The 2012 Pacific Alliance Championships, held in Everett, Washington (just north of Seattle) was a spectacular event in so many ways. The organizing committee should be commended for running a first rate, classy event. The facility was perfect for a gymnastics event, large enough to host an impressive crowd yet small enough to offer great viewing for all spectators. The energy in the arena was as electric as any athlete could ever hope for and this is the product of great marketing and pre meet organization and management.

Having a an international event on a podium is something that should never be taken for granted and the extra effort and expense incurred should be appreciated. The transportation plan, lodging and meal options were well prepared and administered. Hats off to USA Gymnastics and the associated sponsors and volunteers for a job well done. This truly was an incredible gymnastics event.

The format, however needs some further discussion. I realize there is a need to include as many countries as possible in an event like this, but a event that takes 5+ hours is not something that international caliber athletes should have to endure. Perhaps 3 smaller sessions rather that 2 large (including a momentum breaking bye round) is the answer. OR perhaps some consideration should be given to a qualification process to the event itself so as to maintain manageable numbers. In any case I know I was concerned with the length of competition/warm up time. Enough said.

While on the subject of format, I just don’t understand the Junior limitations. Current rules state that each country must use a minimum of 3 juniors (you can use more but not less), yet teams are penalized by the junior rules that restrict difficulty to E value skills (juniors can perform higher level skills but only receive a max credit of .5 – E value). Seniors on the other hand are unrestricted. Obviously this places teams using juniors at a distinct disadvantage.

Then some of the rule interpretations seem to be ambiguous at best. In 2010 we were told that Jordyn’s Amanar would only receive a 5.8 start value if performed thus we opted to use a DTY. This year (and I am not complaining) we were told that the difficulty limitation did not apply to vault. In 2010 juniors who used F or Gs for combination bonus were only given E value credit. This year they received E value credit for the skill itself but were awarded full bonus. Again I am not complaining, but it would be nice to have a consistent interpretation of the rules. Is this a big deal, probably not since not too many juniors are at the level to throw Amanar’s or F/G bonus combinations, but it does add some frustrations when inconsistencies arise.

Then there is the issue of importance of this competition. It seems that the Pac Rim Championships would received greater consideration from some countries as a priority event. IF we are obligated to support the Pac Rim union, then lets support it fully. Is an event of this magnitude worthy of a countries top athletes.. absolutely, but if only a portion of the countries view it in this light, the competition looses some of it’s prestige. How exciting would it have been to see a Russia/China/USA pre-Olympic battle of the titans? This does not take away from any of the great performances from this years competition but a stronger field would certainly add to the hype, excitement and popularity of gymnastics.

With my constructive criticism aside, I have to walk away from the 2012 Pacific Rim Championships with a great feeling of accomplishment. Jordyn performed exceptionally and demonstrated that she is on the right path to challenge for a spot on USA’s Olympic Team. She was poised, confident, and best of all consistent on all events. Success is something that we have never taken for granted and Jordyn knows all too well that the game is not over yet. Pac Rim was a great stepping stone towards the ultimate goal but the months ahead are what will determine the final results. We are after all, only as good as our next performance.

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Question from Travis Cherrier:

Hi John. I am an optional vault coach and while we are very good at piked yurchenkos, I cannot for the life of me, get the kids to do a really great layout?????? I spot them from board to table into open foam, I spot them from table to open foam and mats, we do tucks up to the resi above ground and everything, and this has produced a few hollow fulls, but no true layouts!!!! I dont know if I should just never teach a pike and just teach a crappily arched open tuck. I have them do layouts on tramp, I have them do ring swings, and I have them do arch hollow positions on two wedges and off of spot blocks, and still, either the crazy pike arch pike or a low landing/ankle jamming layout shape which makes them pike their subsequent flips to prevent the ankle jam! No clue at this point, as nothing seems to be working. Any advice???? Please help. thanks a lot.

