will Japan win the Olympics?

I think so. They are certainly the favourites on the Men’s side. Check out the guys named alternates.

Kohei Uchimura
Kazuhito Tanaka
Koji Yamamuro
Ryohei Kato
Yusuke Tanaka

Surprisingly, missing from this team are Makoto Okiguchi, Kenya Kobayashi and Shogo Nonomura.

Full Twist – Kohei Uchimura leads Japans 2012 Olympic Team

Both Tanaka boys on the Team. Sister Rie will be in London, as well.

I want to be Jotchov

Says Andres Montoya:

Jordan Jovtchev’s competed something like 15 Olympics and 37 World Championships. Something like that. 🙂

Here’s Jotchov’s excellent Ring Strength Training VIDEO.

via @TumblTrak and Luke Wiwatowski

‘Kaboom’ quad

Seriously difficult.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Kaboom action tends to kill your rotation.

Geoffrey Taucer only gives him 3 1/2.

(via The Gymnast Life)

Team Sask at Westerns

It was an honour to be one of the coaches for Team Saskatchewan at the Western Canadian Championships this year.

A special thanks to 8 girls from Gymnastics Adventure who represented so well.

We’re headed home today. Training for 2013 starts at 3pm.
🙂

Russian leg lifts

I’ve been researching best conditioning exercises to add to our current program.

Female gymnasts do too many full range leg raises, in my opinion. I do like leg raises to and from L-sit position. These are even better.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

… To progressively ease into the challenge of Russian Leg Lifts, the descent may also be performed in a tuck, flat tuck, straddle or half lay in addition to the layout or straight body demonstrated in the video clip below. You may also want to consider using the same position during the ascent …

Gymnastic Bodies

Al Fong on Respect

… A long time ago my wife, Armine Barutyan and I decided to make some important changes in our gym. Mainly, to change the way everyone (coaches, gymnasts, staff, and parents) communicated with each other. We made it a point to greet everyone and say hello when we came to the gym and goodbye when we left. …

Respect Starts with “Hello”

This might surprise people. Al Fong insists on efficient training. He doesn’t like to waste a second. Yet takes time for this social nicety.

I agree with Al. We coach 3 domains:

• physical
• technical
• psychological

Of the 3, the psychology of your gym is the most important.

GAGE, Missouri

Al likes a tidy facility, too. He’s not comfortable unless all mats and equipment are parallel to the walls, and stacked in pyramid fashion.

Georgia’s Jay Clark resigns

University of Georgia gymnastics head coach Jay Clark has resigned his position, effective immediately, according to an announcement made by UGA Director of Athletics Greg McGarity.

… Clark took over the program three years ago and had varying levels of success during his tenure, with his teams finishing third at the SEC Championships in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Clark had served at the post for three years after serving 17 years as an assistant on the Gym Dogs’ staff. …

Red & Black

Buzz is that Jay was pushed out. It will be interesting to see who they try to bring in.

Aunt Joyce speculates: Bryan Raschilla, K.J. Kindler or even Suzanne Yoculan.