Gymnastics

N N

normskih

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 Aug 2015
Messages
5,584
Has anyone been watching the World Championships that have been on the BBC this week. Absolutely unbelievable tumbling, strength and balance and that’s only the women;) It’s all quite incredible.
 
Not watched it this week, but when the olympics are on, I'll often find myself watching gymnastics.

Seriously, the strength the guys have is ridiculous.

The rings thing, when they do the crucifix, I cannot see how anybody cannot be impressed, same with the horse.

The women on the parralel bars are amazing.

Kudos to any gymnasts
 
I've not seen it this year, but it's a sport I wish I'd taken seriously when I was younger.

The strength, stamina and control you need to do gymnastics well is astonishing. The physique on them is something else.

I do think in years to come, exercises like balancing, stretching, graceful movement, as well as the basics like squatting, touching your toes, sitting cross legged will become as important as walking and running.
 
Both my girls were gymnasts as kids, the youngest recreational (2 hours a week), and the eldest, from the age of 5, in the team squad at the club (Dialstone in Stockport) for 14 hours a week! I put up a "chinning" bar in the lounge door frame so they could practice chin ups - 5 for the youngest - 20 for the eldest.
With all the travel to and from, it was easier to stay, so I became a part-time coach.
When the eldest was 8, she got to a national final in Leicester, finishing 30th.
They were both strong, fit and supple, unlike their dad, and when they'd had enough, went to Stockport Harriers for a few years. Naturally, I became a club coach there!
It's a hard life being a dad - but well worth the effort.
Yu don't realise how much effort and practice (and "bottle") has to be put in by gymnasts to perfect a move such as a back flick on the beam, or a back straddle on the bars - swinging on the high bar, then releasing and catching the bottom bar on the way past.
It's 30 years since my girls were gymnasts, and when I see what the current girls can do, think "wow", how do they do that? Practice, practice, practice is the answer.
 
crazyg said:
Both my girls were gymnasts as kids, the youngest recreational (2 hours a week), and the eldest, from the age of 5, in the team squad at the club (Dialstone in Stockport) for 14 hours a week! I put up a "chinning" bar in the lounge door frame so they could practice chin ups - 5 for the youngest - 20 for the eldest.
With all the travel to and from, it was easier to stay, so I became a part-time coach.
When the eldest was 8, she got to a national final in Leicester, finishing 30th.
They were both strong, fit and supple, unlike their dad, and when they'd had enough, went to Stockport Harriers for a few years. Naturally, I became a club coach there!
It's a hard life being a dad - but well worth the effort.
Yu don't realise how much effort and practice (and "bottle") has to be put in by gymnasts to perfect a move such as a back flick on the beam, or a back straddle on the bars - swinging on the high bar, then releasing and catching the bottom bar on the way past.
It's 30 years since my girls were gymnasts, and when I see what the current girls can do, think "wow", how do they do that? Practice, practice, practice is the answer.
Click to expand...
I must say, I find it hard to keep looking when the girls are on the beam. I get nervous for them. My niece, my nephew’s wife was a gymnast to a decent level when she was younger and says the back flip on the beam is easier than forward as you see the beam as you go backwards, I suppose that makes sense. She gave up gymnastics when falling off the beam and breaking her coccyx.
I think they are all amazing whatever position they finish, it’s only a few points splitting the top 20 in the world, the effort they must all put themselves through deserves much more.
 
Last edited:
ctidcarl said:
Not watched it this week, but when the olympics are on, I'll often find myself watching gymnastics.

Seriously, the strength the guys have is ridiculous.

The rings thing, when they do the crucifix, I cannot see how anybody cannot be impressed, same with the horse.

The women on the parralel bars are amazing.

Kudos to any gymnasts
Click to expand...
It’s when on the floor exercise, the men do a handstand with their arms wide apart, how on earth they do that I‘ll never know? Obviously I do, they train and train but it’s fantastic to watch.
 
normskih said:
It’s when on the floor exercise, the men do a handstand with their arms wide apart, how on earth they do that I‘ll never know? Obviously I do, they train and train but it’s fantastic to watch.
Click to expand...
Start leaning against a wall and work from there.
 