Answer:

Progressing the details of shapes is somewhat like watching grass grow (progress is tough to see on a daily basis). Stay the course, keep emphasizing and drilling the shape that you want, and if the athlete has the ability and desire, it will eventually come.

One suggestion would relate the the “if the athlete has the talent,” and that would be to make sure you are not being overly optimistic with their ability. Layout vaults do require a good amount of athletic ability and sometimes PIKES are all you are going to get no matter how much drilling and conditioning you do. No sense beating your head against the wall or subjecting the athlete to unrealistic goals. BUT if you feel you are on track with the talent evaluation… stay the course.

Speaking of conditioning, this would be the area I would hone in on the most if the plan is not coming together like you would hope. Stronger athletes obviously will master skills much quicker than the less conditioned. Speed and power type conditioning enhancement will improve the dynamics of the acro skills, including vault.

Then there would be the muscle memory drills that put the athlete in the correct position as often as possible. You have been spotting, so that is a great start. Another approach may be to use launching devices like tumble trak, air bladders, mini tramps etc, to assist with getting off the floor or the table so that they can concentrate on the desired shape. This is a good approach to use while the athletes are acquiring and building adequate strength and power to handle the skill.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out my Success Videos for Coaches, there is a lot of great information for both shaping and vaulting. You can get them in the store at www.TheGymnasticsCoach.com

Hope this helps!

-John

Question:

Hi John,

What floor mat thickness would you recommend for use on an unsprung wooden hall floor for an elementary school based gymnastics club?

Thanks

Answer:

I would highly recommend the 2 inch foam backed carpet bonded foam. I think it runs somewhere around $600 per 40 foot roll (6 foot wide). You can check prices with Midwest Gym Supply out of Madison indiana.

-John Geddert

Question from “Thecoachwholovestocoach:”

Hi John! I am a level 7 coach for the first time after many years of coaching compulsories. I have watched your tumbling drills video and used those drills throughout the summer. Now I am having trouble coming up with drills to make my girls tumble better while in competition season because the floor is constantly being used for routine practice. We spent the whole summer practicing and perfecting the skills to put into the routines and I see the girls starting to relax and not have the same form they did before we put the pieces together. The judges killed us on our tumbling this past weekend on height, form, and having their chest down in the landings. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer:

Hi Coach,

Welcome to the frustrating world of coaching. The process your are experiencing is never ending in that skills can look fine when isolated outside of the routines, yet the minute you put a little dance in front or behind the skill, it seems to change the entire look. Patience, believe in your drills, progressions and techniques and simply keep plugging away. IT is kind of like watching grass grow…. you know there is progress there… it is just tough to see.

One suggestion would be to make sure that the tumbling passes are incorporated into the floor rotation requirements. This is always tough because usually the floor coach is concentrating on the choreography. Set a standard that tumbling is just as important and make sure the kids are applying the proper amount of effort on their own. It is impossible to watch every kid on every turn so they will have to take on some of the responsibility for improving their skill. You way also want to introduce a mass/group complex warm up, where all passes are covered as a group going across the floor, prior to starting routines (coaches could then point of improvement areas prior to turning them loose on their idle time stations).

We have also introduced separate tumbling rotations for our level 6 and higher… so that tumbling can get it’s due attention. Floor routines would be a separate rotation and concentrate on all the combined aspects of floor… dance, acro, presentation, endurance etc.

Hope this helps!

-John Geddert

   A Few weeks ago I had a college student request to do a story (an essay) on Jordyn, myself and the Twistars program. The final product follows. Thanks Claire for putting this well written document together (I do have to wonder about the impact it may have on shattering my “tyrant” image however). Great job!

Gymnastics’ SUPER TwiSTARS

She is an ordinary sixteen year old girl with an extraordinary talent; he is a typical work-oriented individual with a not-so-typical job.  She is quietly composed, yet fiercely powerful; he is wildly ambitious, but precisely organized.  She is Jordyn Wieber, he is John Geddert, and together they are World Champions.

