Archives for 2012
Failure, a prerequisite for success
SO YOU WANT TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COACH?
You better learn to Fail
Failure is NOT an option- Failure is a prerequisite
Failure- failure |ˈfālyər| noun
Failure (fail, phail or flop) in general refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective. It may be viewed as the opposite of success.
People Who Have Failed
Pete Carroll was laughed out of Foxboro (where he coached the NE Patriots) and the NFL before he became the most dominant coach in college football. Now he is back in the NFL in Seattle.
Terrin Humphry made the USA National Team for the first time 1 year before making an Olympic Team.
Most people achieved their greatest success one step beyond what looked like their greatest failure…..
In business there is a philosophy that he fastest way to succeed, is to double your failure rate. At my gym, we call it, “swinging at pitches.” You are not going to get a hit every time. But if you don’t swing, you will never get a hit.
As coaches we need to learn to tolerate failure. It is part of the learning process. If you make a correction you will probably mess something else up. THAT IS OK, I EXPECT IT. The best example I can think of is on Vault. If I ask an athlete to run faster, and they do, they will most likely mess up their steps. (and by the way- if they didn’t mess up their steps, they probably didn’t run faster!) IF I WANT THE GYMNAST TO RUN FASTER- I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MESS UP THEIR STEPS. I will fix that next.
[Read more…]
Help Make GYM MOMENTUM Better
Hard to believe that this website is becoming as popular as it is. I have enjoyed the past 6 weeks of posting and I have become a much better coach through the information, drills and knowledge that so many people have shared.
My Goals For 2012-Over the next week I plan on making some adjustments to the site. Trying to make it more user friendly, Trying to make sure that the newest and most popular posts are at the top.
Monthly Contest similar to the January Mancino Give away. (I already have a photo caption contest for February).
PRO SHOP– Videos, Books, programs for sale.
Expanded Affiliate Program– Ways for the Gym Momentum Community can save money by visiting our affiliates.
I would like to have a SKILL of the Week. (not just the Crash of the Week) But that will probably have to wait until the end of the competition season.
Expanded Competition Report– I know many of you HOST big invitationals and everyone GOES to these meets. Tell me about them! Share the GOOD, The BAD and The UGLY of all these meets.
Rec/ Pre-school lesson plans and ideas. I am getting a lot of great drills from competitive programs I would love some more from Rec and preschool!
Major Goal- Gym Momentum I Phone Ap!
COMING IN JUNE of 2012- GYM MOMENTUM TRAINING CAMP. June 22nd – June 24th. Huguenot, NY.
Please let me know what YOU would like to see at Gym Momentum. CONTACT
Drills For Handspring Full on Vault
Do COLD CALLS Work?
No one likes telemarketers. I have a friend WHO IS A TELEMARKETER and he hates telemarketers. But what if a the caller really had some information on a program that you were really interested in? Something you had done in the past. I guess we can call that a “warm call”.
Recently I challenged one of my employees to get 30 kids signed up for a “Parents Night Out”. At the time of the challenge there were only 8 kids signed up. I told her to call families that had been to our Thanksgiving Vacation camp that had not signed up. Let them know we had something coming up that they may be interested in.
Bottom Line- In one hour she signed up 17 more kids.
KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING! SHARE YOUR IDEA! SHARE
Tightening Arms and Legs For Beam.
Thanks to USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame member Mary Lee Tracy from Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy for sharing these drills.
Mary Lee has some great drills up on her YOU TUBE Channel [Read more…]
January’s Mancino Giveaway – Win $100
We’ve teamed up with our friends from Mancino to offer one lucky Gym Momentum community member a $100 Mancino Gift Certificate.
How do I win?
Use the form below and tell us the funniest thing you heard in the gym this year. Entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST, Sunday, January, 8th.
What can I win?
1st prize – $100 Mancino Gift Certificate
2nd prize – Gym Momentum T-shirt
Who will pick the winner?
The Official Judging Panel consists of myself, and my website guru, Doug Ridley, and is completely subjective.
When will you announce winners?
We will announce the winners on Wednesday, January, 11th. We will also share all our entries as well. if you’d like us to link to your gym’s website please include the link in the form below.
