Gymnastics Coaching.com

The flying Dutchman, Epke Zonderland, in podium training.

Cassina to Kolman.

Click PLAY or watch him on YouTube.

His form is much improved since Worlds.

Men’s prelims is in progress in Berlin. Follow the action on Gymnastics Examiner’s LIVE blog.

Here’s the killer conclusion to Jason Shen’s 3-part series on the lessons he’s learned through gymnastics:

… Gymnastics is a sport about delivering under pressure. …

When you raise your hand and salute before your routine, it is all on you. … I estimate that I’ve had saluted for nearly 1,000 routines over 16 years of competition …

David Sender was my teammate and 2008 USA National Champion in the all around. He’s one of the greatest clutch performers I’ve ever met.

Jason explains how to HIT under pressure under these headings:

Preparation:
• Practice how you want to perform.
• Create the performance environment.
• Visualize perfect performance.
• Prepare all equipment carefully and ahead of time.
• Get lots of sleep, eat well, leave early.
• Practice recovering from mistakes.

In the Moment:
• Be aggressive.
• Don’t try to make yourself better.
• Don’t make a big deal out of the event.
• Walk in knowing you’ve done your best to prepare.
• Have a few phrases/ideas to focus on.
• Don’t worry about the competition / distractions / outside stuff.
• Use music to put yourself in the zone.
• Don’t let the past distract you.
• Don’t try to be perfect.

This is another must read.

The Art of Ass-Kicking – Step Up and Deliver: What Gymnastics Taught Me About Performing Under Pressure

Have you heard of this product?

Get the right support wearing this adidas basketball TECHFIT™ PowerWEB™ Elbow Sleeve. Its PowerWEB™ design supports your muscles to boost energy and output, and TECHFIT™ focuses them for explosive power.

Details

* Ventilated CLIMACOOL® keeps you dry and comfortable
* PowerWEB™ actively supports muscles, boosting power output and energy efficiency
* TECHFIT™ focuses your muscles’ energy to generate maximum explosive power, acceleration and long-term endurance
* Ventilation in heat zones for breathability
* adidas brandmark above wrist
* 75% nylon / 25% elastane tricot

$15.00 from Adidas

Danell Leyva training pommels with the techfit sleeves by Adidas.

Click PLAY or watch him on YouTube.

Take a closer look (VIDEO).

(via Aunt Joyce)

Leave a comment if you’ve an opinion on whether or not this might be useful for Pommels or any other apparatus.

The first ever National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association Championships begins today in Eugene, Oregon. It’s a new all-female collegiate sport.

Thursday, April 7: Round One

5:00pm – (4) Baylor vs (5)Fairmont State
7:00pm – (3) Azusa Pacific vs (6) Quinnipiac

Friday, April 8: Round Two

6:00pm – (2) Maryland vs Winner of 3 vs. 6
8:00pm – (1) Oregon vs Winner of 4 vs. 5

Saturday, April 9: Finals

6:00pm – Individual Event Finals
8:00pm – Team Championship

Coach of the Year: Felecia Mulkey, Oregon

Freshman of the Year: Krysta Kemp, Fairmont State

National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Olympic Champion had the top score in prelims.

Click PLAY or watch her on YouTube.

More routines from the European Championships are posted on Couch Gymnast. And all over the internet.

Gymnastike posted the full list of gymnasts who qualified to apparatus finals. Here are the top 3 on each apparatus.

Vault:
1. Giulia Steingruber, Switzerland, 14.525
2. Sandra Izbasa, Romania, 14.525
3. Aliya Mustafina, Russia, 14.487

Both Mustafina and Nabieva vaulted double twisting yurchenkos in today’s qualifications. Expect for them to pull out amanars for the finals.

Bars:
1. Aliya Mustafina, Russia, 15.60
2. Elizabeth Tweddle, Britain, 15.55
3. Tatiana Nabieva, Russia, 15.375

Tweddle competed the highest start value of the day at 7.10. She faced a large deduction in fighting not to fall over on a handstand, so Mustafina beat her out today with her 6.80 start value set.

Beam:
1. Aliya Mustafina, Russia, 14.90
2. Anna Dementieva, Russia, 14.829
3. Carlotta Ferlito, Italy, 14.80

Alternates:
2. Yana Demyanchuk, 14.175

Sadly absent from the beam final is reigning world beam Champion Anna Porgras of Romania. She fell on her front aerial to one-armed backhandspring to layout and scored 13.825.

Floor:
1. Sandra Izbasa, Romania, 14.60
2. Aliya Mustafina, Russia, 14.525
3. Diana Chelaru, Romania, 14.40

See the entire list on Gymnastike – European Championships Women’s Event Finals Qualifiers!

The All Around

Aliya Mustafina’s near 3 point lead over her nearest competitor, Anna Dementyeva only confirms most gym fans thoughts, that this title is hers to lose. …

1 576 MUSTAFINA Aliya RUS 59.750 (1)
2 578 DEMENTYEVA Anna RUS 56.900 (2)
3 574 CHELARU Diana Maria ROU 56.350 (3)

Couch Gymnast has commentary and the full list of AA finalists.

Floor:

… The arena falls silent. You could hear a pin drop in here. All eyes are on Mustafina, all breath bated. Arabian double front, tiny hop. 2.5 to front layout full, stuck. “Oh my God,” says Paul Ziert, who is sitting next to me. Triple turn. Switch half. Switch, switch ring. 1.5 to Rudi, STUCK. My God…this is incredible! She has everyone in the palm of her hand. Long wait for last pass, but STUCK triple full. WOW.

Gymnastics Examiner LIVE blog.

Breaking news … 6 new events to be added to the Sochi 2014 Winter Games programme: ski half-pipe (men and women), women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay

(via The Olympic Games on Facebook)

Gymnastike:

University of Michigan senior gymnast Ian Makowske debuted a new skill on high bar thanks to the help of new Michigan assistant coach and former US National team gymnast Geoff Corrigan. Ian talks about his new skill, how it was received by the FIG, and plans of getting the skill officially named after him.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/NDM1NDgyODI1

Watch more video of University of Michigan 2011 on gymnastike.org

E to mixed grip, F to el-grip.

I post this just before the start of the European Championships.

Bea Gheorghisor from Romania has a terrific, insightful perspective on what’s changed since the return of Bellu and Bitang to the National Team:

… B&B seem to be pushing the gymnasts in front of the camera. Maybe they have learnt that fame is not all that bad and that after all it’s an unavoidable thing for a member of the Romanian gymnastics team. …

It all started in June 2010 when the Romanian national team was moved to Izvorani. The reasons were the proximity to Bucharest (where the two new coordinators still had some previous engagements) and the fact that the gym was newer and better than the one in Deva. But it also had a side effect: suddenly the national team was very easy to reach all year long.

… the gates of the National team were flung wide open. …

Bellu and Bitang also seem to have learnt that maybe there exists a good kind of exposure …

read more on Couch Gymnast – “Audentes Fortuna Juvat!” Fortune Favours the Brave……

I’ve always been critical of the program under Bellu and Bitang. Until now. Something really has changed.

When can I friend Bellu on Facebook?