Category: safety

Hamstring Curls

Many gymnasts have weak hamstrings relative to quad strength. Including exercises like this helps reduce the imbalance.

Click PLAY or watch Laura on Instagram.

STICK like Uchimura

Dvora Meyers put together a deep dive into the history of competition Gymnastics landings. She digs into the evolution of landing mats, as well.

The most dangerous part of most routines.

If gymnasts are allowed a controlled lunge on Floor, use that technique. It’s much safer — absorbing force over more time and distance.

Personally, my strategy as a coach is to train competition landings with the goal of a 0.1 deduction small hop. If the gymnasts happens to STICK for no deduction once-in-a-while, I consider it a 0.1 bonus over the plan.

Read the article on Defector:

The Case Against Sticking The Landing

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protecting Cheer athletes

HBO Real Sports did a segment. It’s hard to watch.

U.S. All Star Federation — owned by the private company / monopoly Varsity Spirit — has been doing a lousy job protecting their athletes.

Sports attorney Sarah Klein is interviewed.

It includes the 2020 arrest of Jerry Harris.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

U.S. Olympic TV coverage

… here are the biggest takeaways from the #RespectHerGame report:

  • Women got more overall coverage: Athletes in women’s sports received a staggering 59.1% of screen time in primetime Olympic coverage.
  • But men overwhelmingly control their stories: Men make up 82% of live Olympic commentators.
  • Men’s sports is still viewed as the default: Athletes in men’s sports are referred to as “male [athlete|sport]” just two percent of the time, while athletes in women’s sports are given the “female” qualifier 13.6% of the time.
  • Women are more exposed and sexualized than their male counterparts: Athletes in women’s sports wear revealing outfits in competition more than their male counterparts (69.9% compared to 53.5%), and are 10 times more likely to be objectified by camera angles (5.7% compared with 0.6%).
  • Women are still infantilized: Athletes in women’s sports are seven times more likely to be referred to using gender diminutive language (such as “girl” or “lady” or “chick”) as their counterpart in men’s sports. …

For women at the Olympics, more coverage doesn’t equal respectful coverage

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Apparatus Finals 1-touch warm-up

FIG:

Following several comments and requests made by gymnasts during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the EC unanimously agreed that athletes taking part in the Apparatus finals in Artistic Gymnastics must have the opportunity to warm up on the apparatus on the field of play, as already allowed in the All-Around and Team competitions.

The right to have a one-touch warm-up will come into force as soon as the amendment to the Technical Regulations is approved by the FIG Council. …

Official news from the Executive Committee – August 2021

pressure of social media harming self-esteem

Another terrific and important DOVE commercial.

Reverse Selfie

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

monitoring Growth & Development

Dave Tilley:

… regularly tracking growth from a young age, as well as monitoring other aspects to athletes (resting heart rate / heart rate variability, perceived fatigue, sleep, movement screening, etc), is essential for coaches or healthcare providers involved in youth sports. …

HOW TO TRACK GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN YOUTH ATHLETES

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related – A quick and easy way to anticipate pubertal growth spurt is to ask kids if they’ve recently needed bigger shoes. Distal body parts grow first.

While not foolproof, it’s a useful first tool.

learning to fall safely

Pull the hands into the stomach.

Never reach back.

Some of the top Gyms assign an occassional Falling and Landing warm-up.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

Thanks John.

Fastfluff™ inflatable Vault mat

No mats to move, no time wasted.

Inflate to Drill, Deflate to Skill.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.