Gymnastics Coaching.com

Some cute special effects on a video of regular training at Premier Gymnastics Club in Toronto, Canada.

Kids will like this one.

Click PLAY or watch the clip on YouTube.

When I was a kid we did dozens of displays every year. Football games, shopping malls, anywhere that would let us set up equipment.

I loved them. Especially the tramp and mini-tramp shows.

Later, as a coach, I began to tire of transporting the equipment. Bemoan the wear and tear on the equipment. Finally — I decided to exit the world of gymnastics displays.

We still sent club kids to demo. But usually the precompetitive “cute” kids with young coaches and simple, safe equipment.

In 2006 I feel that gymnastics displays are not the best way to build membership. “Bring a Friend Day” works better.

But if you do choose to do displays, at least do something original.

Setting up a Tumbl Trak makes for a brilliant show. Safety straps on a horizontal bar even better.

former World Championships competitor Rhett Stinson

Taiso Gymnastics in Saskatoon, Canada even set up rings in a public park.

Somebody has to fix the sign atop the ring tower.

More photos of this 2002 gymnastics display – Warren Long

After months of consideration, the fitness club at Altadore Gymnastics has custom ordered a Powertrack from Dave Ross at Rebound Products in Toronto.

I was personally convinced after testing a Powertrack at Cirque du Soleil in Montreal.

This is by far the most expensive tumbling trampoline we could find — C$15,000 including shipping for 40ft — but I’m convinced it is worth the big bucks.

Dave Ross is the leader in trampoline design these days, recognized around the world.

Though Rebound Products is expanding their production facilities, we don’t expect to receive our Powertrack until January. Build-to-order equipment takes time.

I was cheering Beth Tweddle at Worlds.

She is a HUGE star in the UK, nominated for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year … in a meagre year. Good luck!

Here’s an excellent interview where Beth talks boyfriends, Uni, travel, training 36-hrs-a week and her history of ankle injury.

Tweddle reveals the scars that made her a world beater – Guardian

BethTweddle.com

Another baby step towards quality gymnastics TV.

Unfortunately BGtv has a lot of problems!

Internet TV company Narrowstep has launched a broadband channel for the British Gymnastics Association, called British Gymnastics TV.

http://www.bgtv.biz will provide live coverage of major gymnastic events starting with the Men’s British Masters this week, with further live broadcasts planned on November 11 and 25.

Alan Sommerville, chief executive officer of the British Gymnastics Association, said: “British Gymnastics is extremely excited with this new initiative, where BGtv is to become the central plank of our corporate communications policy, to deliver information, news, reviews, interviews and cover domestic and international events wherever we can secure rights.”

Narrowstep already runs a number of specialist sports channels including Sail TV, Martial Arts TV, Cycling TV, and Field Hockey TV, in addition to non-sports channels ITV Local and London TV. To launch the channel, Narrowstep worked with Sportsgate, which helps with and provides technology services to sporting bodies to help them harness new technologies.

Digital Spy – Broadcasting – Narrowstep launches ‘Gymnastics Channel’

Sounds good. …

Unfortunately the interface is ugly. The TV monitor is a pop-up window, blocked by most modern browsers. And video won’t stream on my modern computer with high speed connection.

BGtv posts a Viewing Problems page.

Give Bgtv a try. But it seems to me they need to completely redesign the website.

UPDATE: Marie commented that the streaming works well for her. Perhaps it is a problem with my own computer.

Yet another excellent article by Christopher Sommer on the DragonDoor website.

Click thumbnail photo for larger image.

This post details the correct stages of development of leg raises, also called hanging leg lifts.

For gymnastics coaches, this strength development is essential, especially helpful for beginners learning “kip”.

I’ve had good success spotting hanging L-sit, hanging V-sit, as well as leg raises. (Ensure the knees stay straight throughout.) Progress can come astonishingly quickly for some kids.

… see Chris’ full article with excellent photo illustrations

Christopher Sommer is the men’s head coach at the Dessert Devil Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Mesa, Arizona and has one of the premiere men’s gymnastics programs in the United States. He’s also been training female gymnasts, Navy SEALS, Air Force Para Rescue, undercover DEA, Hostage Rescue and FBI among others.

I thought I’d seen everything there was to be done on and off a trampoline.

Here Adam Menzies from BC, Canada shows some variations I’d never seen.

Click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.

outdated Bio

Gymnastics: Menzies to join legendary Cirque du Soleil – Advance News

What’s Adam doing right now? The GetOudoors blog says: Adam Menzies Should Have Been A Snowboarder

UPDATE: Brandon’s coach Liang Cheng was awarded the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award. Congratulations.

UPDATE: Brandon finished an impressive 3rd behind Dragulescu and Jotchev in a four apparatus one-day competition.

Brandon took the silver on Floor at the last World Championships. But this judge ranked him #1 — after a couple of video reviews.

He is one of the cleanest, most artistic working today. Nice to see him featured on the Canadian supplement of International Gymnast magazine. Thanks George, for sending it to me.

Brandon O’Neill Gymnastics Canada profile

UPDATE: Riders and Skiers Weigh In On Icer Air Safety Issues

How do they get insurance for these big snow ramps?

The ski ramp itself was pretty impressive, about 160 feet high with the approach ramp starting at the scoreboard. Pretty hairy landing, one mistake sending you into the side of the ramp over wood steps into a barrier. Whoever put up the jump wasn’t thinking much about safety. Though I didn’t see any bad crashes, one of the women evidently crashed hard into the wooden steps and another fell before the kicker lip into a net, causing the women’s competition to be cancelled. The men’s competition was also hampered by the bad conditions of the snow (think skiing on a slurpee) melting under the hot sun. It was hard to get enough speed to pull off anything huge, but they did a good job with what they had. Regardless, for $10 this was a great show.

Get Outdoors – Icer Air 2006 Results – Getoutdoors.com Outdoor Blog

The 2006 Women’s Individual World Champion in Aerobic Gymnastics is Marcela Lopez of Brazil.

I am always blown away by this sport. The extreme fitness and high energy is impressive. And what is about Brazil that they develop so many high level acrobatic athletes?

competition photos – Volker Minkus, FIG

Click PLAY to see Marcela’s routine in finals or watch it on YouTube.

Interview with Marcela Lopez (ML) who trains about 25hrs / week:

IAF HQ: Tell us about your exercise history …

ML: “I have always practiced many sports, for example: from age four to seven years old, I was part of a group called COD (a groups of sport orientation) where I basically initiated my “sportive” life.

I learned a little about everything related to sports. From age seven to 10, I practiced classical ballet , jazz dance, and rhythmic gymnastics (GR), in addition to the sports played in school like volleyball and handball.

Since the age of 10, I found myself in aerobics. It was then that I quit rhythmic gymnastics; however, I continued with ballet and with jazz dance. At age 14, I stopped jazz and graduated from ballet. I stopped ballet at age 15, but I today I continue dancing in shows and presentations.

I later I got into “Capoeira”, a sport that I practise until today along with the sportaerobics.”

read the full interview – IAF Sport Aerobics