Gymnastics Coaching.com

Bumf.

If there’s anything that’s sure to solve a problem in a huge bureaucratic monopoly, it’s more paper.

… In the future indeed, gymnasts intending to participate in any official FIG competition will need to present a FIG licence. Such was the decision taken by the FIG Executive Board in May of 2008, which will come into force at the Artistic World Championships in London (GBR) in September of this year. With time, gymnasts from every discipline will need to follow suit.

The gymnastic passport serves to identify athletes and verify accreditation. The licence is required for the Olympic Games, World and Continental Championships, the World and Continental Games, World Cup Series, International Age Group Competitions and for all FIG-backed competitions and tournaments among federations.

By signing, an athlete attests to his or her identity and age, and consents to a formal athlete profile in the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS), as provided in the WADA Code (World Anti-Doping Agency). …

FIG

Obviously there is no person alive who believes that a “gymnastics passport” will do any more to deter age cheats (gymnasts lying about their age) than simply using real passports.

Is there some advantage in tying the anti-doping to this new document? Or is it a total waste of time and money?

We have good padding on our rail for learning skills like Tkachev straddled and Jaeger straddled.

image source

But what’s the best padding to wear on the heels and calves?

Leave a comment if you’ve found pads that work for you.

==== UPDATE: Coach Kyle recommends ice hockey elbow pads. “They fit perfectly have a plastic shell with foam backing. These are the best! They are also slim and flexible and will allow you to point your toes.”

Jeremy Mosier uses the same thing on the heels. And adds a shin pad (facing backwards) to protect the calf.

What’s a Freedom Jumper?

Anyone who can launch themselves — under their own power — above the horizon line for a photo.

There are Rules:

1. Don’t Talk About Jumping

2. Don’t Talk About Landing

3. It is Not About the Picture

4. Cross the Horizon or Stay Grounded

5. No Illegal Aids

6. Don’t Get Jumped!!!

To become a Freedom Jumper, sign on now at the official website – FreedomJumping.com

(via Get Oudoors)

From the official press release:

Gymnastics Canada is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vladimir Lashin as the new Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) National Coach / High Performance Director. Mr. Lashin is a university graduate from the State central Institute of physical education in Moscow, Russia, an NCCP Level 4 certified coach as well as FIG Academy expert since 2008. He has many years of working experience with the WAG National Team athletes and coaches in Canada, Australia and Russia. …

Mr. Lashin will start his new full time duties on June 1st 2009 (on a part basis as of May 19).

Lashin has been coaching at Omega in Vancouver, Canada along with his wife Svetlana.

He was coach of Gael Mackie, now at Utah. And a number of other prominent FIG gymnasts

I don’t know the man. But his reputation is a demanding, old school east European style. I’m not convinced that’s what Canada needs right now.

His tenure will be controversial, I predict.

The World Championships in London in October is the biggest competition of 2009.

Many of the top gymnasts in the world are in the U.K. today, at podium training today in Scotland for the Glasgow Grand Prix and World Cup event on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 May 2009.

The line up looks quite strong. Though Swiss star Ariella Kaeslin just withdrew with an injured toe. And Olympic Floor Champion Sandra Izbasa was withdrawn by the Romanian delegation.

As usual, the Men’s competition is bigger and more competitive. More men than women worldwide can handle the new FIG rules.

My personal sympathies go out to Diego Hypolito. His Orkut profile was hacked last week.

competition home page

There’s a good preview video clip on BG TV.

Two excellent additions I believe will help the Men’s Technical Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation.

The FIG Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee held its first meeting of the new Olympic Cycle at the FIG Head Office in Lausanne (SUI), May 7 – 9, 2009. …

New TC members

The committee welcomed its two new members, US American Steve Butcher and Canadian Edouard Iarov … Iarov … is currently working as a National Coach and High Performance Director at the Canadian Gymnastics Federation. As the coach of Valeri Liukin, Iarov’s best achievement is the Olympic Gold medal Liukin won on Horizontal Bar in Seoul in 1988. …

IAROV Edouard (CAN) BUTCHER Steve (USA)

Butcher is the Apparatus Supervisor this cycle for the Pommel Horse and serves as MTC Secretary. Like all committee members he also spends time lecturing at judges’ courses and serving as a FIG Technical Delegate at World Cup events. Apart from his functions at the FIG, Butcher sits at the head of the Pan American Union Men’s Technical Committee and oversees all major competitions between countries of the American continent, including the Pan American Games. With an impressive career as a coach, international judge and official at USA Gymnastics, Butcher is currently heading Gymnastics Operations at Premier Athletics, a Knoxville-based recreation and fitness company …

FIG – Men’s Artistic TC irons out details

This looks interesting.

