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Gymnastics/Questions Answered by Expert Mark Williams
| Subject | Date Asked |
| What Level Gymnast Am I? | 2/6/2012 |
| Q: I am a 13-year-old male gymnast. Last year, when I was 12, I started doing gymnastics at home with ... A: Colton- You could get started at level 6 or 7. The coach at the gym could tell you more about what ... | |
| too old for gymnastics? | 2/5/2012 |
| Q: Mark I am a 13 year old male and i started gymnastics last year. i have progressed very quickly ... A: Colton- I don't really know how hard you will train and whether you have natural talent. It is ... | |
| Gymnastics Age | 2/5/2012 |
| Q: Hey, Mark; I was wondering. I know most children start gymnastics at the age of around 3-5 if you ... A: Colton- There is no way of knowing the answer to that question. I'm sure that it is possible that a ... | |
| Bad coaching | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: I am a 17 year old gymnast training level 10. I have had several bad ankle injuries during my career ... A: Amelia- I would agree that continuing to do bad landings will be problematic for your continued ... | |
| Urban Gymnastics | 1/17/2012 |
| Q: Hey Mark, how are you? I'd like to thank you in advance for taking a read at this question. I do ... A: Mike- Sounds like you have a good idea. You will have to do quite a bit to get at the level of ... | |
| Girls Gymnastics Level 6 | 1/15/2012 |
| Q: Your background may not fit this question; but I am finding it impossible to find the answer ... A: Phylis Having a coach on the floor area would be a deduction even if they don't touch the gymnast. ... | |
| hamstring injury? HELP | 12/17/2011 |
| Q: Williams, I have sort of a serious question, yesterday I was at a cultural club at school where we ... A: M- Sounds like you pulled your hamstring muscle. It's unlikely that it is too serious from the fact ... | |
| boys limbering skills | 12/12/2011 |
| Q: I recently heard that boys ages 5 and up really should not be doing limbering skills because its ... A: Jean- Boys still need to have flexibility in their backs to do gymnastics. The tap swings on rings ... | |
| Gymnastics and growth | 10/25/2011 |
| Q: my name is Christopher and from Puerto Rico and Lebanon. i have been doing gymnastics for 2 years ... A: Christopher- I am not a doctor so I cannot give you medical evidence about your question. You can ... | |
| Skiing/snowboarding for a gymnast | 10/9/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Mark Willaiams: My 16yro son is a level ten gymnast who likes to ski/snowboard. Do you think it ... A: Bob- By saying that your son is a very serious gymnast, I would think he would want to do ... | |
| Cardio Training for Floor | 10/8/2011 |
| Q: I am planning on competing a six pass floor routine next year and I wanted to know what is the best ... A: Elias- We do work with extra running back and forth on the diagonal before doing an easier last ... | |
| Mens High Bar Grips | 9/26/2011 |
| Q: How are men's high bar grips meant to be worn, and how far down the fingers should you have them? ... A: index, middle and ring fingers. Most people wear the grip down to the first knuckle from the tip of ... | |
| backtuck | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: My coach tells me to keep head neutral throught througout the skill but whenever i try to do one ... A: Amit- Your coach is right about not throwing your head back. You have to generate power from the ... | |
| Moves | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: As a 16 year old football/rugby player who is 6'3 and 175 lbs (somewhat flexible, but not to a ... A: Ivan- It would be hard to guess how long it would take to learn either of these. My experience ... | |
| Qutting | 8/1/2011 |
| Q: I am 15 years old and am currently training level 8. For a few months now, I have been deciding ... A: Nick- You are probably asking the wrong guy. I have spent most of my life involved with gymnastics. ... | |
| Daily Conditioning | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: I am a level 10 gymnast training to make the all-around final at J.O. Nationals next year. My goal ... A: Elias- You have to work under whatever time you have available. The warm-up gets you ready to ... | |
| Yamawaki on Rings | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: How do you do a Yamawaki on rings? I do even know how to attempt the skill.. A: Elias- Yamawaki is the extension of inlocate work. You need to learn to turn over the inlocate ... | |
| Daily Conditioning | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: I am a level 10 gymnast training to make the all-around final at J.O. Nationals next year. My goal ... A: Elias- This looks to be a good warm-up routine. You have to change up what you are doing enough to ... | |
| Brandy / no handed round off | 7/6/2011 |
| Q: I'm having trouble learning how to do a brandy. I have my aerial solid and can do it standing, but ... A: Kiersten- Sounds like you may be forcing your shoulders, chest and head down on the take off. You ... | |
| Just how is too old? | 6/25/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering how old is too old to do male gymnastics? I am not talking about winning ... A: Michael- You are not too old but it will be more difficult to do some of the gymnastics. Gaining ... | |
| Backtuck | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I'm 16, 6'3 and 185 lbs. I'm trying to learn how to do a running round off back tuck. Are there ... A: Ivan- Your height and weight will play a factor in learning any type of gymnastics skills. The ... | |
| Layout/Setting help | 6/19/2011 |
| Q: Hey, so first off, I'm a cheerleader. Unfortunally there are no experts currently in the cheer ... A: James- This is pretty common for cheerleading and guys who are self-taught. You have to work on ... | |
| men's level 9? | 6/8/2011 |
| Q: My son is 10, and will be 11 in January 2012. He's been told by his coaches that he will be level 9 ... A: Diana The Future Star program is totally separate from the competition season. Your son would be ... | |
| Visiting Colleges | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: Hello, my name is Elias Flores and I am a 16yr old level 10 gymnast from Studio West Gymnastics in ... A: Elias- First of all, you need to send a DVD or YouTube link to coaches so they can assess your ... | |
| Chinese Taps Progressions & Full-Outs on Floor | 5/1/2011 |
| Q: I am a 16yr. old level 10 gymnast and I would like to the best way to train a Chinese tap on high ... A: Elias- The Chinese tap can make your dismounts better and more consistent. You can begin by trying ... | |
| importance of club track record? | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: My daughter is age 6 and competing on a level 3 team. Since she was 3 years old every she has shown ... A: John- That is a good question to ask. She is going to be learning the basic for a couple more years ... | |
| Value of Skills! | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: This is my first year of level 9, and I was wondering if you can give me some a,b,and c skills on ... A: Omaima- I am not a good resource for women's skills. I work with men's gymnastics and don't know ... | |
| help | 4/11/2011 |
| Q: I need to find a good coach in ks or mo for my girl where she is at the people don't know what there ... A: Shay- I don't do much with women's gymnastics but the best coaches in this area are from the former ... | |
| gymnastics | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: I`m a 3rd grader doing research and I have a questin for you, How long has gymnastics been around? ... A: Emily The Ancient Olympic Games began in 776 BC in Olympia in Greece. There was probably some form ... | |
| gymnastics, is it too late? | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: My Daughter is 11 years old, and has little to no training. Is it possible that she can practice ... A: Jamie- I'm not really as knowledgable about the women's program as I am the men's. However, ... | |
| The age for doing backflips | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: I am 22 years old and i want to learn how to do front and back flips and also hand springs. So i ... A: Ahmed- You are not too old to learn either of these. You just need the opportunity and the desire. ... | |
| starting values | 2/4/2011 |
| Q: First let me say that my son was so impressed with you and your team this summer. We stopped by for ... A: Sue- It does make a little difference what level your son is competing. The requirements change for ... | |
| what age can a boy compete as level 9? | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: My son turned 10 this month and competes as a level 7. He is doing so well his coaches do not seem ... A: Diane- I think the age requirement for level 9 is 11 years old in Sept. You can check with your ... | |
| quitting | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: I have a 10-yr level 7 boy who was at a fantastic gym that he he loved. My husband was out of work ... A: Kerrieann- This does seem like a lot in a short period of time. He's right about gymnastics being ... | |
| level 4 boys | 1/23/2011 |
| Q: Williams, My son currently competes in level 4 gymnastics. I originally got him into the sport for ... A: Kristin- The compulsory routines are created by Jr. coaches from the USA Gymnastics organization. ... | |
| vault | 1/21/2011 |
| Q: Williams, I am a level 10 gymnast and I have been doing a laidout Kaz vault and I am also working ... A: John- This is a pretty common problem. You can do step down from HS on the vault top to layout back ... | |
| FAster progression? | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: ok, i have asked you questions beofre, about a year ago. im the 16, now 17, year old who wanted to ... A: Sum- Well you could create loops that hang from the bar to hold the cross position. Two ropes with ... | |
| Really want to learn gymnastics! | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: I'm 17 years old, and I really want to start learning gymnastics. can I ? It might be too late but I ... A: Rawan You can always do gymnastics at any age if you have the desire. If you enjoy the movement and ... | |
| Expectation | 1/3/2011 |
| Q: I am 22 years of age and have recently decided to start practicing gymnastics. I figured I'd get in ... A: Guillermo- It is possible to start gymnastics at your age. It will be difficult to achieve a lot of ... | |
| traits of a great gymnast | 12/27/2010 |
| Q: What does it take to be a great gymnast? What specific personality and/or physical traits does one ... A: Ann- To be a great gymnast you need to be in an environment that will allow you to excel to the ... | |
| mens floor routines | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: Williams, I was just wondering how many backwards tumbling passes are allowed in a level 10 floor ... A: John- You are allowed to count 4 skills from any one element group. Even though you start by going ... | |
| gymnast with osgood schlatters disease | 11/27/2010 |
| Q: Mr.Williams: My 15yro gymnast son has OSD and has been seen by orthopods who suggest rest,exercise ... A: Bob- I had this when I was your son's age. Back then, they put me in a straight leg cast for 8 ... | |
| Not prepared for competition | 11/25/2010 |
| Q: My first meet is a week away. I'm level 7. But i don't have all of my skills!! I have missing skills ... A: Nick- At this point, you need to do what you do. You may be able to gain some skills prior to the ... | |
| wrist supports | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: What kind of wrist supports are best for mens gymnastics? I have heard of tiger paws-are they ... A: Ann- I would not recommend this product. The support wraps around the palm and can be in the way. ... | |
| Exemption from P.E. | 11/11/2010 |
| Q: My son is a 12 yr. old level 9 gymnast who trains 21 hours a week (5:30-9:00 M-F, 9:00-12:30 S). He ... A: Andrea- I have been able to do this with public schools in the past. They asked for a letter from ... | |
| skipping level 7 age 10 | 10/29/2010 |
| Q: My son is 10 years old. He was slightly above average gymnast at level 6 (qualified for ... A: John- Generally guys who jump levels are at the top of their age group and skip levels because it ... | |
| sportaerobics in New York | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: We've spent the last 4 years in Europe.My daughter competed in sportaerobics.We are back in New ... A: Monika- I don't know much about this sport and I'm not sure whether USA Gymnastics is the governing ... | |
| college gymnastics | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: I am a junior in high school (16yrs. old) and I would like to compete on a college gymnastics team ... A: Elias- A lot of times a coach will be looking for a particular event that will help his team or a ... | |
| college gymnastics | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: I am a junior in high school (16yrs. old) and I would like to compete on a college gymnastics team ... A: Elias- You can start to send information and videos out to college coaches now. The recruiting ... | |
| gymnastics | 10/7/2010 |
| Q: weakness in perfoming forward roll A: Timothy- Not sure what the question is about this skill. When doing a forward roll you will want to ... | |
| workout | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me develop a workout for a beginning gymnast but however i have ... A: Anthony- That is a very big question to answer. Doing gymnastics requires many areas of developing ... | |
| stretching | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: i have two questions, or just two things that need a solution i guess. WHen i'm stretching, how do ... A: Mees- You can stretch many times during the day and make more progress than just doing it every ... | |
| almost 5 year old son. | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: I am the mother of a very passionate young gymnast. He'll be 5 in November and currently is in a ... A: Lillian- I coached Jonathan Horton for five years while he was in college. I watched him develop ... | |
| almost 5 year old son. | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: I am the mother of a very passionate young gymnast. He'll be 5 in November and currently is in a ... A: Lillian- I would not worry about burn out at this point. As long as he is enjoying the training, he ... | |
