Thanks to Kristin Paradis from Granite State Gymnastics Center for sharing this video.
I hope the mat tasted good!
Wit and Wisdom 1/13
“It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. “ Noel Coward
“Capitalism without failure is like religion with out sin. It just doesn’t work” Economist Allan Meltzer
“The most miserable possession a man can have is the thing he hurt somebody to get” Columnist Frank A. Clark
“Time is nature’s way of keeping everything from happening at once” Woody Allen
“No one changes the world who isn’t obsessed.” Billie Jean King
“It is impossible to go through life without trust. That is to be imprisoned in the worst cell of all, oneself.” Graham Greene
“You’re still going to win with preparation and dedication and plain old desire. If you don’t have genuine desire, you won’t be dedicated enough to prepare properly” Bear Bryant
“Winning is the science of being totally prepared.” George Allen
And Because it is Friday the 13th- From the movie, FRIDAY the 13th
- Pamela Voorhees: Come here! Come here now. You’re the last one. I’ve killed all the others. It’ll be easier for you than it was for Jason.
- Camp Counselor: Why are you doing this?
- Pamela Voorhees: You need to be punished for what you did to him. You let him drown. Jason was my son.
- Camp Counselor: No! No, please!
- Pamela Voorhees: You should’ve been watching him. Every minute!
- [Camp Counselor decapitates Pamela. Young Jason approaches the body, picks up the photo-locket.]
- Voice of Pamela Voorhees: Jason. My special, special boy. They must be punished, Jason. For what they did to you. For what they did to me.
- [Young Jason picks up the machete, walks away.]
- Voice of Pamela Voorhees: Kill for mother.
Have a quote you want to share? Keep the momentum going. SHARE
Top 8 Strength Training Moves for Coaches
Top 8 Strength Training Moves for Coaches
Gina Paulhus
President/CEO, Home Bodies
www.homeexercisecoach.com
Coaches have HUGE muscle imbalance because 90% of the time spent in the gym is spent PUSHING so there is a lot of triceps work compared to relatively small biceps work. Over time, this can lead to injuries and pain, both chronic and acute. In the weight training gym with your own workout, you want to accomplish three things:
- Strengthen your large muscle groups so you can keep your metabolism up, and also so that you have the overall strength to coach and spot.
- Improve your core strength so that all of your muscles work together and your back stays protected
- Work to balance out muscle imbalances that come from spotting.
The following routine will accomplish all three points. The routine actually doesn’t require a gym at all, but rather can be performed at home with simply a spot on the floor, a chair and a set of dumbbells. Of course, if you have kids, pets or a spouse who won’t leave you alone, you might be better off heading to the gym to get it done anyway.
It’s best to perform them in the order listed because the initial exercises serve as a good warmup for the following exercises. It’s best to elevate your heart rate and body temperature with 5-10 minutes of brisk walking or jogging before beginning this routine. Stretching if performed should happen at the end of the workout.
1: SQUATS
How to Start: Stand with feet turned out and slightly wider than shoulder width. Hold a dumbbell to your chest. The weight might be anything from 5 lb. to 50 lb. or more depending on your strength. You want to choose the heaviest weight you can handle keeping good form.
Action: Keeping your chest up, bend your legs until your hips get to approximately knee level. Think of sitting back in a chair. Knees should not drift beyond toes. To accomplish this–really stick your butt back. Sometimes I actually put a chair behind the squatter so there is a visual to aim for.
Do this many: 12-15 reps for 2 sets. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
2: BENT-OVER ROW
How to start: Place your hand on a chair and move your feet back until your back is approximately parallel to the ground or slightly angled upward. Keep a slight arch in your back. In your other hand, hold a weight. You might start with anything from a 10 lb. to a 30 lb. or more depending on your strength.
Action: Keeping your core tight so that your torso stays still, pull the weight to your side until it touches your body. Your hand should end up around your lower ribcage. Make sure your elbow stays close in to your body. Think of pinching your shoulder blades together and make sure your wrist stays straight.
Do this many: 15 reps on each side for 3 sets. Do not rest between arms, but rest between sets about 30 seconds. Always start with your weaker side.
3. OVERHEAD SHOULDER PRESS
How to start: Standing up with one hand on your waist, hold a dumbbell just above your other shoulder to the side of your head. Engage your core so that you are standing up straight to start. A 5 lb. to 25 lb. weight might be appropriate to start.