Jordyn Wieber began gymnastics in 1999 at the early age of four.  Only twelve years later she is the best gymnast in the world and has a title to prove it.  On October 13, 2011 Jordyn captured the gold medal at the World Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo, becoming only the sixth American in history to hold this title.  As Jordyn competed for the title in Japan, teammates back home huddled together at 5:00am on the gym floor.  They were determined to be there in spirit as their teammate took on the biggest competition of her life.  Stacked high on gymnastics mats, they had connected their computer to a television so they could view the live online stream of the Championships.  It was an intense battle for the gold, and they could feel the pressure as Jordyn fought for every tenth of a point.  When the final results flashed, they saw her face flood with emotion as she tearfully embraced long-time coach, John Geddert.  “Two dreams were realized at that moment; Jordyn’s dream of being a world champion and my dream of coaching one” Geddert later blogged in his online journal.  Training at the same gym for your entire career is quite rare in the world of gymnastics, but Jordyn and John have stuck together.  Their relentless hard work and perseverance over the years has paid off.  This vibrant, dynamic duo has respectfully worked their way into gymnastics royalty.

The gold medal from Tokyo would find its new home halfway around the world in Dimondale, Michigan.  In 1996 John and Kathryn Geddert started Twistars Gymnastics Club USA at The Summit in Dimondale.  A few years later, four year old Jordyn Wieber joined the husband-wife duo at the 15,000 square foot gymnastics facility.  Jordyn took to the sport immediately and was in level 5 (usually recognized as the first competitive level) by age seven.  With the help of the Gedderts, she progressed through the levels winning various medals and awards.  At the innocent age of ten Jordyn was performing gymnastics skills equivalent to those of the nation’s most prominent college recruits.  By 2006 she was competing as a level 10, the highest level in the Junior Olympic (J.O.) Program.  She took no time establishing a name for herself, finishing 2^nd at the J.O. National Championships during her first year as a level 10.  In mid-2006 Jordyn qualified as an elite gymnast and received her first international assignment: the 2006 U.S. Classic in Kansas City.  Next were the Visa Championships in which she placed 9^th in the All-Around, earning her first chance to represent the United States on the elite National Team at the mere age of eleven.

The next five years Jordyn flipped her way through the elite program capturing numerous titles, her coach by her side every step of the way.  In 2007 they brought three gold medals, one bronze medal, and one silver medal home from Guatemala.  2008 meant both team and individual all-around gold in Italy as well as Belgium, a clean sweep of five gold medals in Houston, and the notable title of United States Junior National Champion.  2009 followed on strong with gold at the American cup and five more in Canada.  This year started with a solid win at the Visa Championships and finished with her most prized title as World Champion.  She also helped the U.S. team, with Geddert appointed as their head coach, to the team gold at the World Championship.  Wieber Fever, a term fans have coined, has undoubtedly become an epidemic.  So what is next?  Jordyn is a favorite for next year’s gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, but for now she keeps a focus on everyday practice in the gym and her junior year of high school.

She may be soaring through the air on your television screen, but back in Dimondale Jordyn is your simple teenage girl.  While many elite gymnasts sacrifice public schooling due to a demanding training schedule, Jordyn has managed to coordinate a schedule that allows for school and gymnastics.  She admits “It would probably be easier to just do home schooling, but going to school keeps things normal…and I like seeing friends” (Wieber).  Some weekdays involve morning and evening training, so she must do online classes in addition to her attendance at DeWitt High School.  It seems that, at sixteen, she has better time management skills than most adults.  She even finds time for leisure activities; shopping and fashion are among her favorites, along with trips to the movies and time with friends.  All of this would not be possible without some help from Geddert, who makes productivity a priority at practice.

