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Gymnastics/Questions Answered by Expert Dean Dryer
| Subject | Date Asked |
| High School Gymnastics | 1/27/2010 |
| Q: How important is it to be on a High School Team? Our son will only be competing on a Club Team ... A: Karen, Sorry it took me so long to answer, but I have been out of town at a gymnastics event and ... | |
| baby giant | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: My daughter is competing AAU Intermediate Optional this year. Her bar consists of kip, cast to ... A: Terresa, I am not a womens' judge, so I am not up on all of the requirements. My guess would be ... | |
| Our four year old son. | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a newly turned four year old son who just LIVES for his gymnastics class (once a week). He ... A: Lillian, If Emmett stays in gymnastics for the long term he will have injuries. Mostly little ones. ... | |
| Our four year old son. | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a newly turned four year old son who just LIVES for his gymnastics class (once a week). He ... A: Lillian, I should mention: Your son is precisely the kind of boy that any mens' team coach worth ... | |
| motivation | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: My questions is more about drive/work ethic than anything I suppose...My son is a first year level 4 ... A: Melinda, Unfortunately, talented kids with motivation problems are all too common. I have a few of ... | |
| bar with no grips | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: My daughter is a level 8 gymnast who does not wear grips. She has tried numerous times in the past ... A: Yvonne, I have 2 possible suggestions: 1. The obvious one (and your best bet)is get grips. It will ... | |
| Improving a Standing Tuck | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: I am a coach at my local YMCA and recently I have been working with one of my gymnasts on standing ... A: Casey, I can't say for certain without seeing the skill for myself, but it sounds like she is doing ... | |
| Routine Book | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: Where can a parent get access to the men's level 5 routines? A: Sara, There is a document called the "JO course notes" which is a digested form of the complete ... | |
| Gymnastics trainer | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: What is the age you can become a gymnastics trainer to 3-7 and are there any ezams you have to pass ... A: Erin, I can't answer this question about the UK, as I don't live there and don't know their system. ... | |
| back handspring | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: My daughter is a second-year level 4 gymnast. The reason she is second-year is that she struggled ... A: Shari, My first suggestion would be to video her. I can't tell you how many times I have said to a ... | |
| Boys level 2-4 skills | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I am wondering what specific skills my son will need to have to be considered ready for each level ... A: Tami, There is a document on ngja.org call the "JO course notes" that has a digested form of the ... | |
| Boys Gymnastics | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: I am currently in Germany coaching military kids. Me and another coach started in a closet size ... A: Alison, The good news is that you can modify of improvise for most of the things you need. If you ... | |
| Casting out of kip | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: I am having trouble getting a good cast out of both my kip on low bar and kip on high bar. I always ... A: Laura, It is hard to diagnose your problem without actually seeing your kip, but I can tell you ... | |
| Prep op gold | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: What are the Prep-Op Gold and Prep-Op platinum requirements for vault, bars, beam, and floor? A: Joanna, Unfortunately, I am not conversant with the current girls' rules, since I am mainly a mens' ... | |
| gymnastics | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: at the moment i am doing some work for college in the sports department and need to know about ... A: Ben, Unfortunately, you have asked an extremely broad question with vague boundaries. What do you ... | |
| backwalk 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, I know mental blocks can be frustrating for everyone involved. My usual advise is to go ... | |
| Prep-ops | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: I was ondering if you could help explain prep-op levels to me. My daughter just won the AA at the ... A: Allie, Unfortunately girls' rules are not my specialty, as I am mainly a mens' coach and judge. I ... | |
| Am I too old? | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: I am a 14 year old girl who recently began gymnastics. I had been doing basic tumbling ... A: Terez, I don't think high school competition is out of the question for you, but you should look ... | |
| punch double front | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently started working punch double fronts. The drill I used was pretty much doing a front tuck ... A: Michael, Sorry this took so long to answer, but my internet has been down for a few days. I think ... | |
| weight training can benefit gymnastics training? | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: Is weight training good for children in age 10? I need to improve explosive power for tumbling ... A: Sen, In my opinion, weight training for 10 years olds is a mistake. Weight training tends to build ... | |
| bar changes | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: For a level 9, what constitutes a bar change? I know they need two. If a gymnast is only on each ... A: Ginger, Unfortunately, my specialty is the mens' side of the sport. However, I do know someone who ... | |
| gymnastics | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I am 13 and i've been doin gymnastics for 1 yr now. I have all level 4 skills except a ... A: Carlie, You are right that if you want to compete level 7 you will need much more time in the gym. ... | |
| Men’s Junior Olympic Age Group Competition Program | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I am from Asia & Need to know about Men’s Junior Olympic Age Group Competition Program. I need to ... A: Silva, 1. You can find and purchase the JO program manual and the level 1-3 information (it is ... | |
| backhandspring mind block | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: i have had my back handspring for a really long time and i can do it very well with a spotter ... A: Lisa, Sorry it has taken me so long to answer your question, but I have been away from home and my ... | |
| Level 4 Skills | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: My daughter is 6 years old. She is on a level 4 team with about 17 other girls. They plan to start ... A: Laura, Private lessons can be very helpful. Very often, small skill problems that keep a gymnasts ... | |
| whip back lead-ups on floor | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: Can you give me some pointers on teaching whip backs on floor? Thanks A: Lynn, Sorry for taking so long to answer, but I have been out of town at a meet and away from my ... | |
| Golas | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: Would you say getting the chance to compete in the visa championships is a reasonable goal, if I'm ... A: Nick, I don't think it's an UN-reasonable goal, but it will require that you put in a great deal of ... | |