| Diet and Training | 8/31/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what to eat before pre training and how long do advanced male gymnasts train for? ... A: Julius Most guy gymnasts who take the time to be concerned about their diet just try to eat ... | |
| Men's Gymnastics | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: I'm 14 years old and Ive always wanted to be a gymnast and for the last year i was a cheerleader and ... A: Conner- If you like doing gymnastics and it is fun to do, then no, you should not stop doing it. ... | |
| Level 8 gymnastics | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what skills were required in Level 8 women's gymnastics and i am looking for a ... A: Kirsten- I work with the boy's program. I'm not the person to ask about the girls USAG level ... | |
| GYMNASTIC CONDITONING | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: Hey there Mr Williams, I' I'm so excited to finally to speak to you ...so awesome. names Rob. I'm ... A: Rob- Wow, this is a great workout schedule. You are getting a good workout. You could probably be ... | |
| help!!! | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: In the Olympics, who does the spotting for the gymnasts? How close is the coach allowed to be during ... A: Julia- The Olympic coach is on the floor with the athletes. This individual is often the personal ... | |
| level 7 boys | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: Can a 9 year old boy compete as a level 7? Everything I've seen says the age groups start at age ... A: Becha- You may move a boy up in the age group of USAG levels by one year if they have shown they ... | |
| gymnastics | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: A couple weeks ago i've been having pain in my left hand. when I bend it forward, it hurts a lot. I ... A: Carlie- Your hand may be an over-use problem. You should put ice on it after doing tumbling and try ... | |
| 5 year old with lots of potential | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: My question is about my 5 year old son who has been in gymnastics for 2 years (part-time basis). He ... A: Holly- You are in a location that will be hard to have great choices for men's gymnastics. Laramie ... | |
| College Gymnastics | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: My daughter is 11 years old and has been doing gymnastics since age 3. She started off with a USAG ... A: Donna- As far as I know, most women's college coaches are looking for girls in the USAG club ... | |
| boys teams | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: Mark, I have a 9yr old boy that will be competing level 5 this season. Last year was his first year ... A: Melinda- You are in a difficult position. Some of the better boys programs are in larger cities. ... | |
| GYMNASTIC CONDITONING | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I am very privileged to speak to an expert such as yourself. My name is Sam. I'm twenty years old ... A: Sam- I'm not really a fitness expert, I coach gymnastics and put together training plans for ... | |
| wide arm press strengthening | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Williams: My son is a 15yro level 10 competitive gymnast. What are the best strengthening ... A: Bob- He can do wide are press-outs standing with dumbbells. Start with 10 lbs. and do 5-10 reps. Do ... | |
| wrist bands under grips | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: My son age 10 has grips for high bar that have VELCRO closure. The wrist bands we got for under, ... A: Judy- This is something that differs for each individual. Some gymnasts don't put anything under ... | |
| japana Stretches + Box Splits | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: i asked this question before but unfortunately the replier did not know what they meant. Box spilts ... A: Roisen- I do know what you are working on. Depending upon who old you are, gaining flexibility ... | |
| competing | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: Can my daughter compete high school gymnastics and prep op at a club A: Carol It will be up to your coaches to decide whether they will want her to do both. I have worked ... | |
| Round off Fulls | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: I can get all the way around flipping wise, but not twisting wise. I get about 270 degrees twisting ... A: Rayshawn- Yes, it is easier to twist in a layout position. The axis of rotation is tighter for ... | |
| Higher in Flips? | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I want to get higher in my standing flips. What can I do? Any exercises or something? A: Rayshawn- You will need to do squat jumps with resistance. Either with weights in your hands or ... | |
| flyaway stretch dismount | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: Can you give me any advise on techniques I can use to finally get my flyaway stretch dismount ... A: Daniel- You will be pulling slightly backward on the bar when you are bringing your feet forward ... | |
| flyaway stretch dismount | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: Can you give me any advise on techniques I can use to finally get my flyaway stretch dismount ... A: Daniel- I can walk you through what you should be doing. Through the bottom of the swing, your body ... | |
| Fear of doing a backhandspring | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: Well I have a problem, im 5'2 and im strong in my arms and legs and im pretty fir, but the problem ... A: Kassy- After having an injury, this type of problem is fairly common. Your body is capable of doing ... | |
| After J.O. Nationals | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: O. Nationals, what is the next thing you do after that assuming you've placed well enough. A: Brad- From the JO Nationals the top 14 guys advance to the Visa Championships in August. The level ... | |
| gymnastics for 18 and over | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could give me any useful advice on how to find a gymnast trainer who could ... A: Cyrus- There really are not a lot of coaches that are willing to be individual trainers. Not unless ... | |
| Dealing With Conditioning | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: i am thinking about switching gyms and i went to go try it out and they did a lot more conditioning ... A: Nick- If you are really serious about getting better at the sport, I would hang in there and try to ... | |
| food prior to and during meets | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: Not sure if you're the correct person, but you've answered questions for me in the past regarding my ... A: Shari- I think that your daughter should be allowed to snack and drink during a competition. They ... | |
| Gymnastic Skill Levels | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a 13-14 year old cousin who just who first place in all-around, floor exercise, pommel horse, ... A: Mark- It means that for his age level, he is very good. Level 9 & 10 are the top levels for the ... | |
| Future Stars | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: My son just finished his first competitive season in Level 4 (as an 8yr old) and did quite well. ... A: Sherry- If your son is as good as you say, you will want him involved in this program. These are ... | |
| consistency on the jaeger | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I am a 15 y/o lvl 10 gymnast and I would like to know what it takes to become consistent on high bar ... A: Elias- I'm not sure that I can help with this. You and your coach will have to decide whether it is ... | |
| underswing | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I am a coach since a couple years but the first time I teach the "little" ones. Here(in Germany) we ... A: Mary- Okay, know what you mean. This is an undershoot action. You could be doing a lot of back hip ... | |
| underswing | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I am a coach since a couple years but the first time I teach the "little" ones. Here(in Germany) we ... A: Mary- What event are you taking about, HB PB or SR or just swings in general? Is this for boys? ... | |
| Training question | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Williams, How many days do gymnasts normally run or incorporate cardiovascular activity? ... A: Hank- There isn't a lot of science that supports the cardiovascular carryover from running and ... | |
| Question | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: Which part of your body are most important in performing jump front support and turn over? A: Mekdes- I think you are referring to a front handspring action? Putting the hands on the mat and ... | |
| Protein Shake | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: Is it okay to eat kinda medium-sized meal before working out and then drinking a protein shake ... A: Julius- I would say that it is better to have an energy bar before workout and a real meal ... | |
| gymnastics nutrition fat loss | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: Mr.Williams, I'm doing gymnastics and was wondering what would be a good diet both for the sport ... A: Jeff- That is not really my area of expertise. The basic formula is to burn more calories than you ... | |
| Gymanstics and Weight Training | 3/28/2010 |
| Q: Williams, I have taken up gymnastics and would like to know when it is best to lift weights for ... A: Sid- Most of what you need for gymnastics is sport specific, i.e. still rings strength. You can ... | |
| gymnastics | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: So I did gymnastics for a total of 3 almost 4 years. What would be your best advice in order to ... A: Liberty- The cost of doing gymnastics is quite expensive. To attend a club program, you will be ... | |
| gymnastics | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: So I did gymnastics for a total of 3 almost 4 years. What would be your best advice in order to ... A: Liberty- Well there are clubs in all parts of the country. I would have to know where you are to ... | |
| front tuck step-out | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: hey, my name is cory luse im from a small gym in vidor texas called h&h gymnastics i've been doing ... A: Cory- It would be hard for me to coach you without seeing what you are doing. Generally the problem ... | |
| progression beyond lvl 10 | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: and next meet season coming up i will a level 9 of maybe 10. Now my question is, what are the steps ... A: Brad- Straight FIG means doing a routine that meets these requirements: Difficulty=ten skills with ... | |
| progression beyond lvl 10 | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: and next meet season coming up i will a level 9 of maybe 10. Now my question is, what are the steps ... A: Brad- There is no testing to get to the Elite level for men. The rules become more difficult, ... | |
| Routine | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I've been looking around to try and find a good workout routine I could use, I like ... A: Bruce- I really don't have set workouts for non-gymnasts. Here are some things I do with my team. ... | |
| gymnastics elbow tendond and ligaments | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: My daughter, like many gymnasts, is "double jointed". In other words, some of her joints bend a bit ... A: Camilla- No, I don't think there is anything specific that would make a big difference. I'm sure ... | |
| swimming and gymnastics | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Williams: My son is a 15 y/o, level 10 gymnast. We have always been advised not to let him swim ... A: Bob- I would say that it will expend energy that could be saved for the competition, If your son is ... | |
| Gymnastics Training? | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: Im a 16 year old breakdancer. We do many Flares, Windmills, headspins, 1990's... ... A: Julius- For power, you need to do more weight and less reps. Add a vest with weight and do ... | |
| gymnastics | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: i am currently at a rec gym but want to compete in another gym. I found interst in it but i would ... A: Car- I'm sorry but I am not that familiar with the lower levels. You will have to get that ... | |
| safe age to start | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: Good Day, I just wanted to ask what is the safe age for a child to start gymnastics/acrobatics? My ... A: Billy- I would not be worried. There are studies that the use of weights in children is not a good ... | |
| underswing at level 2 | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: Im taking a level 2 MAG group at the moment and need some drills for teaching underswings. can you ... A: Megan- Underswing on HB, SR and PB are similar, at least in the beginning stages. Forward swing has ... | |
| circles on the mushroom | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: My 7 yr. old son is in his first year of competition as a level 4. He is doing well, however, the ... A: Amy- I think he will figure it out eventually. It takes a lot of repetitions. You should encourage ... | |
| Hours of training/level (men's) | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: I am the Mom of a level 6 boy's gymnast (he is 10). He loves the sport so much but I think that the ... A: Michele- Well, you are obviously at a girl's gym if they have this philosophy. At the elite level ... | |
| Starting Gymnastics again? | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: my name is Brad i am 14 a freshmen in High School. I did gymnastics when i was 8 to 11 and was a ... A: Brad- I think it is realistic to make the JO Olympics even though you are a bit behind now. If you ... | |
| Gymnastics / Nutrition | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: My child is 8 years old and competes at "Level 6" in competitions around the state and country. The ... A: Scott- I apologize it has taken me so long to respond. It was a busy week for my program. My ... | |
| tall male gymnast | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: My son just turned 9, weighs 61 lbs., and is 54" tall. He has been in gymnastics since he was 3 and ... A: Susie- Let him do what he like doing. It is possible that his height will become a factor in the ... | |
