Category: Gymnastics

hollow cast handstand?

Most would consider cast handstand in a hollow / stretched position throughout as ideal. Coach Nick Blanton referenced this illustration from Championship Gymnastics.

It’s possible to do that technique. (In fact it’s fairly easy on Parallel Bars as a swing handstand.)

But rare on WAG Bars.

I’m personally a very happy coach if the gymnast can lead with the heels (arch) to horizontal, then change the body position to hollow / stretched.

gymnasts are heavier than they look

When people guesstimate the weight of female College gymnasts, they always guess low. Young women who have been doing Gymnastics for years have dense bones. Muscle is heavier denser than fat.

Fitness blogger and new Mom Kelsey Wells wanted to lose weight after she gave birth to her son. That didn’t happen.

Noam Berkovich – Floor

Remember the name. One of the best up-and-coming tumblers in the world. Super clean.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

One of the best Triple Backs I’ve seen on competition Floor.

This is the guy who kicks out of Double Pike.

Nadia 50 years later

As a young coach, I almost jumped in a vehicle and drove 3 days to Montreal to watch Nadia win the 1976 Olympics.

It seemed to far. Too expensive. I didn’t go.

My mistake.

Her performance in Montreal was one of the great stories of our sport.

Nadia had a lot of difficulty. But — Nellie Kim had more. Nadia was more impressive to me for her astonishing execution.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Varna World Cup – Highlights

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Kaylia competes layout Jaeger

The best ever on Bars must get bored. 😀

I’m thinking this won’t end up in her Worlds 2026 routine. She doesn’t need it. And there are deductions.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Dong Yixuan – Beam Handspring Front

Have we ever seen higher on Beam?

Amazing.

monitoring height in Gymnastics

Dr. Dave Tilley on monitoring for peak height velocity.

Dave’s been tracking 3 numbers for each of the growing kids:

• height
• seated height (torso length)
• wing span

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

At MINIMUM your gymnasts age 10-17 should have a place in the Gym where they pencil in their standing height on some regular basis. They should know when they are growing. There are implications for training load.

If you want to research this topic, get Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science, Gymnastics. (2013).

Here’s the Google Books preview.