| Getting Serious. | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: I'm 13, and I'm on level 5, almost level 6 men's in the J.O. program. The gym i go to is very small, ... A: Nicholas, Glad to hear you're having such a great time doing gymnastics. Really loving what you do ... | |
| Son Wants to Quit Gymnastics | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: My son is 8 (almost 9) and has been practicing level 6 routines since the regional meet in April. ... A: Mary, Unfortunately, this level is the place where many boys quit the sport. There is a very large ... | |
| LEVEL 6 | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: What are the main deductions for bars and what is the amount of the deductions? Also, what is the ... A: Mimi, Unfortunately, I am mainly a mens' coach/judge, so i don't have the answers to your ... | |
| Men's road to sucess! | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I have an 9 year old son who is on level 5 and have been told he is extremely talented in ... A: Kimberly, The best program for very talented 8-12 year olds is USAG's Future Stars Program. You can ... | |
| Should I practice at home with my child? | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: My 5 year old daughter just started taking gymnastics 1 day a week. The class that's a level above ... A: Amber, Sorry it took me so long to respond, but I was out of town and away from my computer. It's ... | |
| Horrible Wrist flexiblity | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help. This isn't much about gymmnastics but, I find it painful and difficult to ... A: JT, Sorry it took me so long to answer, but I have been out of town away from my computer. Anyway, ... | |
| I need a personal gymnastics trainer | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: my name is vanessa and i go to Life Academy of Puget Sound in federal way, WA. I have me and three ... A: Vanessa, Unfortunately, I don't have too many contacts in WA. However, you could contact a friend ... | |
| round off back handspring | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I sprained my ankle around 7 weeks ago. I had just gotten my standing back handspring on a cheese ... A: Marisa, Glad to hear that you are getting back into the gym after your injury. Unfortunately, it's ... | |
| 2009 Level 8 gymnastics skill requirements | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: What are the skill requirements for each event? A: Meghan, I am going to assume that you are talking about women's level 8, since there aren't any ... | |
| Levels of Gymnastics | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering what the levels of gymnastics are. My daughter is starting soon and I want to know ... A: Elizabeth, Gymnastics in the US goes from level 2 to level 10. Level 2 is the entry level for ... | |
| backflip | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: i am 15 years old and want to learn how to do a backflip. i have been wanting to execute this move ... A: Aman, The first thing I would recommend, is to try and get on a trampoline or a tumbletrak. This ... | |
| Kip | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a research assignment for university on gymnastics and in particular need information on ... A: Kate, A kip is a basic gymnastics skill that is used to take a gymnast from a hanging position ... | |
| Kip | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a research assignment for university on gymnastics and in particular need information on ... A: Kate, You've asked a very interesting question. Unfortunately, it is a question I cannot find an ... | |
| 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, I think you are approaching your problem backwards. The question you should ask yourself is ... | |
| Boys gymnastics - how can I learn more about it | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: Three of my children are are currently in gymnastics. One of my daughters is taking Level 2 ... A: Susan, As far as helping your son transition to the next class, I don't think it will require much ... | |
| Backtuck | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: I have problem landing my backtuck on my leg sometimes i land on my knee, and i dont have a ... A: David, I'm sorry that I can't give you the answer you want for your question. Trying to learn a ... | |
| How many classes/hours week? | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: My son is 5.5 and daughter is 4.5. Both have been taking gymnastics once a week since they were 2yrs ... A: Sarah, At most gyms, 4-5 yr olds still fall in the category of "preschoolers", which means that the ... | |
| 4-year-old gymnastics question | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: My daughter is 4 1/2 and has been going to a real gymnastics school since she turned two. They do ... A: Anni, Yes it is fairly common for gyms not to teach more advanced skills until their students are ... | |
| gymnastics | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: hey. ive been training for strentgh and flexibility for gymnastics for about 1 yr. im 13. i want the ... A: Carlie, Glad to hear you're having so much fun in gymnastics. You should remember that gymnastics ... | |
| negative coaching | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Good Afternoon, I can't tell you what a relief it is to beable to ask my question. My daughter ... A: Teresa, I am very sorry for the trouble you and your daughter have had. Gymnastics can be a such a ... | |
| Using a mini-trampoline for warm up | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: My 5 year old daughter is enrolled in gymnastics and her instructor recommended I help her with ... A: Kathleen, Any aerobic type activity that is age appropriate for a 5 yr. old is fine, although 5 ... | |
| tour jete | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: My daughter is learning the tour jete and she is having difficulty with the timming on when to do ... A: Jo, It is difficult to know the the exact problem with a skill like this without actually seeing ... | |
| help!? | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: I do cheerleading, and i am having trouble with a kickover. And since i cannot do the kickover i ... A: Nichola, Your first instinct is the correct one. The most important thing to getting a back ... | |
| Overstretching with blocks | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 children who do gymnastics, one WAG & one MAG. The WAG girls do a lot of extreme ... A: Michael, The short answer is no, it's not advisable to do this kind of stretch. The theory is that ... | |
| Boys Age Groups | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: My son is 5 years old and is on pre-team. He LOVES gymnastics and is very talented. He will turn ... A: Darrah, USAG rules state that he cannot compete until he reaches his 6th birthday. So, for any meet ... | |
| Weightlifting, Leg Strength, Back Flexibility | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently 15 and am going to join mens rec gymnastics in 2 months. However I want to get a ... A: Jorge, For the most part we train by doing the skills alot. They get easier as you get stronger. ... | |
| Weightlifting, Leg Strength, Back Flexibility | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently 15 and am going to join mens rec gymnastics in 2 months. However I want to get a ... A: Jorge, 1. Weight training isn't bad in and of itself (although most gymnasts don't do alot of it). ... | |
