Gym Momentum

Thanking Those Who Took The Time To Teach Me.

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Education and knowledge are not things to hold on to. They are meant to be shared like a good book. I have never kept any secrets about technique or drills. I am confident enough to believe that coaching gymnastics is like cooking. Everyone starts with certain ingredients (the gymnasts). Everyone has the same basic appliances (the equipment and mats). Everyone has access to technique. It all comes down to your spices (communication skills) and dedication.

When I first got serious about coaching I am sure I was a pain in the ass to so many people. asking countless questions, asking to watch their training sessions. This was back before the age of YouTube and Instagram or e-mail. You had to actually CALL people on the phone. You had to physically go to their gym. The benefit of going to their gym was you got to see ALL their gymnasts. You got to see them in action. Not just a 30 second drill with their talented athlete. (BEWARE THE YOUTUBE COACH). When I received my membership to the US Elite Coaches Association I went through each article, each drill, each hand drawn technique.

There are many famous (and some infamous) people who I learned from. This is THE OTHER list. The people I learned from along the way who deserve recognition.

Charolette Snyder. My 8th grade math teacher. She believed in me, pushed me, and encouraged me. This is what every teacher should do. After all, aren’t we just teachers?

Manny Acosta. He taught me how to spot. The basics of spotting. What to look for and what to “see” with your hands to give a correction.

Jose Molina. He taught me to be passionate.

Don Tonry. He taught me the science behind the art of gymnastics.

Ray Johnson. He taught me how to talk to a gymnast at their level. To believe in a progression.

Stephanie William (now Retrosi). She taught me balance. I could be enthusiastic and calm.

My first group of gymnasts I bought up to level 10 and Elite. Beth, Molly, Shannon, Kelly, Lexa. You made me push myself. To stay one day ahead of you.

Frank DeFrancesco. You were always available to me and never made me feel bad when I had painted myself into a corner.

Cori Cunningham. I learned patience from you. I cannot want it more than the gymnast does.

Rich Lines. Coaching with you, Everyday was a lesson in Physics and Mechanics.

Denise Edmonds- Thanks for the first job and teaching me to work hard.

and lately Ryan Doherty. I learned that gymnastics can still be fun.

Dr. Sands: An Open Letter on Injury for Coaches, Physicians, Therapists, Chiropractors, Nurses, and the Media 

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An Open Letter on Injury for Coaches, Physicians, Therapists, Chiropractors, Nurses, and the Media 

William A Sands, Ph.D., FACSM Sports Scientist – Retired 

In recent years I have read, seen, and heard an under-informed castigation of gymnastics based on athletes training and competing “with an injury.” The hyperbolic nature of this phrase does not accurately portray the milieu of gymnastics injuries. The following opinions and information are based on more than 50 years of experience in gymnastics as an athlete, coach, and sports scientist. 

First and foremost, no one wants to see gymnasts injured and suffering. Gymnastics has a high injury incidence and rate and is often referred to as the football of women’s sports. 

The Importance of Context. 

What is an injury? Among the more common definitions of injury, there is a damaged body part or body system resulting from either a single trauma (i.e., acute) or repetitive trauma (i.e., overuse). Injury severity is often characterized by a measure of the :me lost from training, such as one day, one week, one month, and so forth. The type of injury remediation can also be used to measure injury, such as whether surgery, physical therapy, self-limited movements, or other treatments are involved. Injury prevalence, a simple tallying of injuries, and injury rate (i.e., the number of injuries per training session or multiple training sessions), or the percentage of an athlete group who suffered from an injury are standard methods of characterizing the injuries. 

What is a gymnastics injury? Gymnastics injuries involve all the concepts listed in the previous paragraph, but gymnastics injuries remain challenging to characterize and categorize. A helpful definition of a gymnastics injury is “any damaged body part that would interfere with training” (2-5). This broad definition helps capture the idea that most gymnastics injuries are not debilitating but can interfere with some skills. Pragmatically, gymnastics injuries are skill-specific (5). For example, the athlete may have an injury (i.e., pain) on an aerial walkover but not an aerial cartwheel. When possible, a coach should accompany the gymnast to clarify what is possible and desirable. A video on a laptop or tablet can be very helpful. Experience has shown that medical folks can over- and under-es:mate the amount of training stress an athlete’s injury can withstand. The days of relying on medical interventions without coaching input are gone, along with coaches assuming the role of physician and therapist. Each has an important role and should contribute to the rapid return of the athlete. Rich communication should be required between medical personnel, coach, athlete, and parent. 