GymSmarts has just released a 3 DVD set of progressions.

Yurchenko Progressions 2 Disk Set ($54.95)

Yurchenko Progressions Part 2 ($29.95)

Tony Retrosi, is the owner, Head Coach and Program director of Atlantic Gymnastics Centers.

Details on the GymSmarts home page.

China National Games Preliminary Team Competition.

16.90 start score
15.00 final score

Click PLAY or watch the routine on YouTube.

VIOLA ROADKILL has links to more video from the meet.

Another great video from Artistry Is Dead

91 Soviet Training – TRIPLE BACK off Uneven Bars

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

This small clip is taken from an AMAZING video of training in St. Petersberg, Russia. It was distributed by the U.S. Elite Coaches Association. (Leave a comment if you recall what USECA video #.)

Was it 1991?

I recall 1989.

Perhaps the best gymnastics journalist in the “regular” media is Lya Wodraska who writes for The Salt Lake City Tribune.

In advance of the annual Women’s NCAA Coaches meetings in Seattle this week, Lya speculates on possible changes to the rules.

… As he does every year, Utah coach Greg Marsden is pushing to change the format for the NCAA Championships. His ideal scenario is to do away with the 12-team format and take it to eight teams, which would eliminate the need for byes in the competitions and would take only around two hours to complete instead of 3-plus.

In addition, he’s also pushing for all the routines to count rather than dropping the low score as it is now. He’d also like to see all scores count for teams to qualify for regionals and do away with the tedious regional qualifying scoring system, which is an average of certain road and home scores.

“We need to simplify things and make it more understandable and exciting to the average sports fan,” …

read more – Gymnastics: Format changes could be in future

UPDATE: Interview with Greg Marsden by Anne Phillips of Gymnastike:

CHANGES

What types of things might we consider in order to simplify our rules and procedures in a way that would make our events more understandable and entertaining? Perhaps we could start by counting everything. … Then let’s create a competition format that allows everyone to always know who’s ahead and who’s behind. Let’s make our championship process look more like other sports and let’s create an event that would provide an opportunity for live television coverage.

1. Compete five (or six) routines per event and count all five (or six) scores.
• You may substitute at the end of your line-up if someone cannot finish her routine due to injury, but there will be a 0.5 deduction.
• Counting all routines would make everything much more meaningful, therefore more exciting and allow for more upsets.

2. Average all regular season meet scores to determine post-season qualification.
• Must include a minimum of five away meets
• The difference in ranking by RQS vs. season if minimal….

3. Create a 32-team Championships format.

Four NCAA regional sites:
• Eight teams and individuals will be assigned to each regional site.
• Two sessions on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., with four teams and individuals in each session.
• Winners of each session and highest ranking individuals not with a qualifying team move on to Semi-finals at NCAA Championships site.

NCAA Championships site:
• Semi-final sessions will be conducted on Friday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Top two teams from each session qualify to Finals
• Team finals will be conducted on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. – for live TV
• Event finals will be conducted on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

(via Inside Gymnastics on Facebook)

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The thing I dislike most about the College Women’s rules is how they judge Finals on Vault in Championships.

Qualify with one vault. Compete two in Finals.

That’s dangerous. Last year my post on the subject I called NCAA Gymnastics Vault Final – DUMB

The 2009 Vault Final was better. Safer. But the winner Ashleigh Clare-Kearney had not trained both vaults regularly during season. It was “throw and go” in the Final.

LSU Sports – Clare-Kearney Makes History with Two NCAA Titles

NCAA really needs to change how they evaluate Vault Finals.