GYM People you might know

Teeruch Popanich of Thailand was one of the most interesting Gymnast of Stuttgart. In Stuttgart he was brilliant in Optional Exercises with 55.20 out of 60.00 points. He was the first gymnast from Thailand to compete at the World Championships. He now lived in Hua Mark, Bangkok, Thailand near the Gymnasium.

Valentin Mogilny of the Soviet performed a long routine on the Pommel Horse in Stuttgart. How long was it ? In the event finals he made 74 hand support changes. The average gymnasts performed aroud 50.

Splendid Splits

Nothing is quiet spectacular as a gymnast with perfect splits. (eg. both sides and Japanese splits )

That straight line from toe to toe can make an ordinary front walkover look spectacular. As with all aspects of flexibility, not everyone is going to achieve a full 180 degrees, no matter how hard they try.

Following are some stretches to try before and after each workout. Hold all of the positions for 60 seconds and no bouncing. Be sure not to neglect your “second best side.”

1. Stretch over your straight front leg, trying to get your chest not your head to your thigh.
2. Deep lunge with hands on floor, front leg bent at 90 degrees with foot flat.
3. From position (2) balance on back knee and pull your foot to your tummy.(left hand pulling right foot)
4. Once down on your split, stretch. a) Directly over front leg. b) To the outside of front leg. c) To the inside (pancake ) Position d) can be combined with stretch pulling up your back foot as number 3.
5. Want a challenging stretch place your front foot on a mat or Floor Beam.

Just go slowly, be patience and good luck.

HOLLOW EXERCISES

I was once taken by Prof.Evgeni Rozin to the Olympisky Sports Complex in Moscow, where I met coaches Nokolai Epicin, Anatoly Zaburkin ( head coach ) and Nadia training the young boys.

Nikolai worked the group on some hollow exercises ( dish or banana ) forward, backward and sidewards. Looks like they were doing conditioning. But as the week unfolded, these hollow drills, with variations, kept popping up on every event for every skill. Our kids might not realize it the importance of hollow exercises Nikolai and Nadia were teaching then as an essential part of gymnastics; bodyline, and control of each position. Without it they would be lost.

Nikolai claimed that he reduced most gymnastics skills to these hollow drills and after a while it all make sense. Everything from pommel horse circles, to full twisting lay-outs involved one or several of these hollow positions ( forward, sideward or backward ). And if you mastered the drills, the skills would come naturally.

Do some log rolls then !

WHAT IS ARTISTRY in Gymnastics ?

Article 5.4 in the Code of Points for Women’s Artistic Gymnastics

E- Score 10.00 points (Performance)
For perfection of execution, combination and artistry of presentation, the
gymnast may earn a score of 10.00 Points.

The E- Score includes deductions for faults in:
– Execution
– Artistry of presentation

Let me ask you, “ Just what is artistry ?” How do we Judge it ?
According to the dictionary Art is the ‘activity of creating beautiful things’. But art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Well, here are a few ideas to help the beholders !

The new Code of Points describe artistry of presentation as showing three qualities; projection of
personal style, focus, and expression ; femininity, beauty, and elegance; entertainment value.
I would like to use the following phrase to describe artistry; movements appear effortless; movements are expressive; head, arm, and hand gestures are completed at the end of movements; the gymnasts performs without seeming embarrassed by the movement; the performance is stylish; it’s slow and beautiful when it’s supposed to be slow; it’s light and airy when that is the mood being portrayed; it’s quick and cute when that is the image being projected.

One way to train your eye to recognize artistic movements is to observe art in action. Education/arts channels from public television in most locations broadcast professional dance and theatre productions. Notice the way these professional express themselves in movement, use gesture to accent a movement, complete every move, and extend their lines. Contrast what you see from professionals with what you see when you judge. While a few gymnasts achieve professional dance levels, comparisons with professional dancers will help to train your eye for artistic performance. I was surprised to watch a dance performance on television and saw a beam routine performed by a dancer! The movements were precise, appeared effortless, unquestionably recognizable, flowing, and elegant. Watchig this sequence performed so superbly helped me to see the art and the artistry.

Artistry deductions in gymnastics are helpful in distinguishing performances among athletes. As Judges, we need to train our eye to recognize and reward artistic performance. Take some time to watch dance performances on television, attend live professional dance performances, or sit in on dance and theatre rehearsals in your community and, most importantly, BEHOLD!