Why can’t the gymnast simply take a complete rest from training and allow the injury to heal fully? Of course, complete rest is an op:on, but such an act can be devastating to the athlete’s gymnastics. Gymnatics-specific physical fitness is sensitive to continued training. Unfortunately, a gymnast’s fitness can decline rapidly, especially when compared to the progress observed in teammates. Experience has shown that the inevitable comparisons between the rehabilitating athlete and her teammates can raise the injury to a “career-ender” because the gymnast feels she has fallen behind and cannot catch up. She is physically weaker than she remembers, and her teammates have probably learned a few new skills. 

Thus, both physically and psychologically, continued training is important to the injured gymnast. Gymnastics is not alone with these problems; many sports report the same problems with losses of specific fitness and feelings of helplessness and abandonment. 

If an athlete in other sports sprains an ankle, sports training and competitions usually cease until the injury heals. A sprained ankle in basketball, football, baseball, track and field, and so forth is a rather devastating injury. However, a sprained ankle does not always sideline a gymnast. Gymnasts can continue to train and sometimes compete with a sprained ankle. Of course, the gymnast can perform non-weight-bearing conditioning exercises like other sports, but she can also work on uneven bars over a foam pit with the ankle firmly braced and/or taped. When the gymnast exits or dismounts from the uneven bars, she can land on her seat or back in a soO foam pit area. Skilled athletic trainers may also apply appropriate taping strategies to protect the athlete while weight-bearing. The ubiquitous sprained ankle in most sports involves taping and bracing that may be invisible due to socks and pants while fully visible among gymnasts because they usually train and compete barefoot. 

Unlike many sports, gymnasts must learn hundreds of skills that may or may not threaten an existing injury or even hurt when performed. Thus, intelligent skill selection and choreography can allow a gymnast to perform successfully without jeopardizing the injury by simply avoiding or substituting a painful skill with a non-painful skill. 

The idea that a gymnast can train and compete with injuries does not avert the question of should the gymnast train and compete with injuries. For those who have never dedicated their lives to achieving a goal, such a passionate commitment may seem silly. However, many athletes in many sports whose lives are defined by their performance at a competitive event speak to the universal nobility of such commitment. 

As the ancient Greeks understood, great athletes not only accept the ordeal of competition and the trial of strength inherent in it but also show us a connection between what we do each day and something that is larger than we are and lasts longer than we do. Bill Bradley p 107, (1) 

References 

  1. Cousineau P. The Olympic Odyssey. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 2003.
  2. Sands WA. Gymnastics Risk Management: Safety Handbook 2002 Edition. Indianapolis, IN: USA
    Gymnastics, 2002.
  3. Sands WA. Characteristics of gymnastics injuries, in: The Science of Gymnastics. M Jemni, ed.
    Abingdon, Oxon, UK: Routledge, 2017, pp 288-289.
  4. Sands WA. What is an injury?, in: The Science of Gymnastics . M Jemni, ed. Abingdon, Oxon, UK:
    Routledge, 2017, pp 286-287.
  5. Sands WA, Shultz BB, and Newman AP. Women’s gymnastics injuries. A 5-year study. Am J Sports
    Med 21: 271-276, 1993.

US Elite Coaches Association Bar and Floor Symposium.

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US Elite Coaches Association Bar and Floor Symposium. July 23-24 2021. 

USECA Video Club Chairman and owner of MAGMA Gymnastics in New Jersey, John Minh, took it upon himself to host the FIRST USECA Symposium. This one focusing predominantly on Uneven Bars and Tumbling  although there were clinics done on ALL events as well as Dance and Conditioning. 

John put together a great group of clinicians for the symposium. 

