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Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy TOPS

Keeping it FUN for girls age 5-9.

… This workout was filmed in mid-April as the young gymnasts prepare for their upcoming TOP testing and a chance to make the USA Gymnastics TOPs National Team.

Past CGA TOPs National Team members include their current elite gymnasts Amanda Jetter, Lexie Priessman, Amelia Hundley, and many more throughout the years. …

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/NjE1NDkzNjEz?related=1

Watch more video of Workout Wednesday, Season 5 on gymnastike.org

Good stuff. I like the handstands balanced against the TumblTrak. … But a couple of cautions. Many coaches put little kids too high on the rope, too early. Just because it’s in TOPS testing, there’s no need to require climbing high immediately. There are many alternatives.

And be careful with little ones using free weights. They tend to drop them.

Personally, I don’t do forward / backward limbers with bad form. There are many better alternative drills. The first skill I’d eliminate in the American compulsories is front limber.

One more caution – Coach Howard lays out some of the problems associated with putting too much emphasis on physical ability assessment programs on Gymnastics Zone – TOPs and non TOPS.

… The only 2 female Olympic gymnasts from my region would have scored badly in TOPS. They were very strong, but not flexible.

JTree Gym Balm

Joshua Tree Gymnastics Salve is a product being promoted by coaches Ben Hardy and Jason MacDonald.

details – jtreegymbalm.com

Cost is $16 for 50ml. Discounts for buying more units.

Leave a comment if you’ve tried JTree Balm. How is it compared to Udder Balm or (expensive) Vitamin E?

advanced coaches course – Manjak, Russell

After Canadian Championships in PEI, as usual, Keith Russell scheduled a week of Level 4 National Coaching Certification workshops.

To represent Canada at major international meets, you must be fully certified Level 4. (4 weeks over 2yrs)

This time round, Keith invited Kelly Manjak who’s coached both Men and Women to World Championships.

For a glimpse of what happened at the clinic, Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Kelly is very specific on basics, but not nearly so exacting on high level skills. He’ll spend years working handstand, then expect kids to add Tkachev to their routines within a few weeks.

The course was not videotaped, but I do have some highlights to post over the next couple of weeks.

Larisa Iordache scores 59.500

14.900 on Bars.

She’s a contender.

The lovely Romanain pipsqueak Larisa Iordache has outperformed Russian legend Anna Pavlova at the Slovakian Gym Festival in Trnava this weekend. …

read more on Couch Gymnast

results (PDF)

Dutch gymnasts in GK Elite

Some interesting video edits.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Lane Jarred – Illusion to Arabesque

Lane Jarred competed this sequence at J.O Championships 2011.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

She’s headed for NC State University for next season.

There’s some confusion whether or not that “skill” will be named after her in the J.O. Code of Points.

how to FIX the Code of Points

There’s a great new Discussion on Gymnastics Examiner – Changing the code

The main themes are:

• reducing injury
• more reward for quality
• more reward for variety

read it – The Discussion: Changing the code

I heard an even better proposal last week from Dave Arnold, many times Canadian Men’s Olympics and Worlds coach.

Difficulty score is based on only the 4 highest value skills.
Combination and Element Group Requirements eliminated.

That’s it. Dave feels almost nothing else needs to be changed.

… think about it.

I believe he’s right.

Whatever FIG decides, the open ended code cannot continue. Men’s vault is now capped at 7.20. … That’s the new perfect 10 maximum on Vault. (Note: That’s not been posted anywhere. But for new vaults the maximum awarded by FIG MTC has been 7.20, even when logic would dictate a higher value.)

USA Gymnastics coach ‘certification’

Again USAG is making a push for requiring more of ‘coaches‘ than only safety certification.

The inaugural Junior Olympic Coaching Certification and Training Camp took place at the U. S. Olympic Training Center at the Karolyi’s Ranch on May 26 – 30, 2011. Thirty three coaches and forty-five gymnasts took part in this new educational program offered by USA Gymnastics.

The coaches certifications included both practical and classroom instruction under the direction of USA Gymnastics National Coaching Staff Tammy Biggs and Steve Rybacki.

This new educational opportunity emphasized on skills and progressions to train Junior Olympic athletes Levels 5 – 7. Training included hands on spotting techniques, proper body shaping, lesson plans and lectures on strength, conditioning, flexibility, periodization, sports medicine and psychology. …

read more on USAG

I bounce back and forth between Canada and the USA. The Canucks (mandatory coach certification) are better coaches, on average, than Americans. … I hear all sorts of crazy theories, based on no science whatsoever, in the States.