Heal the Past,
Live the Present
Dream the Future.

WHY COACH GYMNASTICS

After over 35 years as a career coach, I still ask that question. There are jobs that pay much better. A lot of volunteer time is expected.
So why coach?

Gymnastics is the most beneficial physical activity. Gymnasts are the most fit athletes. Gymnastics is never boring. I love being part of the best sport.
We must also ask why kids do gymnastics?

Surveys of gymnasts & parents result in lists like this:

Have FUN
Improve Skills
Friendships
Be GOOD at something
For EXCITEMENT
For FITNESS
To be part of the CLUB
For CHALLENGE
To LEARN new skills
To WIN

How can we best provide an experience to fulfill those goals? My philosophy I appropriated from Keith Russell, a principle author of the Canadian coaching manuals:
Fun
Fitness
Fundamentals
This is the checklist by which I plan practices;
Is it fun? Will fitness improve?
Are basic skills reinforced?
Fun is a great goal as it is one that EVERYONE in the gym can achieve.
So what is fun in the gym?
contests
games
variety in skills and drills
activities where the kids work together (e.g. relays) depending on one another
etc.
How do we improve fitness? It is easy. No other activity improves fitness as quickly and effortlessly as gymnastics. We only run into problems if the strength drills are too easy (no training effect) or too repetitive (the body adapts after 3-4 weeks and improvement slows).
The main principle for coaches is the overload principle. Training plans must progressively and insistently require more and more of the athlete, physically and technically.
If the kids are having fun in the gym, they (normally) wil be more motivated for conditioning. If they are motivated for conditioning, the skills come more easily. If the basics are sound, competitive performance will improve.
Any additions to, or questions on, my philosophy?I would appreciate feedback
By the way, my philosophy is the same for recreational once-a-week gymnasts as it is for high performance athletes. I observe, however, additional positive qualities of competitive gymnasts, including:
high social status
middle or high level socio-economic class
organized in their life- style
more socially adjusted
superior leadership qualities
emotionally controlled
self-confident yet humble
courageous
normal or slightly above normal academic achievement
tough-minded

“Trying to make a top gymnast out of a child with limited physical ability is like trying to play a sonata on a piano with only five keys.”
- John Atkinson, Great Britain

The primary objectives of the sport of Gymnastics is not to contest the ability of those fundamental elements in terms of time, distance and resistance, but to test your command of the total body in terms of artistic value.

Talent Opportunity Program (TOP)

United States of America Gymnastics’ Talent Opportunity Program (or TOPs) is still going strong. Fifty-four athletes participated in the three-day National TOPs Team Camp at the Women’s National Team Training Center, held at the Karolyi Ranch in Huntsville, Texas, Dec. 1-5. An additional 58 athletes participated in the TOPs B Camp, Dec. 5-9.

For the first time in the program’s history, 8-year-old gymnasts participated in the training camps with tremendous success. The athletes were instructed in all four Olympic events and dance by the National Team Developmental Coaching staff. Lectures were also given by the staff to the coaches on training techniques.

TOPs is a talent search and educational program for female gymnasts ages 7-11 and their coaches. During the months of June and July, 2,800 gymnasts ages 7-11 were evaluated on physical abilities at the state level. From there, the best 280 gymnasts 8-11 year old athletes were invited to participate in the National TOPs Testing in October, where they were evaluated on the same physical abilities tests and basic gymnastics skills. From National TOPs Testing, 54 athletes were named to the TOPs National Team and invited to participate in the National TOPs Training Camp in December.

The training camps were, without a doubt, the most productive camps in their 19 years of existence and the inclusion of the 8-year-old athletes was a tremendous success.

Asian Gymnastics Camp - India

Mr. Sanjay Sabnis, Assistant Director & In charge, Balewadi Sports Complex as guest of honour, Mr. Kan Singh Rathore, General Secretary GFI, Mr. Zambri Abidin AGU Expert and Mr. M. Chemburkar Secretary MAGA were present at the closing ceremony on 11th December 2010. Mr. Kan Singh welcomed all the guests and participants and appreciated the support provided during the camps by Director Sports & Youth Services. He also said that the credit goes to Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune for the India’s historic medals in gymnastics at CWG and Asian Games 2010. Coaches from Sri Lanka & India also shared their experiences gathered during this training camp