| Private trainer for two young men | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: I am currently looking for a private gymnast trainer or a gymnastic gym that offers private session ... A: Malika, I know of 2 good gyms in Jacksonville. One is First Coast Gymnastics ... | |
| Future Stars | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: I'm wondering if you are still having the same positive experience with Future Stars program? I am ... A: Jaqueline, Yes I am still very positive about the future stars program. The club where I coach has ... | |
| Gymnastic-Related Training | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: Dryer, I've seen several other answers from you and I think you can help me out a bit. I'm 20 years ... A: David, Let me take these one at a time. 1.The ones we use for younger boys are sitting is straddle ... | |
| Advice | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: Im really struggling with flick (back handspring). I can not for the life of me leave my feet behind ... A: Anthony, First let me apologize for how late this response is. I have been out of town for the last ... | |
| boys programs/Canada | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 year old son who loves the gym. Currently we live about an hour east of Toronto, Canada ... A: Janet, Unfortunately, I do not know of any gyms that offer that sort of program. Virtually all of ... | |
| Honma and back giant on rings | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I am having problems with developing these skills. I would really appreciate some advice how to do ... A: Tom, Please don't worry about your english. I understood your question perfectly. Your english is ... | |
| gymnastics | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I am a cheerleading coach whose girls go to a gymnastics class once a week.My question is how do I ... A: Caroline, There are two things your can get from USAG as far as official certifications. You can ... | |
| Switching gyms | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: My daughter who is 6 was at the same gym for 3 years, taking a 1.5 hour recreation class. I felt ... A: Laura, Your daughter has just made a huge change. She has gone from an hour and a half a week in a ... | |
| Beam!! | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: i am going into level 7 and beam have never been my avent but i want to get better at it but for ... A: Abby, If you have a beam height where you don't have fear problems on the back walkover, then the ... | |
| Controlling the press HS | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: Dean, My daughter is working to get her press handstand in preparation for the upcoming TOPS ... A: Marci, There are several factors likely at work here. (Although it is difficult to be certain ... | |
| boys programs/Canada | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 year old son who loves the gym. Currently we live about an hour east of Toronto, Canada ... A: Janet, You are probably more familiar with the gymnastics scene in Toronto than I am. I can tell ... | |
| Front aerial/webster? | 6/12/2009 |
| Q: Hey I recently asked you a question on front tuck step-outs. Your advice was clear, fast and ... A: Izzy, I was unfamiliar with the term "webster" so I looked on youtube.com. A webster is a bit ... | |
| Front tuck step out and different sets... | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: I am a 23 year old male. I have been practicing gymnastics on and off for about 5 years. I want to ... A: Izzy, The trick to doing a front tuck step out is to slightly over rotate the front tuck so you land ... | |
| "testing" | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: My daughter's gym using a "testing system" with both a strength and flexability component. Where ... A: Jane, There is a national testing program for young girls called the TOPS program. You can find ... | |
| gymnastics for 18 and over | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: I have been looking for a gymnastics gym or private trainer forever, that would teach a 19 and 20 ... A: Noushan, I know of 2 gymnastics clubs in Jacksonville that might be able to help you. First Coast ... | |
| back handsprings | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: I have been trying to learn a proper standing back handspring for about 3-4 years now and am having ... A: Emma, I watched your backhandspring(BHS) video. As it happens, my initial theory was correct. When ... | |
| Full twist help | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: Ive been watching him try doing layouts but at the last minute he puts his head back and thats ... A: Christopher. My first suggestion would be to get him someplace where he can work on a trampoline or ... | |
| Online resource | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: Is there a place online where I can find the specific skill requirements for mens gymnastics ... A: Kim, The easiest thing to get is a document called the "JO course notes". It is a digested form of ... | |
| back handsprings | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: I have been trying to learn a proper standing back handspring for about 3-4 years now and am having ... A: Emma, It's always hard to diagnose problems over email since I can't actually see what you are ... | |
| boys level 5 skill requirements... | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: My 9 year old son is beginning his second year competition. Last year he was in level 4 and is ... A: Leigh, Here are the new skills your son will need to learn for level 5: Floor- front handspring, ... | |
| spheech on womem's gymnastics | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: can you help me prepare a sphee on women's gymnastics! Plase sens me sometingI thank you A: Yileibni, Can you tell me what the focus of your speech is? The history of womens' gymnastics, the ... | |
| Levels Abroad | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: I know that in the US we deal with JO gymnastics in levels. How is this handled in countries abroad ... A: Bekah, Unfortunately, the only non-US system I have had any exposure to is China's jr. boys' ... | |
| Are the older hopeless? | 5/15/2009 |
| Q: I am 17 years old,male, and I wanted to start gymnastics classes. This may sound laughable, actually ... A: Jedidiah, The short answer is no. You can learn at your age with no problem. Now if your goal is to ... | |
| preformance anxiety | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: My 5y/o was just moved to a class that is designed to prepare young gymnasts for our mini team. She ... A: Crissy, It's difficult to overcome the natural fears of a child that young. my approach would be to ... | |
| A and B skills | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: I am a gymnast that is going to Woodward West camp this year. I need to write a list of skills that ... A: Emma, A list of all A & B skill is pretty long. Plus I am mainly a mens' coach so I don't have ... | |
| tumbling? gymnastics? recommendations for 8-year-old | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: My daughter, now 8, took year of beginning gymnastics when she was 4 and stopped when she started ... A: Pam, If you sign her up for gymnastics classes she will get tumbling instruction, but she will also ... | |
