The new trend of Gymnastics today - the rise of difficulty over artistry and the emergence of young, pre-pubesent gymnasts and the phasing out of the mature, elegent woman. This trend has many implications for our level of gymnastics. Will we be losing more and more potential high school gymnasts because they are considered " too old. " ? How many women coaches are there tooday ? Have they been losing out because they dont spot double backs and triple twists ?
At the World Championships the new style on Beam included very little dance - just the obligatory full turns and safe transitions - otherwise it could have been a tumbling event . On Floor the tumbling of the finals was very predictable. open with double back, second pass double twists, lass pass another double back. Not very interesting when you consider the different passes they could be using.but the safety factor in performing double backs mandates execessive practise time. Does this time spent , on perfecting dangerous skills take away from time that used to be invested in dance ? Are these children old enough to be able to use dance expressively ? Old enough to accumulate the knowledge and experience necessary for good dance technique ?
Did you see anyone out on the floor able to enjoy their routine ? Did you see anyone smile during their free exercise routine ?
I believe the coaches on the school level have the potential bring joy and elegence back to " artistic " gymnastics. We work with the mature gymnast; the one who knows how to add the little spark to her routines that, perhaps, the new, very young gymnasts may never experience.
HAPPY GYMNASTICS ALWAYS
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
MALAYSIAN GYMNASTICS 2009
The way I see it, gymnastics is always improving. Each new stage it reaches, absorbs what it has achieved before and casts out everything that holds it back. In this sport we sometimes see periods of time when there are sharp qualitative changes and progress races ahead. These burst are usually connected with the introduction of more intricate routines. In modern sport and especially gymnastics intricacy is the most important of the criteria of skill.
Recently there have been two big qualitative advances. There were many very good contestants in 1998 Commonwealth Games, but undoubtedly it was Au Li Yen the first Malaysian woman artistic gymnast who qualified for the Sydney Olympic Games.
Not only women’s but also men’s gymnastics were given a fresh impetus.
The next big leap forward came several years later. This new stage began at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games when Ng Shu Wai represented Malaysia. The most difficult movements were already commonplace not only by the leaders but also by most of the gymnasts.
Shu Wai won silver at Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. The “Shu Wai phenomenon” is a distinctive synthesis of flexibility, strength, and free movements, plus his mood, character and of course inspiration without which there can be no success.
I still believe that Malaysian gymnastics will performed well again in the near future. However there is minus here, the back up pool is still raw. But there is a plus too. The schools are beginning a high performance program for gymnastics, where talents could be detected and developed to a world class gymnast. Incidentally this is lacking in Malaysia. On the other hand our gymnasts lack is stability, which is a factor of no small importance today in the “battle of nerves”
And yet medals and prizes are only one side of gymnastics. Champions come and go but the beauty and joy they bring to the spectators remain.
Recently there have been two big qualitative advances. There were many very good contestants in 1998 Commonwealth Games, but undoubtedly it was Au Li Yen the first Malaysian woman artistic gymnast who qualified for the Sydney Olympic Games.
Not only women’s but also men’s gymnastics were given a fresh impetus.
The next big leap forward came several years later. This new stage began at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games when Ng Shu Wai represented Malaysia. The most difficult movements were already commonplace not only by the leaders but also by most of the gymnasts.
Shu Wai won silver at Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. The “Shu Wai phenomenon” is a distinctive synthesis of flexibility, strength, and free movements, plus his mood, character and of course inspiration without which there can be no success.
I still believe that Malaysian gymnastics will performed well again in the near future. However there is minus here, the back up pool is still raw. But there is a plus too. The schools are beginning a high performance program for gymnastics, where talents could be detected and developed to a world class gymnast. Incidentally this is lacking in Malaysia. On the other hand our gymnasts lack is stability, which is a factor of no small importance today in the “battle of nerves”
And yet medals and prizes are only one side of gymnastics. Champions come and go but the beauty and joy they bring to the spectators remain.
MSSM Gymnastics Championships 2009
THE Malaysia Schools Gymnastics Championships will held on the 2nd June 2009, in Kuantan, Pahang.
About 400 gymnastics from all over the coountry will be taking part in MAG and WAG competition.
See you there.
About 400 gymnastics from all over the coountry will be taking part in MAG and WAG competition.
See you there.
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