Action: Think of stretching to the ceiling as you push the weight overhead. You will feel your core engaging to keep your balance. This is good! Make sure the weight stays directly to the side of your head and not in front. If you experience shoulder pain you don’t have to bend the elbow down as low.
Do this many: 10-15 reps on each side for 1 set. Always start with your weaker side. (Insert pictures)
4. SINGLE LEG CALF RAISE
How to start: Standing on one leg with the other foot wrapped around the first leg, allow your heel to hang off the side of an object such as a stair.
Action: Allow your heel to sink as long as it will go keeping your standing leg straight. Pause for 1 full second, then press your body up, concentrating on pressing through your big toe the most. Pause for 1 full second at the top. That is one rep.
Do this many: 20 repetitions for one set on each side.
5. HAMMER CURLS
How to start: Stand straight up with both shoulders even. Hold a dumbbell like you would a ‘hammer’ with palm facing in to your body. Start with between a 10 lb. and 25 lb. weight.
Action: Engage core so that your torso stays still and your shoulders stay even. Curl the arm with the weight so that the end of the weight touches your shoulder.
Do this many: 15 reps on each side for 2 sets. You do not need to rest between any of the sets (you might WANT to rest, but you do not NEED to rest—there is a difference!!!
6. ONE-LEG STIFF LEG DEADLIFT
How to start: Balancing on one leg, hold a weight in your hand on the same side as the leg you’re balancing on. Squeeze your butt and pick a spot on the floor 4 feet in front of you. Stare at that spot. It will help you balance. Your standing leg should remain slightly bent throughout this exercise. A 10 to 25 lb. weight is a good place to start.
Action: Lift your free leg behind you to counterbalance as you bend over. Keep the dumbbell close to your shin. Stop when the dumbbell is just above the floor. Dig your heel into the floor to help yourself stand back up again. Avoid touching your free leg to the floor. ***IF this is hard for you, have some sympathy when you train your gymnasts on the beam or pommel horse!!!***
Do this many: 12 on each leg for 2 sets. Do not rest between legs, but rest 1 full minute between sets. Always start on your weaker side.
7. DIPS
How to start: Place your hands on the edge of a chair with fingers off the edge. Scoot your butt forward so you are clearing the chair. This exercise can be performed with legs straight (more advanced) or legs bent (easier).
Action: Bend your arms to lower your butt toward the floor. Bend as far as your flexibility allows. Make sure your elbows are pointing straight back.
Do this many: 15 to 20 for 1 set.
8. ACROSS BICEP CURL
How to start: Stand holding a dumbbell in one hand. Be sure your core is engaged and shoulders are even. A 10 to 15 lb. weight is a good place to start for this exercise.
Action: Curl the weight toward the OPPOSITE shoulder. Then lower your arm back down to its place.
Do this many: 15 reps on each arm for 2 sets. Don’t rest between arms or between sets. Always start with your weaker side.
This routine takes about 20 minutes to perform. It exercises all of the muscles in the entire body, with an emphasis on evening out muscle imbalances common to those who coach gymnastics. Because it is a full body weight training routine, it also blasts calories and fat, helping you control your body weight and build or maintain muscle mass. Your metabolism will be elevated for about 48 hours after completing this routine, and your odds of incurring a back or shoulder injury while spotting is dramatically reduced.
*Be sure to check with your doctor that you are physically cleared to begin an exercise program.
Mancino Giveaway Winners
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
LOL (5th place) –
Jason Mortimer from Bounce Gymnastics in Michigan
– While working with some girls at a camp, I put a “foamy friend” in between the feet of a girl about to do a back hip circle (7 years old). I told her it was the most important foamy friend in the world, and if she dropped it it would break and she’d owe me “a hundred million thousand dollars.”
Her eyes got wide, and then she said, “Can I just give you a gift card?”
LMAO (4th place TIE)
Beth Gardner from Heart of Texas Gymnastics
RJ joined the team with the anticipation that he would be prepping to compete for next season. He didn’t feel ready to compete when he joined the team. After working out with team for a few weeks, he walked up to his mom and said, “Mom, I think I have to compete this year….I’m just too good no to.” RJ is 7 years old.
TIE
Jason Mortimer from Bounce Gymnastics in Michigan
I threw a “clean the pit” party when we got some new pit blocks. In order to motivate the girls, I created a scavenger hunt awarding points for things I suspected we’d find in the pit (socks, hair ties, jewelry, etc.). The girl who collected the most items that added up to the most points won a trophy. 5 year old Lauren kept coming up to me when she’d find something and asking me how many points it was worth. After about the 4th or 5th time, I exasperatedly told her to “look at the list, I gave copies to everyone.”