John Minh

John Wojtchuk

Ryan Goen

Craig Tetreault

Tony Retrosi

Jill Cookingham

Symposium Staff

Coaches attended from as far away as South Dakota for the symposium.  Along with a wealth of information all attendees also received a 2 month free membership to USECA. 

At the conclusion of the weekend John hosted a coaches Q and A. Much like his “Coaches on Couches” series. 

The US Elite Coaches Association was originally formed to provide education and information to coaches wanting to enter the elite program. In its 5 decades of existence it has continued to provide educational information through its monthly online newsletter and video club. 

The NUMBER ONE question at the end of the symposium- WHEN WILL THERE BE OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE SYMPOSIUM?

SOON- We hope, We are planning on taking this to other areas. If you are interested in hosting, please e-mail me!

See links to Notes and Videos at the bottom of page.

USECA Hurdle and Roundoff Notes and videos of drills

USECA Handspring into salto notes and videos

USECA TWISTING Notes and Video

Developmental Twisting Part 1 of 8 (follow links to other drills)

USECA Handsprings into Salto Notes

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Tony Retrosi
tretrosi@gymmomentum.com

Front and Back Handspring and Saltos

To be a great tumbler you must be off balance in the way you want to go

Open and Close concept.

In order to transfer your momentum from oneway (backwards or forwards) to up- you need to have a counter action in it. Gainer.

Working Back and front handsprings UPHILL will increase strength and the desired rotation.

HEAD POSITION.
straight is great.
Chin like a soldier

Putting it together
cartwheel step in BHS
Front walkover step in (throw foam)
Front head springs
Bounder over mats
FHS step out, step out, together
BHS step out, step out, together
FHS off mat bounder (fly spring) over mat
BHS over mat, BHS over mat
Round off BHS over mat, BGS over mat

THE FLIP
Teach them what the END is like first.
Teach them the body position you want through out (If they are a little kid I MAY teach a layout first. Spotted)
Teach them how to rebound out as well as land. For example- run, front tuck rebound run front tuck stick.

Front flipping progression
Front handspring bounder over increasingly higher mat.
Front handspring up to handstand on “fat mat”. Fall flat to back.
Front handspring to dive roll onto ”fat mat” sideways. Feet land on floor.

Back flipping progression
Back handspring over mat (on TT) gainer rebound to back
Roundoff BHS rebound to candle on fat mat.
Roundoff BHS rebound to “set” COACHES SPOT

The faster you go in a handspring (either front or back) the less body shape change it takes.

USECA Symposium Round Off Notes.

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You want to be a great Tumbler? 

Have a great Entry!

The Hurdle and Roundoff or Front Handspring. 

Basic Shaping

Straight

Hollow

Arch

Push though EVERYTHING you have! 

You cannot build on top of a poor foundation. 

Common Problems

  • lack of extension
  • Generally weak shapes
  • Not understanding what they need to feel and see
  • In a RUSH

THE HURDLE 

– ZOMBIE ARMS. 

OPEN and CLOSE (faster or longer). The only corrections you may ever need 

Backward roll stand up fast. 

Handstand Step In 

Front walk over step in

Back walk over step in. 

Cartwheel step in. 

I tend to teach the hurdle FRONT handspring BEFORE the hurdle roundoff.  It keeps them more square. 

Where is the Love?

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I used to LOVE nearly everything about gymnastics. Practicing it, competing, watching, coaching, reading about it- It was all amazing. As a youth I remember waiting for International Gymnast Magazine to arrive in the mail. Reading the articles, hanging up the posters. Pretty sure I had a photo of Eizo Kenmotsu above my gym stuff. I remember the absolute joy of being able to go compete in or watch a competition.

As I transitioned from athlete to coach I still waited for magazines, now looking for technique, drills and ideas. I remember waiting for USECA newsletter which was (and IS) always filled with great articles, drills and ideas. I enjoyed taking gymnasts to competitions and I enjoyed talking technique and ideas with coaches after the meet.

It has been a LONG time since I have enjoyed reading anything about gymnastics. Its seems like it is always scandal or controversy. Even when a gymnast posts something fabulous online, by the time I see it, the haters have ripped them apart.

