WAG Innovative ways to use iPad as a coaching tool

[gymisforeveryone]

I posted here instead of the the coaches forum because I figured that gymnasts and parents might want to put in their ideas too.

So we have a iPad for coaches to use in the gym. I have not used it that much yet, and would love to find new ideas to utilize it more.

Right now we use of course video camera for recording new skills, HIIT interval timer for circuits and stretching and Coaches Eye for slow motion. And we play floor musics on it. Do you have any other ideas what else to do with it? Any great apps that we might not know about? Something else?

All ideas are appreciated!

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

You could use screenshots from higher-leveled gymnasts doing a Certain skill and then compare that to what your gymmie is doing, so they know what to do differently

 

[coachmolly]

I have an app similar to Coaches Eye called Technique that I use to video and replay athletes. It has a tool where you can measure the angle of their split leap/jumps (I imagine it would also work with handstand positions on bars) to show an athlete if they are meeting angle requirements and, if not, how far they are from it.
I have the Spotify app on it and will use it to play kid approved playlists during conditioning if we can snag the stereo system.
I also know of coaches who load their strength or warm-up assignments onto their iPad so if the kids need to work independently they know what to pull up and work from. You could also do the same for specialty workouts for injured athletes so they know to just grab the iPad, pull up their assignment, and get to work when they get to an event or skill they aren't able to do.

 

[Aussie_coach]

You could also put together a library of videos showing correct technique for a variety of skills.
Lots of kids are visual learners and they respond well to seeing the skill done before attempting to do it.

 

[kiwi2406]

Our coaches use a tablet to video us so we can fix a skill, and they use the apps Coaches Eye and Technique for things like split requirements. We also have everyone's floor music and compulsory music loaded onto it so we don't have to keep swapping out CDs.

 

[Aero]

I have an app similar to Coaches Eye called Technique that I use to video and replay athletes. It has a tool where you can measure the angle of their split leap/jumps (I imagine it would also work with handstand positions on bars) to show an athlete if they are meeting angle requirements and, if not, how far they are from it.
I have the Spotify app on it and will use it to play kid approved playlists during conditioning if we can snag the stereo system.
I also know of coaches who load their strength or warm-up assignments onto their iPad so if the kids need to work independently they know what to pull up and work from. You could also do the same for specialty workouts for injured athletes so they know to just grab the iPad, pull up their assignment, and get to work when they get to an event or skill they aren't able to do.

I started using Technique before it was bought out by Hudl, when it used to be called Ubersense, but yes, I am a long time fan of that app. I use it almost every single day and have amassed a vast library of drill videos. I also love the feature where you can compare two videos side by side or overlayed, and you can sync them up to play together and analyze technique in super detail. I love it!

You could also put together a library of videos showing correct technique for a variety of skills.
Lots of kids are visual learners and they respond well to seeing the skill done before attempting to do it.

I’ve taken on a large project of making .gifs of all my favorite drills. I have an app on the iPad that I use to turn videos into .gifs. I’ll pull up the .gif up on the screen and put it next to a new drill and the girls can watch it as it repeatedly plays. It’s essentially like having someone demonstrating the drill constantly, and it helps the kids stay a little more engaged and focused.

My iPad is my number one tool! It may just be the best purchase I’ve ever made!

 

[gymisforeveryone]

Great ideas everyone! I'm definitely going to try to play two videos side by side to see differences, that was a wonderful idea. And having a gallery of new skills performed well is a good idea too since my girls are often the first ones in our club to try new skills and don't have anyone in higher level to look up to in the gym.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Our coaches use it during practice to review and give corrections for the gymnast.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I downloaded the Hudl Technique app and it's otherwise great BUT I can't compare two videos. I can only put them side by side, but it doesn't show me the features that are shown in the tutorials, like the lock symbol that should let you synchronize the videos. I don't actually have Apple iPad, it's Samsung tablet so might that be the issue? How about you all, do you have real iPads or some other type of tablet? The Coach's eye doesn't let me compare two videos either. I would have to buy some kind of extra tool box to do that. Do you have any other app recommendations that could work for that use?

 

[Aero]

I downloaded the Hudl Technique app and it's otherwise great BUT I can't compare two videos. I can only put them side by side, but it doesn't show me the features that are shown in the tutorials, like the lock symbol that should let you synchronize the videos. I don't actually have Apple iPad, it's Samsung tablet so might that be the issue? How about you all, do you have real iPads or some other type of tablet? The Coach's eye doesn't let me compare two videos either. I would have to buy some kind of extra tool box to do that. Do you have any other app recommendations that could work for that use?

I have Technique and I can compare two videos side by side or top to bottom. I can also overlay the videos on top of each other, which is one of my favorite features ever! The lock icon is present in all of these situations.

Perhaps you are using an older version? Or maybe there are some restrictions between Android and iOS devices? Have you figured out the situation since this post?

 

[JBS]

We have 6 iPads on the floor and we are looking to move to 10 or more shortly. Our iPads are used in the following ways...

• Team: Athletes / coaches video skills in order learn faster. We no longer use Coaches Eye as the Apple video app is good enough for our purposes.
• Team: We have much of our curriculum and important documents in Google Drive which can be accessed on the iPads
• Team: Connection to the internet for learning purposes
• Team: Attendance
• Full Gym: Employees clock in and out
• Full Gym: Access to CRM (customer relationship management) software (our is iClassPro)
• Full Gym: Attendance for all classes
• Full Gym: Skill tracking for all classes
• Full Gym: Employee communication
• Full Gym: Access to important documents and the staff website

We are basically moving the the point where every coach will have an iPad the second that they walk in the door each day. We do not allow coaches to have cell phones on the floor.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I'm using an Android device so that may be why it's not working correctly. But I still love the app, the video is always ready immediately and the resolution is good (Coach's Eye was super slow and blurry compared to Technique). Anyway, it would be GREAT to be able to put two videos side by side.

I have now learned to work with the Ipad all the time. I use TrackCC to track attendance and that app is a life saver. One of the coaches recommended the app on a camp that we went to and I immediately fell in love. It's so easy to use! It's great to always see quick and easily the attendance per cent of each individual and you can also rate behavior, work ethic etc.