I laughed to see on video this tiny Chinese gymnast sliding in a crappy piece of pit foam for her teammate, padding the bar in case of the feet hitting.
It worked, however.
China
Category: Uncategorized
ex-gymnast on changes in the sport
A former high level gymnast watched VISA Championships USA — then posted on her blog:
I still can’t believe how so much about it has changed! Here are just a few differences I notice between my competition days and the gymnastics we see today…
She’s not a fan of the new scoring system.
see the rest of this humourous blog post by l. Michelle.
sportswear for the Muslim gymnast
Ahiida® is an Australian owned company that designs and produces quality swim and sportswear.
Our garments are designed with the respect of Islamic values and aimed to enhance the lifestyle of the active Muslim female.
Ahiida – home page
This company produces some interesting garments including the Burqini®™ Swimsuits. (It’s not easy to combine a burqa with a bikini, as you can imagine.) …
The dress expectations for Muslim women vary widely, of course, in different parts of the world. When I coached in Sri Lanka the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist girls all dressed in “normal” leotards and bike shorts for work-out. The problem there, in the late-1990s, was that the families were reluctant to have the girls compete in public in competitive leotards. Somehow modesty was compromised in a public venue, but not in the training gym.
(Sri Lanka eventually competed in the 2003 World Championships, fan favourites at that meet.)
I would argue that competitive leotards are not “provocative”. But perhaps in some countries, they are.
This is a problem.
As a coach I feel Artistic gymnasts need wear tight fitting clothing in training and in competition. This is for both safety and artistry.
If you arrive for workout in baggy skateboard clothes or a burqa, I’ll send you back to the locker room to change.
Perhaps the best solution for Muslim women who want to train acrobatic sports safely is to book the gym exclusively and hire female coaches. Then lock the gym doors to outsiders.
Leave a comment if you have any other positive suggestions for Muslim women who wish to do acrobatics.
UPDATE: Note that very few Islamic societies in history have ever required women dress in a certain way as part of the sharia (law). The abuses of sharia in Iran and Afghanistan have been widely publicized, but most Muslim women around the world will laugh if you assume how their dress has been imposed on them by law.
Related story: Female artists back on stage in Pakistan – Times of India.
gymnastics – cool bars skill
Straddle back into forward giant long hang swing on low bar.
At USA Jr Olympics Level 10 Championships 2008.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Leave a comment if you know the name of the gymnast.
astonishing teeter board acrobatics
… Created in 1974 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo is perhaps the largest and most prestigious circus competition in the world.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
… This is a troupe at the 25th annual festival.
World Gymnastics Gala video – Korea
IG Publisher Paul Ziert put together a gymnastics sports production in Seoul, Korea.
… “Of the more than 200 shows I have produced over the past 30 years, this was the most dynamic. Every performer gave us a maximum effort, and I would like to thank all of them for showing an extremely high level of gymnastics performed in an elegant and theatrical way,” Ziert said. …
That’s not saying much as most coaches feel Paul’s shows are “lame”.
But judging from the highlights reel, this one would have been well worth attending. I like the widely varied and international line-up of performers. (Catalina Ponor, Ivan Ivankov, Jordan Jovtchev, Ashley Postell, Blaine Wilson, Yulia Raskina, Li Ya and many more.)
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via International Gymnast)
(Note: Rumour is that USA Gymnastics will not be running a series of Gala performances after the Olympics after losing some of the top stars to a rival production company. Is that Paul Ziert? Leave a comment if you know the details.) UPDATE: Read the comments for more information.
British Olympic Gymnastics Team videos
Click PLAY or watch a tribute montage of super talented Beckie Downie on YouTube.
There’s more:
Unwritten. Laura Jones montage on YouTube.
Pocket full of sunshine. Hannah Whelan montage on YouTube.
Love song. Becky Wing montage on YouTube.
Thanks Jenny. And thanks gymnastdory (Luna Lovegood) for putting together these tributes.
gymnastics camp photos and videos
Right now the gymnasts are marching in the 4th of July parade in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
But I’m missing it, instead uploading memories of the Funtastics gymnastics summer camps, just finished, to the WWW.
I thought camp was the best of the past 6-years, likely the best ever. Congratulations Dave, Lisa and the Funtastics hosts.
An awesome coaching staff.
coach Morgen double back
Everything is going up on the official camp website: HPTCamp.com
Related posts on the HPTC gymnastics camp.
salaries for NCAA gymnastics coaches
Georgia’s Suzanne Yoculan is reported to make $300,000+ / year.
Where do I apply?
She’s the top dog. What about other programs?
Women’s gymnastics coach K.J. Kindler received a raise of $11,550 and now will received $115,000 annually in guaranteed money. She also had her contract extended by one year to July 1, 2012.
Mark Williams, who has guided Oklahoma to five of the last seven NCAA titles in men’s gymnastics, now will receive $130,000 annually, a raise of $22,150 that will be effective next Tuesday. His contract was extended by five years to July 1, 2013.
(via College Gymnastics Board)
Many contracts include performance bonuses.
Blanchard and Estrada – Trampoline Olympians
The results are in: Erin Blanchard and Chris Estrada will represent the US in the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.
…
On the women’s side, Alaina Hebert and Erin Blanchard fought it out for first and second through the compulsory and optional rounds. Hebert went into the final round an .8 lead over Erin Blanchard, but a disappointing – based on her body language following the routine – finals performance by Hebert was not enough to overcome Blanchard’s excellent finals performance.
On the men’s side, Steven Gluckstein had a slight lead over Chris Estrada and Michael Devine coming out of the compulsory round. An early interruption, though, left Gluckstein far back of Estrada and Devine at the end of the optional round. Devine had early problems in his final round routine, leaving Logan Dooley as the man to beat. Needing 33.6 points to overtake Dooley’s 102.5 for gold, Estrada chose to perform what looked to me like his compulsory routine. …
Blanchard and Estrada to represent US in Beijing – Tramp and Tumbling
UPDATE: Coach Dmitri Poliaroush.
More details and photos are linked from USA Gymnastics.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 