Dinner with the Mens Team

USAG and other federations certainly have had a rough couple years. Problems which they could have avoided and problems that were impossible to see coming. Guilty parties need to be held accountable then we need to be able to move on. If we keep picking at the scab we will have a scar too deep to heal.

Voltaire is roughly quoted as saying, “PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.” In our sport, a sport I love, don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good. In the gym, I strived for perfection as a gymnast and then as a coach. It wasn’t until I had a conversation with Wendy Bruce that I realized that my perfectionism was getting in my way. I fear that in our sport we are looking for perfect solutions. Solutions that do not exist. There will always be missteps and false starts before we hit our stride.

The future (post pandemic) is still uncertain but at least there is positive news. There have actually been some LIVE meets! The remote and virtual meets were different but it was what we had to do. If we waited for the perfect platform or the perfect venue nothing would have happened. Gymnastics is a dynamic sport. We are continuing to change and evolve. 2020 showed how resilient we can be.

We are positioned better than nearly every other sport to have growth in 2021. We have shown that we can do virtual meets. We have shown we can do LIVE meets safely.

It is time to stand up to the haters and the bomb throwers that have nothing positive to say. It is time to be a force for positivity. It is time to remember why you LOVE the sport. If you don’t – who will?

There will always be room for improvement. It is important to every once and a while to also look back and see how far we have come and what mountains we have already climbed.

I want to read an article that focuses on the progress we have made. I want to read about the achievements a gymnast has. I want to read an article speculating about what NEW and INNOVATIVE skills will be competed at the Olympics or World Championships.

Whether you are a gymnast, coach, judge or casual fan I urge you to stay positive. I have a rule in my gym for my gymnasts and my staff, “Don’t come to me with a problem without a potential solution”. Instead of posting something negative- maybe post a potential solution.

My 5 Golden Rules in the gym are:

  1. Be On Time and Prepared
  2. No Sitting Down in the Gym
  3. No Cell Phones in the Gym
  4. Don’t Come To Me With a Problem Without a Potential Solution,
  5. Everyone Leaves With A Smile

I am now adding a 6th.

DON’T LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.

There are many people who have harmed in our sport and the offending parties need to be held accountable. Then we need to be able to move on.

Open Letter to the Gymnastics Club Owners from Inside Gymnastics magazine and the United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association (USGSA) | Inside Gymnastics Magazine

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Source: Open Letter to the Gymnastics Club Owners from Inside Gymnastics magazine and the United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association (USGSA) | Inside Gymnastics Magazine

Open Letter to the Gymnastics Club Owners from Inside Gymnastics magazine and the United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association (USGSA)

 July 27, 2020

We know the backbone of the gymnastics industry in the United States is comprised of small business owners who run gymnastics clubs coast-to-coast. And we know how much you’ve poured your hearts and souls into your businesses. It’s an incredibly challenging time for so many of us across the industry facing the uncertainty brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as we head toward the fall competition season and the school year, we know you’re being pulled in a number of different directions and continue to face challenges. But, just as our athletes demonstrate overcoming adversity each and every day, we can and we will get through it – TOGETHER!

We will do our best to continue to provide you resources, information and inspiration. We find ourselves asking what we can do to help this situation both immediately and for long-term sustainability of our sport at the grassroots level. As an industry, we can unite, work together, share best practices and work together towards solutions to prevent further setbacks and unifying to make our voices heard.

LET YOUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW OUR INDUSTRY AND SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS SUPPORT!

As Congress continues to debate additional stimulus options, reach out to your elected officials to let them know small business need continued support. Here is a link to find your Senate and Congressional Representatives:

Link to Locate Senate  

Link to House of Representatives

SUPPORT #PassPHIT

The Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is making the case to Congress that they need to support the active lifestyle industry across-the-board, emphasizing that an active population puts less strain on healthcare system. As we know, the strain on the healthcare system has only been amplified during COVID.  There is currently an initiative called The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT), which would incentivize health by providing a 12 to 35 percent discount on physical activity expenditures through use of pre-tax medical accounts. Youth sports costs, health club dues, at-home fitness programs, outdoor recreation fees, sports and fitness equipment, and other expenses directly related to active lifestyles would be eligible for payment using an HSA or FSA.

