Gymnastics Coaching.com

Acrobatically, skateboard is limited. They can’t flip, for example.

Or can they?

See the video for yourself.

Way skates out of gainer back flip on DannyWay.com

Fast computer and high speed internet needed.

If you have a fast computer and a faster internet connection, check out high.tv

The best source of extreme sport on the internet.

High.tv is close to what I am waiting for. Dedicated TV stations online: The Gymnastics Channel, The Trampoline Channel, etc.

Unfortunately, high.tv is slow and choppy on my computer.

Former World Champion Shannon Miller has her own show on CN8, the Comcast Network that airs only in Northeastern markets including New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston, reaching a total of 7.1 million cable homes on the east coast.

GYMNASTICS USA WITH SHANNON MILLER – Inside Gymnastics

Shannon is the most decorated American gymnast, male or female, in history. She’s done it all.

I wish I could see her show but it is not yet streamed on the internet

American-Gymnast.com posted a good video article on the round-off for tumbling.

The emphasis is on the “scoop” (flight phase off the hands) over-rotating to a soft mat.

To see the video yourself you would need to join American-Gymnast.com (free membership for now) and click on the TRAINING TIPS link.

Practice Like a Girl, Compete Like a Boy: Training the Total Athlete
By Kathleen J. DeBoer

“I’d rather coach women in practice settings any day, but if we are talking about coaching in competition, I’d prefer coaching men.” I have heard this statement or a variation of it from many coaches who have worked with both female and male teams in a wide variety of sports. This pattern in preferences for different genders in different situations, while not universal, is certainly common enough that it cannot be attributed to isolated coaching idiosyncrasies.

Full article on USOlympicTeam.com

Seems every gymnastics club I visit lately has athletes training Capoera (Capoeira).

Kyle Shewfelt, Olympic Floor champion 2004, considered adding Capoeira elements to his routine.

Dozens of video games, TV commercials and films include Capoeira movements.

So what is Capoeira?

It’s a Brazilian martial art developed initially by African slaves. It’s interesting to coaches because it includes extreme acrobatic elements too difficult for gymnasts! One arm handstand spins, for example.

Good Capoeristas often also breakdance & take their acrobatics to the street.

There are plenty of video clips tagged with Capoera on YouTube.

Photo from Capoeira.com

It was a lifelong goal of mine to attend a Woodward Camp. I finally got there in 2005.

There are actually 3 Woodward Camps:

Lake Owen, Wisconsin

Woodward West, California

Woodward, Pennsylvania

I chose Woodward West because many Canadian coaches and gymnasts had raved about that facility and location. It is beautiful. Markos Baikos, in fact, insisted I go.

Woodward West is a huge camp, half boys, half girls. They offer gymnastics and cheer, as well as some trampoline, tumbling and acrosport.

The Action Sports offered: BMX, skateboard and in-line skating.

Woodward thinks BIG. Their goal for every athlete: Have the best week of your life!

Details on the Woodward website

Last summer I spent 3 weeks being WOWED by Charlie Tamayo, 2001 World Championships medallist for Cuba now living in the States. We were both coaching at Woodward West Gymnastics Camp in California.

charlie tamayo on Vimeo

Don Eckert, the Elite coach at Woodward, posted this clip. Don has one of the most astonishing video collections of unique skills anywhere!

Inside Gymnastics magazine posts video clips from training and competition and interviews with popular gymnasts.

We need more gymnastics video sites on the net.

IGTV on Inside Gymnastics magazine

Best is to download (right click) the video to your own computer. Then play it. Streaming video is problematic.

American-Gymnast.com: What type of adjustments have you made in your training in order to stay competitive at the age of 25?

Mohini Bhardwaj: Cross training was one way. I did weights, yoga classes, and cardio. I focused on different ways of exercising as opposed to spending all of my time in the gym. That also kept me from getting bored. It was so much easier when I had variety. If you spend your whole life in the gym, it’s nice to have some variety. During training, I spend a lot less time in the gym. I was more focused on being efficient instead of getting a lot of numbers in. I would listen to my body and not do things unless I felt prepared. I tumbled more into the pit instead of on the floor, taking softer landings. When you get older …

To read the rest of the interview, you would need to join American-Gymnast.com (free membership for now) and click on the TRAINING TIPS link.