crazyg said:
Both my girls were gymnasts as kids, the youngest recreational (2 hours a week), and the eldest, from the age of 5, in the team squad at the club (Dialstone in Stockport) for 14 hours a week! I put up a "chinning" bar in the lounge door frame so they could practice chin ups - 5 for the youngest - 20 for the eldest.
With all the travel to and from, it was easier to stay, so I became a part-time coach.
When the eldest was 8, she got to a national final in Leicester, finishing 30th.
They were both strong, fit and supple, unlike their dad, and when they'd had enough, went to Stockport Harriers for a few years. Naturally, I became a club coach there!
It's a hard life being a dad - but well worth the effort.
Yu don't realise how much effort and practice (and "bottle") has to be put in by gymnasts to perfect a move such as a back flick on the beam, or a back straddle on the bars - swinging on the high bar, then releasing and catching the bottom bar on the way past.
It's 30 years since my girls were gymnasts, and when I see what the current girls can do, think "wow", how do they do that? Practice, practice, practice is the answer.
Click to expand...
They’re just incredible. My granddaughter just 11 years old is a gymnast and trains pretty well every day. Her coaches all think she’s a good chance of reaching a very high level. My only concern is she’s going to be very tall (at least six feet) and I watched the brilliant USA women’s team and was struck by the sheer power, but noticed they all had a similar build - short to medium height, low centre of gravity and very powerful thighs. However good our lass becomes I think she will be physically disadvantaged compared to the very best and question the huge sacrifice and dedication she’s putting in. Her tiny village primary school entered her in a county schools long jump & her first ever jump was a couple of centimetres off the Country record for her age group (& she’s a July child so young for her year). I really do wonder if she’d be better going for track and field ?
 
I like 'the floor' or whatever they call it, where they do their summersalts, tough to watch it live now though, since I saw that girl's knee bent backwards upon landing, become more squeemish as age has happened, and the one where they swing jump from one bar to another, that looks fun. My least favourite is the pummel horse, it's just boring
 
Rory Bluelow said:
They’re just incredible. My granddaughter just 11 years old is a gymnast and trains pretty well every day. Her coaches all think she’s a good chance of reaching a very high level. My only concern is she’s going to be very tall (at least six feet) and I watched the brilliant USA women’s team and was struck by the sheer power, but noticed they all had a similar build - short to medium height, low centre of gravity and very powerful thighs. However good our lass becomes I think she will be physically disadvantaged compared to the very best and question the huge sacrifice and dedication she’s putting in. Her tiny village primary school entered her in a county schools long jump & her first ever jump was a couple of centimetres off the Country record for her age group (& she’s a July child so young for her year). I really do wonder if she’d be better going for track and field ?
Click to expand...
Whatever path she goes down, it sounds she’s going to be quite some athlete.
 
MellowJoe said:
I like 'the floor' or whatever they call it, where they do their summersalts, tough to watch it live now though, since I saw that girl's knee bent backwards upon landing, become more squeemish as age has happened, and the one where they swing jump from one bar to another, that looks fun. My least favourite is the pummel horse, it's just boring
Click to expand...
The number of times I was phoned to go to the local hospital when my eldest fell off the beam/bars/vault had to be counted on both hands - mainly for X rays. Fortunately, all were just minor sprains. Asked by nurses if she'd had X rays before, I used to say that she glowed in the dark!
As for the line in bold, that's the back straddle. Miss your grip and you land on the matting flat on your face.
 
My daughter (6) and eldest son (4) both go to gymnastics every week. I'd taken my son to football but he was playing with kids up to 2 years older and was basically chasing them around so got a bit demoralised. Chucked him in the gym with his sister and he loves it. I feel for my daughter as she's not a natural gymnast let's say! But she has such a good work ethic and practices non-stop at home too. In time she'll get stronger and more confident with it, but her brother is a natural which is always quite hard to manage as a parent!

Hoping they both stick at it and my son can get back into football when he's ready. He plays with me in the garden most evenings, and has a few school friends who play now too.
 
Rory Bluelow said:
They’re just incredible. My granddaughter just 11 years old is a gymnast and trains pretty well every day. Her coaches all think she’s a good chance of reaching a very high level. My only concern is she’s going to be very tall (at least six feet) and I watched the brilliant USA women’s team and was struck by the sheer power, but noticed they all had a similar build - short to medium height, low centre of gravity and very powerful thighs. However good our lass becomes I think she will be physically disadvantaged compared to the very best and question the huge sacrifice and dedication she’s putting in. Her tiny village primary school entered her in a county schools long jump & her first ever jump was a couple of centimetres off the Country record for her age group (& she’s a July child so young for her year). I really do wonder if she’d be better going for track and field ?
Click to expand...
At her age, let her try any sporting activity she wants - she sounds a natural athlete. Just give her all the encouragement you can. She'll soon find her favourite sport.
My youngest daughter is also a 5' 12" girl, and was once asked by the sports teacher to do the high jump in the local schools comp, despite never having done it before. She won!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top