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Tumble Trak's new Therabands

At National Congress in San Jose, Trade Show. I ordered two rolls of two different grade resistance on these Tumble Trak therabands. They're made segmented with loops. It resolves having to tie knots. They ran out by the afternoon on the first day; so I ordered for delivery to the gym. I think they are so new, they don't even have them listed on their catalog. We'll see how well they work.  I'm worried about the loops being manufactured too big. 

I texted all our JO parents from the Trade Show and they are all in as far as reimbursing me for the bands and sticky toes (I managed to get a few coworkers to register and give me their buy-one-get-one-free coupons)- rather than convincing the gym to buy it, I convinced the parents to have their athletes own their own.

I also picked up a bar pad for $17 (all Tumble Trak products were also with a 15% discount) that fits between hands shoulder width apart on the bar.  Otherwise I would have soon made one myself. 

We have one kid who's been having so much trouble on giants, I am thinking of trying this drill with her:







That's from the Forster-Resnick Bar Boot Camp the first year they had it.  Tom included it in one of his lectures at Congress this weekend.

Curriculum & Lesson Planning with Smart Moves- Clinic by Jeff Lulla

Clinic description:

Published on Nov 17, 2014

This is the same live presentation Jeff Lulla has delivered at the USA Gymnastics Regional and National Congresses, Gymnastics Ontario Congress, Alberta Gymnastics Congress and at the GymCon Conference in 2014.
Here, at a staff workshop hosted by Fun & Fit Gymnastics, with club owners and staff invited from other Southern California gymnastic clubs, Jeff explains the importance of using a progressive curriculum and creative lesson plans built online with the Smart Moves teaching system to make classes fun, safe and exciting.

Region 3 Congress Yurchenko Lecture- Steve Arkell

Region 1 Congress 2015, San Jose August 21-23

Justin Howell's lecture on Round-offs, last session on Saturday- filled up to standing room only capacity.

It's been quite a while since I've been to a Regional Congress. Long overdue for me. The last time might have been back in the SMGC days, when I was not interested in being a team coach. Speaking of which, I had lunch with a former co-worker; and also ran into these former SMGC students, now coaches:

 Rachel is now at the gym Lilly was at before she moved to Chicago.  Angie had a brief opportunity to work with Eddie Umphrey before Eddie gave up his head coach position to be with his fiancee at Airborne.

Speaking of Umphrey, I brought my cohorts over to Chainey's house for some dinner to meet the new addition.

 Prior to seeing them, I asked Chainey if he'd been working out.  He says he runs about "3 blocks" (direct quote) and does some push-ups.  That's about it.  So this is what he looks like as of yesterday:

 I used to get into arguments with people all the time back in college- people who were adamant in their belief that Chainey was taking steroids; or that he must lift weights.  Nope.  None of that.  The only weight he lifted was his own body.  Nor did he do a lot of extra strength training- mostly routines.   He's just a genetic freak of nature. 


I did a lot of videoing, in part to bring back and share with the staff back at home base.  Not sure how much I will share on YouTube and this blog.

My co-workers did not bring their video cameras; but I shared my digital camera (the Casio that can also film in slo-mo and back to normal speed all in one shot) and my iPhone 4 while I used my iPhone 5 (64 gb).  2 extra battery packs.  After each lecture, I'd have 45 minutes to dump the memory into my laptop and would recharge while filming the next lecture.

What kind of perplexes me is how many coaches- even if fairly new- seem unaware of so many drills and concepts that seem easily acquired through the internet.  I guess some coaches don't waste as much time as I do on YouTube; or run detective searches through blogs and social media for content.

I was disappointed that Neil Resnick was not present yesterday for his lectures. 

Everyone has something to offer, though; and I enjoy listening to anyone express their thoughts and views and share their ideas about anything related to gymnastics. 

The Edge Symposium

Bar Basics with Tom Stevens

Swing Big links to a bars clinic by Tom Stevens:

Technique for connected front tumbling

Long Hang Pullover & Doggy Baby Giant Progression Ideas

Apparently my recent postings saw the owner of those two video clips wipe them from the YouTube channel.  Hard for me to not believe it wasn't in reaction to my sharing the vids.  Apologies if they were never meant to be widely shared (the videos were publicly accessible).

I filmed these a few years ago- I think the first year Resnick and Forster had their Bar Boot Camp clinic.

Apparently team coach Zac of Aerials Gymnastics came up with the idea for "doggy giants":

Structuring rec like team

Looks like part of a power points presentation:

Progression for Building a Strong Back Handspring

I like that Travis Rainer uses the octagon in such a way as to not allow the gymnast to simply be draped over it, in an arch.  One reason why I used to prefer the pac-man over the octagon was because it forced the gymnast to squeeze the butt and have an active shape change and active muscles in order to get it to move- not just sagging like a limp rag, coasting along like a passenger for the ride rather than being the driver.

My current preference these days, as far as unassisted, spotting devices is to use a simple spotting block to slide off of.  I might post a clip to better illustrate what I mean.  I'm probably the only one in the world who is doing it (and I swear, it's not because I'm crazy.  I only came up with it recently and think the results will validate and lend credibility, although it's only a drill with a specific purpose; and it alone isn't enough to acquire a backhandspring.  It is also technique-specific).

I also like Rainer's emphasis on the snap off the hands happening through the chest and shoulders and not piking in the hips.

Clinic with Dutch Coach Patrick Kiens

Handstand clinic with Sebastian Melander

Hanging and Tapping

Great bar clinic by Nick Blanton at Louisiana Training Camp earlier this year:

IDP Bar Clinic (Progression to Full Out)

Blanton Courbetting Drills

Illustration from Championship Gymnastics

Landing Technique and Safety

I caught a few minutes of this (and have not had time yet to study the whole thing) from National Congress when it was live-streaming on Saturday morning.  I couldn't watch it at the time, due to heading off for work.  Glad it is made available:



In addition, you can get the lecture notes here (you'll be required to provide an email address).  And also view more on landing and jumping technique for gymnasts on Dr. Eldridge's website.  Don't forget to also go here:  Beginning Core, Landing, and Jumping Technique for Gymnasts

Wade used to talk about landing with toes slightly turned in with the knees knocked together as one stable unit; I believe he made mention that the landing technique he favored was pooled from aerial ski jumpers- who have to have fantastic landing technique.

But from what I saw of the video lecture, current thinking seems to suggest that this technique appears to be harsh on the knees.  Shoulder width apart with toes facing forward is encouraged.

From Dr. Eldridge's lecture overview at National Congress

Quite simply put:  Men and women are built differently:

Read more »

A Heads Up

Looks like this YouTube user is uploading a bunch of clips from one of Resnick-Forster's bar boot camp clinics.


Great planching exercises:

Tony Retrosi ABCs of bars parts 1 and 2

Further related sees: 
Uneven Bars A-Z - Tony Retrosi