Gymnastics Coaching.com

There has been a long history of zany architecture associated with Olympic Games. The tower in Montreal (1976) was never used though — at one point — there were plans to put a gymnastics club on one level.

The “bird’s nest” is no exception.

Sports stadiums have long followed the enduring design of one of the original wonders of the world, Rome ‘s Coliseum. Herzog & de Meuron’s National Stadium in Beijing is an attempt to rethink the classic sports-arena layout for more ecologically correct times.

The Swiss architects (of Tate Modern fame) wanted to provide natural ventilation for the 91,000-seat structure — perhaps the largest “eco-friendly” sports stadium designed to date. To achieve this, they set out to create a building that could function without a strictly enclosed shell, yet also provide constant shelter for the audience and athletes alike.

To solve these design problems, they looked to nature for inspiration. The stadium’s outer grid resembles a bird’s nest constructed of delicately placed branches and twigs. Each discrete space within the facility, from restrooms to restaurants, is constructed as an independent unit within the outer lattice — making it possible to encase the entire complex with an open grid that allows for natural air circulation. The architects also incorporated a layer of translucent membrane to fill any gaps in the lacy exterior.

See images of this and other modern Chinese architectural projects: 10 Wonders of the New China – Stupid Random and Hilarious

BBC NEWS | In Pictures | Olympic preparations in China

You may recognize the logo from my OLD gymnastics site (www.i-needtoknow.com/gymnastics/) which lists resources (websites, blogs, articles, people, etc.) for coaches.

The old site is very Web 1.0 (difficult to update, no interactivity, problematic).

I will keep it live on the internet as it is very popular, but likely put it in maintenance mode. Not adding much in future. GymnasticsCoaching.com is the place to go for new content.

I will be copying the best resources from that site here.

GYMmedia posts results from the most important international competitions since Worlds in Anaheim in 2003 including recent World Cup meets.

Nice article on Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs — the first Canadian female gymnast to bring home a medal from the World Championships.

She’s a superb student, averaging about 92 per cent at Northview Heights Secondary School while winning annual academic awards. She has a preference for biology, her favourite TV show is House, and right now she’s contemplating a future as a chiropractor or physiotherapist, though as she points out that changes often. She’s already agreed to a five-year scholarship at UCLA, which has been deferred until after the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

TheStar.com – Beam there, done that

The first medal at World’s for any nation does shatter a psychological barrier. Look at Brazil. At Greece. The first medal can lead to more.

Gymnasts in those countries now believe they can podium at the highest level.

I’ve been studying the fast-twitch wushu artists as they perform in Cirque du Soleil’s Ka.

With an estimated 60-80 million participants in China, it’s a shame wushu was not accepted.

Lu Jinming felt like he had been kicked in the guts when he heard that martial art wushu would not be a demonstration sport at the Beijing 2008 Games.

“We are still very hopeful of it becoming an Olympic item,” Lu sighed, as he studied 10-year-olds brandishing swords and launching flying kicks metres away from him.

“But unfortunately the decision is out of our hands.”

As a senior coach at Beijing’s prestigious Shichahai Sports School, Lu has championed wushu — both a contact and exhibition sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts — for decades and watched graduates mount podiums from regional championships right up to the Asian Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), however, loath to endorse more than 28 sports at the Summer Games after years of expansion, have slammed the door shut on wushu for Beijing.

An international wushu tournament is scheduled for 2008 but it will lack the demonstration status that Korean martial art taekwondo enjoyed at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics on its way to becoming a full sport at the Sydney 2000 Games.

Olympic dream still kicking at school of hard knocks – Guardian

photo of artists in Ka – the most expensive live show in modern history – Review Journal

Last time I took Canadian boys to a U.S. competition I was reminded of the biggest problem with the American development program — they push young boys on to the F.I.G. pommel horse too soon.

Forcing kids who cannot do excellent circles to do routines on the Olympic horse ruins technique. At that meet — Peter Vidmar 2004 (photos) — every coach I spoke with agreed. As did the judge on pommels.

I know because I forced the issue by taking the pommels off the horse. The Canadian boys looked great — but scored 0.0 — as we had been informed in advance.

We learned from the Chinese in the 1970s to delay the start of high pommel training for as long as possible. When will the USA catch up?

Also, I’m concerned about injuries on pommel horse. The falls are much more dangerous than they look. If I have extra mats, I use them on pommels.

photo – 16-year-old Ivan Bulyha

Gymnastics is a youth sport. We know athletes can get fantastically good at a young age.

That’s not the norm in most other sports.

But check-out this kid from the Czech republic. Adam Ondra, now age 13, some rank as high as 3rd as a SENIOR. His background is recreational gymnastics.

Does it exist any other sport where an 11-year-old can be part of the world’s Top-10 list? Probably, the closest you get is gymnastics . …

Adam Ondra – 8a.nu

(via Geared Up Blog)

An article from Roger Harrell, editor of DrillsAndSkills.com lists the benefits of gymnastics as a fitness activity for adults.

But there is a downside:

A few points that must be considered when starting gymnastics as an adult. First is that it is difficult. Adults have few if any advantages over a five year old child starting this sport, and many disadvantages. Adults will start out with basic skills, and must be patient in learning new skills. One of the biggest hindrances I’ve seen in coaching adult gymnastics is that many adults are embarrassed watching 9 year old kids that are significantly better than them at the sport. …. read more

(via Altadore Weightlifting and Fitness Club)

I’m excited for my friends from Island Gymnastics Academy in Maritime Canada who depart for Japan today. That’s half way around the world, almost 24hrs of travel.

P.E.I. gymnasts are off to Japan next week to compete and tour the country.

Visiting Japan is a trip of a lifetime for most people, but for 14 members of Island Gymnastics Academy it’s got an extra bit of spice.

Over nine days starting next week, eight boys and six girls from the 2007 Canada Winter Games training team, who work out at the Charlottetown club, compete in the world-class Moonsaulto meet in Sakata City, Japan (Nov. 24-25), train at the gym of Japanese gymnast Mitsuo Tsukahara (winner of five Olympic gold medals) and soak up the culture thanks to three days of billeting with Japanese families. …

For 16-year-old Alice Ma, it’s a chance to scope out some of the athletes before the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon, in February.

“I’m actually really excited. The girls will have a chance to see what we’re competing against at Canada Games,” said Ma at a recent practice.

The Guardian: Sports | Trip of a lifetime

I remember my first big trip: Germany, when I was age 16.

Sports travel is one of the best aspects of sport.

For me training camps are often even better than competitions. For years we took teams to United States Olympic Training Center and UCLA simply for training. Those were excellent, motivating trips. Coaches that have been to Tsukahara’s meet tell me it is one of the best trips available anywhere.

PEI gymnasts

The first montage put together by Gymlover (from Belgium) on YouTube is very well edited. Women’s Elite gymnastics.

It includes Produnova’s (oops) Podkopayeva’s double front half on Floor and the wonderful counter-tumbling line finishing with 1 1/2 twisting dive roll shown by 1985 World co-Champion Omelianchik.

Click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.

(Thanks George.)