| college gymanstics | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: Mark Williams I was wondering, What do you look for in a gymnast when being recruited? I'm about to ... A: John- What helps most is doing well at the JO Nationals and qualifying to the USA Championships. ... | |
| back handspring trainers | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: One of the newest gym products is a "boulder" trainer for back handsprings. Norberts appears to ... A: Mr. Unger! Good to hear from you. I'm out at the Winter Cup in Vegas at the moment. Should be up in ... | |
| 14 yr old Beginning gymastic training | 1/24/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Williams: My grandson is interested in gymastics, a specific interest. He is 14 years old, 6 ... A: Geraldine- Well, it will be difficult to catch-up to others who have been doing in for years. Plus ... | |
| 10-year old boy, natural abilities? | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: My 10-year-old son heard that his sister was doing a back handspring clinic and he wanted to do the ... A: Gina- Come see us Jan. 30 at 7:00 pm at the OU Field House. We are having our first home meet of ... | |
| 10-year old boy, natural abilities? | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: My 10-year-old son heard that his sister was doing a back handspring clinic and he wanted to do the ... A: Gina- This is a good question and ultimately one that your son will probably have to answer. It is ... | |
| Newbie | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: I'm 16 and now very interested in gymnastics. Before I move on to find a gym, i want to be flexible ... A: Dey- I don't know of any gyms that are set up for just boys. Programs usually have to have boys and ... | |
| Conditioning | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: I was just wondering if you knew of just a couple of conditioning excersises I could do for my ... A: Ellen- You are right that the kip will require a combination of strength throughout your body. ... | |
| Flexibility | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: My daughter's knees go outward and are bent when she does back handsprings and such. The ... A: Yvonne- Much of what girls do in gymnastics requires a great deal of flexibility. I'm sure each day ... | |
| sponsorship/financial aid | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: I am researching on finding financial aid or sponsorship for a promising 11 year old girl. Any ideas ... A: John- There are some restrictions as to what can be paid for to remain NCAA eligible. You can find ... | |
| sponsorship/financial aid | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I am researching on finding financial aid or sponsorship for a promising 11 year old girl. Any ideas ... A: John- I am really no help in this area. Most people look to relatives for a sponsorship of training ... | |
| balkwalk overs | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: i am a level 6 gymnast and i am trying to get my backwalk over. i know i can do it but i am just ... A: Rebecca- It is up to you to determine just how important it is to you to move up. This is a mental ... | |
| Stomach conditioning | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: I am a Level 5 gymnast from Australia in training (the season hasn't started as it is next year), I ... A: Ellen- Take the stuff you do at practice now and write them down. These would include 1/2 sit-ups, ... | |
| Giants on P-Bars | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a 12 year old level 9 gymnast who is very talented and has progressed rapidly through the ... A: Shannon- I'm not surprised by this happening. By having to bend his legs through the bottom of the ... | |
| twisting uncontrolled | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: my name is john and i have asked u a few questions in the past. This time i am having problems when ... A: John- This is a rather common problem with having the "twisties". You need to go back to the ... | |
| Motivation | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: Recently i went to the IGC thanksgiving clinic. While i was there a weird thing happened, i felt ... A: Nick- There will always be times that it feels hard to get motivated to train. Sometimes it takes ... | |
| gymnastics | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: i really want to get better at gymnastics? Like learn the splits, how can i practice the splits? A: Serena- You have to spend quite a bit of time stretching to gain the flexibility to do the splits. ... | |
| hi, im 12 years old | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: im 12 and i will sacrifice my life for the gym. my dream is the Olympics, but i think i should start ... A: Jo- A lot of those questions will be answered with time. Yes you can go to Visa Championships ... | |
| Rings | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering what is an average start score needed to make a college team for rings? Ring are my ... A: David- I am not sure what the average start score is across the NCAA but good ring routines start ... | |
| Please give me step by step drills for Backward 1/1 twist! | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I have completed back layout & half twist! But I can not do the full! I think something has gone ... A: Nicki- There may be literature out there that could help you with a full but I don't really know. ... | |
| Making Olympics @ college level | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: Can a male gymnast training with a college, like Temple University get to Olympics? Are they limited ... A: Nick- Yes, a gymnast could make the Olympic Team training at a college. During the last Olympics, ... | |
| Please give me step by step drills for Backward 1/1 twist! | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I have completed back layout & half twist! But I can not do the full! I think something has gone ... A: Niki Learning a full twisting back flip without a trampoline or spotting ropes is tricky. You need ... | |
| Handspring Vault | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could give me the technical analysis of the seven diffferent stages of the ... A: Steven- The way I would breakdown the handspring vault is as follows: 1. Run 2. Hurtle to the board ... | |
| college gymnastics | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering, what would be a start value for my routines to start at to make a decent mens ... A: John- On vault, you would need a 5.8-6.2 start to be somewhere in range of the team. Doing a 6.6 ... | |
| Coach to Gymnast Ratio | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: What is an acceptable coach to gymnast ratio during training hours for Level 2 through 10 gymnasts? A: Kristi- There is no hard and fast answer to that. At the lower levels you can probably have more ... | |
| Gymnastics | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: Please i need your help in answering the following question Explain the following types of ... A: Caroline- These are different gymnastics disciplines. Women's artistic is the four events: uneven ... | |
| general stretching and splits | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: When i was 20 i was practicing martial arts, i was good with legs and with exercises i was just 3 - ... A: Yonet- These are all good questions. The obvious answer is that the more you work at flexibility, ... | |
| Trouble at competitions | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I just can't win anything at competitions. I just can't place in anything at competitions. I had a ... A: Ellen- You seem to want to do gymnastics very badly. Therefore you will have to work hard over a ... | |
| Glide kip | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I know that a lot of people ask about the glide kip but I really need help with it. Because I am so ... A: Ellen- You need to work on your core strength which is in the middle of your body. Lots of sit-ups, ... | |
| Strength Training Program | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you might know a strength training program I could do at home every second day. ... A: Ellen- It seems as if you have the basics for a good strength plan. These are all good exercises. ... | |
| Level 8 USAG Men's Requirments | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: Ok so here's the deal. I am a gymnast so I need to know this so I can compete. I'm going optional ... A: Garrett- Sorry for the delay. I have been out of town at the Olympic Training Center with athletes ... | |
| gymnastic | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: and i am doing a report on gymnastic in my 3rd grade class, can you please give me some information ... A: Yoshi- That is a very big question. Gymnast usually train 6 days a week for 20-40 hours depending ... | |
| gymnastics | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: hey, I've been doing gymnastics training for about 1 yr.I'm 13. I'm beginner but have most advanced ... A: Carlie- Doing gymnastics 2-3 hours per week will not be enough to make a college program. The top ... | |
| gymnastic sponsors | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old grandson that lives in New Orlean. He has a natural gift. He already does back ... A: Leslie- Good question. Especially when you are talking about someone so young, you probably need to ... | |
| Men´s Gymnastics Routines | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: I´m a gymnastics enthusiast and I´m from Brazil... My question is: Where can I find a detailed ... A: Douglas- There is no specific answer to this question because level 10 is just a modified version ... | |
| sponsorships | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you knew anything about obtaining a sponsorship or funding for mens gymnastics. I ... A: Patty- There is a gymnastics foundation that is a part of USAG. There are forms on their website ... | |
| backwards pike roll | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: how do you do a backwards pike roll i know how to do a backwards roll but can you just tell me the ... A: Camryn- These are basic skills that will be a good foundation to more difficult gymnastics. You are ... | |
| backwards pike roll | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: how do you do a backwards pike roll i know how to do a backwards roll but can you just tell me the ... A: camryn- Doing a backward pike roll is not that different than the tuck. You can start in a stand ... | |
| round off back flips | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: i can do round off 6 back flips on the gymnastic floor with some springs, but when i try on the gym ... A: Renee- It would be hard for me to give you an exact time without seeing what you are doing. The ... | |
| hs gymnastics | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: My daughter will be a freshman this year and would like to do H.S gymnastics but her school doesnt ... A: Kristin- I know that in some states they require a sponsor who is from the school to attend meets. ... | |
| physical education | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: what are the value of gymnastics? what is the nature and purpose of gymnastics? A: Cherry Mae- What is the value of gymnastics? It has the ability to develop individuals physical ... | |
| gymnastics diets and injury | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: hey Mark! i am a current level 8 gymnast and im am struggling alot with energy levels throughout ... A: Joel- If you have depleted the energy from the food you have eaten during a workout, you may want ... | |
| Iron Cross buildups | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: Mark, Hi there. I've been utilizing a pair of the Elite II gymnastics rings into my workout for a ... A: Christian- You are working the action of an Iron Cross correctly. You could help yourself with the ... | |
| Leg training in Mens Gymnastics | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Williams, I have recently become interested in Gymnastics and the training techniques used. ... A: Jeff- The answer is that different programs do different things. We have some pre-season work with ... | |
| womens jr. compulsory olympics program | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: good day, would you please guide me how can i provide vidoe cd of teaching junior compulsory program ... A: Neda- I'm fairly certain that USA Gymnastics has these as part of merchandise that is sold on their ... | |
| How can I learn | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I am a 17 year old girl and I would like to know about how I can learn to do flips with out having ... A: I would suggest that you try to find either some cheerleaders or gymnasts to help you. There isn't a ... | |
| TOPS testing | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: My level 6 daughter who turned 8 in Feb. was told last summer by the gymnastic's coach @ Denver ... A: Janis- I am not all that familiar with the women's programs since I'm on the men's side of the ... | |
| Basic strength static incorporation | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Mark, I just finished reading Christopher Sommer's book, "Building the Gymnastic Body." I'm not ... A: Christian- I agree with these principles. You have to shock the muscle into building strength. ... | |
| training | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: i am 14 years old and i am a level 7 gymnast. i would like to go to the Olympics or even junior ... A: Layla- That would probably be the best thing to do if you have the goal of going Elite. Your ... | |
| college gymnastics | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: My name is john and i am going into level 10, i am a freshman in highschool. in a few years i would ... A: John- That is very open ended question. The easy answer is having consistent gymnastics, high start ... | |
| training | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: i am 14 years old and i am a level 7 gymnast. i would like to go to the Olympics or even junior ... A: Layla- Without seeing your gymnastics, I can't answer all these questions confidently. At age 14, ... | |
| training | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: i am 14 years old and i am a level 7 gymnast. i would like to go to the Olympics or even junior ... A: Layla- If the training you are getting in your current program is not providing a chance to train ... | |
