Recently, I attended a rock concert by The Who. In the middle of one of their classic songs, “Teenage Wasteland,” (Baba O’Riely) lead singer Roger Daltry, stopped singing, stepped back from the front of the stage and looked around the arena in amazement. Everyone in the standing-room-only audience of was singing, standing, swaying, and singing the song together. All were lost in the moment, thinking of nothing but the present . . . [Read more…]
Professional Development
Professional Development
Continual professional development is a necessity. I encourage you to honestly answer the following questions to see what path you are on with your professional development.
- Where and how are learning and growing professionally?
- Do you know the classics and know history?
- How influenced are you by fads and instant information?
- Are you addicted to Internet training porn?
- Do you have a mentor who is a guide not a guru, preferably someone who has been there before?
Through this website and through the clinics that I do I spend hours each week researching skills, talking to coaches, developing plans. It has made me a much better coach in the gym.
USA Gymnastics University is a great jumping off point for coaches education. I am sure all professional members have received all the e-mail. 
There are a ton of great educational opportunities. Regional and National Congresses, private clinics and training camps. YOU NEED TO GET GOING!
Do you know YOUR history? Are you doomed to repeat it? I start many of my lectures by asking the coaches what their history in gymnastics was.
- What did they like about their coach?
- What did they dislike about their coach?
- What would their gymnasts say they liked about them?
- What would their gymnasts say they didn’t like about them?
How about the history of our sport?
How influenced are you by fads? I remember back in the early 90s a number of gymnastics clubs were not allowing their gymnasts to use grips. I asked why and their response was that it is because the Romanians and Russians didn’t use grips. I had the opportunity to travel to Europe for a competition shortly after this conversation and we were in the same hotel with a team from Russia. So I asked, “Why don’t your gymnasts where grips?” The immediate reply, “Leather shortage made grips too expensive and Chalk was difficult to get.”
Just because someone else is doing it, it may not be the best idea!
Are you addicted to Internet Training Porn? The GYMTERNET has made finding training ideas and models pretty accessible. BUT, who is it that you are watching on YOUTUBE? My first group of elite gymnasts I coached were unbelievably good at BARS and BEAM. Of course, I took all the credit for this. It was because of my program and my “expert” coaching. Since they I have realized they it was THEM not ME that made them good on Bars and Beam. When I go back and look at my training notes and notes on my lectures from that time, I realize that all my drills were really specific to those athletes and probably would not translate to other gymnasts.
I have learned some great things and picked up some good drills from the GYMTERNET but I stay pretty skeptical and so should you.
Do you have a mentor to guide you? Lets face it very few of us are in uncharted territory. Someone else has been here. Learn from what they did right and wrong.
How often do you speak to that person? When I was getting started I spent countless hours visiting other coaches and gyms. Picking out the best of what they were doing and finding things that translated into my program. Frank DeFrancesco from Arena, Kip Reed who was at NEGX at the time, were always helpful. Doc Massimo always had sound advice. Muriel Grossfeld mentored me through that first group and kept me from freaking out.
Find your mentor. Learn from them. Then pass is on.
Hey Tony,
Read your post today – sounds a little like what I’ve been trying to pass on for years now. Here’s a little out-take from several past articles.
The Physics Problem
It’s always good to have a perfect model of a skill in your mind. It really helps you keep to the physical requirements – both strength and flexibility – as well as stay consistent with your drills and progressions. But there is also a pitfall here.
Think back to when you had physics in high school. Very often you had a problem whose real purpose was to demonstrate a basic law of physics – so, in the instructions for the problem it would state that, “For this problem you may ignore the force of friction and air resistance” or something like that. All well and good to demonstrate the principle, but in the real world, there IS friction; there IS air resistance. It doesn’t always come to down to a nice neat problem, or in our case progression or drill.
I may have the perfect drill to teach a Stalder, but it may only work with kids of a specific body type or flexibility – or strength for that matter. It may not be a “one size fits all” drill. I may need to make changes that fit the individual to whom I am trying to teach the skill. In some cases this could be a positive.
What if I have someone very strong and fast? If you have read Dr. George’s new book, “Championship Gymnastics”, you’ve seen a diagram of a Stalder circle that is a little outside the ability of most every gymnast – it drops almost like a giant and then pulls in at horizontal. It is presented in this fashion to demonstrate a principle; fall as far straight body as you can before you shorten the body to increase angular momentum/speed. But I’ll swear I saw Mustafina start to drop at least a little bit like that before breaking in the shoulders to perform that Stalder and toe shoot Shaposhnikova 1/2 turn to HB in her bar routine.