Geddert has set up a training schedule that requires just over 30 hours a week in the gym.  This is on the low end of the scale, as many elites train 35-40 hours a week or more.  While Geddert knows that training for the Olympics requires maximum attention, he understands that too many hours in the gym can lead to physical and motivational issues.  There is no perfect training model for coaches to follow, so he must go with his knowledge and experience in creating a schedule that will be the most beneficial to his athletes.  It’s a fair assumption that his program must be working, given that Twistars has produced over 40 national champions.  Although Geddert has a detailed systematic approach to coaching, smiles and laughs are always welcome at practice. His philosophy is to “Keep a positive environment where the girls can have fun and feel good about their gymnastics” (Geddert).  This philosophy is not just a mission statement that John writes in his handbook; after my visit to Twistars it became clear that he emanates every aspect of it in his daily work.

***

I walk into the Summit at Capitol Centre in Diamondale, a multi-sport facility, and head toward the Twistars banner that hangs above the entrance to the gymnastics center.  Underneath the banner is a table that proudly displays plaques, pictures, and a blown up article from the Detroit Free Press highlighting Jordyn and John’s recent accomplishments at the World Championships.  I browse through the material for a minute and then make my way through the doors into the gym: the place where it all began.

It is a Friday night in early November, but the lighthearted smiles from Twistars gymnasts filtering through the doors indicate no concern over giving up various school football games for practice.  It is hard not to instantly notice Jordyn, with her chiseled frame and refined movements. Her body is perfectly sculpted for a gymnast; her muscles are tightly toned, but she maintains the graceful physique of a young woman.   She gathers together with the other girls on the floor as they share stories about their day and the latest news.  They do a few stretches on their own and then begin the group warm up.  While they jog, leap, and jump around the floor each gymnast seems to be mentally preparing for a positive workout.  Kathryn Geddert stands on the sidelines making sure the girls are taking their warm-up seriously and preparing their bodies for the night’s practice.  “Get a move on it” she urges as she makes a quick get-going gesture with her arm. The team looks like a well-oiled machine as they go through their synchronized warm-up movements, but they all seem to have smiles and are not silenced from talking and laughing with one another.  Kathryn throws in a few more corrections and after about twenty minutes of fast paced exercises they slow down for some flexibility.  Jordyn may be a powerhouse, but flexibility does not come easy and I notice her eyes in a deep focus as she pushes her legs and shoulders to their full extent.  Her callused hands reach up to secure her ponytail as she readies herself for the workout ahead.

Jordyn lines up with the other girls as they are broken into smaller groups and assigned to their first event.  She chats and walks with her group toward the balance beams.  As I watch and listen I begin to realize that inside these gym walls she is just Jo; a compassionate teammate that focused on her dreams and happened to become World Champion along the way.  Then I look over at John and Kathryn Geddert as they get ready for the first rotation of coaching.  Kathryn has her arms around one of the gymnasts and John is headed toward me.  He courteously tells me to make myself at home and cracks a joke after I trip over a mat.  It is clear that I have been welcomed with open arms.  Only thirty minutes into my visit and I now know that this Twistars team is a family and this gym is their home.

The girls all hop up onto their own high beam.  Four feet above the ground they begin their beam complex: a series of walks, hops, scales, and positions to get them ready for the more difficult elements.  They seem to have the complex memorized and do not need much direction or correcting from their coach in completing it.  Each girl then has her own daily assignment to complete in an hour.  Now the true gymnast in them comes out.  Jo automatically whips out some of the most difficult skills in the sport of gymnastics, including a standing back flip with a full twist in the air connected to an immediate back handspring.  You might expect some hesitation or fear as she is flipping and twisting on a four-inch wide apparatus high above the ground, but this girl is attentive and aggressive.  She stops for a second to fix the bandage on her leg, and laughingly says to Kathryn “This blood is like gushing everywhere, it won’t stop coming out” (Wieber).  It must not be anything too serious, as she hops back up on the beam within seconds.  Jo continues through her assignments, keeping a count by making little marks with her nail on the end of the balance beam each time she executes a skill perfectly.  A teammate interrupts to ask Jo if she has seen Paranormal Activity 3 at the theatre yet.  She quickly replies and gives her input on the movie, but removes herself from the ongoing conversation after a minute so she can get back to business.  The gymnasts work through their assignments, do some drills, and talk or rest here and there.  Jo is a different world though.  As I watch it seems like she is in a zone of perfection.  The rest of the gym keeps spinning around her, but Jo is in total control and focus while she is up on the beam.  She is always mindful of her surroundings, but keeps a profound concentration on the task at hand.  As Jo wraps up her beam workout and the hour comes to an end, the group moves on to the uneven parallel bars.