| Front Flip | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: I need help....I cant do a front flip. I can do it on a trampoline and when i try to do it on the ... A: Alex- No, I don't have video of a front but it is done quite differently than on trampoline. From a ... | |
| Back Tuck | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I am having trouble pulling my back tuck, I can't do it! I don't know why. Any pointers that you ... A: Justin- You can do the drill of working on your set next to a raised stack of mats. Stand next to ... | |
| Back Tuck | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I am having trouble pulling my back tuck, I can't do it! I don't know why. Any pointers that you ... A: Justin- It is hard to help without knowing what you are doing. The way to perform this skill is to ... | |
| The elusive perfect round-off | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I have some problems with my roundoff that I need to get fixed - before i do any damage to myself! ... A: Robert- It sounds like you know the problem. This is fairly common with gymnasts who start tumbling ... | |
| Training gear/clothes | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: I have entered gymnastics at the age of 23 years old and have a couple of questions for you. ... A: ROBERT- You could buy a competition top from GK, this is what gymnasts compete in a meets. Most of ... | |
| Rings Cross | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: can you please let me know some effective techs to teach younger students how to do a cross on ... A: Mark- Generally, it isn't a good idea to have gymnasts from the age of 6 to at least 10 or 12 to do ... | |
| Leg separation | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: having a difficult time getting my Level fours specifically the 6 year olds to squeeze their legs ... A: Alexis- We do a drill call leg squeeze. You have the gymnast lay on their back and perform a hollow ... | |
| assignment for school | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions and I hope I am at the right address. For school I have an assignment ... A: Franklin- The men and women have a developmental program that has 10 levels for Juniors and then ... | |
| Level 9 Mens Gymnastics | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: I am a freshman in high school and i level 9 gymnast. i compete for Bk gymnastics center in NY. I ... A: John- There is no direct answer to that. Most of my guys have routines that start at above a 15.5 ... | |
| Level 9 Mens Gymnastics | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: I am a freshman in high school and i level 9 gymnast. i compete for Bk gymnastics center in NY. I ... A: John- It would be hard to make the roster at Michigan without a little more difficulty in your ... | |
| judging | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: I was an athlete in every sport that was available to me in school. So I’m familiar with the ... A: Pam- I understand your frustration. Even as a coach it is now very complicated to judge gymnastics. ... | |
| food before the meet | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: What kind of food is best to eat before the meet? A: Hanna- You want to eat things that will break down fairly quickly and provide energy. The heavy ... | |
| mushroom purchase | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: My son is almost 10 and has been asking us for a mushroom for home use for the past 2 years. We ... A: Sandy- I recommend the Ultra Dome. You can take the top off the stand and put it directly on the ... | |
| Stockli | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for a good drill for the Stockli A included in the new L6 mushroom. Help! I am one of ... A: A body position drill for horse include front and back support holds with full extension. You can ... | |
| Stockli | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for a good drill for the Stockli A included in the new L6 mushroom. Help! I am one of ... A: Vanessa- This is a very fair question. Glad you are doing the coaching. I may not have seen the new ... | |
| Boys program in rural So. Oklahoma | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: My 8 y/o son has been doing recreational gymnastics at BGCA in Norman for two years. They ... A: Karen- There probably aren't any that are close. Achievers is close to Denton, TX but I don't know ... | |
| blind change | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: I have been working on a blind change on the high bar for about half of a year. But when my coach ... A: Luke- You need to figure out how to make the turn happen on the way up on the giant swing. That ... | |
| Burn-Out | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: My son has a passion for gymnastics. He is eight years old, level six and trains eight hours per ... A: Ellen- All good questions and there is no answer that is correct for everyone. Going to 15 hours a ... | |
| Training in the rings. | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: I am 17 years old. Me and my friend is training to make the cross in the rings. When you are hanging ... A: Johan- You are talking about the Iron Cross. The most effective exercise is doing sets of cross ... | |
| What may help me do the splits????? | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: i can do: Handstand roundoff cartwheeel summersalt centerspits bridge (back hand walk over) ... A: Brinkley- There is really no magic formula. You will have to work the positions a lot. It is better ... | |
| gymnastics grips | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: How do you choose the best grips for you? I am 11 years and a level 6. I won the silver medal in ... A: Kyle- You need to have a grip that has a dowel in it if you don't already. There are different ... | |
| What level would i be!?! would i be with little kids??? | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: i can do: Handstand roundoff cartwheeel summersalt centerspits bridge (back hand walk over) ... A: Brinkley- You would have to get involved with a club program and begin working through the basics ... | |
| level 8 mens gymnastics | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: mr.Williams: perhaps too simply, what is the purpose of level 8 mens gymnastics? Some coaches say ... A: Robert- The level 8 is a step from 7 to 9 that can be useful to some gymnasts but not to others. I ... | |
| what are some qualifications on being a gymnast? | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I really want to be a gymnast and i am new i know i am not good at this but it's what i want to do. ... A: Kierra- There are no qualifications to be a gymnast. There are some physical traits that make it ... | |
| maltese conditioning | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: rings is my best event,i have a no deduction cross and a decent invert, but I'm still struggling ... A: Mike- There are many ways to work this position. You can rock to the position going back and forth ... | |
| gymnastics diet/ excercise | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: i recently started gymnastics again, and at 5'7 160 lbs its very difficult, i was wondering what the ... A: Keith- There is no easy way to do this but you have go burn more calories than you consume. ... | |
| Mathematics in Gymnastics | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I need to do an assignment about how math is used in gymnastics and I can't seem to find much ... A: Cassandra- Mostly math is used in the scoring of gymnastics. Every skill is given a value. A, B, ... | |
| List of exercises for beginners | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I am emailing on behalf of my brother (18) and I (31). We have recently started training in ... A: Curtis- You are right, there isn't a lot out there to help in this regard. I did some videos that ... | |
| Quitting current gym | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: BACKGROUND STORY: I've been thinking about this since my first teammate quit gymnastics at our gym. ... A: Jam- No knowing either situation first hand, I'm not sure I can give you good advise. You will need ... | |
| Back handspring and back walkover | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: I am learning how to do a back walkover can you give me any tips on mastering it. Also how can I ... A: Jasmine- You will need to work on your back flexibility by doing a lot of bridge ups to stretch. ... | |
| Underage Olympians | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: There was a lot of talk after the Olympics about the IOC investigating the ages of Chinese Olympians ... A: Lisa- There was a further investigation. Basically there was evidence that at least two of the ... | |
| Mens JO hrs per week averages | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: Mark I asked a question not to long ago about developing a strength training program it is coming ... A: Darren- I think you are right about a gym by gym number. This would also give better information ... | |
| Age, Future Skill Level, and Lessons | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: Mark, My names Cameron and i recently started gymnastics(3 weeks now). I'm a male, and 17 years ... A: Cameron- Well it is never too late to start gymnastics and enjoy learning and developing in the ... | |
| Basket Toss to Handstand or Support | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: I am strugling to catch my basket toss in anything but upper arm. I can not do clear hips on high ... A: Shaun- A cast support to upper are would be easier than doing a back toss to support or handstand. ... | |
| high bar fear | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: My son is moving up to upper levels and has developed a fear of falling of a high bar and hitting a ... A: Rachel- This is always a very tricky situation to be in. Confidence negates the fear in doing high ... | |
| Boys, level 4 or 5? | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: My son practices 4 hrs with the boys who are level 3 but they will not be going to competition and ... A: Kim- This is a good question and one that you have a right to ask. However, I cannot watch your son ... | |
| gymnastics conditioning | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: la.I was wondering if you could help me with a conditioning routine. A: Andy- We have a lot of conditioning routines that my team does. We try not to do the same thing all ... | |
| Get another coaches opinion | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 8 years old and a first year level 5 gymnast in southern California. She is doing ... A: Shannon- These are good questions but I'm not sure I can answer them. I work primarily with the ... | |
| Nervousness | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: I'm a level 5 gymnast, and I would say my best event is balance beam. At least, it's my best event ... A: Rebecca- You have to put yourself into the meet situation more often in practice. Make the practice ... | |
| elbow flexibility | 10/12/2008 |
| Q: I am a gymnastics coach. I have a question about a male gymnast. He is fairly good at gymnastics, ... A: Joy- This could be genetic or an over-development of the muscles on one side of the arm. There ... | |
| Parallel Bars: Old set-up | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: I saw your 2007 answer on making a home-made mushroom 20 years ago (thanks!), so hope you can help ... A: Pam- Sounds like you have your work cut out for yourself. That kind of change was necessary, glad ... | |
| pike handstand | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: i can press up to a handstand easily from a straddle, yet i have difficulty with the press with the ... A: Willis- You should put your hands just in front of your feet and rock your weight forward onto your ... | |
| Torn labrum - any suggestions? | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I just found out the other day from my Orthopedic doc that I might have a torn labrum in ... A: Rafe- I have had many guys in my program with this same injury. Generally, they reach a point where ... | |
| Back up rise/ p-bars | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a son who just moved to level 6. He is the only one on the team who does not yet have the ... A: Shari- The back uprise and kip skills on parallel bars are both about combining the swing with ... | |
| Back Walkover on the high beam! | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I am a gymnast and I cam currently learning how to do a back walkover on the high beam. For the past ... A: Lucy- For a while it will go back and forth with your confidence. You will have to go back to doing ... | |
| Back Walkover on the high beam! | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: I am a gymnast and I cam currently learning how to do a back walkover on the high beam. For the past ... A: Lucy- There really isn't a lot I can do for you. You are the one that will control that fear. If ... | |
| Skills | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you had any success in looking up a list of men's and women's skills on various ... A: Chris- You can actually download the FIG code of points now from their website. It will have all ... | |
| Level 7 gymnast | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: My son will be competing as a level 7 in the Spring. He had his pirouette on the p-bars at the ... A: Angela- This is fairly common. The height of the bars creates uncertainty and fear. This is a ... | |
| Workouts for L4 and L5 | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 5 (turning 6 later this year), just starting kindergarten and has spent one year on ... A: Carlita- These are fairly similar. One is 7.5 hours a week and the other is 8 hours and 15 vs. 14. ... | |
| Too Old?? | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: my whole life i've always thought about doing gymnastics but something has always sidetracked me and ... A: Zack- You are probably too old to get Olympic caliber starting this late. It is harder to do this ... | |
| Good Starter Facility | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: My child is 6 and she just started getting into gymnastics this past June at a summer camp. She ... A: Nakia- I think she will be fine with the Chicago Gymnastics & Cheer Academy for now. She will be ... | |