Most kids aren’t physically capable of performing the skill that way, but she is able to do so. Does that mean we try to teach every kid to do it exactly like that? Or do we adapt and change the timing, even the technique of style in order for them to be successful?
Having that model is important, since I think it keeps us focused on the important details to be successful. We may have to perfect model, but we rarely have the perfect gymnast. To be successful across a large number of gymnasts, we need to be able to:
“Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.”PS ( I’ll leave this quote as an exercise for the reader to find. Hint: Clint.)
John Wojtczuk
ENA Paramus, NJ
US NEWS
Catching Up with the USA
Article by Lauren Hopkins
Join in the conversation on Facebook on The Couch Gymnast’s News Page.
The biggest news to hit the US circuit this month was USA Gymnastics’ announcement regarding the restructuring of the women’s elite program, set to take effect in January 2013.
Martha Karolyi’s “national team coordinator” title will stick, though it’s now more true to form, as her sole job will revolve around the national team rather than everything else that goes on in terms of elite development. This side will now be managed by WOGA director/head coach Valeri Liukin as the “elite athlete development coordinator.” He was noted earlier this year for spending more time at the ranch and there was talk of him working on programs with so it’s no big surprise to see him headed in this direction. He will be in charge of all development camps, will direct the educational structure, and will head up the Talent Opportunity Program (TOPs), which focuses on the development of young gymnasts (aged seven to ten) who show talent and promise. Steve Rybacki, known as chairman of the International Elite Coaches Committee and a member of the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors, is now the “director of elite athlete programs,” essentially an administrative role.
Many want to better understand what’s changing and how this will affect the team and its athletes. Essentially, Martha Karolyi is still running the show. She’ll continue her reign until at least 2016, but I think it’s safe to say that with 64 World and Olympic medals garnered since 2001, USA Gym’ll keep her as long as they can. With Liukin now heading the development side, he’ll clearly have to work closely with Karolyi in order to ensure cohesion between the two halves.
We won’t see any major changes to the way elite development is managed, especially as it’s been proven to work incredibly well over the last decade. The restructuring is more of an effort to both take a load off of Karolyi’s back (believe it or not, this sprightly old gal is seventy!) while simultaneously giving Liukin a taste of the national team coordinator job; he could very well be the one they’re prepping to take hold of the reins when Karolyi does decide to retire.
Before the restructuring hubbub, USAG announced Indianapolis as the host city for the 2015 U.S. Gymnastics Championships (formerly Visa Championships). It’s a little odd to see 2015 announced before 2014, but since Indianapolis is USAG’s home turf and a city that has hosted many U.S. events in the past, we’re happy to see that the logistics worked out so quickly for something so far away! Hartford, the site for 2013, was announced several months ago; USAG finalized the schedule last week with competition beginning on August 15 and lasting over a four-day period. It seems there’s a bit of a reversal from the 2009-2012 quad, with the women beginning the competition on day one rather than the men; the days have shifted from Wednesday-Saturday to Thursday-Sunday, however, so the women will still be competing first on Thursday and then on Saturday.
Now that business is out of the way, here’s a bit of fun info – first-year senior elite Abigail Milliet successfully vaulted an Amanar onto a resi at her gym! The video Milliet posted to her Facebook page over the weekend quickly got a lot of attention from fans after it was discovered…because not only did she land it, but she looks good doing it. This is pretty cool, especially as Milliet was only competing a Yurchenko 1.5 as of this summer…she’s clearly working hard with the goal to take over as a major player for next year when a good chunk of the current senior national team will likely retire. She’ll have to worry about the crazy talented upcoming juniors like Lexie Priessman, Madison Desch, Simone Biles, and Katelyn Ohashi…but if the rest of Milliet’s upgrades are going as well as her vault? I’d say she has a shot!
Last but not least…we’re less than two months away from the start of NCAA competition! Keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks, especially if you’re new to collegiate gymnastics. We’ll be introducing you to the top teams and athletes, gushing over our favorite incoming freshmen, and sharing reports of preseason intrasquad meets really soon! We’ll also keep you updated with new recruits…two recent big verbal commits include WOGA’s Madison Kocian to UCLA and Texas Dreams’ Peyton Ernst to Florida.
Oh, and you guys remember the fun of Olympic Fantasy Gymnastics this summer, right? Get ready for NCAA Fantasy Gymanstics! It’ll be bigger, better, and more user-friendly. We’re hoping to start recruiting around December 1st, so keep checking back for information on how to get involved.
Article by Lauren Hopkins
Photo from USA Gymnastics
Join in the conversation on Facebook on The Couch Gymnast’s News Page.