Bars begin with each gymnast putting on their hand grips, which help reduce friction and allow for better grasping of the bar.  This is when John comes into play, as his wife stays behind to help the next group on beam.  John is a gymnastics encyclopedia.  He is the most decorated women’s gymnastics coach in Michigan history and has produced well over 40 National Champions at the Junior Olympic and Elite levels.  Surprisingly his 30 plus years of experience are not what have me in awe as I watch John at work with the gymnasts.  Instead, it is his captivating charisma and motivational magnetism that have me at a loss for words.  Everything about him screams hard work, detail, and success.  Jo adjusts some athletic tape around her thumbs, sprays her grips with water, applies chalk, and jumps to a front support on the bar. It’s hard to ignore the obvious coach-athlete chemistry between Jordyn and John on the bars.  There is no dialogue necessary between the two; he can tell from her body language when he will need to step in and spot her.  Instead, the dialogue comes when Jordyn surprises Geddert by completing a Weiler out of her Shapashnikova half (he had expected just one of the two moves).  As she muscles out the two tricks, he proudly smiles “Wooohoohoo…now she’s on a roll!” (Geddert).  Jo’s response is different: she smiles at his approval, but was hoping to add yet another Weiler to the combination.  This is the perfectionism that has earned her the top title in the gymnastics world.  The chalk dust settles and I am taken back by the amazement of the atmosphere.  There is a certain aura that radiates as John and Jo work; a positive vibe that lets you know you are in the presence of greatness.  After an hour on bars, John looks at me to see what I thought of their bar workout.  I just smile, nod my head in amazement, and make my way toward the floor exercise.

Next up is floor dance, where Jo will lead off her group.  She positions herself in the corner of the floor, her arms crossed in front of her and her leg extended backward in her beginning pose.  As “Wild Dances” begins to play Jo expressively lights up the floor.  The music, a selection from Cirque Du Soleil by Ruslana, is full of sassy, energetic beets and a few vocals.  It is a perfect match for Jo and she showcases her captivating personality as she performs her routine.  The intense focus is still there, but you can see the spark of a champion in her presentation and smile.  When her routine is done, she takes time to help one of her teammates on a dance element.  She might be training for the Olympic Games, but she’s not too busy to share her gift and help a friend improve.

The camaraderie of the girls shows even more as they move on to conditioning.  They partner up for some strength training and push each other toward perfection.  The strength training is pretty intense, but the girls talk each other through the exercises with mental toughness.  As they move on to floor tumbling, it is clear that there is no jealousy among the Twistars family.  They cheer each other on and seem to share every emotion of struggle or accomplishment with one another.  There is a positive respect among this family of gymnasts and coaches that distinctly explains their success.  In two lines they pound out tumbling passes one after another, sometimes even amazing themselves.  “Jooohnn, can you get me?” Jo yells from the end of the floor before her double twisting double back (Wieber).  The pass looks polished, but John is there for security and comfort.  After a couple more she signals him to move away and does one on her own, exploding into the air and nailing the landing with exact precision.  Jo looks over to John for his critique, “Not bad for a girl” he mocks with satisfaction (Geddert).

After hammering out a few vaults, practice concludes with some calm and focused stretching.  The Twistars share some hugs, laughs, and talk a little before heading home.  John “Doesn’t like the thought of her behind the wheel on her own”, but Jo recently got her license and will make the twenty minute drive home to DeWitt (Geddert).  She will be back at the gym tomorrow, but for now she heads to her actual home and family.