| Gymnastics at my age? | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I'm 18 years old and have always been fascinated with gymnastics. I was a gymnast for about 3 years ... A: Brian- Sure you can still do gymnastics, just don't expect it to be easy. You will have a harder ... | |
| UB | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: First I must start by saying I am a non-traditional gymnast. I am 21 and work at a gym. So I have ... A: Sascha- You probably need to be doing more on the bars everyday if you really want to learn giants. ... | |
| Re-starting gymnastics at almost 17 | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: Ok.. I'm 16 years old right now, going on 17 in october. I used to do gymnastics until i was about ... A: Camden- You are not too tall. I have a couple guys who are very good on floor and vault that are ... | |
| Re-starting gymnastics at almost 17 | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: Ok.. I'm 16 years old right now, going on 17 in october. I used to do gymnastics until i was about ... A: Camden- Since you have already been a part of the sport for a while, I think you could get back ... | |
| getting started | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a 3 year old son who really wants to begin gymnastics and I see great things for him if he is ... A: Marian- If you really think he has potential, you are better getting him in a good program right ... | |
| floor routine moves | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I've been watching the Olympic coverage. It seems commonplace now to see male gymnasts perform ... A: Lisa- This has become more common because of the category added to the code of points. It used to ... | |
| boys mushroom | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: The boys I am currently trainning have got to the point of making it once around the mushroom. How ... A: Kelly- The boys will figure out that if they can do one, they will quickly be able to do 10. Mostly ... | |
| strength training program development | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to put together a strength training program for my guys. I have 2 level 5s, 4 level 6s, ... A: Darren- Wow, this is the longest question I have ever had. You seem to be thinking things through ... | |
| Fresh start at 16 | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: I've come to a point where I want to find a channel, something to really dedicate my life to and ... A: Brandon- The bad news is that it would be very improbable for you to make up for lost time and ... | |
| Olympics... | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: A question was asked about the min. age to be in the Olympics but I was also wondering, what age ... A: Shelly- I'm not sure there is any exact way to measure that. The levels are set up for specific age ... | |
| Planches and Flexability | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: My name is Kirk, I'm currently 19 and an active dancer at dance studio in Michigan. Recently I have ... A: Kirk- The flexibility for flairs include the straddle splits, pike stretches, flexibility of the ... | |
| Physical Conditioning | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: Hey Mark, My name is Samuel and I am in fairly good physical condition (6' 188lbs, 15-16% ... A: Samuel- Probably your goal should be to get strong in our core strength, midsection and abs, and be ... | |
| is age 27 too old for reconditioning for floor-ex? | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: Granted, this is another "am I too old" question, though I'm pretty sure I've got at least 10 years ... A: Fred- These are still possible though the splits might be tough if you have developed your legs a ... | |
| how to train | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: Hey I'm really interested in your workout routines and i wanted to start right away, I'm a mma ... A: Eddie- Arch up on horse is just using the pommel horse to lay on while piking down over the horse ... | |
| olympic gymnastics | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: How old do you have to be to be in Olympic gymnastics? A: Taylor- The women have a minimum age requirement of 16. The men do not. Most women are 16-20 ... | |
| Around the world | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: How does one do an around the world on the p-horse. I coached men's gymnastics from 1999-2005. ... A: Stephanie- I'm not sure I have the same terminolgy but I think you are talking about a 360 Russian ... | |
| ankle pronation | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: My son is a 11 y.o. level 6 gymnast with severe ankle pronation which is causing more pain as he ... A: Debra- There is no rule against using shoes in gymnastics meets. They may not allow for a very good ... | |
| ankle pronation | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: My son is a 11 y.o. level 6 gymnast with severe ankle pronation which is causing more pain as he ... A: Cian & Debra- I would say that you can try wearing tumbling shoes with the orthopedic insert and ... | |
| ankle pronation | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: I am an eleven year old level 6 boys gymnast who has ankle pronation which is hurting more as I ... A: Cian & Debra- I would say that you can try wearing tumbling shoes with the orthopedic insert and ... | |
| Lower back pain when working on back flexibility | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: Is this normal? I feel like I am doing something wrong as the pain, or joint stress, does not go ... A: Ben- Your body will not be as flexible as it was when you were younger. There is a chance that ... | |
| mini-squad gymnastics | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: I am a coach of a group of 8 girls aged 5-6 years old who are all currently in our teams development ... A: Jess- Sounds like you are doing a good thing with this group. You can do the same thing with all ... | |
| competition fears | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 6 and has been doing recreational gym for one and a half years.She has a natural ... A: Shani- I would not be too worried about whether she decides to compete. She only 6 year-old and ... | |
| 7 yr old getting serious about gymnastics | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: My son is 7 and was just asked to be on his gym's boys team. I am concerned about him getting too ... A: Teresa- These are valid concerns. When is it too soon to specialize in one sport. Use your son's ... | |
| Vaulting | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: For my vaults, I currently do tsuks and handspring fronts. I am moving towards doing the handspring ... A: Mike- If you have access to a trampoline or mini-tramp, use these to help with the air sense. You ... | |
| The pommel horse | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: My son just started working on the mushroom at the gym to build up his strength for the pommel ... A: Sharon- Well, you could make a spool top to work at home. It just takes a little foam that is cut ... | |
| Training for Rings and Pommel | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: I am 30 years old now and began gymnastics 2 years ago focusing primarily on rings. I got to the ... A: Rich- Good questions and not one that can easily be answered. Since you are an older gymnast, it is ... | |
| Too old or not to start? | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: I am age 39 and would like to be built like a gymnast if I am too old to learn the things they do ... A: David- Starting at your age would be quite a challenge. Because your body is set as far as growth, ... | |
| level 4 boys? | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: My gym just recently had our boys team coach leave and it looks like i will be taking over the boys ... A: Shelby- You will need the compulsory book from USAG. This will give you the routines. You can also ... | |
| gymnastic workout | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could give me a gymnastics workout using weights. I want something to ... A: Gavin- Here is a program I have had my team do. Since they were doing gymnastics at the time, these ... | |
| Wrist pain | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: Hey Mark, When ever I stretch my wrist, or do skills that add pressure to my wrists, they usually ... A: Terrell- This type of wrist pain may be a form of wrist splints like runners shin splints. The ... | |
| Mental & Physical block for level 8 | 5/16/2008 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I'm training level 8 mens gymnastics, just coming from level 5, and my main questions are ... A: Terrell- These are issues of some technique and some confidence. You need to be doing the pirouette ... | |
| Pommel horse | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: What muscles are involved in a stride swing on the pommel horse and should your centre of mass be ... A: Jess- Stride swing is a pretty old term or one I'm not familiar with. I'm assuming that is the ... | |
| back uprise | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: I was just wondering what the supporting technique would be for the back uprise? (ie how would my ... A: Jonny- I assume you are talking about a back uprise on the parallel bars. From the upper arm ... | |
| Straddle Lever Hold | 4/12/2008 |
| Q: I have some female gymnasts struggling with the basic straddle lever, I have tried several ways to ... A: Roisin- It will take some time to develop the stomach strength to hold the legs up. You need to ... | |
| equipment | 4/7/2008 |
| Q: I have started putting rings into my work out , and do to this have began watching more and more ... A: Matthew- You can make a mushroom pretty easily with a cable spool, ethafoam and a synthetic ... | |
| Flares | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: names Daniel and i am 17, currently trying to learn Thomas flares and having very much difficulty. i ... A: Daniel- There are lots of pictures on Youtube of people doing flares. You need to have a fairly ... | |
| Gymnastics | 4/3/2008 |
| Q: How can one be a qualified gymnastics trainer? A: Mahesh- The best by to be qualified is to have done the sport in your youth. Even if you did ... | |
| Training recommendations for rings/pbars with bad joints | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: I did gymnastics from age 8-12 and picked it back up 3 years ago. (I'm 24 now.) I absolutely love ... A: Rafe- You are getting to the age where it is difficult to do gymnastics pain free. I would think ... | |
| location...? | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: I'm 16, and i have had basic gymnastics training in the past. Although that was a while ago, i am ... A: Matt- There are a lot of programs in the LA area. Here are contracts for men's programs: ALL ... | |
| back handsprings | 3/23/2008 |
| Q: how can i do a back handspring? A: Jessica- You probably should have someone help you that knows what they are doing. You will need to ... | |
| want to know how to do a back walkover and a back handspring | 3/23/2008 |
| Q: I watched and watched people do back walkovers and back handsprings and i got gellus.So how can i ... A: Jessica- I've given you information about the back handspring. The back walk-over is all about ... | |
| Press Handstands | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: Hey I'm Steve and I am a JV gymnast. I am working on a press handstand and I don't seem to get up ... A: Steve- There is a technique to doing a press correctly but strength and flexibility are involved as ... | |
| Back Flips | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: I am an in line skater. I can do 14 ft drops on roller blades and fly over the ramps. I would like ... A: Asher- It isn't that difficult for athletes to learn a back flip. However, it is important to learn ... | |
| Strength vs. Flexibility | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: Mark, I know that a gymnast needs a combination of both strength and flexibility to be successful in ... A: Candace- That is an interesting question. Guys who are not naturally strong will really struggle ... | |
| Front Tumbling | 2/16/2008 |
| Q: I can not seem to front tumble without twisting any more. Everytime I try to do a punch front I ... A: Carly- This is a difficult problem to solve. We refer to this as having the twisties. You have to ... | |
| gym exercise | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: IHAVE HAD HIPS REPLACED IN O5 AND O6 KNEE REPLACED 07 AM BACK AT THE GYM BUT UNCERTAIN ABOUT ... A: Pat- I'm not a doctor so I'm not sure what to advise. I would be careful not to create pain while ... | |
| gymnastics | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: when my hands get to the ground they bend so my knees so could you help me with that? thanks for ... A: Ian- You do not want to have your arms bent too much as you land the back handspring. You will need ... | |
| Sttraight arm kip | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: My daughter can get up on her kip but her arms are very bent when she tries to pull herself up. ... A: Rhandi- There is a lack of strength involved here. She will need to get stronger in her upper body. ... | |
| Adult boys gymnastics in Florida | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: My son is looking at a university in Daytona, FL that does not offer a gymnastics program. Are there ... A: Charissa- There are club programs that may offer training for elite level gymnasts. Here is the ... | |
| mens gymnastics | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: is there a website or a book where i can find ouot what the judges are looking for in mens level 5 ... A: Juan- The JO code of points is available through the USA Gymnastics merchandising dept. It will ... | |
| gymnastics conditioning. | 1/6/2008 |
| Q: I have been looking all over for some help. Here is my situation. I'm 23 years old and am in decent ... A: Samuel- Sorry it has taken me so long to get back with you. With the holidays, I've been really ... | |
| Drills & Skills | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: Hey Mark, Before I ask you my question here is a little bit of the background story. I'm 16 years ... A: Terrell- Always start by working your press on the floor. Work from a straddle stand and later a ... | |
| back handsrping. | 12/31/2007 |