| future stars routine | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: How can I obtain a copy of the 10-12 year old routine? It is password protected, and we have been ... A: Pen, Unfortunately no. For some reason(I have never understood why) USAG wants to keep access to ... | |
| foward sole circle | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: can you please tell me what a forward and backward sole circles are. A: Andrea, Sole circles are circles done with the soles of your feet on the bar. You start from a ... | |
| Lack of confidence | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: My son is 10 years old and competes in Elite MAG. He has just competed in Ipswich, coming 10th in ... A: Jo, My advice would be to try and change the way Ryan and his coach set goals. Break up the new ... | |
| Back layout step-out | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Many times my hands touch the supporting foam on the floor before my foot lands on the supporting ... A: John, I understand now, thanks. In a layout step-out, the trick is to get as much rotation as you ... | |
| back-tumbling fear | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: I am a level 6 gymnast and i have been in gymnastics for 11 years. I've been going through back ... A: Skyler, In my experience, overcoming fears is all about repetition. The best way to stop being ... | |
| Mushroom | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: Hey Dean, I just wanted to say I had no idea where to put this question but whatever.. Anyway, my ... A: James, The simplest solution is to put a few drops of water on your hands just before you get up. ... | |
| "Prime Age" | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: My son competed at Level 5 gymnastics this past season. At the state gymnastics meet, all-state ... A: Drew, These age groups are actually called "target" age groups by USAG. They were established as ... | |
| Gymnastics, skills needed for level 10/elite | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: My daugheter is 15 and just wrapped up her 1st level 9 season. She was unable to compete state ... A: Linda, While level 10 girls are not my area of expertise (I'm more of a men's coach), I can refer ... | |
| front handspring | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: how do you spot a front handspring? A: Courtney, Assuming the gymnast is running from your left you your right, you stand so that they ... | |
| 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, The first thing you should do (if you haven't already) is get a line on the floor where you ... | |
| Workout Wear | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: I am persuing mens gymnastics as a sport. I mainly am focusing on floor work, tumbling and ... A: Robert, The vast majority of male gymnasts train in a simple pair of comfortable shorts and perhaps ... | |
| skipping levels | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: What are benefits and downsides of skipping a level? A: Mike, The main thing to consider when thinking about skipping a level is whether it is best for the ... | |
| Age of Gymnasts | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: Okay, I am 17 and i just started gymnastics. Im a level 4 is there a certain age where you have to ... A: Amber, You can DO gymnastics as long as you like. I personally know a 74 yr. friend of mine that ... | |
| Training for Quadruple twisting back layout | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I am an adult gymnast, I have returned to gymnastics after many years not training. I have come back ... A: Mark, Not many people anywhere do quads, so congrats on your progress. When you do a quad you ... | |
| HEEL PAIN | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: My 10-yr.-old daughter is a competitive, Level 6 gymnast and has been experiencing heel pain, NOT in ... A: Noelle, This sort of heel pain is very common among gymnasts in my experience. Very often (not ... | |
| pre optional vs. compulsory | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 8 year old daughter in level 5 gymnastics. Her best friend goes to a different gym and ... A: Laura, I have heard of girls skipping over compulsory levels before, but I am not familiar enough ... | |
| Backhandspring | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I've been working on my backhandspring for the past year. it seems as if I have it, it's just that ... A: Tierra, There are so many things that can cause the problem you describe, that is hard to say ... | |
| High bar kip | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: I'm having a lot of trouble on my high bar kip. I can can get my low bar kip with perfectly straight ... A: Rebecca, Although, I can't say precisely what is wrong with your kip without actually seeing it, I ... | |
| gymnastics after high school | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: My son is 16 and competes level 10. He is really good at gymnastics but just an average student at ... A: Susan, Once he turns 19 he cannot compete as a jr. anymore, either in USAG or in AAU. His ... | |
| beginning gymnastics? | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: My daughter is six and just starting we visited a class last week and the first thing they started ... A: Rebecca, You are correct that cartwheels are generally not taught the first day for a beginner. ... | |
| gymnastics after high school | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: My son is 16 and competes level 10. He is really good at gymnastics but just an average student at ... A: Susan, Just because he isn't eligible for a scholarship doesn't mean he can't compete in college. ... | |
| Level 9 Mens Gymnastics | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: Im a freshman in high school and i am a level 9 gymnast. i am also 14 turning 15 years old. i plan ... A: John, The first thing I would say is to make sure your back can handle it. Stay in periodic contact ... | |
| boys flexibility | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: My son is 11 yrs. old and has been competing in gymnastics over 3 yrs. At his gym they do extensive ... A: Jenny, Diligence is the only cure for this phenomenon. When boys are growing, their tendons and ... | |
| help | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I am a gymnast at a different gymnastics gym and if I practice at home like 10,000 times more I be ... A: Chloe, I'm not really sure what you're asking here, but practice at home is always a good thing. ... | |
| coach to student ration in gymnastic class | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: my daughter is in USAG level 5 , I was wondering if you know of any rule or law regarding gymnastic ... A: Angie, Sorry for the tardiness of my reply. I sent one a day or so ago, but apparently it didn't ... | |
| tension | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: My son had moved up to higher levels this year and every meet he gets really tense and nervous and ... A: Ann, I have had gymnasts with this problem before (and the exact opposite). Try to get your son to ... | |
| hyper extended elbow | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: My 51/2 year old daughter has just started gymnastics classes and loves it. Both her elbows strongly ... A: Maggie, As long as the coach is aware of the problem I don't think she really needs to be prompted. ... | |
| hyper extended elbow | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: My 51/2 year old daughter has just started gymnastics classes and loves it. Both her elbows strongly ... A: Maggie, What you describe is simply a function of naturally loose ligments and tendons in the ... | |
