WAG Interesting sports science TED Talk

[Aero]

Hello everybody! For your viewing pleasure:


Even though the video is from 2014, I just recently watched it and really found it fascinating. I related it to our amazing sport; looking back over the years, it is super obvious that gymnastics has gone through enormous changes. The level of gymnastics being done currently compared to the level of competition in the late 50s/early 60s is exponentially more difficult! This video accurately explains exactly why that is.

After watching the video, I think the level of skill achieved in modern gymnastics is due to improvements/advances in:

• Coaching education
• Equipment/apparatus technology
• Sports science
• Medical technology
• Funding/resources
• Rules of play/Code of Points
  
• Increased competitive culture worldwide

I hope you all found this interesting like I did!

 

[PinPin]

Thank you for posting. This is very interesting and presented in such a simple, but entertaining manner. Also nice to hear Ross Tucker being mentioned.
I think that your bullet points are on the mark. I would perhaps add body type selection in some programmes / facilities (maybe as a supplementary point under one of the main bullet points). I am not saying, however, that this happens everywhere or that it is the norm in any specific country.

 

[coachmolly]

Really interesting stuff, thanks for sharing!
I think increased access to gymnastics in general, but also access to high level training has also positively impacted the quality of gymnastics. How many kids in earlier eras could have been phenomenal gymnasts but had no access to competitive clubs? Or would have been required to relocate to achieve the next level of success in the sport? My mom grew up in a middle class neighborhood in a New Jersey suburb of NYC in the 50s/60s and didn't know a single person who did gymnastics. Now you would be hard pressed to find a group of kids in a suburban area who haven't tried their hand at gymnastics to some extent. Just that increased exposure allows kids with the goods to become a great gymnast to be recognized to a much greater extent than in previous decades. 30-40 years ago a farm kid in rural America doing back handsprings in the field was probably just left to keep on keeping on in the backyard, now most communities have a gym within at least a reasonable drive. Yet just 20 years ago I was growing up in a rural community and would hop in the car to get to a gym 25 minutes away and come home to help bale hay in my leotard.
I've also heard lots of stories of kids who were "discovered" through gym birthday parties, open gyms, pre-schools at sports centers that include gymnastics in their curriculum, etc.- things that just didn't exist in previous eras of the sport that allow kids whose parents don't have gymnastics anywhere on their radar to be exposed to the sport.