Go Find Out

I read this the other day:

“….as we know there are known knowns ; the things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”
Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld may well have known what he was talking about, however we can apply this piece of political frippery to life in the gym. There are things about coaching which we know, or think we know, but if those things which we know, we only know because someone else told us, whom we assumed knew what they knew, but in actual fact didn’t know, but assumed as well. Then the things we think we know suddenly becomes things we don’t know. Furthermore there are also things we think we know but have never checked. So in addition to the things we thought we knew that we don’t actually know there are those things which we know we don’t know but haven’t bothered to find out and the things we don’t know that we don’t know…

So, what is the answer ?

I don’t know, go find out.

If you followed that little piece of nonsense, then you might ask “ How can you know which are the things you don’t know you don’t know ?’ You might as well ask “How can I know the right questions to ask when I don’t know which answers I need ?”

Once again, go and find out. The more you read the more questions you ask, the more chance you have of getting the answers you need and not the ones you want.

A large array of coaching resources are available from some Gymnastics Associations, but they aren’t there to hold your hand. There is a whole world of information out there and once you start to access it you begin to realize how much you still have to learn, but you also start to find the questions to ask.

The internet is has hundreds of sites dedicated to sport sciences, gymnastics and other related activities. Here are some –

www.pponline.co.uk
www.sportsci.org
www.brianmac.demon.co.uk

Richard Reuther of Oppau

The greatest influnce of modern gymnastics is Richard Reuther the German of Oppau. born in 1909. The world will thank him and his friend Rudi Spieth manufacturer for today's efficient gymnastics apparatrus.

Perhaps the most appreciated was the springboard which was introduced in 1950. He has been concerned with his horizontal bar dsign as early as 1930, but only succeded after World War II with pre-tensioning.

He was a quiet , friendly gymnastwho also knew much about training. and taking care og gymnasts.His clun Turnerbund Oppau was German team champion several times.

He was always a good " gymnastics brother" as the term has been used in German Gymnastics since Friedrich Ludwig Jahn whenever you address a freind.

Brother in Gymnastics.

Tsukahara Vault - 1969

The Tsukahara Vault was performed by Mitso Tsukahara of Japan during the World Championshops in Lybjuana, Yugoslavia. Mr Tsukahara vaulted the piked version to become the World Vault Champion.

His vault now makes up one of the three main families of vaults and some say it's the most versatile. For many years it had come to a standstill with the double and full twisting

Kasamatsu version.

Technical preparation Tsukahara Vault
( Persediaan dari segi teknik – Lombol Tsukahara )

Illustration by Roland Carrasco

Happy Gymnastics

Eid Mubarak

Wishing all my Muslim Viewers all Happy and Prosperous Eid Mubarak

Fasting Month of Ramadhan

I will be away for the fasting month. To all my Muslim viewers dont forget to fast this whole month of Ramdhan al Mubarak.

RUNNING FAST BUT MOVING SLOWLY

In an effort to increase the success of Malaysian Gymnastics internationally, I think the MGF Technical Committee must wake up and have quality restored in the Classification program.

I think we have given a lot of opportunities to all the gymnasts participating in different parts of the programs, like the grass-root program and all that. But we have to have to look into how we can speak the same language to restore the quality of the program so that we can enhance the kids who are very talented to go all the way to the top. And I don’t think we are doing that effectively.

But now we have a new program or the MGF classification program as it was previously called prepared by Mr. Hardy Fink ( director of Education Federation International Gymnastics), while some people have heard of it, very few people know any of the details about it. The program objective “ To enhance the development of talented young gymnasts , with the aim of improving our national image”. I think it will be a quality manual for all to utilize in the future with much simpler language.

And I sincerely believe that this program will unify the coaches of the nation in a common goal and will serve to stimulate new thinking, new and better ways of training and teaching these talented youngsters. My only fears, and I think that they are well justified are that we are the biggest rationalizers and procrastinators in the sports world. We are not moving fast enough efficiently and effectively.

When the sports people and in this case I mean the gymnastic people of Malaysia get down to the task at hand we can develop the greatest gymnastic athletes in the world……within a free and open culture – but we still are not moving fast enough. ( running fast moving slowly )

Don’t let a good idea that finally got off the ground crash and burn for lack of support, or what is even worse, generate active resistance to the program due to lack of information.
( eg. 8 Core sports programs) If you need a national vehicle to help with these tasks I and a few coaches offer the services of a Gymnastic Forum.

Over confidence leads to ruins, while confidence is the path to success.

SUKMA III 2010, Melaka

Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships results.

Team Championships

Champion -Malacca

Runners-up - Selangor

Third - Sabah

Men's Individual Champion

Wan Mohammad Akhmal b Mohammad Zain - Johor

Mohammad Azam b Azmi - Selangor

Daniel b Iskandar - Selangor

I couldnt get the Women's Champion

I guess Selangor