Category: Uncategorized

I’m still feeling bloated. How about you?

Seems this slimming Yoghurt from Thailand is some sort of miracle product. 🙂

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I just got my hands on a review copy. It’s by Steven Low, of the gymnastics performance troupe, Gymkana.

This article by Steven will give you a good idea of what’s included:

Eat Move Improve – The Fundamentals of Bodyweight Strength Training

Table of Contents

If you have questions for Steven, leave a comment on either of those pages.

Oriented for beginner and intermediate athletes of all kinds. The emphasis is on upper body strength training using your own body weight.

It’s $49.95 on Amazon. There’s no Kindle edition, as yet.

Love this time of year.

I’m still thinking the teams to beat are UCLA and Florida. Assuming Florida manages not to peak early as they did last season.

Both have depth and plenty of star power.

UCLA Media Guide (PDF)

Florida wins their season opener with a respectable 196.025. Kytra Hunter wins AA with a 39.3.

Catch a sneak peak look at one of Ariana Grande‘s performances at Progressive Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular, this time accompanied by Nastia Liukn on the floor exercise.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’m have trouble getting excited about this. These “Spectaculars” seem to work better for Skating than Artistic.

Ellen’s going to try to hook up Wieber with Bieber. Nice.

… The 16-year-old gymnast told Ellen how she’s preparing, and even demonstrated her strongest element — the uneven bars!

🙂

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via USAG on Facebook)

Many are raving about this fascinating interview with her folks, former gymnasts Vera Kolesnikova and Aleksandr Komov:

VK: — She cries because of you journalists!

“Another interview? How many can there be! What do they need from me?!”

After Vika had to speak in front of the president of the country, and she couldn’t do it, she became afraid of public speaking. They asked her to speak at the recent Olympians’ ball dedicated to the Russian Olympic Committee’s 100-year anniversary. You can’t even imagine what she was like the day before!

“Why me? There are people older than me!”

I calmed her down as much as I could …

Lucky she isn’t appearing on Ellen today. That’s pressure. 🙂

SHE HATES…

VK: — injustice! For example, when she takes the heat for someone else. Well, sometimes that happens, they dress everyone down without figuring out whose fault it is.

AK: — Lies. She never lies herself. And she tells the truth even when she knows that will get her in trouble.

Wow. This is a real insight into how the family is dealing with the pressure of being an Olympic favourite.

read more – No lies. Sovetskiy Sport Talks With Viktoria Komova’s parents (English translation)
04.01.2012

That’s on the russiangymnasts.net official Komova website, not the viktoriakomova.ru official Komova website. 🙂

Has she clarified her real Facebook and website?

Team Russia really needs someone to coordinate communication.

via @theallaround

This must be the work of Koichi Endo (Facebook), illustrator for the Men’s Artistic Code of Points.

That’s the second World Champion routine breakdown posted on the 2011 World Championships Facebook. Rings next?

(via Full Twist)

The High to Low transfer is a struggle for many kids.

Over 12min long, this tutorial has a lot of good ideas. It starts with spotting the entire skill. … Then goes into conditioning, specific orientation and drills.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

After crowd sourcing opinions, Brigid McCarthy has posted part 1. Categories include:

Floor Routine of the Year
Disappointment of the Year
‘Skill’ of the Year
Most anticipated NCAA signee/recruit/freshman of the Year.
Reserve Gymnast of the Year

‘Dark Horse’ of the Year =

Winner: Phan Thi Ha Thanh, Vietnam

In the midst of impeccable Amanars, surprise Produnovas and a wealth of vault specialists, no one quite saw the Vietnamese vaulter, Phan Thi Ha Thanh coming when she took the World bronze medal.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

For the record, I’m actually against this popular opinion:

Rule Most in Need of changing =

Bringing back the six-member Olympic team.

The smaller team size allows more individuals to contend for the Olympics. Given the number of spots Artistic gets from IOC, the current set-up with teams competing 5-4-3 is OK with me.

Phan would not be competing at Olympics 2012 if we still had teams of 6 /nation, for example.

Read and comment on Brigid’s original post – Couch Gymnast Awards Part One

I’ve seen several clubs in the Pacific N.W. using this methodology. VERY advanced strength / flexibility training.

The last drill should only be done with extremely flexible kids. There’s a risk of groin or hamstring muscle tear.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Those particular sliders are sold by Tumbl Trak. ($9.25 for a set of two)