Then she said, in her 5 year old voice, “Yeah, I can’t read. But I can do front tucks.”
SPILLED MY COFFEE (3RD PLACE TIE)
Melody Gammon from Corrigan’s Gymnastics in Massachusetts
We had Santa Claus come to the gym for our team party. He asked each girl individually what they wanted. The requests ranged from the practical (“I’d like a new leotard.”) to the materialistic (“I want an iPod Touch.”) to the idealistic (“I’d like my college acceptance letter.”). However, I don’t think any quite topped the request from the “space cadet” of our team. She asked Santa for “a dragon so that he can come to my house and eat my brother.”
TIE
Jill Horgan from Atlantic Gymnastics in Dover, NH (Full disclosure, This is one of the clubs I own)
Coach: ‘What do you want for Christmas?’
Student (2 year old): ‘Hooters!’
Student (3 year old boy): ‘Damnit!!’
Coach: ‘Nice words only please’
Student: ‘It’s OK, my dad says that all the time.’
PEED MY PANTS (2ND PLACE) Winner of a Gym Momentum T-shirt
Heather Park from Hamilton Gymnastics Academy in Ontario, Canada.
I coach an 8 yr old girl who likes to pride herself on an extensive vocabulary.
She was afraid to jump from low bar to high bar. I said “Come on, just jump” What she meant to say was “Hang on, I just want to contemplate the bar for a little while” What she said was “Hang on, I just want to copulate the bar for a little while.” I turned about 6 shades of red, took about 10seconds and said “I think you meant to say CONTEMPLATE the bar” “Yeah that’s what I said” she replied.
CONVULSING on FLOOR, UNABLE TO BREATH (1ST PLACE) Winner of $100 Gift Certificate from Mancino
Monica Rynes from RC Dance & Gymnastics in Wisconsin.
In one of our Tumblefun classes we were holding basket shape on the floor. In order to get them to hold it longer I asked the class of 3 year olds to tell me one at a time what they had IN their baskets. One had puppies, one had apples, a couple others had other miscellaneous items, but one little boy said “My basket is full of Budweiser and Hot Wings”.
Cast Handstand Drills
Here are some drills that I use on the Boys Parallel Bars to help teach Cast Handstands. I think it is very important that the gymnast know how to lean over when they cast.
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Drills for Giants on Uneven Bars
Giant swings are one of the more difficult “basic” skills that every gymnast must have. It takes strength (with out them fighting the natural swing) as well as a good tap and extension. There is also the FEAR that many gymnast have. Through the years I have had many gymnasts of all shapes and sizes giant. Here is a collection of drills that I use in that teaching sequence and drills that I use every day.
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Uneven Bars Leg Cut, Lead Up to Pirouettes
The Leg Cut in the Level 4 Bar routine sort of stands out as an uncharacteristic skill for bars until you realize how it leads up to a pirouette.
Keep the Momentum going by sharing your drills here! SHARE
Crash of the week. How they prune trees in Australia
ZAC PARTRIDGE a good friend of contributor Andy from Australia shares a video. I originally thought this video was Andy’s. Matt and Jake desperately want to use their trampoline at their Tramp Coaches BBQ.
Problem- Not enough overhead space.
Solution- Prune the trees.
Wit and Wisdom
Developing inner values is much like physical exercise. The more we train our abilities, the stronger they become. Dalai Lama .
“I missed Ava’s class today because I spilled 5 gallons of spaghetti sauce in my new car.” A parent at my gym scheduling a make up.
“Saving is a very fine thing. Especially if your parents have done it for you.” Winston Churchill
“People travel to faraway places to watch, in fascination, the kind of people they ignore at home” Philosopher Dagobert Runes
“Character is much easier kept than recovered.” Thomas Paine
“Intelligence requires that you don’t defend an assumption” Physicist David Bohm
“Be Yourself; Everyone else is taken.” Oscar Wilde
“Wishes cost nothing unless you want them to come true” Cartoonist Frank Tyger
“Judge of your natural character by what you do in your dreams.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Our Character is what we do when we think no one is looking” H. Jackson Brown Jr
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo Da Vinci
Instead of the phrase, “like the blind leading the blind,” I’m going to start using “like cheerleaders coaching cheerleaders.” Jason Mortimer
“In God we trust; All others must bring data” W. Edwards Deming (although the first time I heard it was from Dr. Bill Sands)
Pre School and Rec Drills