The Wiebers are a family of athletes, but there is no denying that Jordyn is in a league all her own.  This is not to say she is exempt from pulling her weight at home however.  Even the World Champion is expected to keep her room clean and do her own laundry.  The Wiebers are a close-knit family and find time between their demanding schedules to support one another.  Jordyn loves visiting her older sister who lives a couple hours away, cheers from the stands when her quarterback brother has a football game, and helps drive her younger sister around when mom and dad are busy.  They attend church together on Sundays; something that Jordyn says is important to her and helps her stay grounded.

When asked if she has a favorite motivational quote, Jordyn responds “Well, one I think about a lot is the Bible verse ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (New King James Version, Philippians 4:13)”.  She may only be a teenager, but her age is no indication to the depth of her abilities.  As I drive home from The Summit, my mind tumbles through all the excitement of my experience and it is certain that I have caught the Wieber Fever.

Only time will tell what is in store for Jordyn and John, but I have a feeling this is only the beginning of their success.  As they continue in an effort to make their next dream a reality, I am left with the idea that “You are only as good as your next performance” (Geddert).  There is some rare magic going on in Dimondale, Michigan and the future looks bright for these Twistars.

Join John Geddert and a World Champion Coaching Staff! Twistars USA Gymnastics Club is currently looking for passionate, driven, self motivated coaches for immediate placement.  Coaching positions are available for all levels including recreational classes, developmental team, compulsory team and more. If you are looking to advance your coaching skills while contributing to one of the top gymnastics clubs in the USA, then Twistars is the place for you. Contact John Geddert at USATwistar@aol.com or 517-322-0360 for further information.

I recently received a series of questions through “Ask John Q&A” that presented some very interesting material for a blog topic. The questions were from George:

John,
I am a rookie gym coach, but I have coached a lot of athletes in another anaerobic and technical-skill heavy sport. I am also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through NSCA so I am familiar with fitness training. I noticed in your write up “Setting Up Your Elite Program, Part 2” that you take your periodization plan straight from Tudor Bompa’s “Theory and Methodology of Training,” which I think in fantastic. I have long thought that the approach taken by many gyms is to keep pushing skills and conditioning in a straight line diagonally up the graph to the right, regardless of the time of year.

Then he follows with a few questions:

• Am I being too judgmental?
• Do you think most gym coaches periodize their athletes?
• Does the national team training system incorporate that philosophy?
• Now that Worlds is complete, Jordyn will be coming down from max peak form.  Where do you go from here?
• What are the conditioning goals for the next 2 months? 4 Months? 8 Months?

My answers are from an experienced based position (with some underlying scientific support.)  But before starting I’d like to acknowledge Dr Bompa’s work and related credit for the foundation on which my conditioning plan has been based. Likewise, credit certainly needs to be extended to Dr. Bill Sands and Dr. Larry Nassar for their contributions to this ever important area of training athletes.

 Q:  Am I being too judgmental? Do you think most gym coaches periodize their athletes?

Actually I think this may be one of the biggest shortcomings of most gymnastics programs that are seeking national or international success. With lofty goals comes the need for a more detailed training plan. Time constraints placed on most coaches, and  the need for efficiency when dealing with the masses rather than a few select individuals, dictates that meticulous periodization IS NOT reasonable for all levels of gymnastics.

Would it be effective to hone a periodization plan for each athlete? Absolutely.

Is it practical? Absolutely not. Coaching efficiency creates a need for a cookie cutter conditioning program, one that will get the job done for the masses.

This is where some programs fail to shift gears however. When the special athlete or accelerated group comes along, there needs to be a different plan. What is good and efficient for the masses, may not be what is optimal for the athlete(s) with superior potential.

