Gymnastics Coaching.com

Rick McCharles to Australia

The editor of this blog, Rick McCharles, will be a guest presenter at the Australian National Gymnastics Congress, then tour the country addressing specific topics of interest for each State.

I am booked Jan. 7-29, 2007.

The Australian gymnastics model I’ve admired since touring down under 13-years-ago.

Report – Gymnastics in Australia 1993

When I coached in New Zealand 2002-03 we used the Australian competitive structure. I found it far superior to the Canadian system.

The Aussies love sport and gymnastics. I’m looking forward to the adventure.

Gymnastics Australia

girls in the weight room?

I’ve always recommended female athletes get into the weight room. It is even more beneficial than for the boys!

COACHING THE FEMALE ATHLETE â€“ SPECIFICALLY IN THE WEIGHT ROOM
By Meg Stone, East Tennessee State University

Conclusion

… there should be few differences in the weight programs for women compared to men. Individual differences are more determined by sport specific training than gender.

… it may be necessary to conduct more upper body strength work with the female athlete. Variation does play a key part in the continued improvement of the female athlete.

Full article on USOlympicTeam.com

video – gymnastics by Orla

Don Eckert from Woodward linked to this unusual clip.

gymnastics on Vimeo

What’s so great about gymnastics?

A good article detailing why children should do gymnastics.

The author, journalist Nancy Thies Marshall was a 1972 Olympian for the USA, and is the manager of the USA Gymnastics Athlete Wellness Program 2006.

Photo is an old favourite of mine. Can-Am Gym Club from the late ’90s.

book – Biomechanics of Women’s Gymnastics

This classic book is still valuable today. Superb illustrations. The best description of artistry and technique available. Look for a copy in the library.

Biomechanics of Women’s Gymnastics, G. S. George, 1980. (Or is it 1979?)

I recall when it was first published I bought 10 copies to distribute to coaches in the gym!

It was that ground breaking at the time.

Cirque du Soleil signs Elvis

When the Beatles-inspired LOVE opens in a few days, Cirque will have 13 shows worldwide, five of them based in Las Vegas.

Insiders have told me that LOVE is fantastic. It will be a huge hit.

Just announced are 10 or more Elvis-themed Cirque touring and permanent productions around the world between 2008 & 2021.

CBC Arts: Cirque du Soleil all shook up over Elvis deal

The Cirque will need a lot of acrobatic performers in the coming years!

Everybody loves Elvis.

nutrition for the female athlete

SPECIFIC NUTRITIONAL NEEDS FOR FEMALE ATHLETES
By Dawn Weatherax, R.D.

Coaches Tips:

Team up with a Dietitian that specializes in sports nutrition to promote healthy eating for performance.

Have monthly presentations on nutrition related topics.

Promote a healthy (training) environment and avoid continuously putting emphasis on weight and performance, especially if you coach a sport that appearance is half the score. This could backfire and escalate disordered eating issues and increase injury rates.

Any athletes with special nutritional needs must see the Sports Nutritionist. This allows the Coach to be a Coach.

Must work as a team and have the same (team nutrition) philosophy.

Promote 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetable servings a day (At least 3-5 servings of vegetables).

Limit the freebies to one a day.

Take a pharmaceutical grade calcium supplement starting around age 12 (Consult Dietitian for earlier ages). Recommend four tablets per day that provides 800 mg/d elemental calcium (as calcium citrate and carbonate), 400mg/d elemental magnesium (as magnesium citrate and oxide), 400 IU/d vitamin D3, boron and silicon, (two additional minerals thought to be essential for bone health, in trace amounts) 1.33 mg/d and 9 mg/d respectively.

Take a pharmaceutical grade multivitamin/mineral supplement specific to age.

Full article on USOlympicTeam.com