Kellogg’s Tour of Champions Review
Sorry to all the other cities out there but there really is no better place to watch gymnastics than in the North East of the USA and the Boston area in particular. I had the great opportunity to watch the Kellogg’s Tour of Championships at the Boston Garden (Ok, it’s technically called the TD BANK NORTH GARDEN).
As my daughter pointed out this was our 4th “Tour of Champions” together and it may actually have been our 5th. I know I went to the Post Olympic Tour in 96 but she was only 1 year old. So I can’t remember if she was there. This was by far the Best SHOW I had been to see. With the Boston show being one of the last shows they did, it was hard to predict if people would show up. What the energy of the cast would be, If ANOTHER athlete injury would cancel the show.
In the end, BOSTON GARDEN SOLD OUT (16,000+)! It was the largest show on the tour and the energy of the gymnasts and cast rose to the occasion. From the pre show “Chalk Talk” to the post show “Meet and Greet” the energy was great! I really don’t know how they do it. I was tired watching them just sign autographs! With Ali Raisman and Alicia Sacramone from the Boston area I figured there would be decent turn out but this was really over the top.
Cirque du Soleil provides an obvious model for the current tour. With the gymnasts performing routines in beautiful costumes using rings, curtains and ropes with stage lighting, popular music, and comedy sketches to break up the program. You get to see the entire cast get their Party Rock Anthem on, dressed up in their neon t-shirts and animal print pants with big black glasses a la LMFAO. It’s admittedly fun to see the gymnasts cutting loose like normal teens, and this routine is one of the most successful in the show.
The gymnasts also perform limited routines on all of the apparatus: the uneven bars and balance beam for the women, high bar, rings and parallel bars for men, floor exercise for both. No vault or pommel horse in this show. It’s enjoyable to watch the men all performing on parallel bars in a choreographed routine together, but my personal favorites were watching 4 High Bar routines going on at the same time and when they had all (or at least most) of the gymnasts cross tumbling.
Tandem trampoline team members Steven Gluckstein and Savannah Vinsant, the four-time U.S. trampoline champions and 2012 Olympic competitors, are able to perform much of their competitive routines. They were spectacular, flying and spinning with impressive speed and precision.
This show was GREAT for the committed gymnasts or casual observer alike. Parents loved it, Kids loved it. Can’t wait for practice today to see how that energy carries over.
What the Parents are Saying.
Thanks for the opportunity. It was so great for the girls to enjoy this event together. They all loved it. And the brothers got to see guys doing gymnastics! That made a real impact. Thank you
Two words – fabulous, and thank you. Well, that’s 4 words. Anyway, I wanted to thank everybody for a great experience for myself and Sarah. Thank you for organizing the tickets (Dina) and the bus (Jacqui), letting us park at Atlantic (Tony). Sarah thought the show was awesome and was inspired by it. What a great experience for the girls to see their idols perform in person.
It is pretty exciting for The North East to have 2 shows this year. One in Boston and one in Hartford. Coming up later this spring will be AMERICAN CUP in Worcester, MA and then in the summer USA CHAMPIONSHIPS and USA National Congress. It is a great time to be involved in gymnastics and live in New England!
What was your impression of the show? SHARE your thought with Gym Momentum.
Thank you Christine Bricket for the use of your photos!
1 year at Gym Momentum
1 year ago I began Gym Momentum. Wow, a year already!
In the last 12 months I have posted a few hundred articles, blogs, videos, crashes and drills.
I have given probably 20 different clinics, spoken at many Congresses and Conferences throughout North America AND hosted the first annual GYM MOMENTUM TRAINING CAMP which was a HUGE success. (Photos from Gym Momentum Camp)
I want to thank everyone who has contributed articles and videos as well as thank everyone who has let me bounce ideas off them.
Thanks to Tumbl Trak, Mancino and DGS for supplying equipment and gifts for Gym Momentum Training Camp as well prizes for our contests.
Someone asked me the other day how I come up with some of my ideas for articles and videos. Truthfully, sometimes it is a struggle. Often I will get a question from someone looking for a drill to help with a specific skill or group. As I am answering the question I realize that more people may have that same question and that is how an article is born.
I also follow quiet a few different Blogs and websites to try to stay current and see what questions others are answering.
In no particular order
I am sure there are a few more but these are the basics.
My biggest disappointment with Gym Momentum has been the lack of other coaches and gymnastics enthusiasts sharing their insight and knowledge. I really don’t ever want Gym Momentum to become just my soap box. I really want the involvement of others.
Take the time NOW and let me know:
1- what was your favorite post of the last 12 months.
2- what was your least favorite post?
3- Do you have a Blog that you follow that you think I should?
And remember, to keep the momentum going, YOU MUST SHARE.
