Gymnastics Coaching.com

That’s the message I get from an article in her local paper in the U.K.

How can that be?

Becky Downie finished 12th AA at the Beijing Olympics and is a national star in the lead-up to Europeans and the Olympics in her own country?

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

Perhaps the story is overblown?

… the gym where she trains, at Rushcliffe Leisure Centre, has suffered from broken heating, outdated equipment and overflowing rubbish bins. …

But training had to be cancelled in December because the gym was unheated.

“It was too cold and dangerous,” said Claire Starkey, head coach at Notts Gymnastics Club. “We’ve complained to the council. …

The gym has been selected as a pre-Games training camp for 2012.

“It’s a joke,” says Claire. “If I brought my colleagues from the US and China here it would be embarrassing. There’s one toilet for 150 kids. Unless the facilities are improved, we won’t be producing any more Olympians.” …

Olympian’s training conditions branded “a joke”

More research on whether Nike has caused all your foot and leg injuries.

A word of caution from Dr. Ross Tucker and Dr. Jonathan Dugas:

… I guarantee that the media are going to be all over this and they are going to tell you that you should be running barefoot or in Vibrams. You will hear how science has proven that being barefoot will prevent injuries, and that those of you who are injured should blame your shoes as you lob them into the garbage bin. …

If you wish to guarantee yourself an injury, then go out for a 2km run barefoot on a hard surface, and you will be asking your calf muscles and Achilles tendons to do work that for perhaps 30 years, they haven’t had to do. …

read more – Science of Sport blog.

That article led me to some cutting edge research …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or compare a runner wearing shoes on YouTube.

More caution:

Disadvantages of Forefoot Striking Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear

* Thick-soled shoes are much more forgiving when running over glass, sharp objects, ice and so on.

* If you have been a heel striker, it takes some time and much work to train your body to forefoot or midfoot strike, especially because you need stronger feet and calf muscles. Runners may be at greater risk of developing Achilles tendonitis when they switch from heel striking to forefoot or midfoot striking …

Running Barefoot, Forefoot Striking & Training Tips

This comes from a new blog by Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman of Harvard University: Running Barefoot or In Minimal Footwear

That’s likely the best site of all for those who want to research this topic.

(via Full Twist – Running Barefoot – The Debate)

Ashley, Katrina, and several others have recommended this weird footwear.

The second is a Men’s shoe. Click through to Amazon to see other models. And competitive products from other companies.

Five Fingers were named one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2007.

And they are getting a lot of love on the blogosphere from runners and hikers.

Those convinced that traditional running shoes might be causing them injury are trying more natural footwear as an alternative.

Vibram has a store locator page if you want to try on a pair yourself.

From Wisconsin coach Jason Orkowski:

As a coach I have worn sandals so I could slip them off quickly to spot or demonstrate but I found that structurally I was developing back issues because of the lack of support while standing. The V5-Finger may be my solution. …

Leave a comment if you’ve worn them in the gym. Or have an opinion pro or con.

Click PLAY or watch Kononenko’s Bars on YouTube.

Silver medal behind Mustafina. Difficulty 6.4. (PDF)

Nice swing! … Note she has only one backward giant over the low bar. And uses a tap above the bar.

(via selecious on IG forum)

A new regular feature.

This week’s Gymnastike Stick of the Week – Kyndal Robarts, a junior at the University of Utah launched a huge vault at the end of the Utes vault lineup when they defeated the Georgia Gym Dogs at home. She nailed the landing cold a sent a crowd of 15,552 to their feet. She even received a perfect 10 from one judge!

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/assets/portal/add_ons/mediaplayer-4.2/player.swf

Gymnastics Videos on Gymnastike

Kyle’s was famous for his form and consistency on Floor and Vault.

But not many people remember his Horizontal Bar.

Not surprisingly, Kyle had superb form, line and technique. Some of the only “clean” stoop Stalders and Endos you’ve ever seen in MAG or WAG.

In 2004 I watched him do many “perfect” routines in sequence in training, often the only issue being whether or not his knees bent on the regrasp of Def.

This is how gymnastics is meant to be performed. (Horizontal Bar depresses me in 2010.)

Click PLAY or watch one of his routines on YouTube.

Kyle has a YouTube channel now where he’s archiving some of the Canadian team routines from the past.

Is Britteny Cox too young to compete in the Vancouver Olympics?

The International Gymnastics Federation would not allow her to be an Olympian, were she a gymnast.

Skyrider 95 points out I got this wrong. Britteny turns 16 in 2010 so she would be old enough under the gymnastics rules.

The rest of the post is still valid, I think.

… Her inclusion in our team to represent Australia at the Vancouver Winter Olympics is testimony to her rapid rise through the ranks …

From eight years of age Britteny has been winning titles at state and national level in her chosen alpine discipline – mogul skiing. …

15 year old falls creek skier to become our youngest winter olympian

I did a quick search of the news reports on her surprise selection. Not a single “concern” that she might be too young to handle the Olympics. Or that her coaches have pushed her too hard.

Why is it that only Gymnastics is convinced that a minimum age of 16 is necessary? Not Diving. And not Skiing.

We look like idiots in the international sporting community for putting that age rule in place. Perhaps Grandi will realize his mistake Feb. 26th.

Alabama coaches have three buses. One is for sale.

You can pick the bus you want from the three, price range from $21,000 to $31,000 . All buses are diesel and have less than 150,000 miles.

Check out biggymbus.com

more photos

Contact – biggymbus AT gmail.com

At who?

Her agent?

If you can muster any enthusiasm at all for this, click over to the U.S. Olympic contest site.

Level 10 gymnastics Keeley Kmieciak of Phenom Gymnastics in Illinois scores a perfect 10 on vault at the 2010 Bravo Classic Meet.

In 2009 she was the Level 10 JO National Champion on Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor, & All Around in her division.

http://www.gymnastike.org/assets/portal/add_ons/mediaplayer-4.2/player.swf

Gymnastics Videos on Gymnastike