Gymnastics Coaching.com

Every gymnastics coach has a slightly different theory on hand care. Here’s one I have never tried posted by James Bathurst:

If you’re doing a lot of gymnastics, weightlifting, grip training, or hand balancing (my 4 favorite hobbies) then calluses are an inevitability. They raise up and start to get pinched and can eventually rip off. This is a bit painful and a pain to deal with during training. Let me show you what to do to take care of things before you’re leaving quarter size chunks of skin on the gym floor. …

The supplies are simple, grab yourself something to scrap the calluses off. I use a butter knife (or other dull knife) …. I also have a bucket of warm water in which to soak my hands. …

After you’ve soaked your hands for a minute or two, take them out and lightly towel dry them. You’ll notice that your calluses are raised a bit and have turned white – indicating dead skin. …

… take the dull knife at a 90 degree angle to my hand and start scraping at the calluses. You know you’re doing it right when you see the dead skin coming up. This should NOT be painful. … read more on beastskills.com

The Luxor casino in Las Vegas is planning a new Cirque du Soleil production.

It’s confirmed this will be a Cirque magic show fronted by the amazing magician Criss Angel, who reportedly signed a 10-year deal.

Criss Angel appeals to a young demographic due to the phenomenal success of his TV show Mindfreak. The Criss Angel project will bring Cirque Nouveau (the new circus) to the attention of young people.

This can only be a good thing for acrobatic coaches.

Chriss Angel – official website

At first glance, this looks interesting.

But — after a few clicks — you get some weird results.

And why are they using the incorrect word “gymnastic” instead of gymnastics?

It seems no human being is involved. Each page on this site is assembled by software guessing what should go where.

Skip the “Introducing Gymnastic Topics” website. I won’t even link to it from this post. This kind of stuff clutters the internet.

My lungs are green from the many pit cleaning sessions I’ve endured.

At Taiso they clean the pit at least once a year, sometimes twice. What a mess!

Taiso Gymnastics

More photos of this gym cleaning – Warren Long

Tony Smith at University of Calgary finally disposed of his foam cube pit and replaced it with much cleaner covered pits. Good idea.

I understand they are more expensive to install, but possibly cheaper over the long term.

Coach Kurt shows quick reflexes slowing down a gymnast who slips from horizontal bar.

But this lad looks like he is competing skills he cannot yet do well.

Click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.

Catching athletes after a real “ping” (slipping at the bottom of the swing) from bar or rings is nearly impossible. This gymnast lost his grip on the upswing.

James Bathurst hosts an interesting website called BeastSkills.com devoted to his personal strength training.

I wanted to share what I’ve learned and help those with similar interests in strength. I called it “Beast Skills” because the page deals with those skills which seem impossible, or “beastly” — one arm chin-ups, handstand pushups, planches, etc.

Here’s a sample: learning “the Flag”.

For those who assume skimboarding only involves skimming on a board.

Photo Today : Vertical Splash Skimboarding- Morgan Just – Adventure blog

Is Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan the most impressive gymnast of all time?

I think so.

At age 31, she is the only female four-time Olympic gymnast. She’s won medals at major competitions from 1991 through to a Bronze on Vault at Worlds 2006.

She’s competed for the Unified Soviet team, Uzbekistan and Germany.

The 31-year-old Chusovitina has lived and trained in Cologne for the past several years. She applied for citizenship in the spring of 2006 and was approved in time for Worlds.

Chusovitina to Compete for Germany – International Gymnast

What a career! So far …

“I am strong and I could possibly compete in London Olympics,” Chusovitina said jokingly. “I think the young gymnasts should be afraid of me. I got a family and has a seven-year-old son and I have everything now.”

quoted in China View

For those who want to fly, Steven Santos posts answers to frequently asked questions on SimplyCircus.com.

This is a superb resource for those wanting to know more about aerial acts: Russian Swing, Silks, Trapeze, Cloud Swing, etc.

It’s part of a bigger project under development, the Simply Circus wiki.

Certainly the more widely distributed this information, the better.

Suspending people in mid-air is inherently dangerous. Damage to persons and property, including death, can result. This FAQ is an attempt to share knowledge and experience and to promote safety. But do not rely on anything you read here without verifying its accuracy and applicability to what you are doing.

The last section — Finding videos on the internet — is particularly useful.

CLICK PLAY to see a lovely Aerial Contortion in Silk performance by Cirque du Soleil Quidam’s Isabelle Chassé — or watch the video on YouTube.

I’ve seen video (Kaspars Garda aka TopEvil) of cyclists trying to learn back flip on dirt by the throw-and-go method.

That’s just stupidity.

Set up a jump into water. Or learn it at a camp with a foam pit.

Forward and backward flips on a bike are not that difficult if you have the right bike, protective gear, a trampoline coach and a safe environment in case of mistakes.

Check out a guy learning a no handed front correctly — into a foam pit at Woodward West Action Sport camp. He has enough speed and confidence to go for good height.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

more posts on Woodward West in California

Thanks George.