Gymnastics Coaching.com

I’ve got to try this.

http://www.liveleak.com/e/b12_1214215739

Liveleak.

George pointed me to this gem:

… history of artistic gymnastics from 1956 to 1996. It’s in French.

Posted on YouTube in 16 parts, the first is the 1956 Olympics, Melbourne (Australia).

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gymnasts: Takashi Ono JPN, Viktor Chukarin URS; Ágnes Keleti HUN, Larissa Latynina URS

If you enjoy it, the links are on YouTube for the following 15 episodes.

I first heard that high altitude mountain climbers were using Viagra to prevent frostbite.

Now other athletes are using it?

It seems that athletes and coaches are always one step ahead of the drug testing authorities. Athletes have discovered that Viagra might do more than just enhance bedroom performances.

The drug not only increases blood flow to that important part of the body, but also the lungs. WADA is still conducting tests on whether Viagra, or ‘Vitamin V’ as it is known to athletes, enhances performance on the sporting field.

The results of WADA’s research will not be known until next year, so athletes in theory should be able to use the drug without repercussion at the Beijing Olympics.

Beijing Olympics blog

Beijing-bound rhythmic gymnast Alexandra Orlando knows a thing or two about falling down and picking herself back up.

The 21-year-old … missed the qualifying mark in 2004 by a tenth of a point.

Disheartened by not making the cut that year, she considered giving up on her Olympic dream.

…

“It was a huge blow to my confidence,” she recalled … “I definitely toyed with the idea, but I loved it too much to finish on such a low like that.”

She bounced back with fervour and secured a berth, this time with a personal best ninth-place performance at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in September.

Inside Toronto

I’ve seen Alexandra perform live only once. She’s exotic and confident. You can’t take yours eyes off her.

CLICK PLAY or watch her at World’s 2007 on YouTube.

Related: A Message from Alex Orlando – EliteRG.com

There is a kind of journalist paid to stir up controversy.

This guy must be one of those. No one truly this stupid could be published in a legitimate newspaper.

He calls gymnast “pygmies” and “victims of child abuse”:

“… Nothing speaks to misguided and dreadful parenting like a U.S. Olympic-hopeful gymnast.

I would have no problem pressing charges against any parent who does not allow their kid to be a kid, the world a far better place without so many gymnasts and figure skaters. …

On victory parades and child Olympians by T.J. Simers – L.A. Times”

Newspapers are dying. Using this kind of over-the-top commentary to try to bolster readership is a sign the end is coming.

Is this journalist just some wacko?

No, T.J. Simers was named 2000 California Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, he has been with The Times since 1990.

If you don’t like his article, boycott the L.A. Times.

I am.

Update: I emailed Mr. Simers with our concerns over his junk journalism.

(via GymGemz)

Though he died at age-21 in April — (I’ve still not heard the cause.) — popular and influential gymnastics video editor Aleksas still has a live site on the world wide web.

Aleksas.com

Rest in peace.

Romania, the defending Olympic team champion, will be represented in Beijing by:

Sandra Izbasa
Steliana Nistor
Ana-Maria Tămârjan
Gabriela Dragoi
Andreea Acatrinei
Andreea Grigore

(via difficulty plus execution)

UPDATE:

These six girls plus Daniela Druncea are the only “healthy” Romanians currently training; hence they are the Olympic team. “Healthy” is quite stretch when you consider that most of these girls are sort of walking wounded right now.

Given the precarious state of health for these girls, Cerasela Pătraşcu might still have a chance to be on that team, but no one wants to rush her after her knee injuries at Europeans. Most agree that she can score higher on UB than Tămârjan, Grigore and Dragoi, and Tămârjan is injured at the moment. If Tămârjan somehow doesn’t heal up in time, Romania should have the option of putting Pătraşcu on the team.

Otherwise, they would have to use Grigore on bars in TF along with Dragoi and Nistor, which may be undesirable as she sets the team back several tenths.

From Bernardo of Gymblog Brasil:

The Brazilian Team for Beijing:

Jade Barbosa
Daiane dos Santos
Daniele Hypolito
Lais Souza
Ana Claudia Silva
Ethiene Franco
Juliana Santos

The Chinese men are unbeatable. No other nation is seriously “in it to win it”.

But can the Chinese women’s gymnastics team be beaten?

Here are the start scores as estimated by Gymnast.com:

… Were you as surprised as I was that China ended up over 2 points ahead? Actually, if they put Sui Lu on the team they would gain even a couple more tenths on floor, but I’m not sure she’s quite shown the consistency to make this Olympic team so I put in Xiao Sha for that last spot instead. What does this all mean? I would say it means that despite how awesome the USA looks, China STILL has a huge advantage if they hit. …

read the rationale: Andrew Thornton – Reality check for the Women’s Team – Gymnast.com

Note that scores for both teams have been grossly inflated in some competitions.

Personally I believe China has very little chance of winning.

Why?

The Americans can easily handle the pressure. I’ve not one shred of evidence, aside from Cheng Fei, that the little girls of China can.

In 3-up, 3-down team finals the USA will have zero falls. China will have two or three falls, as well as more deductions in the B-score.

Related post: Reality Check – USA vs China Men

Beginners should do many drills for straight elbows while learning Yurchenko vaults.

But at the highest level we often see this:

(AP Photo/Rob Carr) – ESPN

Samantha Peszek, U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials 2008, in Philadelphia.

Technical error? Form deduction?

Of course not. The gymnast should bend the elbows if they can generate more force on the push than they lose while absorbing the impact. The more powerful the vaulter, the more likely they are to bend the elbows.

Long ago at a coaching course I stated, “All vaulters bend their elbows on Yurchenko.”

My buddy, coach Dan Niehaus, proved me wrong, bringing in video clips of a number of strong vaulters who do not.