Gymnastics Coaching.com

In gymnastics coaching courses, when talking about the principle of progressive resistance in strength training, we often refer to the legend of Milon of Croton.

Milon of Croton (late 6th century BC) was the most famous of Greek athletes in Antiquity.

He was a six time Olympic victor; once for Boys Wrestling in 540 BC at the 60th Olympics, and five time wrestling champion at the 62nd through 66th Olympiads. Milo kept on competing, even well after what would have been considered a normal Olympic Athlete’s prime: by the 67th Olympiad, he would have been over 40 years of age. …

He was most likely a historical person, as he is mentioned by many classical authors, among them Aristotle, Pausanias, Cicero, Herodotus, Vitruvius, and the author of the Suda, but there are many legendary stories surrounding him. …

Ancient sources report he would show off his strength by holding his arm out, with fingers outstretched, and no man could even bend his little finger. … Another legend has it that he would train in the off years by carrying a newborn calf on his back every day until the Olympics took place. By the time the events were to take place, he was carrying a four year old cow on his back. …

Wikipedia

It’s a great visual. The “load” gets heavier every day.

Moscophores, young man carrying sacraficial calf, Acropolis Museum – PBase

Here’s how Australian gymnastics superstar Daria Joura tells it:

To get stronger and fitter, a boy once hauled a bull calf onto his back and proceeded to carry the calf up a steep hill. Everyday, the boy returned to the hill with his calf and repeated the process. After some time, the boy was the most desired bachelor in his village – all the girls were impressed by his magnificent strength. He could carry the largest bull in the vicinity on his back. The bull that started as a wee calf needing no more effort to carry than on day one, due to his persistence.

read the rest of Daria’s blog post – Perth Now

Her version appeals more to the teenage female athlete. I think Dasha’s is already one of my favourite athlete blogs, along with Kyle Shewfelt.

She’s soon to compete in the Friendship Classic in Pennsylvania, the start of a 3wk trip to the USA. Good luck!

With their kids:

Victoria Beckham had her hands full yesterday afternoon, taking her three sons to gymnastics class in Sherman Oaks, California.

Celebrity Gossip

Actually, that’s the Calgary Gymnastics Centre Rec gym in Canada. They didn’t let the paparazzi into the Sherman Oaks gym.

USA Gymnastics – Pacific Alliance 2008 presented by Gillette Venus, March 28-30, in San Jose, California. Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline. This will be a great show. Tickets start at only $15 / session.

Names of the participating gymnasts are being announced by each country. The American Men: Paul Hamm, Alexander Artemev, Raj Bhavsar. Women not yet named.

Partial list of competitors – Olympic, world medalists highlight field for Pacific Rim Championships – USA Gymnastics

(via Gym Chat)

NBC Sports will televise on April 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET so the best routines will soon after be uploaded to YouTube. Someday TV will steam our meets much more quickly and allow fans worldwide to pay them money for the service. Until that time, networks should expect us to watch for free on YouTube.

This is an Olympic preview. People would gladly pay money to see it. Hey NBC, why not put it on HULU.com so at least Americans could see it sooner? Two weeks after the competition? Do people want to watch the Superbowl two weeks later?

On the bright side, depending on where you live, you may get to enjoy NBC Olympic coverage with Tim and Elfi much more quickly in Beijing.

NBC Sports will produce a daily two-hour gymnastics program to air on cable network Oxygen from 6-8 p.m. ET, each weeknight of the Games. …

Inside Gymnastics

I grudgingly admit that NBC is doing a few things right trying to reinvent itself as relevant media in 2008. We are lucky they have the Olympics, and not other American networks.

For example, NBC Sports has a dedicated Gymnastics page. But they weren’t savvy enough to give it an RSS feed.

Lets get this Aussie climber into the gym …

Warren Macdonald became trapped beneath a one tonne slab of rock while climbing Queensland’s Hinchinbrook Island. Two days later he was rescued only to have both legs were amputated. Ten months later he climbed Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain using a modified wheelchair and the seat of his pants. In 1999 he reached the summit of Federation Peak on an epic 4 week journey using a pair of prosthetic legs. …

Warren inspires audiences to believe in themselves, demonstrating through action that “nothing is impossible if we dare to face our fears and believe in ourselves.” That achieving success requires taking positive steps forward, and that each step we take, no matter how small, moves us closer to our goals. His presentation reinforces the importance of recognizing change as an opportunity to transform our lives and turn negatives into positives. …

Saxson Speakers Bureau via Best Hike

If he can climb Kilimanjaro with no legs, Warren can do some serious strength parts on rings.

There’s still faint hope we will see former World’s medalist Charlie Tamayo, originally from Cuba, competing internationally once again. And not just coaching:

Charlie’s given up on 2008. But is considering training towards 2012. At least, so says the Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction, Colorado:

Tamayo, 27, … hopes to compete for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team.

