Frank Costanza:
“The tradition of Festivus begins with the Airing of Grievances. I got a lot of problems with you people! And now, you’re gonna hear about it. …”
Flavius Koczi was named Romanian male gymnast of the year for 2011.
He’s Mr. Twister on Floor.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
D-score: 6.6
E-score: 8.900
15.500 1st – European Champion
Not bad. Certainly one of the best routines in the world today. But watch what Flavius showed at the Gala in Belgium, without the constraints of FIG judges and rules.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Better, I’d say. Note he removed both roll-outs.
Compare Flavius with one of the many young guns out of Japan, Kenzo Shirai.
Click PLAY or watch Kenzo on YouTube.
To me that’s no longer a “Floor Exercise”. Kenzo is doing as many twists as he can and as little else as possible. If that’s what FIG wants, why not simply use the Power Tumbling Rod Floor and name whomever does the most twists in 8 skills the winner?
UPDATE: Gerard in the comments has seen rules for young guys in Japan that ban on Floor:
• any front salto into a roll out (including arabian)
• double front (including arabian)
• double back with a twist
… That helps explain why Kenzo’s routine so overuses twisting for difficulty.
This is a Floor Exercise demonstrating a variety of qualities, not only twisting.
Click PLAY or watch the 1979 World Champion on YouTube.
A routine from over 30yrs ago on a rock hard Floor is ‘better’ than what we are seeing today. The FIG rules are not working, in my opinion.
Thomas was the first to popularize those roll-outs, by the way.
(via Full Twist)
_____ Check the comments. There are a surprising number who prefer modern Floor over the traditional “Floor Exercises” of the past.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 