| Gymnastics jumps | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: what does a jump entails? A: Jermaine, I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more specific. There all kinds of different jumps on ... | |
| My son in Gymnastics | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: My son recently, who is 7, recently joined the YMCA last summer. I signed him up for the gymnastics ... A: Ray, If your son is interested in competitive gymnastics, then a YMCA that doesn't have a boys' ... | |
| boy gymnastics | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: where can we find dvd for boys level 4 trainingand also what judges are looking for in the boys ... A: Jackie, You can find a number of educational resources at the USA gymnastics online store. Just go ... | |
| mens gym layout | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a question regarding safety specifications for mens gymnastics equipment layout. I recently ... A: Carol, There are no official standards for equipment layout. The gym that I work in has the same ... | |
| STRAIGHT ARM BACK ROLL | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you had any good drills for straight arm back rolls? I am a coach. Most of my ... A: Joy, The best drill I have found for this is to have them lay on a folded up panel so that they are ... | |
| boys gymnastics levels | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a 7 year old boy that has been doing gymnastics for the past 6 months. He really loves it ... A: Kim, There are 2 sources I would recommend. First go to: ... | |
| College Team | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I you answered my question about training for elite earlier this week and told me that a college ... A: Matthew, There are 2 kinds of teams. NCAA teams like Temple, U Mich, Iowa, etc. (teams that can ... | |
| What is an Elite and how do I become one? | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I have wanted to be a gymnast for a long time; however, my parents were not supportive of this ... A: Matthew, An elite gymnast is someone who is competing by FIG rules with an eye toward getting onto ... | |
| Back Layout Step-out | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: Please give me some drills or tips about the skill, how to do it properly at all times. Thanks... A: John, A good layout-step out is really no different from a good layout in that you have to get ... | |
| flips conditioning... | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: how should i train to get to do flips and handsprings fluently? A: Vasek, To begin with you have to make sure you have to core strength necessary to maintain the ... | |
| Competitve/High School Gymnastics? | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: I am 14 and currently doing high school gymnastics. I like the head coach, but the assistant coach ... A: Laura, This is a hard question to answer. I guess you have to ask yourself what you want out of ... | |
| backhandspring on beam | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: I used to have my backhandspring on beam but then I got scared because I hadn't done it for a while. ... A: Jessica, The solution to any fear issue is to go back and repeat the steps that got you the skill ... | |
| high bar level 9 | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: Is there a way to use a helie to fulfill the El grip EG without having to finish the el grip giant? A: Heather, The answer is no. A healy to el-grip is in the "long hang" EG. However, there is a a JO ... | |
| best age and best weghit for gymnastics | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: back handspring ,hand stand ,so can i join gymnastics ? our expert here in Jordan said that its ... A: Rabe'e, If you are asking if you are physically capable of doing gymnastics at your weight and ... | |
| Coaches and Injuries | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I'm a level 8 gymnast and we practice with the rest of the optional team at our gym. One of our ... A: Emily, Your coach needs to know about any injury you might have, because it is his responsibility ... | |
| Gymnastics | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: I'm 18 years old and I've been practicing kickboxing since I was 10. I want to learn Gymnastics(just ... A: Rafik, I would advise anyone to get competent, professional coaching and spotting when learning ... | |
| Gymnastics | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: I'm 11 years old and i was wondering if i could learn gymnastics,the problem is that i am not very ... A: Ragy, You are NOT too old to start. Just find a gym in your area and sign up for classes. Private ... | |
| beam | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: My daugther is level 8. she was working her 1.5 turn, but could use improvement. I notice most ... A: Ann, Unfortunately, I am not familiar enough with the girls' level 8 rules to be able to answer ... | |
| Endurance (Jogging) | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: At my gym every weekend for our conditioning we have to jog our rod floor for 45 mins. I find that ... A: Jam, I am not a big fan of endurance training for gymnastics. You see, you have 3 kind of muscle ... | |
| gymnastic bars | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 11 and 52 inches tall. She is currently level 4 and is just starting pre team ... A: Donna, Yes one of these training bars would probably work fine for conditioning and very simple ... | |
| Boys Strength Conditioning | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: Our 7 year old son is in a gym squad training 3 x 2 hour sessions a week. he loves his gym, but ... A: Steve, Personally, I like to see boys that age be able to hold a handstand motionless, with good ... | |
| heel pain | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: well, i've been doing gymnastics for eight years and i am currently in level 8. we are just about to ... A: Jean, Sorry for taking so long in answering you, but I have been recovering from surgery and away ... | |
| Standing Back Handspring | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: I've never done a back handspring in my LIFE! How do you do a standing back handspring, i mean, i ... A: Erika, I'm glad to hear that you have a spotter there to keep you safe. You have no idea how many ... | |
| anxiety | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a son who has recently moved up to Level 6 (August). Let me give you some background before I ... A: Shari, At this level of gymnastics, I feel there are 2 very important things. 1. He is building a ... | |
| Backhandspring and backwalkover | 11/16/2008 |
| 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, My advise would be to find a gymnastics school in your area and ask about tumbling or ... | |
| gymnastics and stunted growth | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: I would like any information you have on how gymnastics may play a negative role in children, on ... A: Mary, The idea that gymnastics stunts the growth of children that participate is a MYTH. There have ... | |
| Backhandspring and backwalkover | 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, The main trick to doing a back walkover is to get your shoulders past your hands as you ... | |