As stated by the PHIT Coalition, “Our collective spirit unites people, which has often been described as an early indicator of economic recovery. Most important, however, are the physiological benefits derived from exercise that help stave off severe COVID-19 complications. As stakeholders, we look forward to working with you as Congress undergoes this next critical phase. The shared goals include the following: 1) Improve health in America; 2) Reduce the strain on our overall healthcare system; and 3) Provide consumer-driven economic stimulus solutions to help active lifestyle industries harmed by the pandemic.”

If you agree, urge members of Congress to pass this legislation, and use #PassPHIT on social media.

EXPLORE ADDITIONAL REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR CLUBS

During these unprecedented times, we’re all having to find new ways to work, which requires creative thinking and expansion of ideas. We’ve been encouraged seeing all of the ways that clubs are altering their operations to meet this new normal and finding new opportunities to supplement their club operations. We will continue to share some of these ideas and also work to try to provide resources. Some opportunities you may want to consider –

  • Explore outreach within public school districts and private school entities to discuss partnering with PE programs in your area. This can work whether schools are operating in person or virtually. For people who are stuck at home for virtual schooling, your facility can provide a great outlet for the physical fitness component. For school’s that are in session but perhaps don’t have the resources to incorporate physical activity at this time, your facility can also be an option. The USGSA and Inside Gymnastics magazine and working on some resources that you may be able to use with this initiative to reach out to your local contacts (more to come).
  • Incorporate the benefits of active lifestyle into your marketing materials and messaging and expand your marketing to the general public. As many kids who aren’t involved in gymnastics have been cooped up at home for long periods of time, many parents are looking for options to get their kids out of the house and into an active environment. Consider adding additional fitness classes that are geared toward a non-gymnastics audience for youth fitness. Exposing these non-gymnastics kids to your facility may also spark their interest in gymnastics and ultimately become a long term participant at your facility.
  • Consider asking some local food delivery companies to include flyers with discount coupons for your facility with their deliveries. You may reach an all-new audience. Consider trade-out as well (if Domino’s will include a flyer with their delivery, you will include coupons for them at your facility, etc).

KNOW THAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE ON YOUR SIDE AND WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF

The United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association USGSA (of which Inside Gymnastics magazine is a member) recently held its annual meeting, virtually. Among the top items on the agenda is what can be done to support gymnastics clubs during this time. The organization is working on a number of initiatives to look to provide additional opportunities for clubs and making sure the gymnastics community has their voice heard. The organization has outreach to a number of other entities, including SFIA and SHAPE America to explore opportunities on your behalf.

BETTER TOGETHER

Through a unified spirit, targeted action, a collective sharing of ideas and an amplified voice, we can stand up, make our voices heard and share potential solutions to help our incredible industry navigate these times. We remain so inspired by the creative solutions we have already seen across the country to keep our athletes moving forward and the way our communities are rallying for the betterment of our children across all sports and physical fitness programs. We are all in this together. And though it may be hard to see now, we will come out of this having learned new ways to better our operations and eventually, even with an expanded enrollment and growth for our clubs if we can bring in new audiences and take advantage of the Olympic momentum that is to come. The work will be hard and setbacks will occur but in the end, everything we can do will be worth it and we will have helped our children be happy, healthy and productive through these times and beyond!

Sincerely,

The Team at Inside Gymnastics Magazine

The Members of the United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association (USGSA)

Letters from Gymnastics Clubs to our Elected Representatives.

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Gymnastics clubs throughout the world are getting our asses kicked. Every gym I know is closed and hoping to reopen in April or May. We have all been forced to layoff our employees and find new ways to jus Figure It Out. When we reopen we will be in a new economic place. The reality of a recession and the likelihood of the Olympics being postponed for a year does not make our lives easy.

I am on the Board of Directors of the US Gymnastics Club Owners Association and I am the Chairman of the US Elite Coaches Association . Both of these organizations have drafted letters to Congress.

Please take the time to mail one or both to all of your elected representatives.

USGCOA Plea-to-our-elected-officialsDownload
USECA Congress LetterDownload

We must make our voices heard.

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