Now working at Colorado West Gymnastics, … Tamayo said Friday he has finally settled.

… he’s working with the office of U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., on legislation that would help him achieve citizenship. His application for permanent legal status in the United States is stalled in California, said Tamayo’s Grand Junction attorney, Luke Brennan. …

Several American gymnasts have written letters in support of Tamayo’s bid for citizenship, as well as USA Gymnastics, the governing organization for the sport.

Tamayo lands spot to train

Charlie is one of the most talented gymnasts ever to walk the Earth. Watching him last summer at Woodward West Gymnastics Camp, I’d say he’d instantly be in the top 3 on Floor and Vault for the American Olympic Team.

In fact, I would challenge any gymnast in history to try to out-do Charlie in acrobatics contests in the gym. For example, Scherbo in his prime vs Charlie at any time. I think Scherbo would quickly agree, “Tamayo is the man!”

If you love great gymnastics, you want to see Charlie Tamayo compete once again.

YouTube is buzzing with his highlight videos.

Here’s one of coach Don Eckert’s videos on SaltoCafe that we’ve not linked to in the past. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

OK, the title of this post is a little over the top.

It’s designed to bring attention to the amount of unhealthy trans fats in fast food.

From Calorie Counter:

… Like I said, it’s the worst ingredient your food could contain. And, guess what? Fast food is pretty much the most common place you’ll find this evil type of fat. Fast food is also the place you’ll find the highest amounts of it.

Knowing this, I looked over the nutrition facts of literally every single item from the menus of McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, A&W, Arby’s, Hardee’s, In-N-Out Burger, Jack in the Box, Little Caesars, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Sonic, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, White Castle, Popeyes, Del Taco, Carl’s Jr., and Dairy Queen to put together a list of the 88 fast food items highest in trans fat.

read the list: Fast Food Items Highest In Trans Fat – The 88 least healthy foods.

(via Straight to the Bar)

Fast Food Nation – the movie

Related posts:

Fast Food restaurants compared

Fast Food Nation – the book

Super Size Me – teaching kids about fast food

The about.com Gymnastics blog posted some interesting pics in a post titled Illustrated History of Gymnastics.

A sample from the good old days — 1932 Olympic Games:

Photo © IOC Olympic Museum / Allsport / Getty Images

Gymnastics is one of the oldest Olympic sports: It’s been a part of the modern Games since 1896, and can even be linked back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

What’s most amazing to me, though, is how much it has changed. From the Athens Olympics in 1896, when men (only) competed in events such as rope climbing and team high bar, to the Athens Olympics in 2004 that sparked a complete scoring overhaul, gymnastics has gone through quite the evolution.

see more of the photos – about.com Gymnastics

(This photo reminds me of my father. He always told me he and the boys in the Canadian military did “giants” on a bar using dirt as chalk. But I never got to see photographic evidence.)

Americans historically have been great innovators on bars. Under appreciated is this Chinese superstar.

Liu was the first female gymnast to perform a one-arm giant swing on the uneven bars which is named after her in the Gymnastic’s Code of Points; she also performed this skill into a Geinger release move. …

In 2000, she was China’s first Olympic Champion on balance beam as well as China’s first All Around Medalist (after Andreea Răducan was disqualified from her gold medal due to a disqualification for taking an unlicensed cold medication, Liu moved up from 4th to the bronze medal position). …

Wikipedia

It’s a shame that FIG stifled 1-arm giant skills by devaluing them. I think we will see skills like that return one day.

1996 Olympics Team Optionals showing 1-arm Geinger:

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Liu Xuan 2000 Cottbus Bars showing piked Jaeger half:

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

That’s similar (piked rather than straddled) to the skill we see done by He Kexin today. I expect it was inspired by Liu Xuan.

Liu Xuan – bio on China Culture

Tracey Morrison from the U.K. posted a video to Facebook. Jam packed with interesting combinations and even a few mistakes.

Click PLAY or watch “Not So Ordinary” Chinese gymnastics montage by Fullybooked on YouTube.

Amy Van Deusen on the Gymnastics About.com blog posted another of her “Cool Tricks”.

This time a Full-Out Dismount off Parallel Bars very well done by Marcel Nguyen at the German Nationals 06. (Click through to read about it.)

Other high level alternatives?

I heard Valeri Liukin once competed double layout.

Here’s double front half. (First done by a Japanese gymnast decades ago, I belive.)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch forward salto salto fwd with 5/2 on YouTube:

Click PLAY or watch double salto bwd tuck+360 from end on YouTube:

Any other cool alternative PBar dismounts? Leave a comment.