What will the coming year bring?
Gym Momentum Training Camp June 21-23 in Huguenot, NY
More Clinics and Conferences! I am working very hard at updating my lecture topics and lecture videos/slides.
Items for sale in the “pro shop” section. DVDs, Books and lesson plans.
KEEP IN MIND- I TAKE REQUESTS!
Alberta Gymnastics Federation Congress
I recently returned from the Alberta Gymnastics Federation Congress which was held at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. I was speaking with a number of other great presenters from the USA, Canada and France. I was really honored to be speaking with such a high powered group of people. It really was a fantastic conference. Well thought out, well organized, and pretty well attended. What made the biggest impression on me was the enthusiasm of the coaches that were in attendance. Following one of my lectures I had so many questions that I had to move out into the hallway to answer them to let the next speaker into the room. Out in the hallway BETH GARDNER was running a preschool warm up with 20 coaches rolling around and doing a crab walk! I took “my group” down to the hotel lobby (which had a very nice fireplace) and continued our discussion for about 45 minutes.
The only think to improve upon would be the speakers during lunch. They each had valuable things to say. It was just difficult to have the full attention of the audience.
The Clinicians
Christophe Lambert- Coached French National junior team in men’s artistic gymnastic and two times team world champion in tumbling. As the coach of the national team for women tumbling from 1990 to 2001, he coached the 4 time individual and 4 time team world champion gymnasts in tumbling. He is a National Director for Trampoline, Tumbling and Acrobatic Gymnastic since 200;. Member of the European union Trampoline TC from 1999 to 2004; member of the FIG Trampoline-Tumbling TC since 2004 and Vice President of the FIG Trampoline-Tumbling TC since 2009.
Dave Ross– He opened Skyriders Trampoline Place, the first custom built Canadian trampolining facility, in 1990. He is an International Level Judge and a NCCP National Master Course Conductor Levels 1-3. He is a co-author of the NCCP Trampoline Manuals. Dave is the creator of the world’s only “Supertramp” (20ft by 13ft bed). Ross has been the Canadian National Team coach for a number of years. He has coached four of the five Canadian Olympic trampolinists at Skyriders. In the London Olympics his athlete won a Gold Medal on Trampoline.
I thought it was one of the best organized conferences I have been to, and that they collected a crack team of presenters. I am not sure I could improve on any of the following quotes.
Dave
Frank Sahlein- Frank is a renowned business management innovator and has been involved with the industry since 1967 – as gymnast, martial artist, CrossFit athlete, coach, business owner, Industry Business Development consultant and business broker. He is a native of San Mateo, California and graduated from San Jose State University in 1975. He travels internationally to review and consult on best practices. Two-time recipient of the National Business Leader Award from USA Gymnastics, Frank is the author of “Building Your Business Potential” (using the BusinessGrades® system), an industry standard rating system for service-based businesses.
Beth Gardner- has an extensive background specializing in preschool gymnastics. In addition to experience as a Preschool Director, men’s and women’s team coach and gym owner, she is a co-author and director for the Instructor Training Program (ITP) Preschool, ITP Recreational and ITP Brain and Body courses for the Gymnastics Association of Texas (GAT) and serves as a GAT board member.
Alberta Gymnastics Federation did a BEAUTIFUL job on their fall congress. As hosts, their organization was top-notch, and their hospitality was phenominal. I truly enjoyed working with them. The coaches who attended were not only friendly, but they were fully engaged and interested in learning and sharing. It was a complete pleasure having the opportunity to meet and get to know them as well. I am so grateful and completely honored to have been a part of their first annual fall congress. CONGRATULATIONS AGF! GREAT JOB! YOU GUYS ROCK!
Beth
Steve Greeley- Steve is an International presenter, Founder of Imagymnation Gymnastics Center in Simi Valley, CA. and winner of several Gymnastics Business Leadership awards. In 2006, Steve sold Imagymnation to move to Cincinnati, OH to become partners with Jeff Metzger in Kids First Sports Center, the country’s largest children’s sports facility. He also operates Steve Greeley: Digital Delinquent a software company producing “Flip Art,” digital graphics for children’s sports.
An easy Canadian border crossing…
An amazing conference…
(Quite amazing and problem free for the first one of its kind)
Grateful people, hungry for new information…
Great food…
Awesome fellow speakers…
Could we ask for more?
Oh yeah, the white Calgary Cowboy Hat…
That was the cherry on top.
Thanks to all for a memorable experience!Steve Greeley
sgreeley@kidsfirstsports.com
And of course, me, Tony Retrosi.
What the Attendees said
“All of the speakers brought a variety of knowledge which was wonderful.”
