Zoltan Rezacs – Gienger + 2/1 twist (1988)
Decades ahead of his time.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. You could call it Def + 1/1 twist.
The 2nd ever caught — so far as I know — was Leo Lehtinen in 2024.
Leo competes for Finland.
Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.
Pirouette drill – downhill
controversial Béla Károlyi
Getting over the shock of Béla’s death at only age-82, many are still wrestling with conflicting emotions about the legendary coach.
YES he inspired many around the world. YES he helped popularize the sport in the USA.
But many, many gymnasts were injured and psychologically damaged by the Károlyi system which I would call unscientific and unsafe.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Béla Károlyi was never convicted of any crime. You might argue that he escaped justice many times.
GymCastic has always done a good job covering the controversies. Listen to this PODCAST episode if you want to know more:
The Legacy of Bela Karolyi
training pirouettes to handstand
Two great ideas in this short video:
- angles marked prominently on the wall
- spotting with a soft mat so the gymnast knows where handstand is — but is not being manipulated into the position by a coach
Giant on low bar to Shaposhnikova
shoulder angle on Yurchenko
Excellent vaulters use a number of different techniques.
For beginners, I recommend keeping the hands facing slightly towards one another. Fingers inward, so the elbows CAN bend. For safety.
For beginners, I recommend keeping the shoulders as stretched as possible.
Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 