Gymnastics Coaching.com

Big meet for MAG.

HAMBUECHEN vs UCHIMURA vs HORTON.

Update: For the USA, Alexander NADDOUR and John OROZCO have replaced Danell and Tim on the list below. (Thanks Anne.)

As good as Kohei Uchimura is, perhaps the 2008 Olympic Champion Yang Wei was even better.

That’s the opinion of Canadian Olympian Adam Wong.

Yang Wei was a little cautious in Beijing only because he had the AA sewn up if he could simply avoid any conspicuous error.

official competition website (English)

Hollie Vise was one of the most beautiful gymnasts ever, the 2003 World Champion on Bars.

Her piked Jaeger is certainly one of the best ever done.

In 2004 Hollie was not selected to the American Olympic Team, on live T.V. … An outrage to many fans.

Click PLAY or watch a Hollie montage on YouTube.

Happily, Hollie finished her career with a superb finish, leading Oklahoma to a second place finish in the 2010 NCAA Collegiate Championships.

From a coaching clinic hosted by Calgary Gymnastics Centre.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

One of the coaches never did gymnastics. We asked him to look at all of these variations as simply double leg circles.

flank forward > rear support > flank backward > front support … REPEAT

The most important talking point of the session was wrist pain. It’s ended the career of many good gymnasts.

Cut back even at a young age for those kids who suffer a lot of pain. Consider splitting training into two 15min sessions each day, early and late.

Consider bracing the wrists. Take long breaks (e.g 2wks) off pommels if wrist pain gets bad. But continue with all other apparatus.

Mushroom and Floor are hardest on the wrists. Avoid those if you have wrist pain.

Leave a comment if you have other strategies on how to deal with that problem.

First some good news. Now some bad.

One of the good guys is stepping down.

… “I have decided to retire from coaching after a 30 year career in gymnastics, to pursue other career opportunities,” said Shephard. “It has been my great honor, and privilege, to work with all of the gifted young people associated with this program over the last 21 years. …

In 18 years as the head coach, Shephard, the eighth coach in Penn State women’s gymnastics history, amassed a career record of 256-144-2 while guiding the Nittany Lions to eight NCAA Championship appearances. …

Steve Shephard Resigns as Head Coach of Penn State Women’s Gymnastics Program

Penn State is advertising for a successor.

(via College Gym Fans)

Inside Gymnastics just posted the cover of their 50 Most Photogenic issue, my favourite of the year.

Good call. Ivana Hong is cover girl.

Inside Gymnastics

Memo from Jean-Paul Caron, President/CEO of Gymnastics Canada:

Vladimir Lashin to resign as Gymnastics Canada National Coach / High Performance Director in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)

It is with regrets that Gymnastics Canada is announcing the departure of Vladimir Lashin, National Coach / High Performance Director in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics since June 2009, for personal reasons. …

details on Gymnastics Examiner

His hiring was controversial. And, over the past year, Vladimir was unable to rally support for himself nor around the common cause of the Women’s National Team.

Even though it’s mid-cycle for the 2012 Olympics, I take this as good news.

… But who will be Canada’s next National Coach?

Leave a comment if you’ve a nomination.

I assume Vladimir will resume coaching at Omega, his old club in Vancouver.

Former Olympic gymnast Terin Humphrey makes a tiny Raymore police officer in training. But on that note, her dad, Steve Humphrey, is her defender: “To me, the size of her may not seem very intimidating to someone. But once they know what she’s capable of, that’s a different story.”

Read more

(via @1gym18)

From a coaching course at Calgary Gymnastics Centre with Olympian Adam Wong.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The two demonstrators are age-11.

As you can see, boys tend to crash a fair bit at that age. We need good matting under the parallel bars.

CGC has excellent training apparatus. This spotting deck is pefect.

more photos from CGC

If last year you told me I would be linking to notorious coach Al Fong all the time, I’d have called you crazy.

But I’m really enjoying his frequent blog posts.

For example, on this post – Versatile Straps – Al recommends “tumbling handcuffs”, bar safety straps used on a tumbling trampoline.

Click PLAY or watch the drill on YouTube.

This works great for beginners. Later we’re going to want the kids to use shoulder flexion / extension to add power.

In extreme drills, coaches slide the strap down to the neck. This “locks” the arms in an extended position, but can be scary for beginners. Use with caution. I still recall a young gymnast at a training camp freaking out trying that for the first time. (… Come to think of it, I’m going back to his gym this Summer, surprised they’re inviting me back.)

related – Open Shoulder Trainer (invented by coach Peter Soul)

details – TumblTrak $24.95

China is the top nation in Trampoline right now.

… The 46th Nissen Cup, held June 11 – 12, 2010 in Davos (SUI), brought together the world’s best trampolinists. China swept the competition with three Gold medals, one Silver and one Bronze. The United States dominated Men’s Synchro; and World Champion Dong Dong (CHN) beat Canada’s Jason Burnett, who soared through his exercise with an 18.8 difficulty. Olympic Champion He Wenna was victorious over World Champion and compatriot Shanshan Huang (CHN) in Women’s Individual. …

FIG – Powerful Chinese prevail in Davos

But how will rankings be affected when “time of flight” is introduced as a scoring factor starting Jan. 1, 2011?

I would think that heavier athletes like Jason Burnett would be advantaged.

Update: Anya informs in the comments that percentage body weight will be factored into time of flight.

Individual Trampoline

1. DONG Dong, CHN 41.900
2. BURNETT Jason, CAN 41.800
3. TU Xiao, CHN 41.600

I’ve asked a few trampoline coaches, but they seem to be taking a wait and see approach.