“Developing and Educating the leaders in our sport is the best path to future success.”
“Congress was fantastic! An opportunity to reconnect and get plugged into the pulse of gymnastics! Pumped to share the knowledge with the rest of our coaching staff!”
“It was inspiring when Dave Ross got on the trampoline to demonstrate a progression during our technical trampoline session.”
“I really found Tony Retrosi’s sessions useful and his coaching style was one to be modeled.”
“I really enjoyed the Steve Greeley workshop on building Character and skill. He had some excellent ideas.”
“Beth Gardner showing her standard preschool warm up in the hallway was my most memorable moment.”
“The energy given off by the speakers was great. They truly showed their passion in what they spoke about and were very engaging.”
“AGF did a fabulous job of finding great speakers!”
“Please bring Frank back again. He has so much to offer.”
“If the quality of presenters remains as high or higher as it was for this event – I will highly recommend it to all clubs and coaches to attend. It was a fantastic weekend – I got a lot of new ideas and had fun along the way!”
“The 2012 Fall Congress was a fabulous event with some of the best speakers and workshops I have ever attended. The networking opportunities at an event like this are almost as great as the workshops themselves. It was a good experience for all of us to mix with the disciplines we are not as familiar with and see the variety and the depth of knowledge within our sport. Thank you for an excellent experience.
“Great Job AGF staff! Once again, you have proven that we are the best federation in Canada.”
“I think this fall congress has been a great effort of AGF to motivate and pursue a higher level of gymnastics in Alberta and certainly will support this in 2014.”
Receiving our WHITE HATS, making us honorary Calgarians
Beth, Christophe, Tony, Dave
CHANGE
Jamie Donkin
I am a very lucky person. I get to combine two of my favorite things, gymnastics and traveling, and live it everyday. Up until this fall I had always done so from the safety of my hometown. I’d get to explore, seek out new people and new places, new schools and new ways of thinking, and then go back to my comfortable place where these experiences would enhance my life in some magical way. Eventually I realized that these small ventures out into the world could only make me happy to a certain extent; I knew that I could not maintain such complacency with a soul that is continually seeking out more. More experiences. More knowledge. More relationships. More adventures. More of life.
When approached with the opportunity to coach at a new university in a new town outside of my beloved California, I experienced a moment of hesitation. This newness was far more permanent than my weekend or weeklong jaunts for recruiting or camps. This was a pack the U-Haul and get a new drivers license kind of change. This is also me acting completely different than that excited explorer I described in the previous paragraph. And that realization was all it took. What was I waiting for? Life is full of adventures, exploring and change. I cannot sit around in my cozy corner of the world and expect it to come to me. In honor of the upcoming election I pull a quote from Barack Obama, who said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change we seek.” This was my moment! My next big adventure. And to balk at this chance was to ignore that inner voice screaming for the unknown. An unknown that could possibly change my life.
So whether it is a new job, new school, or a new team, we are exposed to change at some point in time. But it is in that change that we grow. We get the opportunity to learn who we are, or, almost equally important, what we want out of life. I miss my old team terribly – they are what shaped me into the coach I am now. But this new group and new environment is giving me a chance to grow as a coach, expand my ways of thinking, and test that gut reaction to hesitate at the unknown. Have I felt lost at times? Sure. Is it taking a while to feel like I have control? Well, did I ever have it in the first place?! Probably not. So in the end, I accept that this change as part of what makes me lucky. I may be in a new place but in the end I still get to do what I love!
Jamie Donkin
Assistant Coach Utah State University
I had the extreme pleasure of working with Jamie at Gym Momentum Camp as well as The National Gymnastics Training Camp in 2012. She was loved by the gymnasts and coaches alike. Her work ethic, attention to detail and creativity made her a favorite. I look forward to having her back 2013.
Tony
Have something you want to SHARE with GYM MOMENTUM? Keep the Momentum going!
Pak with Full Twist
Instead of Crash of the week I thought I would share a SKILL of the Week!
From Gym Momentum Camp 2012. Pak with a Full Twist.
[Read more…]
Twisting Drill for Side Arch
Kip Reed shares a good drill on side arch twisting from Gym Momentum Camp 2012. The audio isn’t great but you can see the drill clearly.
[Read more…]
Twisting Progression Part 2.
Doug Byrnes from HAMLINE UNIVERSITY shares his twisting progression on floor at GYM MOMENTUM CAMP this last summer. Doug is a pretty AMAZING spotter and not everyone is going to be able to spot like that but does an exceptional job breaking down the twist.
You want to watch TWISTING PROGRESSION PART 1 FIRST.
[Read more…]