| Back tuck fears | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I'm 12 years old and I'm 5 foot 5 which tends to cause problems when it comes to spotters. I'm not ... A: Hannah, Developing fears for one reason or another when learning a back tuck is fairly common. The ... | |
| Back Layout Step-out | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I’m trying to do this from standing position but I end up doing a messy back handspring step-out... ... A: John, Watch this video on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48nEkGTW-e0 Notice how he goes ... | |
| I Don't Know:) | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: Ok.Well,I'm am sorta bored alot and you see i just feel like doing flips and stuff I'm very hyper I ... A: Kristen, Your best bet is to find a gymnastics club near you and find out if they offer either ... | |
| recreational gymnastics | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: Dryer My daughter is 9 and started level 1 gymnastics in August of this year. She goes 2 days a week ... A: Alyse, There is no hard and fast rule about how fast a child will progress in gymnastics. So much ... | |
| stretching | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: I am very concerned that my 10 year old daughter is being put at risk by her coach. When they ... A: Mary, It's a very good idea to watch what happens in the gym closely. You are doing what any good ... | |
| leg/feet positioning-level 4 gymnast | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: My 11 year old daughter is a level 4 gymnast (competes, but not very intensive--her team's gym time ... A: Jennifer, My first suggestion would be to either take her to a podiatrist or an orthopedist that ... | |
| Standing Back handsprings | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I have been coaching gymnastics of all ages for close to 7+ years and also have been coaching ... A: Rebecca, I apologize for taking so long to answer your question, but I have been out of town for ... | |
| Hey | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: Hey, I was wondering do you know of any gymnastic places in Michigan that have tramps I am really ... A: Vicky, While I don't know of any place personally (I live in Florida and don't get up to Michigan ... | |
| parallel bar armbands | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: my son is a level 7 gymnast. his arms are taking a terrible beating when he does the moi on the ... A: Angela, Your best bet is to go to your local medical supply store. They are likely to have some ... | |
| which for which | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: more sets or more rep. for high definition of muscles or tendons strength ?? A: Mada, I am not an expert on body building. My expertise is gymnastics. As such, I am not really ... | |
| how much time in the gym? | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: My son is 6 yrs old and loves gymnastics. He started in the boys rec class and then the coach made a ... A: Kim, There are 2 schools of thought when deciding what level to compete an athlete. 1. Put him at ... | |
| training | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: my name is Adam, and I am a 21 year old male. I have always been interested if not personally ... A: Adam, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but what you want simply doesn't exist. The kind of ... | |
| Standing Back handsprings | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: they're more consistent already.But now I have another question;. Even though it is not mandatory ... A: Grace, Sorry it tool me so long to answer, but I had some computer problems that took away my ... | |
| Which gym? | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: I've been doing gymnastics since May and I started off at Northeast Institute of Gymnastics. After ... A: Hannah, Let me answer your questions one at a time: 1. Yes you can transfer teams if you wish, ... | |
| Cartwheels on Beam | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: I am a first year level 5 gymnast competing partly level 4, and mostly level 5. I am having a few ... A: Grace, The problem with learning a cartwheel on beam is that the more scared you are, the more ... | |
| Mr.D.Dryer | 10/12/2008 |
| Q: I apreciate you spending your time to help me with my question. I am studying Physical Education as ... A: Lee, It's obvious that you and I come from different countries (I am from the US) so I am not ... | |
| positions in the planche and front lever | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: I'm a 28 year old chiropractic student from Sweden. About 1 year ago (after i saw an still rings ... A: Jonas, Let me go over your points 1 at a time. 1. From a gymnastics standpoint, a planche should ... | |
| coaching! | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: can you please tell me what an assemble and a stork is. I just started coaching. thanks, andrea A: Andrea, Assemble' is a ballet term. It means to jump from one foot and land on 2 feet. The hurdle ... | |
| Preschool level | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: i just started coaching and the one group i have is called Mini Motion and they are b/g 4-5year ... A: Andrea, One of the things I do is run my own mobile gym business. So I do these sorts of classes ... | |
| backhandspring | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: I coach 5 and 6 year olds. Have a 5 year old who is doing backhandsprings on a soft mat. 2 ... A: Jody, Power in a bhs comes from 2 things: 1. A hard push off the floor. You can work this by doing ... | |
| 6 yr. old | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: I have a daughter that just turned 6 years old (2 weeks ago) & has been doing gymnastics at her gym ... A: Debbie, 1. This one sounds a bit weird. In my experience, most programs work skills, strength, ... | |
| 100 pull ups | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: I'm 16 years old, weigh 121 lbs & I'm 5'3 1/2. I'm going to compete as a level 8 gymnast soon, and ... A: James, Remember we spoke about muscular endurance. 100 pull-ups definitely falls into that ... | |
| front and back walkovers | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: you gave me some advice a while back encouraging me to join my local gymnastics centre, and firstly ... A: Jessica, I'm glad you're having fun with it! Core strength work will definitely help with front ... | |
| Gymnatics Advice | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I'm twelve. I've decided that I want to go to the Olympics,for men's gymnastics, but for it doesn't ... A: Nick, Going to the Olympics is a great dream. And you should keep right on dreaming it for as long ... | |
| Elite gymns in Sacramento, CA? | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: We're moving to Sacramento. Our level 4 daughter is at an elite gymn (Eastern European judges for ... A: Katherine, If you go to the NorCal women's website: ... | |
| Muscle Endurance | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: I'm 16 years old, weigh 121 lbs & I'm 5'3 1/2. I'm going to compete as a level 8 gymnast soon, and ... A: James, You have 3 different kinds of muscle fibers: Slow twitch, fast twitch, and superfast twitch. ... | |
| Questions for 14 | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: Ok, my name is Cathy, and I had a few questions about older gymnastics. I am 14 and I have been in ... A: Cathy, The key word there is "carelessly". If you let the coaches know about your knees, I'm sure ... | |
