love Grishina …

Of a number of recent commentaries on super talent Anastasia Grishina, the best is on Stoi!Grishina Grishina Grishina!
(more videos)

Click PLAY or watch her Bars on YouTube.

She’s the next Komova … if she can improve her vault.

related – IG – Russia’s Grishina Grabs High Marks in 2010

Marta Karolyi – very fair

When people complain about Marta as U.S. National Team coordinator, it begs the question:

If not her, who?

When Marta retires after the London Olympics, she’s suggested Valeri Liukin should take over.

I’d be happy with that. But will he want to stop coaching his personal group after 2012? … Valeri is a young man, just turned age-44. (Nastia got him an iPhone 4.)

Fact is, the U.S.A. has been very successful under Marta. In Rotterdam, Team U.S.A. preparation looked masterful compared with Russia and China who both looked sloppy and disorganized, at times.

What do the National Coaches think of Marta Karolyi, the camps and National Team program?

Click PLAY or watch the Kelly Hill interview on Gymnastike.

http://videoplayer.flocasts.org/player.swf

Kelli Hill has been through the best and the worst. I respect her opinion.

basketball phenom … Jordan

Gymnastics is not the only sport with very young supertalents.

Click PLAY or watch it on KOMO News. (after ad)

http://content.secondspace.com/news/detailsplayer.swf?videoSrc=http://kidkbim.s3.amazonaws.com/littlehe-1292381338.she.mp4&prerollAdTag=http://ad.doubleclick.net/pfadx/KOMO/LOCAL;tile=1;sz=320×240;ord=55773101&clickURL=http%3A//www.komonews.com/sports/heroes/111892554.html&startPlaying=false

Merry Christmas from Vanda

Happily we’ve not been overeating.

Otherwise we’d feel really terrible comparing ourselves to reigning Ms. Fitness World, Vanda Hadarean.

Just to be sure there’s not a single critical comment hinting that Gymnastics Coaching is sexist, posting Vanda pics for no good reason … here’s some German guy. To balance the post.

(via GymNiceTic)

gymnastics Highs and Lows 2010

High’s and Low’s of 2010 from the The Couch Gymnast.

Editor Brigid McCarthy was my favourite Aussie 2010 … after this girl:

I can’t believe anyone else in the world knows more about more gymnasts. Her site has a focus on personality. Love it.

Click through to her year end summing up:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
• Part 6

thecouchgymnast.com

Cheng Fei is training

Good news for fans. Skyler Wang emailed me the link.

Full Twist linked to a translated YouTube update and video from China.

… the winter training updates of Cheng Fei, He Kexin, Yang Yilin, Chenglong Zhang, Chen Yibing and Zou Kai.

The video shows former world champion Cheng Fei doing a simple Yurchenko timer … in very baggy clothing.

Like videos of Shawn Johnson.

I’d love to see both Cheng Fei and Shawn back in shape. And in leos.

BEIJING - AUGUST 19:  (L-R) Gold medalist Shawn Johnson of the USA and bronze medalist Cheng Fei of China pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Beam Final at the National Indoor Stadium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China.  (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js

A montage of the best tumblers in the world on floor exercise in women’s gymnastics. These gymnasts have performed a very difficult G skill (full twisting double layout, double double, etc.) or an E skill or higher in combination. The gymnasts in this montage are Cheng Fei, Daiane Dos Santos, Jana Bieger, Kristen Maloney, Oksana Chusovitina, Shawn Johnson, Yelena Produnova and Yelena Zamolodchikova.

Who do you think is the best?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Overall I’d rank Cheng Fei #1. Shawn #2.

There’s nobody competing today at that level.

gymnastics magazines

Romanian blog GymFever posted a number of magazines, none of them Romanian.

Click through to Gym Fever to see the rest.

Inside Gymnastics is missing. But Couch Gymnast made the list.

Gymnastics Code videos

Wow.

A French site has the Women’s Artistic Code of Points posted with description, diagram and shorthand. Nothing unusual there. I normally check the code on a PDF version downloaded from the FIG.

Click through to see it Google translated to English. Or to the original in French – ajni-france.com

Here’s the reason why you want to use this version. Many, but not all skills, have linked video clips. How cool is that?

(via Full Twist and kvehmane on IG forum)

Arkansas Gymnasts ready

December Intrasquad Highlights

Click PLAY or watch on YouTube.

Looking good. On competition vault already. I’m impressed.

This was linked by YearoftheHog on College Gymnastics forum. Click through for commentary. Fans are stoked.

A list of the gymnasts shown is posted in the comments, as well.