VISA podium training

Jordyn Wieber told Blythe that she’s been playing with 3/1 twisting Yurchenko.

World Champion Bridget Sloan is out of the all-around competition, injured. Likely she will compete only Beam.

USAG – more Junior Women’s Podium Training photos

Sadly, I’m not attending this year. Stacy Clark will be representing Cirque du Soleil. … Look for Stacy if you are convinced you should be in the new Michael Jackson show.

Andy Thornton on Universal Sports

Excellent.

The American Gymnast blogger is doing more mainstream pieces on Universal.

The men kick-off this week’s U.S. Championships on Wednesday in Hartford, Conn.

Keep checking UniversalSports.com for more of Andy’s expert analysis.

The men’s pommel horse has forever been considered by most gymnastics experts to be the most challenging of the men’s six events. …

“The pig,” as some like to call it, is in a category of its own. …

Jonathan Horton would have only needed a 14.075 on the event to win the all-around SILVER MEDAL at the 2008 Olympic Games…instead his 13.675 landed him in 9th. And at the 2007 world championships the year before, his proud 4th place all-around finish could have easily been a bronze had his lackluster 13.975 on pommels been only two tenths higher. …

read more – Breaking down the pommel horse

Andy points out that the States has many gymnasts who can compete with the best in the world including: Ribeiro, McNeill, Ishino, Naddour. … Not to mention Artemev.

(via Gymnastics Examiner Week in Review)

USA Gymnastics Congress

Held in conjunction with 2010 VISA Championships
August 12 -14, 2010
Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT

Biggs, Marinitch, Sahlein, Jepson, Metzger, Lulla, Greeley, Reive, Mizoguchi, Spring, Liukin, Ivanov, Gilemi, Resnick, Forster, Kovic, Maloney … even Alvarez. … and many, many more.

Dr. G.S. George is leading 5 different sessions. How many years has it been since he’s presented at Congress?

Plenty of “business of gymnastics” gurus.

The line-up looks great this year!

National Congress & Trade Show Schedule (PDF)

All-Session Artistic Packages at the XL Center start at $105. Get them onsite. The Trade Show runs Thursday through Saturday at 1PM.

Flipgirl – the music video

Just for FUN.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

band – ENTROPY. Flipgirl is available on iTunes.

Any band that can fit “Charlie Tamayo” into the lyrics, gets my vote.

Jeff Graba new Auburn Head Coach

Jeff Graba (pronounced gray-ba), who has served as a gymnastics assistant at powerhouse Utah the last five seasons, has been named the head gymnastics coach at Auburn University

“I am both excited and thankful for the opportunity to coach in what I believe is one of the top athletic programs in the country,” Graba said. “I am looking forward to the challenge of trying to improve on an already quality gymnastics program, and to compete in the SEC …

Auburn Tigers

Gymnastike interview with Jokester from last season.

Gymnastike US Classic highlights

An 8min 28sec summary. Mostly podium training.

… a look back at our recent coverage of the US Classic. Jordyn Wieber and the junior talent dominated the competition while Mattie Larson won the Senior division in her first competition back in nearly 2 years, and Alicia Sacramone made a remarkable comeback debut, winning titles on her 2 events, beam and vault. ….

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://c1403192.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player.swf

VISA Gymnastics Championships

» Gymnastike is there … or follow @gymnastike … Highlights on Gymnastics Examiner. … USAG Visa home page

2010 Visa Championships Broadcast/Web Schedule
8-15 – Men’s competition – 2:30 p.m. – NBC Sports
All times are Eastern.

confirmed – Kyle Shewfelt clinic VEGAS

by site editor Rick McCharles

Dana Brass has invited myself and the 2004 Olympic Floor champion to Go For It Gymnastics in Lost Wages.

Monday, August 23rd-Wednesday August 25th
Coaching Clinics 9:00a.m.-1:00p.m.

$75 for 1 Staff member/$50 each additional from same club
Lunch included

Special Guest Clinicians: Kyle Shewfelt, Rick McCharles

Kyle Shewfelt

GOLD MEDAL Floor Exercise, Olympics 2004, Athens
Competed 3 Olympic Games – Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008
World Cup Gold and Silver medalist Floor Exercise
World Championship Bronze medalist – Floor & Vault

Kyle is a premiere speaker in Canada and is actively involved in the Canadian Olympic program. He is a key clinician at Canadian coaching education events.

For more info, contact Dana Brass – danabrassgym {AT} yahoo.ca

Having done a few events with Kyle over the past few years, I can guarantee it’s going to be MOTIVATING.

UPDATE: There’s a new interview with Kyle on Sport At Its Best.

Thanks Brett.

efficiency of gymnastics training

We are much criticized, as you know.

Here’s a good idea from Al Fong:

How efficient is your team’s workout? How many turns do your gymnasts get in a 30 minute rotation? A 45 minute rotation? An hour? …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… as an example, our team doesn’t gather at the beginning end of the tramp directly opposite the resi pit landing. Instead they stand perpendicular to the resi so they can watch each other tumble, hear the coaching comments, and even help coach their fellow team mates.

Only 2 people line up at the beginning end as one is walking to line up behind them. This keeps the athletes totally concentrated on the task at hand. If everyone clumps up at the end, the line goes slower and it’s easier to be tempted to lose focus.