| Tumbling mental block | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is almost 10 years old. She has been tumbling since age 3 and was one of the best ... A: Susan, My advice would be to take her for some private lessons at a gymnastics club. Not only would ... | |
| Questions for 14 | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: Ok, my name is Cathy, and I had a few questions about older gymnastics. I am 14 and I have been in ... A: Cathy, 1. It's never too late to try again. Especially if you're not really worried about ... | |
| fear of dismount | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: My son is working on routine for level 7 and he just cant get over his fear of a dismount out of the ... A: Ann, As it happens I am currently coaching a level 7 boy with precisely the same problem. I am ... | |
| Starting gymnastis | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: I'm a 19 year old male and I would like to start gymnastics. I don't expect to compete in the ... A: Alex, Private lessons are usually much more expensive on an hourly basis than a regular class is. I ... | |
| Muscle Endurance | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: I'm 16 years old, weigh 121 lbs & I'm 5'3 1/2. I'm going to compete as a level 8 gymnast soon, and ... A: James, What you should do if you are going to lift weights is control the number of reps you do in ... | |
| backhandspring | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: I coach 5 and 6 year olds. Have a 5 year old who is doing backhandsprings on a soft mat. 2 ... A: Jody, The most important thing to look at when teaching a back handspring(bhs), is how well the ... | |
| gym | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I also wanted to know where the elite gyms were in florida. my daughter is 6 she is level 3. she ... A: Renee, I am familiar with Horizon. They've been around for many years. Take a look at the team ... | |
| 2008 CA girls level 4 qualifying scores | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: What are the minimum scores to qualify for the 2008 state and zone competitions in CA? This is the ... A: Steve, I really wish I could help you on this one. Unfortunately, I don't live in CA, so I'm not ... | |
| gym | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: I also wanted to know where the elite gyms were in florida. my daughter is 6 she is level 3. she ... A: Renee, The elite gyms in Florida that i know of are: LaFleur's in Tampa Orlando Metro Boca ... | |
| 14 month old does somersaults | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I noticed that my 14 month old grandson was putting his head down to the floor while standing and it ... A: Kandy, It is common practice in many gyms to start "Mom & Tot" type classes at 18 months, where ... | |
| tumbling technique | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I am a coach and have a couple questions regarding technique on tumbling skills. What is the proper ... A: Patrick, 1. In a round-off, you should have them keep their arms by their ears throughout the ... | |
| back handspring/back tuck | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: handspring or back tuck without a trained professional.....I am a 15 year old boy and I do not have ... A: Shahroz, Learning a back walkover might be helpful. However, I cannot recommend you try and learn a ... | |
| Where to start | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: I am a 20 year old college student with no gymnastics experience. I became interested in ... A: Andrew, If you are just beginning, the best thing you can do for drills are lots of basic swings. ... | |
| 2 year old | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: My son is 2 years old, very smart and always on the go. He took a great interest in a show on TV ... A: Vanessa, Let me take these one at a time: 1. You should be uneasy about a gym that does not let ... | |
| Gymnastic Vs Height | 9/5/2008 |
| Q: I've a 5 year old daughter, who love gymnastics and in the program since 6 months. She is doing good ... A: Vinuta, This is absolutely not true. Participation in gymnastics has no effect on how tall your ... | |
| Adult Gymnast | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I'm an adult recreational gymnast 21years old this year (I did some gymnastics when I was younger) ... A: Kai, You can do the straightforward strength exercises like dips and push-ups, but you'd be ... | |
| should she continue | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 4 years old, just started gymnastics--and she absolutely HATES it!! she cries that ... A: Amy, Yes. I think it would be best to give her a break from it for a while. You might want to try ... | |
| Back Handspring | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: .. Please help... I can do a back limber as fast as back handspring but I'm scared to jump back to ... A: John, My first piece of advice is to find a gym club or cheer school and make sure you have a ... | |
| good gymnastic school | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 5 years old and really likes gymnastic, we are currently attending Scats Gymnastic in ... A: Anh, Most gymnastics schools offer competitive team programs. Ask at SCATS. If they don't have one, ... | |
| Too Old?? | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: Ok, so im 15 right now and i've always felt i should get back into gymnastics and im still pretty ... A: Zack, This is all provided you are in a gym, with a coach, working toward level 8 competition. ... | |
| Boy Gymnasts | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: My son is 7 years old and he was the only boy in his class last year. He was joked on about being ... A: Heather, Yes, unfortunately this sort of thing still happens from time to time. It's especially ... | |
| Too Old?? | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: Ok, so im 15 right now and i've always felt i should get back into gymnastics and im still pretty ... A: Zack, You are never too old to start again. The worst thing that can happen is that you have alot ... | |
| gymnastics | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: ..kaity A: Kaitlynn, There are somethings you can do on your own safely. You can certainly stretch and do ... | |
| adult gymnastics | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: Why don't places offer classes for adults? Also those that do only offer once a week and they're ... A: Francis, The reason many gyms don't offer adult classes is that: 1) There simply isn't a huge ... | |
| Is it too late? | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I would love to do gymnastics, but I'll soon be 30 yo. next year; is gymnastics only for the young? ... A: Marlon, It's never too late. I know several people who are up there in years (one who is 73) who ... | |
| Late bloomer, so to speak | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I know this question must have been asked about a hundred times by now, but I'm another 17 year old ... A: Brandon, Absolutely. How good you get at gymnastics is entirely up to you. You might try finding ... | |
| pommel horse | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: Last night on the men's all around finals, Jonathan Horton started his pommel horse routine and ... A: Daniel, I am sometimes mystified by some of the things Tim Daggett says on the air. I know Tim from ... | |