With the national and international caliber athlete(s), more detailed consideration must be given to strength and flexibility enhancement, skill development time, recovery time, rehab and prehab of injuries or weaknesses, routine development, and routine perfection. This is a time consuming process.

Q:  Does the national team training system incorporate that philosophy?

Dealing with a wide variety of training philosophies, personalities, facility limitations and coaching experience, makes it extremely difficult to hone a national team system that ALL programs would follow to the letter. With this being said however, there are some general guidelines outlined in the national team plan in terms of down time, skill development periods, routine development phases and then competitive readiness periods. One aspect that remains a priority in the National Team Program is the emphasis on physical preparation which is supported by a battery of evaluations at each National Team Training Camp.

Q:  Now that Worlds is complete, Jordyn will be coming down from max peak form. Where do you go from here?

Immediately following Worlds was a 2 week decompression period. This is not to say we entered into “vacation time” but in all regards training intensity was reduced. Now that the two week “rest” period is over we have started a brand new path. Once again it begins with a Build Up Phase of Conditioning in conjunction with Skill Development for 4-6 weeks. This will progress into a Max Strength Phase for 4-6 weeks, leaving 6-8 weeks for a gradual progression through a Conversion Phase and into routine shape for the March competition opportunities.

Q:  What are the conditioning goals for the next 2 months? 4 Months? 8 Months?

As simplistic as it may sound, the goals are to get stronger. This may sound like I am avoiding the answers, but it reality that is truly the goal. Regardless of past success, there is always room for improvement. We have identified areas where we think we can improve and will be extending ourselves to achieve new goals related to physical preparation. The bottom line is we will be attempting to master the E-R words:  StongER, FastER, HighER, QuickER, StraightER, LongER, SharpER, TightER, RoundER …

To get your copy of my COMPLETE CONDITIONING PROGRAM, Visit www.TheGymnasticsCoach.com where I have a Phase 1-2-3 Conditioning program series available on DVD. Each phase presents two to three lists of exercises in a progressive package. The choices allow for various starting points for all clubs regardless of their current state of physical preparation. This DVD set has already been used by hundreds of coaches around the world and comes highly recommended.

As always, If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share it with your friends using the facebook or twitter links on this page. Don’t forget to put your name and email in the box on the home page of www.TheGymnasticsCoach.com for FREE access to my fly-away video training.  Then, be sure to “subscribe to email updates” so that all future blog topics can be forwarded directly to your email.

I have to say that I have been refreshingly impressed with the overall response to the “behind the scenes” look at the 2011 World Championships blog series. I am relieved that most appreciated the coach’s perspective and did not consider the content gospel but merely insight and opinion. I think the goal of providing an educational resource was accomplished.

In wrapping up the loose ends, it will be tough to express in words the feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment, satisfaction and validation that accompanies being part of a World Championship Title. Beyond that, I wouldn’t be able to scratch the surface of explanations related to the professional pride associated with coaching a World All Around Champion. Inexplicable. Let’s just say It feels damn good!

Although this was my first World Championships experience, I am not a stranger to high level international competitions. I have represented in 20 plus countries at some of the most prestigious events in the world. Let this serve as the basis for going on record that the 2011 Worlds was the best organized, staffed, administered, equipped, hosted events of all time. I have to congratulate the host country of Japan for an exceptional event. The Japanese organizing committee (of course with the assistance of the FIG) put on a show of gracious hospitality and clockwork implementation of every detail. Simply impressive, but then again those that have ever visited this wonderful country would have expected nothing less. This is just how they roll.

What did I learn?

• The process is long. Dah! With the selection camps, acclimation training in Tokyo, Podium preparation, and the actual competition the event spanned some 30 days. Be prepared and pace yourself as this is a marathon and not a sprint.

• There will be ups and downs. Dah! Not every training session is going to go as planned but the good news is (in the USA System) another training opportunity is right around the corner. Drop the bad days at the door when you leave and start fresh as you enter the next time.