| Q: i ahev been working on my strength for back handsping for a while . i have done it standing with ... A: Dayna- Part of the problem is confidence in your ability. There is also the element of doing ... | |
| Mushroom & Flares | 12/19/2007 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I'm a level 5 gymnast and I just did my first meet on Sunday, I scored a 9.8 on Rings ... A: Terrell- I makes a difference which direction you do your circles but I'm guessing you go in a ... | |
| Rings & Swings | 12/18/2007 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I'm a level 5 gymnast and I just did my first meet on Sunday, I scored a 9.8 on Rings ... A: Terrell- Nice job with the 9.8. This is a good question. You are going to the side on your swing ... | |
| you may know... | 12/15/2007 |
| Q: I saw some web page where a guy asked you about workouts using the body. I would also like to ask ... A: Denzel- I have been thinking about how I can help you and struggling with what you might need. Most ... | |
| Another question on Rings, and conditioning | 11/29/2007 |
| Q: Hey Mark, Congratulations to your guys at worlds, Nationals, and Winter Cup first off. I asked ... A: Dan- I don't know where you live but I would recommend getting a coach who knows how to coach elite ... | |
| my level 4 gymnast daughter | 11/28/2007 |
| Q: My daughter just turned 9 and is competing as a level 4 gymnast- she was first on bars in a meet ... A: Laura- I'm on the men's side of the sport so I don't know the answer to that. I would assume that ... | |
| Backflip Trouble | 11/26/2007 |
| Q: I'm having trouble on doing standing multiple back flips i do the first one with no problem and i ... A: Patrick- Sounds like you know a lot of what's wrong with the sequence. To do multiple backs, you ... | |
| ROUNDOFF BACKHANDSPRING | 11/9/2007 |
| Q: Ok hey! I need some BIG time help! I have a few days untill our competetion to get my roundoff ... A: Mariah- I you are indeed doing a good roundoff, your momentum should take you backward to the back ... | |
| Future Stars | 10/16/2007 |
| Q: I would like to obtain the skills needed to compete in the 10, 11, 12 year old future stars ... A: Kim- There have been some modifications to the Future Stars program. You would have most of what ... | |
| Gymnastics | 10/14/2007 |
| Q: when performing a back handspring i always land on my knees i think the problem is that i can't snap ... A: Abdukarim- You are right. You need more core muscle strength to help with the snap-down. V ups, ... | |
| flare to handstand | 10/12/2007 |
| Q: This is a great place to go by the way.my question is i am a breakdancer and i am really stuck with ... A: Lee- It will take a lot of repetition to master the flair up to handstand and flairs that stay ... | |
| How to find qualified coaches? | 10/4/2007 |
| Q: Please help me find mens gymnastics coaches in winder,GA. about 45 min north of Atlanta. Any advice ... A: Sonny- You should contact the Region 7 chairman who knows the area better than I do. His contact ... | |
| Boys Gymnastics | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: I started gymnastics when i was 6 years old in 1997, I went straight to level 6 by time I was 8, I ... A: Terrell- After such a long time away from the sport, you are doing pretty well. It is normal to be ... | |
| Splits | 10/1/2007 |
| Q: im in middle school and i have always wanted to be a cheerleader. finally, i have the guts to try ... A: Jordan- Getting the splits can take some time but there are things you can do that will help speed ... | |
| Training on rings | 9/18/2007 |
| Q: Mark, That is very good advice you gave me on the last question for strength training, but I have ... A: Dan- I would try on different weeks either the intensity, more sets, and the next week more weight, ... | |
| Strength Training on rings | 9/14/2007 |
| Q: Mark, Congratulations on all your teams accomplishments first off, its impressive. I had several ... A: Dan- These are good questions. Sounds like you are doing pretty well with the information that you ... | |
| Age and training | 9/10/2007 |
| Q: I am about to turn 21 and I have started gymnastics for the last two or three months. I have ... A: Anthony- You would have a great deal of catching up to do in order to compete competitively for ... | |
| muscles and body weight | 9/4/2007 |
| Q: 1. What are the steps necessary for loosing weight? 2. What are three ways that excercise is used in ... A: Arcely- Some of these questions are outside the area of gymnastics. The obvious answer is that you ... | |
| Making a mushroom | 9/1/2007 |
| Q: I really like the idea of making my son a mushroom. Is there any paperwork with how to? Or if you ... A: Michele- I'm sorry that the answer to your question has been delayed. I'm working at the World ... | |
| Front Handspring problems. | 8/27/2007 |
| Q: recently I have been try to do a front hand spring and I can do everything up to the bit where you ... A: Jake You can try doing the skill slowly from a handstand and letting your feet fall to a bridge up ... | |
| walkovers | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: I had recently been teaching my self gym at home on my mats, then my parents said because i was so ... A: Kez This is a flexibility issue where you will need to continue to stretch your back. You need to ... | |
| making it | 8/9/2007 |
| Q: i was wondering how you go about trying out for the olympics. Like where would you go to tryout or ... A: Amber- The process in the US for gymnastics is competing in a qualifying meet to go to the USA ... | |
| Starting Gymnastics as a Teen | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: I am 14 years old and have a great local gym. I have never done any sort of gymnastics before, but I ... A: Kyle- You will be at somewhat of a disadvantage starting gymnastics later than most and being ... | |
| gymnastics | 8/4/2007 |
| Q: i had a question about gymnastics. I'm in high school, and want to learn to do back flips, front ... A: Micah- It is not too late to learn these tricks. The best approach is to take a tumbling/gymnastics ... | |
| front handspring | 8/3/2007 |
| Q: i have tried lots of times but i can not get the momentum to land on my legs when i am doing a front ... A: Thamid- You need to have some flexibility in your back to do this skill well. You should stretch in ... | |
| back or front | 8/2/2007 |
| Q: i have been try back flips and front flips but i was wondering witch one is easiest to start with ... A: Linda- Generally, the front flip is easier to learn because you can see more of it. Doing a back ... | |
| flips | 8/1/2007 |
| Q: i have tried doing a front flip but i land on my back. i am trying to do it in my garden on the ... A: Flips- Putting your hands down prior to the flip is called a front handspring. Both rely on forward ... | |
| work out to keep up streghth | 7/22/2007 |
| Q: My daughter a level 6 age 9 this year is taking two months off of gymnastics. Due to switching gyms ... A: Kay- Some of the numbers that she does will depend on her fitness level. You can always start with ... | |
| Front lever | 7/11/2007 |
| Q: I have a question regarding front levers. My coach, who competed a long time ago (when trampoline ... A: Mike- Yep, times have changed. You are correct about the front lever. It will count as a simple A ... | |
| tumbling | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: I am 17 years old and and trying to learn how to tumble. I've actually thrown and landed roundoff ... A: Tony- You seem to have a pretty good understanding of the problems that you are having. Setting ... | |
| illusion | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I am on my high schools varsity cheerleading team. I have 1 kidney so i cant stunt. My coach wants ... A: Sara- You should join a tumbling class at a near by gymnastics club. These are skills that a coach ... | |
| pommels /mushroom | 7/5/2007 |
| Q: he is doing gymnastics since a few years now but unfortunately is unable to do circles on mushroom. ... A: Khushman- You could either make him a mushroom or buy one for him to work on at home. I've made ... | |
| conditioning | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I coach a group of boys aged 8 to 12 years. They train 4 to 6 hours a week. how much time should be ... A: Trevor- At that age, it would be difficult to do conditioning and strength for more than about 30 ... | |
| conditioning | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I coach a group of boys aged 8 to 12 years. They train 4 to 6 hours a week. how much time should be ... A: Trevor- Because this is not a lot of time for the week, you may want to try to get on the equipment ... | |
| Boys Team | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: I just started coaching a few weeks ago, and I am helping with the team boys ages 6-11. I am an ... A: Darren- These are good questions. The flexibility of the 8 year-old may not get a lot better. ... | |
| Beginner Weight Training | 6/12/2007 |
| Q: my arms are the weakest part in my body. What exercises can i do to make this my strongest part? I ... A: Alex- These specific type questions should probably be answered by the local coach from the gym and ... | |
| Beginner Weight Training | 6/9/2007 |
| Q: my arms are the weakest part in my body. What exercises can i do to make this my strongest part? I ... A: Alex- If you are doing gymnastics, your body will get stronger with the workouts. It will take time ... | |
| Too old? | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: I am embarrassed to say this, but I am 27 years old and would like to take up gymnastics. I have ... A: Rigard- I think you will enjoy doing some things in gymnastics. If you approach it with the right ... | |
| Leg Work | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: My name is Shawn. Im a boxer, Learning kickboxing. Im looking to get my legs more flexable, For ... A: Shawn- Gymnasts stretch everyday to gain the flexibility that they have developed. We do the right ... | |
| Age Limit? | 5/5/2007 |
| Q: I am a phys ed/health teacher as well as an athletic trainer. I have a student who wants to be ... A: Jennifer- You have pinpointed two areas that are hard to overcome. Starting that late will make it ... | |
| gymnastics | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: what is the strength tracing status of a gymnast A: Karina- I'm not sure what you mean by "strength tracing status" but we usually try to keep up with ... | |
| Men's gymnastics | 4/24/2007 |
| Q: I have just got into the competitive field and I was wondering exactly what level I was...what are ... A: Christian- The boy's program at US Gymnastics has 10 Levels and Elite. The Elite level are the ... | |
| Workout Advice | 4/23/2007 |
| Q: Mark, I have a workout question for you. I’m a 25 year old x-gymnast. I did competitive gymnastics ... A: Mike- I'm not sure I can give you any further information than you already have. Strength gains ... | |
| advise | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: I HAVE A 13 YEARS GYMNAST, WHO IS BECOMING ONE OF THE BEST GYMNAST IN MEXICO AND DREAMS WITH OLYMPIC ... A: Esther- I don't have the specific data for risk factors but many young girls will experience some ... | |
| mushroom | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: My 6 year old boy is moving up from level 4 to level 5 and we would like to get him a mushroom to ... A: Frank- I'm not sure that there are used mushrooms out there. You can try calling some of the ... | |
| Need to sell some equipment | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: Mark, My wife and I are trying to sell quite a bit of All Around equipment. We are selling it to ... A: Craig- This is an impressive list of equipment. You can do several things. Put an ad in USA ... | |
| Basic Skills | 3/29/2007 |
| Q: I've just started out in men's gymnastics by joining the team at my high school. I am fairly good at ... A: Mike- You need to get a hold of the FIG code of points. The skills and values for rings will be ... | |
| full twist | 2/21/2007 |
| Q: can you tell me the procedure to execute a full twist. I have it, but it comes and go. A: Henry- Doing a full twist on floor or the trampoline you need to set-up the back flip first then ... | |
| Cash prizes & eligibility | 2/17/2007 |
| Q: Can a Men's Elite gymnast accept a cash award at a gymnastics meet and still be eligible to compete ... A: Lisa- There are many cases where an athlete may accept money that would cover training expenses. ... | |
| Workout routine | 2/9/2007 |
| Q: Hey Mark. I was wondering if you could give me a gymnastics workout routine geared toward a ... A: Matt- There are many workout routines that you could start to supplement your weight workouts. I'll ... | |
| at this age can i? | 2/6/2007 |
| Q: i am 28 yrs old ,i have learned karate(black belt) from 1990 -1997.Can i learn gymnactics at this ... A: Sanju- You should have no problem starting gymnastics at 28. With your background, it will be ... | |
| Gymnastics round off | 1/22/2007 |
| Q: I attend gymnastics class, but I always get mad because I can't do the round off properly. I always ... A: Misaki- A roundoff is a lot like a cartwheel except that you bring your feet together quickly at ... | |
| trampoline exercises | 1/16/2007 |
| Q: Hey Mark, my question is about trampoline exercises such as urban rebounding. I just wanted to know ... A: Lara_ There isn't a correct answer to this question. Using the trampoline will have some benefits ... | |
| boys gymnastics | 1/15/2007 |
| Q: My question is about boys gymnastics. We have a boys rec program in place and it is very popular. ... A: J- The owner/head coach is primarily looking at this as a business man. He is partly correct that ... | |
| i am a beginner | 1/12/2007 |
| Q: i am just starting gymnastics and i need some help. i can do back hand springs and front tucks but i ... A: Justin- These are good questions and difficult to answer without being there to coach you. Since ... | |
| the splits | 1/10/2007 |
| Q: is this a stretch me and my friend will do this strech were she puts here feet on my ankls while we ... A: Lacie- This is definately a stretch. You are working the straddle position and bending forward to a ... | |
| gymnast training routine | 1/9/2007 |
| Q: My name is Austin Collins and I am currently in the army serving my third tour overseas. While Im ... A: Austin- I commend you on what you are doing. We usually supplement our gymnastics workout with ... | |