Shoulder PRE-HAB for Coaches
Shoulder Pre-hab for Coaches
Gina Paulhus, President/CEO, Home Bodies
The shoulder is an unstable joint that is easily injured. No one wants to get hit in the face, and you want kids to have room to pirouette and twist so as coaches we tend to hold (or catch) a great deal of weight away from our body. Obviously a mechanical disadvantage but it is still better than getting punched in the face!
This six-exercise routine will help keep your shoulders healthy. Perform it three times a week and you’ll see your ability to withstand the forces during spotting and come out at the end of the day pain-free. If you already have shoulder problems please consult a doctor or a physical therapist before performing this routine.*
1: LYING ROTATOR CUFF
How to Start: Lie do
wn on your side with your top elbow set at your lower ribcage. Hold a weight across your belly button.
Action: Keeping your elbow stationary, rotate your arm so that weight moves up above your body. Bring the weight as far back as possible keeping good form. You should feel the muscles behind your shoulder working. Think of pinching your shoulder blades together as you perform the exercise.
Do this many: 12-15 reps for 2 sets. A 2.5 lb. weight is a good place to start for most.
2: I, T, Y on FLOOR
How to start: Lie facedown on a mat with arms down by hips, palms facing up. Arms remain completely straight for this entire exercise. Head remains touching the mat the entire exercise (is your mat clean??)
Action: For the ‘I’, raise your arms off the floor as far as possible by pinching the shoulder blades together. If you use your imagination your body looks like the capital letter ‘I.’ For the ‘T’, move your arms out to the sides like the capital letter ‘T’ and raise them as far off the floor as possible. For the ‘T’ your thumbs face up. For the ‘Y’ move your arms diagonally overhead and raise them as far as possible. Palms face down for the ‘Y.’
Do this many: 8 ‘I’, followed by 8 ‘T’, followed by 8 ‘Y’. Each rep is held for 2 seconds.
3. BAND SQUEEZE
How to start: Sit on a mat with your spine straight. Hold a band at your lower ribcage right up against your body. Thumbs should face in and be anywhere from 2 inches apart to 6 inches apart depending on your strength and the tension of your band. You need the be able to pull the band apart.
Action: Pinch your shoulder blades together aggressively and rotate your thumbs outward. As you pull the band apart draw your elbows back and even closer to your body.
Do this many: 25 repetitions, each one held for 1 second.
4. BAND ROW
How to start: Sit up on the mat with a straight spine and legs extended. Wrap a band around your feet.
Action: Draw the elbows back until they are at your sides. Think of pulling your band with your back by pinching the shoulder blades rather than just pulling with your biceps. Keep straight through the wrist.
Do this many: 25 repetitions, each one held for 1 second.
5. SHOULDER ROLL
How to start: Stand straight up with both shoulders even.
Action: Pick one shoulder to start with. Perform a shoulder roll, first pulling the shoulder forward, then up and around to to the back, and finally back to the starting position. Once you have completed the reps for the backward roll, reverse the motion and perform a forward roll. Then switch sides.
Do this many: 10 slow shoulder rolls back followed by 10 slow shoulder rolls forward, followed by the other side.
6. SHOULDER SHRUGS OFF A CHAIR
How to start: Position your hands off the edge of a chair that is about shoulder width or a little smaller. Knees are bent 90 degrees and your body should be able to just clear the chair.
Action: Keeping arms completely straight, allow your body to sink through the shoulder girdle. You might not have much range of motion, but this will improve over time. Once you have sunk as low as you can, press yourself up as high as you can to elongate your neck.
Do this many: 20 shrugs.
Perform this routine once though. It can be completed in ten minutes and your shoulders will be much more likely to stay healthy and strong no matter how many cast handstands you have to spot!
*Be sure to check with your doctor if you have back pain or pain in your abdominal muscles to ensure that it is safe for you to perform these exercises.
TEACHING CASTS
This is a great submission from Jason Mortimer from Michigan. I look forward to more submissions from him.
Have a drill or a lesson plan you want to share? Keep the momentum going! SHARE
Danell Leyva Pommel Horse S.V. 6.1
Submitted by the ever enthusiastic Yin Alvarez. Danell Leyva starts off the new year with a new Pommel Horse Routine.
Have a routine you want to share? Keep the momentum going HERE.