• Worlds is “just another meet on a podium”. Yep, I said it. All the hype, the “pressure” of representing your country on the World’s biggest gymnastics stage can get to you IF you let it. Taking the approach … do what you do … and treat this competition like all those that paved the way to get there … seemed to be a healthy approach.

• Politics is alive and well. We would love to think that the athletes performances would determine the outcome, and for the most part I think it does. But there are still ongoing attempts to corrupt the system.

• Example: Countries filming our workouts, analyzing the routines and then campaigning the WTC and D panels to sway decisions on the evaluation of skills.

• Example: High profile representatives crying “scandal” and “tainted judging” to the media and anyone who would listen, when the results didn’t go exactly how they had planned. This is an embarrassment to our sport and the purest definition of poor sportsmanship.

• The World is filled with wonderful people. Luckily number 4 above only represents the smallest fraction of professionals within our sport. Most professionals respect and appreciate the related aspects of our sport and foster an image that gymnastics as a sport can be proud of.

• Earning a medal at Worlds is HARD! Dah! With the format being what it is, there isn’t any foregone conclusions of who will actually wind up in the All Around or Event Finals. One little mess up in the qualification rounds and OUCH… you are out. If you are part of a stronger country you are penalized by the 2 per country rule. This year the world was robbed by not being able to see Tweedle’s or Seitz Bars, or USAs Douglas, Vega or Maroney in the AA. Then should you actually qualify to the finals for AA or Individual event, enduring is a factor. Podium performance, Qualification round, Team Finals round, then AA, then event finals. It is a wonder any of these athletes have anything left in the tank after all of that.

• We have lots of work to do. For the past 3 cycles the USA has captured the World Title the year prior to the Olympics (2003, 2007 and now 2011), yet have failed to defend that title when the flame is lit. It is self evident that this accomplishment simply motivates the rest of the world to up their game. We must continue to up ours rather than rest on the glory of 2011. A good portion of our future success will be tied to the health and well-being of our athletes. “Upping our Game” does not equate to increasing the work load, increasing the numbers or the training time. It equates more to “training smart” so that we place the best possible combination of athletes on the floor at the right time.

See you in 2012
]]> http://thegymnasticscoach.com/blog/2011/10/23/world-championship-wrap-up/feed/ 8 http://thegymnasticscoach.com/blog/2011/10/19/contest-win-success-videos/ http://thegymnasticscoach.com/blog/2011/10/19/contest-win-success-videos/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:15 +0000 admin http://johngeddert.com/?p=777
Do you want me to pick up the tab for your choice of any of my Success Videos?
 
(already have them all?  No problem, you will be first on the list to receive my newest DVD once its available.)
Well, this is how we are going to do it…..with a CONTEST!
This is LIMITED to only our clients and VIP members to participate in and we’re going to make it really really easy to jump on board.  If you have received this announcement, you are invited to participate.
Here’s how:
JUST GIVE ME YOUR BEST TESTIMONIAL OR SUCCESS STORY! 
1. Take 3 minutes and tell us about a specific success story with ANY of our Success Video DVDs:   Front Tumbling, Back Tumbling, Beginning Vault, Round-off entry Vault, Shaping for Gymnastics, Uneven Bars Level 5, Uneven Bars Level 6, Uneven Bars Pirouettes & Dismounts, Uneven Bars Major Releases, Conditioning Phase 1, Conditioning Phase 2, Conditioning Phase 3, Balance Beam Basics, or Floor Dance Basics.
• Film yourself and post it to our Fanpage at www.facebook.com/JohnGeddert.SuccessVideos
• OR write a testimonial and send it to us by email to SuccessVideos@twistarsusa.com
• OR film yourself and post to YouTube and send us the link
2. All entries must be received by 10/25/11 at 11:59 PM Eastern
   
3. My entire staff will vote on the best success story from all entries
4. We will announce the winner on 10/27/10 at 5PM Eastern
5. We will notify the winner and send you your choice of Success Videos DVD.
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