| i have a question | 12/31/2006 |
| Q: What is USAG or whatever the term everyone keeps using A: Siara- USAG is the gymnastics federation for the United States. They sponsor men's and women's ... | |
| splits | 12/31/2006 |
| Q: I am a female, and used to do splits as a teenager, until age 20 and I stopped. Now I am 28 and ... A: Lara- It's not too late but it will be more difficult. With age, your body will get tighter when ... | |
| To old and tall? But figure skater&cheerleader | 12/26/2006 |
| Q: I know this has been asked a lot but I just turned 18 and I am very interested in gymnastics. I am ... A: Katrina- There is no reason that you can't do a little gymnastics. Being 5'6" isn't too tall for ... | |
| gymnastics | 12/19/2006 |
| Q: what are the requirements for level 9? A: Niki- The Level 9 requirements for boy's gymnastics include the following: 1.5 Difficulty, 1 C, 2 ... | |
| used equipment | 12/14/2006 |
| Q: I'm looking for some used equipment to start up a preschool/rec program. Where can I find some good ... A: Joy- There are several companies that have some of the same stuff with varying prices. Here are a ... | |
| gymnastics | 12/14/2006 |
| Q: i have a very important question. I have started doing gymnastics again after a 3 month stop and i ... A: Farren- This is fairly common when working tumbling on a harder mat. The most elite athletes train ... | |
| Getting back into gymnastics | 12/13/2006 |
| Q: I stopped doing gymnastics 4 years ago, not by choice: my parents couldn't afford it. I stopped ... A: Steve- College programs do not allow athlete's who are not enrolled at the college to train with ... | |
| gymnastics | 12/9/2006 |
| Q: I'm a 13 year old girl that was born with a pingin-toe problem. I was in it as a per-schooler and ... A: Cassie- I think that it is too bad that you were kicked out of gymnastics a such an early age. I'm ... | |
| Rips and calluses | 12/6/2006 |
| Q: My son is 13 and his hands are one big callus. He just got a fresh rip and his coach said to put ... A: Claire- You will want to develop as much callus on your hands as possible. Having tougher hands ... | |
| Gymnastics | 12/4/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could answer a couple Questions about Gymnastics? 1: How does it help you in ... A: Makenzie- 1. Gymnastics has the ability to help you in life if you are able to develop the skills ... | |
| weekly routine | 12/4/2006 |
| Q: I already do a five day a week split weights training routine but don't know how to integrate ... A: Sam- Without having the ability to work with your specific training schedule or needs, I would ... | |
| reasons for boys gym | 11/28/2006 |
| Q: i wondered whether you can help me, i am currently in the process of writting a dissertation on why ... A: Alex- I can only offer my opinion on this. Partially, I think boys have a social stigma about dance ... | |
| mental | 11/27/2006 |
| Q: !!!! i love doing gymnastics and i am a level 7/8 but i am very mental about everything and i hate ... A: Alexis- This is a difficult question to answer. Everyone deals with the mental aspects of ... | |
| jump training | 11/26/2006 |
| Q: congratulations by your comments that allow us to improve our ability like trainers. I am very ... A: Rafa- For gymnastics you need a quick twitch, explosiveness in your legs as well as some power. ... | |
| Back Handsprings | 11/26/2006 |
| Q: and i am 15 yrs old. I have been doing gymnastics ever since i was younger and when i turned 12 i ... A: Chris- You have obviously developed a fear of the skill which is keeping you from executing what ... | |
| "Compulsory" optional routines | 11/22/2006 |
| Q: Our gym is new to competitive men's gymnastics. We have some young men ready to progress out of ... A: Jeff- This is a fair question but one that I'm not sure where to direct you. I'm coaching elite and ... | |
| gymnastics | 11/22/2006 |
| Q: could you please also tell me about exercises for improving a planche, it seems almost impossible to ... A: Farren- Learning a good planche is a fairly long process. You will need to do a lot of work to ... | |
| gymnastics | 11/21/2006 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could tell me the prime exercizes for improving a v- sit i cant seem to get ... A: Farren- You need to get stronger on your ABS or stomach area and your triceps muscles in your arms. ... | |
| Flexibility on splits | 11/19/2006 |
| Q: My daughter has a real problem with her splits. She is 10 years old and has always been the most ... A: Wid- A pulled muscle can take quite a while to regain its elasticity. The muscle pulls into a tight ... | |
| Nadia Comaneci | 11/13/2006 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I am doing report on Nadia Comaneci for my eigth grade academic fair project. I was ... A: Marissa- 1. Nadia's biggest accomplishment was scoring the first 10.00 in international ... | |
| routines | 11/13/2006 |
| Q: I want to know if you can give me tips on every event that i have like i cant get my front hip and ... A: Natalie- It sounds like you need to keep working on the areas that you are having problems. For a ... | |
| Body lines | 11/9/2006 |
| Q: I have heard several coaches mention 2 things. They like specific body types and body lines. What ... A: Alice- Specific body types means the coaches are looking for girls who are smaller, more muscular ... | |
| Age starting gymnastics/strength | 11/6/2006 |
| Q: My son is 11 and is interested in gymnastics. He sees the strength that these boys/men must have in ... A: Donna- I don't think that he is too old to start. I might be difficult at first but if he finds ... | |
| The Splits | 11/4/2006 |
| Q: Williams, I am 14 years old and have recently become intrigued in flexibility ... A: Peter- It is true that it is more difficult to do the splits after you get older. However, you are ... | |
| Need Useful Drill | 10/31/2006 |
| Q: I have just started a boys class at a gym, and our sources are limited. I am having problems ... A: Beni- It sounds like you are doing the right things. You will have to do lots and lots of circles ... | |
| Question | 10/27/2006 |
| Q: Ok thanks I will look into that, I have a question about skills, I have a double full and was ... A: Rudy- To set up a 2 1/2 or triple full you will need to get up in the air a little more. The set ... | |
| Son | 10/27/2006 |
| Q: My son has recently wanted to join gymnastics. He is already 13 years old and is a beginner. He is ... A: Yoshiko- There have been a few cases of gymnasts who have excelled very quickly after starting ... | |
| core strength training | 10/19/2006 |
| Q: I have been breakdancing for some time now and have seen the many parallels to gymnastics. I was ... A: Josh- The breakdancing move came from gymnastics. There are things that you can do that will help ... | |
| I have a question? | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: First is I am 13 years old and I want to start gymnastics am I too old? And second is that I am a ... A: David- The answer I have for you is no and no. But it also depends on what you want out of the ... | |
| men's gymnastics | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: Hi my name is Travorus And i love to do gymnastics I want to go to college and participate but i ... A: Travorus- The College Gymnastics Association's website has a listing of the NCAA gymnastics ... | |
| 24, Am I Too Old? | 9/20/2006 |
| Q: I would have to start off by saying that I haven't been in the best of shape since I was a senior in ... A: Chris- Yes, you're probably too old. Starting at 24 and enjoying gymnastics is one thing. Training ... | |
| My Level | 9/10/2006 |
| Q: Sorry, I know your main knowledge is in men's gymnastics, but I am asking anyone who may have an ... A: Sierra- I definately think you can compete again. If you will be going to a high school that has ... | |
| video... | 8/26/2006 |
| Q: Williams: How are you? Sorry to bother you again... I have been tumbling for about 6 months now ... A: Yan- You are pretty tight in your back flexibility. You could do more bridge up stretching to help ... | |
| planche | 8/25/2006 |
| Q: I went to the gym last night and tried what you advised me to do on the circles. I twisted my hips ... A: Ray- I don't have a personal website but I do have some videos that are for sale on the ... | |
| planche | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: Hhhmm....so I'd have to extend my hips and legs higher at the front part of the flare in order to ... A: Ray- The Russian is more of a planche swinging technique. As for weight, these can suppliment the ... | |
| planche | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: Hey Mark....wow...I didn't think about moving my hips in a counter-clockwise fashion to that extent. ... A: Ray- On the front side of the flare, you want to extend a little further out. The reaction to ... | |
| planche | 8/23/2006 |
| Q: Hey Mark, Thanks alot for the fast response. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/ is an ... A: Ray- For a clockwise circle, that is a weak spot for most people. Your left hand is getting onto ... | |
| planche | 8/23/2006 |
| Q: Hey Mark, I saw a young gymnast do planche push ups and it just impressed the hell out of me. I ... A: Ray- The laws of physics are against you. Because you are taller and heavier than most gymnasts, it ... | |
| Exercises | 8/21/2006 |
| Q: I am 20 years old and want to develop a gymnasts incredible strength, balance, flexiblity, etc. I ... A: Ben- This is a very broad question to answer in this type of forum. To do gymnastic specific ... | |
| flare | 8/20/2006 |
| Q: Williams: How are you doing? I asked a question about how to do flares before and you gave me some ... A: Heng Yan- I think you can learn this skill. It will take some time and hard work but it is ... | |
| backflip | 8/19/2006 |
| Q: i can not do a backflip with no hands in the spot and every time i try i aways land on my knees A: Patrick- You need to do more work on getting up off the ground. Your take off or set isn't getting ... | |
| Weigh-In | 8/15/2006 |
| Q: What are the most important and effective things to do the day of weigh-in to stay where you need to ... A: Amanda- This is really outside of my area of experience. Having a weigh in for gymnastics is ... | |
| backflip | 8/12/2006 |
| Q: i can do a round off backflip with no hands but i only land it fully one time when i try it agin i ... A: Patrick- You are probably whipping the back flip over too much and not setting upward enough. You ... | |
| round off.... | 8/10/2006 |
| Q: Williams: How are you? This is Yan from China. I have been bothering you quite much these days. ... A: Yan- There is a difference for setting up the roundoff back handspring or doing a back tuck. The ... | |
| backflip | 8/7/2006 |
| Q: i can do a front handspring walk over and a back handspring and when i do my handspring my wrist ... A: Patrick- That is pretty normal for your wrists to hurt while starting out. Overtime, you should get ... | |
| How to qualify for the olympics?? | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me how to go about qualifying for the Olympics? The only event ... A: Chuckie- It is possible to compete in the Olympic on just one event. However, it would be hard to ... | |
| flare | 7/30/2006 |
| Q: Williams: My name is yan, 22 year old. I have been taking tumbling class for about half a year now. ... A: Heng Yan- Doing the Thomas flare is basically a pommel horse skill transfered to the floor. The ... | |
| I need you | 7/28/2006 |
| Q: I wanna bring a personal ACROBATICS instructor, let say from China, how much you think his salary ... A: Mohd- In the US, you could get an instructor to coach for $1500-2000 a month. This would be a ... | |
| I need your answer | 7/28/2006 |
| Q: I wanna start training gymnastics ((Acrobatic)) but i'm 18 years old :S is it ok to start training ... A: Mohd- It is never too late to work on flexibility. You will be able to improve quite a bit if you ... | |
| Men's Gym. | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: I would first like to say, that if you are the Mark Williams who has a 3 volume set called ... A: Nick- Thanks for getting the videos. I really would have liked to do more detail on them but time ... | |
| Strength training for teen gymnasts | 5/10/2006 |
| Q: ------------------------- Follow up question.... Thanks for your reply...thought low weight, high ... A: Lori- Sun is a great coach. He'll do a wonderful job with your son. The two athletes you refer to ... | |
| Strength training for teen gymnasts | 5/6/2006 |
| Q: Mark, My son is 14 yrs. old and is a level 9 soon to be level 10 gymnast. My question is what is ... A: Lori- Sorry I've been away at the JO Nationals and I'm just getting back to the office. Oklahoma ... | |
| Gymnastics | 4/12/2006 |
| Q: i was wondering if i could have your msn address so maybe you could help me with my gymnastics you ... A: Lucy- It is difficult to coach gymnastics without a coach being present for instructions. I already ... | |
| Gymnastics | 4/12/2006 |
| Q: how can i widen my straddle? please write bak! thank you A: Lucy- To get a wider straddle takes a lot of stretching. You will need to stretch out more ... | |
| roll piked backwards to handstand | 3/16/2006 |
| Q: what pre requisite and physical preperation can you do to make sure the technique is effective. ... A: Mick- I'm not trained in the biomechanics or physics of the gymnastics stills I coach. I know the ... | |
| how to treat blisters | 3/7/2006 |
| Q: My son is a Level 4 gymnist who has developed blisters recently. His state meet is in 4 days. Is ... A: Nora- First, shave off the extra skin around the blister so that all edges are smooth. Then make ... | |
| space regulations for gyms | 3/1/2006 |
| Q: I need to know how many feet are needed from floor to celling in the bars area ( this is for a ... A: Beth- USA Gymnastics has a safety certification manual that had the exact specs for this. I am away ... | |
| roll piked backwards to handstand | 2/24/2006 |
| Q: i need to know firstly what this entails, How to do it? i would like as much information on it as ... A: Mike- The backward roll to handstand requires strength in the arms, shoulders, back and stomach. ... | |
| work out schedules or nutrition | 1/26/2006 |
| Q: I am doing a paper for school and needed info on mens gymnastics. I was a level 10 (girls) gymnast ... A: Brandy- The men have several competition seasons throughout the year. The NCAA program goes from ... | |
