My son was born with a massive amount of physical energy. Always racing around, climbing onto furniture, swinging from countertops, or jumping off of something. My husband and I were eager to direct his energy into sports and off of the furniture, but for a long time nothing seemed to be the right fit. He …
In my previous column, I discussed an athlete’s center of mass (CoM), and the two types of momentum the athlete has: linear (associated with motion in a direction) and angular (associated with rotation). To quickly recap our last column: the athlete’s center of mass (CoM) is the average location of her mass. A force applied …
Gymnastics is an intense, sometimes crazy sport, and it can drive the best of us a little over the edge at times, but no one wants to be on the receiving end of listening to a crazy gym parent (CGP), and no one wants to discover that they are the crazy gym parent. Learn how …
Across the US, there are several different competitive gymnastics programs, but the two with the largest participation are the Xcel program, and the Developmental Program (formerly known as Junior Olympic, or JO), both run by USA Gymnastics (USAG). Parents new to competitive gymnastics often wonder which is the right path for their child, and while …
I’d love to see one or more columns on the physics of various gymnastics skills, especially on bars. I took up a different flying-through-the-air sport as a young adult and was always fascinated by the conversion of linear motion into rotational motion. -mommyof1 Before I start, let me just thank mommyof1 for handing me this …
In a perfect world, every gymnast would start and finish in one gym where excellent coaching, supportive teammates, and a plenty of opportunity for athlete growth combine to create an ideal atmosphere. In reality, somewhere along the line many parents find themselves wondering if it’s time to make a gym switch. But, uprooting a gymnast …
It’s one of the most frustrating things about gymnastics, fear and mental blocks. With all the athletes I work with it’s the issue that causes the most stress, not only for the athletes and coaches, but for the PARENTS as well. You try not to think it, but the unthinkables come anyway, “I’m paying so much money …
Kohei Uchimura at 2014 World Championships “How do you *really* define a stuck landing”? Does it mean no steps or is there more to it?”-PreciousJ The short answer No movement of the feet, back straight, knees bent, no excessive movement for balance, and a complete stop. For maximum score, the upper torso should be upright …