Category: Gymnastics

Gymneo – Dive Roll

For me Dive Roll is a critical SAFETY basic. When something goes wrong, gymnasts need to absorb impact force over time and surface area by rolling out.

The classic example is going over the handle bars when cycling: rolling out is safest, prone fall more dangerous. 

Male gymnasts all do enough dive rolls.

But it’s a neglected basic for some WAG coaches. If you see a competitive gymnast  with too much pike on her Handspring Vault, there’s a good chance she hasn’t perfected Dive Roll.

Subscriptions.

Click PLAY or watch a teaser on Facebook.

how NOT to coach Gymnastics 😕

Remember the bad old days of negative coaching?

It went something like this …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Kyle Shewfelt on reopening Gymnastics

The 2004 Olympic Floor champion today owns a Gymnastics club in his home town Calgary.

Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics 

Kyle was interviewed by Jock Wilson on Sports Talk radio.

He believes his Province, Alberta, has made a mistake in deciding when to allow children back indoors into sport and fitness clubs.

Right now indoor sports are relegated to phase 3 along with nightclubs.

Phase 3 could be October.

Will Gymnastics clubs survive?

Other Canadian Provinces are opening sooner. Kyle says some athletes are considering moving so they can resume training.

Outdoor sports will resume soon in some municipalities.  Soccer, for example.  But an indoor soccer centre in Calgary has already had to shut the doors.

Tom Meadows – H Bar Dismounts

Tom notes that some, including Orozco, use quite a minimal tap and still do world class dismounts.

In fact, most of the Chinese gymnasts are using less tap now.

MOST around the world are still using the Tong Fei (Chinese) tap.

This video starts at the beginning, includes dozens of tips.

I like Tom’s inclusions of common errors.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

High Performance Centres in Spain open

The National centres in Spain closed March 11th … and stayed closed for 67 days.

Spain was hit hard by COVID-19.  Plan is to start training slowly and with an abundance of caution.

160 athletes were evaluated by questionnaires, examinations and blood tests. Only 2% were not allowed to return. Yet.

Athletes in phase 0

Ray Zapata

(via Gimnasia artistica masculina España)

USAG on safe reopening

It seems to many that USA Gymnastics was quite slow in posting their own document.

Member clubs had already reopened before they saw this document, I believe.

Here’s a SAMPLE:

Spotting

• Athlete safety is paramount, and coaches should not be restricted from spotting an athlete if necessary, to protect the athlete from injury.

• While spotting remains an important element to athlete safety, consider alternative teaching/coaching methods that align with social distancing protocols.

• Clearly communicate any alternative teaching/coaching methods so they are understood by the athletes and their parents.

• Coaches should consider the use of gloves for personal contact, with a goal of switching gloves between athletes.

Parent Viewing

• Per USA Gymnastics’ Safe Sport Policy, a parent/guardian must be provided the opportunity to observe their child’s training.

Read the entire document for yourself:

USAG Safe Reopening

Kyle Shewfelt interview

Always entertaining and inspiring, click through to the podcast to hear the 2004 Olympic Floor Champ.