| 10 yr old son in gymnastics | 1/8/2006 |
| Q: Our middle son, Dimitri is 10 and shows ability with gymnastics and is currently competing at level ... A: Jane- This is a great question and a difficult choice to make. Though the gym your son trains at ... | |
| Training Seasons | 11/22/2005 |
| Q: My question is: how does training for gymnastics differ in periodization as compared to a more ... A: Ababelle- We do have periods of training but they may be different from other sports. Male gymnasts ... | |
| mens level 4 | 11/20/2005 |
| Q: Hey mark. I'm 13, and i want to join the level four mens team. i dont know if its too old to, but i ... A: Cody- I think if you enjoy gymnastics, you should go for it. Find a club and a coach who is ... | |
| Son's Gymnastic's | 11/6/2005 |
| Q: My son is in Gymnastics, his coach says he is very gifted, and he is very good. However, he just ... A: Cyndi- As a parent, you need to support and love him for his efforts no matter the results. Leave ... | |
| gymnastics and growth | 10/27/2005 |
| Q: Does gymnastics stunt your growth? I know it delays maturation and puberty, but is there any ... A: Theresa- Good questions. I'm not really a qualified person to give you a scientific answer. I can ... | |
| Adult male gymnastics | 10/22/2005 |
| Q: Followup To Question - Hi Mark, I wonder if you an help. I am having some problems with a ... A: Chris- To work the back, you can do bent over lifts with straight legs. Pike down and pick up the ... | |
| Adult male gymnastics | 10/21/2005 |
| Q: I wonder if you an help. I am having some problems with a couple of techniques that are causing me ... A: Chris- Those would be worth a try. You need to be doing something consistantly for that area to ... | |
| Straddle press to handstand | 10/3/2005 |
| Q: I need some advice on straddle press to handstand. My son is 9 and has been doing gymnastics for 18 ... A: Nykie- Keep working his flexibility. Pike stretch, straddle pancake position and even his ... | |
| about flares (or flaire) move | 10/3/2005 |
| Q: want to know what does the flares (or flaire) move need from me to perform ? what is the best ... A: Yousef- To perform a flairing circle, you should learn to do circles first. The circle can be done ... | |
| Flexibility training | 9/13/2005 |
| Q: Mark, I was wandering if you could please help me out... Can you recommend any specific exercises ... A: Kathryn- There isn't really a magic formula for making this happen. My best advice is to set up a ... | |
| height and development | 9/2/2005 |
| Q: I have a 7 y/o boy. He is short (he has the height of a 5y/o kid). We (parents)are short. We ... A: Mayra- To be honest, I was always short too and found gymnastics as the one area that I could excel ... | |
| Muscular development on male and female gymnasts | 8/24/2005 |
| Q: I watch both male and female gymnasts on TV whenever it's on, Olympics etc, and I marvel and greatly ... A: Keith- Male and female gymnasts do very little weight training. Most of what you see is from the ... | |
| Nutrition | 7/27/2005 |
| Q: I dont know how to become a fit gymnast. I have been doing gymnastics intrapersonally and plan to be ... A: Aerial- You want to have a balanced diet. No big suprise. Stay away from eating a lot of desserts ... | |
| strength | 6/6/2005 |
| Q: i am a 25 yr old male i plan to take up gymnastics for recreation and strenght-building but i am ... A: Debanjan- A general strength build up would help with doing gymnastics. You could start with a ... | |
| strength | 6/6/2005 |
| Q: i am a 25 yr old male i plan to take up gymnastics for recreation and strenght-building but i am ... A: Debanjan- Sorry it has taken so long for my response. I have been having some trouble with my ... | |
| strength training | 5/31/2005 |
| Q: some people say that strength training for young kids is a bad thing, what would you say about that? ... A: Zoe- There is too much evidence that strength training at an early age is necessary for gymnasts to ... | |
| Men's Gymnastics | 5/22/2005 |
| Q: My name is Jenny, and my question is...that i will be teaching gymnastics at a summer camp this ... A: Jenny- That is a pretty big order to cover all those levels in such a short period of time. My ... | |
| training | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: How do gymnasts get such huge arms? Do they have a weight lifting routine or is for another reason? A: Matt- Gymnasts do a tremendous amount of work with their arms and upper body while training and in ... | |
| Swinging on Gymnastic rings | 4/19/2005 |
| Q: What is the basic technique for swinging on the rings? Do you know the biomechanical principles ... A: Emily- The technique of swinging on the rings involves a forward and backward tap swing and ... | |
| Routines | 4/15/2005 |
| Q: Where can I get the information regarding the requirements for the routines for level 5 and level 6 ... A: Ennis- The JO national program is run from USA Gymnastics. The routines are part of a package that ... | |
| a planche | 3/14/2005 |
| Q: I am actually a female gymnast (if it makes a difference). I am interested in learning a planche ... A: Hannah- You can develop the correct strength by lowering from a handstand. You can also do the ... | |
| inverts/eagles | 3/8/2005 |
| Q: i was wondering if you had any good i deas for working inverts and eagle giants. primarily on ... A: Athony- To do invert giants there is no pulling down on the bar. I have found that using a PVC pipe ... | |
| Olympics | 3/2/2005 |
| Q: To Mark Williams, My name is Roberto and I am a sixth grade student in Academia Cotopaxi ... A: Roberto- Training for the Olympic Games is often an all consuming activity. Every waking hour an ... | |
| Olympic coaching | 3/1/2005 |
| Q: Mr. Williams. My name is Chris and I am a student at Academia Cotopaxi in Quito, Ecuador. We had ... A: Chris- It was a very exciting moment when my athlete was announced to have made the Olympic team. I ... | |
| MENS'S GYMNASTICS | 2/20/2005 |
| Q: MY 10 YEAR OLD SON IS DOING A REPORT ON MEN'S GYMNASTICS. HE CURRENTLY HAS A LOVE FOR THE SPORT, HE ... A: Aurora- That's a good question. The sport has changes so much in a short period of time that most ... | |
| scoring boys gymnastics | 2/16/2005 |
| Q: Where can I find how scoring/deductions is done for level 4 boys gymnasics? and is there a place ... A: Barbara- I'm not sure that you can get a free guide but USA Gymnastics has a handbood and video for ... | |
| usag rule? | 2/2/2005 |
| Q: this was a question about mens gymnastics-sorry i was not clear.i heard that an athlete had to ... A: Well, I would have to know where you are for programs in the area. For more advise, you can email me ... | |
| usag rule? | 2/1/2005 |
| Q: what is or is there any requirements when an athlete is skipping a level from one season to the ... A: I am not all that familiar with the USAG levels, especially for girls. Usually skipping levels is ... | |
| aerial cartwheels | 1/12/2005 |
| Q: I've been trying to get aerial cartwheels for over a year now but whenever I try them I land facing ... A: James- Even without a gymnasium, you can work on some things that might help. You will need to get ... | |
| Aaron-level 5-7yrsold | 1/6/2005 |
| Q: I'm a girls team coach with a son being the only boy in an all girls program, Aaron. I would love ... A: Jennifer- Pommel horse is one of the most difficult events to master, especially while just ... | |
| fig code of points | 12/29/2004 |
| Q: do you think that the men's fig code of points will be ready before the competitive season? A: Mike- The latest FIG communication has the start value for men changed to a 8.4 for 2005. There ... | |
| Still Rings Move | 12/10/2004 |
| Q: Mark, When I did my gymnastics, back in the 1950s, I had a very solid front lever on the rings. At ... A: John- Yes and no. The Pineda is doing a front lever and snapping to a cross position from there. ... | |
| Flexibility | 10/28/2004 |
| Q: first of all thank u for ur time. I'm 26, i've been doing martial arts for 7 years now. I'm 200 ... A: Albert- There is no really easy way to get more flexible, especially when you get older. Before ... | |
| mens skill values at college level | 9/28/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could could tell me or send me a link of where I can get a chart of all the ... A: DJ- There isn't a site that I know of that has all the college skills listed. The FIG Code of ... | |
| pelvic joint flexibility | 9/9/2004 |
| Q: pls i want u to help me on the best exercises i can begin henceforth to undertake to give me ... A: Iffanyhie- There are a few basic stetches in gymnatics. Sitting on the floor in a pike position and ... | |
| Mens Gynmastics | 8/29/2004 |
| Q: Ive been watching the 2004 olympics and have seen the amazing strength the men have who perform on ... A: Sam- Most of these athletes have been doing gymnastics for more than 10 years. During that time, ... | |
| Gymnastics | 8/25/2004 |
| Q: What training goes into being able to do the floor excercises? I dont know much of the names of the ... A: Jasiel-You probably saw an athlete do flairs on the floor mat which is usually done on the pommel ... | |
| Men's Gymnastics and Bench Press | 8/17/2004 |
| Q: Two questions Mr. Williams: What is the average height and weight of a world class mens gymnast? ... A: Corey- The average size of a world class gymnast is about 5'6" and 140. I was a gymnast in the 70's ... | |
| Aerials.........again | 8/16/2004 |
| Q: IT'S NOT WORKING!!! This is fustrating! I thought the aerial was meant to be easy! The speed of my ... A: You should keep doing the drills to develop the strength necessary for this skill. You might want to ... | |
| The Body of Gymnasts | 8/16/2004 |
| Q: Hey, How's it going? I've been watching the Olympic gymnastics competition (mostly the women's, as ... A: Victor- Women's gymnastics is better suited for the small body type. There isn't anything unsual ... | |
| Aerials | 8/14/2004 |
| Q: I can do perfect cartwheels and one-handed cartwheels. When I do the aerial, my hands automatically ... A: Michelle- You need to develop more momentum or speed in the cartwheel and more height off the ... | |
| boys gymnastics | 7/23/2004 |
| Q: Again I thank you for your time. It is hard anymore to find people willing to help. I have an email ... A: Tamera- I know of Roumen through the years of working with gymnasts in Texas. He and his program ... | |
| boys gymnastics again. | 7/22/2004 |
| Q: You are wonderful. I appreciate you taking the time to help us from our small town of Conroe. I had ... A: Tamera- I'm not sure that I know of the gym, but I may know the coach. You would be well served to ... | |
| training | 7/21/2004 |
| Q: First I want to thank you for your quick response. My problem now is that th gym we attend is only ... A: Tamera- If you have a choise beween two gyms, look for the program that has produced gymnasts that ... | |
| Class 6 boys | 7/20/2004 |
| Q: I have a 9 year old son who will be learning class 6 next year. How many hours should he train? He ... A: Tamera- Most clubs have their boys teams coming in between 6 and 12 hours a week at the class 7 ... | |
| Starting Men's Gymnastics | 7/18/2004 |
| Q: my name's Joshua Olson. I used to do Gymnastics when I was little and really loved it, but I ended ... A: Joshua- Sorry you had to wait so long for an answer. I'm just getting back from the Olympic ... | |
| The Level I'm on | 7/13/2004 |
| Q: I do not know what the levels are in gymnastics. I hope you can answer my question. The hardest ... A: Matthew- USA gymnastics is currently working to expand the levels of Junior gymnastics to 10 ... | |
| Training | 7/6/2004 |
| Q: I started to practice gymnastics some months ago, but I noticed that I had to be very careful about ... A: Rodrigo- I specialize in coaching gymnastics. I'm not sure what your injury is but gymnastics ... | |
| Rings Technique and Strength Development | 6/15/2004 |
| Q: I had several questions regarding strength techniques on the still rings. 1. What is the proper ... A: Jim- 1. You want your shoulders rolled forward on a cross. It is a deduction to use a false grip on ... | |
| looking for coach | 5/25/2004 |
| Q: We are looking for a boys team coach in beautiful Lake Tahoe California. Are you interested? Know ... A: Judi- Probably the best way to advertise an opening in coaching is to contact the gymnastics ... | |
| Twisting forwards | 4/17/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me learn how to twist while doing a front layout. I can twist ... A: Jon- I don't know what you have available to do your training but having a tumble track into a pit ... | |
| Twisting forwards | 4/17/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me learn how to twist while doing a front layout. I can twist ... A: Jon- If you have a pit off the trampoline, this would be useful for learning front twisting. It ... | |
| Still Rings elements | 3/21/2004 |
| Q: Who was the first gymnast that did a maltese and when? Who was the first gymnast that pulled from a ... A: Manuel- The Maltese was named after the gymnast who first performed it, Maltese. My guess is that ... | |
| Kovac | 2/25/2004 |
| Q: I keep missing the catch for my kocav and i was wondering if i should try to ton-fey tap into it. ... A: Kovac- I would not recommend that. The Kovac tap should kick a little early from a regular giant, ... | |
| College | 2/20/2004 |
| Q: Im a junior in high school nad ive been doing gymnastics for...well awhile and i love doing ... A: James- In order to get offered a scholarship in men's gymnastics, you will need to be competing at ... | |
| Class 5 routines | 8/7/2002 |
| Q: My son has just moved up to class 5. Do you know where we can buy a video of the class 5 routines ... A: Jeff- Sorry I could not respond right away. I was at the USA Championships in Cleveland all week. ... | |
Gymnastics
Answers by Expert:
Mark Williams
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
My expertise is primarily with men`s gymnastics at all levels. General questions about gymnastics and Olympic and World Championship competitions are also areas which I have knowledge.
Experience
Head Coach at the University of Oklahoma, 1996 Assistant Olympic Coach for US Men''s Team, 1999 Head Coach of Pan American Games US Men''s Team
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