| Too Tall? | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I am 16 years old, and have no experience whatsoever. I do however want a way to become fit and ... A: Andy, The only place that your height will be a problem is on the high bar. The bar simply doesn't ... | |
| nutrition | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: my daughter is starting a competitive program for the first time, training two evenings a week-3 ... A: Nadia, With the schedule you describe, Feeding your daughter a full meal before practice is a good ... | |
| 18 months old too young? | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: I have an 18 month old daughter that I would love to put in gymnastics, but I have gotten a lot of ... A: Jodi, As a matter of fact the gym where I coach has "Mom & Tot" classes that begin at 18 months. ... | |
| Gymnastics | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: I'm 17 years old and I'm interested in gymnastics. I can't really go to a gym right now but I want ... A: Brian, The first thing you should work on is flexibility. There are 7 basic stretches that you ... | |
| Flexibility For Men's Gymnastics | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: My son is a twelve year old and is competing at level 8. He does not have the splits. How will not ... A: Candace, Yes, flexibility is very important in gymnastics. There are some skills that are simply ... | |
| Flexibility For Men's Gymnastics | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: My son is a twelve year old and is competing at level 8. He does not have the splits. How will not ... A: Candace, First, I would not recommend that you try to get your son in a lower level. You should ... | |
| Gymnastics | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: You know how there is a skill called the full in, full out stretched, well I was wondering if there ... A: Riley, There was a power tumbler named Steve Elliot who did a triple twisting double layout. It's ... | |
| choreography in gymnastics | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: first part of the question is: what do you consider to be effective choreography in gymnastics? any ... A: prsemek, Unfortunately, you are out of my area of expertise. Since I mainly coach mens' gymnastics, ... | |
| Behind the Scenes - Coaching | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I am a parent fairly new to gymnastics. My son is new to team, so we're learning. I would love to ... A: Leigh, Each coach's situation is a bit different. So this is a list of things that he may or ... | |
| training schedule | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: i've been training for the past few months to return what I used to do 5 years ago. I was able to ... A: Reynand, Sorry I thought I answered this follow-up already, but I guess my computer burped or ... | |
| training schedule | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: i've been training for the past few months to return what I used to do 5 years ago. I was able to ... A: Reynand, How often you train depends on what you are trying to accomplish. For example, the ... | |
| back and front handsprings | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: how do i learn to do a back and front handspring on the ground alone....i can do the front on the ... A: Christine, The first thing I would recommend is to get to a gym and get professional coaching. It ... | |
| Gymnists | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: Why are all Gymnasts very petite? A: Marilyn, Smaller people are more successful as gymnasts because of their greater strength to body ... | |
| Too little, too late? | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: Ever since I was 7 I have always been hankering to give gymnastics a go, and now that I'm 18 my ... A: Jess, You absolutely should. Usually these sorts of classes are a bunch of people like you, plus ... | |
| back walkover | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: I am very interested in gymnastics. I actually take classes every Tuesday. But, anyway, I was ... A: Sara, A back kickover is simply kicking over from a backbend. A back walkover starts from a stand ... | |
| Height Impact on Male Gymnasts | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: My son Jomar is a competitive Gymnast in South Africa and regularly won the National Competitions. ... A: Elsa, There is a long-standing myth that gymnastics stunts your growth. This is patently untrue. ... | |
| Fear of Back Tumbling | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: I used to be able to do it, but I landed on my head and I just feel like I need someone there to ... A: Kyle, I have a drill that I use both before my students start to turn over by themselves and if we ... | |
| 3 year old beginner | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: My 3 1/2 year old niece has been taking some small classes in her day care and has been showing a ... A: Kerrie, Most of what she would do in a tots class is going to be basic movement education/body ... | |
| Knee Issues? | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: ) here it is. , a while back my knee was doing this weird thing where it gets stuck and i cant ... A: Natalie, I should say right up front that I am NOT a doctor. If you are having chronic knee ... | |
| Injuries and hours for little guys | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: My son just turned 7 a few weeks ago and is currently working toward level 4. His coach asked ... A: Traci, I don't want to minimize your concerns, but I think your son is well within the safe range ... | |
| Age Requirements | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering what the age requirements are for Level 7, Men's Program. My son is 8 with a ... A: Jennifer, You can move up one year in age for the competition year. So since your son will not be 9 ... | |
| level 5 vault | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 7 yrs old and very little (38 lbs), she is training level 5 but will probably have to ... A: Lisa, If your daughter is competing in USAG meets, then she will have to wait until she grows a ... | |
| gymnastics | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: hey im stuck on my round off 3 bhs because when i do it on the floor i have frog legs and it is ... A: Kenzie, It's hard to say for certain without actually being able to see you do the skill, but I ... | |
| Two in the sport | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I have two questions. First of all, I have a son who is second year level 5. In level 4 he was the ... A: Shari, I'm sorry to say I probably have very little help to offer you. As to your son's level. ... | |
| Tumbling Help, mostly round-offs | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I've recently taken up gymnastics to assist with my flexibility and skill in parkour and ... A: Kai, For the round-off(RO), try putting a straight line on the floor and doing your RO so that ... | |
| Young Level 4 | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: Mr. Dryer, You recently answered a question about very young gymnasts training level 4. In your ... A: Shawn, There are going to be variations from gym to gym in how much kids train and how old they are ... | |
| 5 year old loves gymnastics | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: My 5 3/4 year old son has been in gymnastics for the past 3 years. He started at 1 hour/week and ... A: Marie, Boys this age have lots of energy. That is just a fact of life. Any coach who works with ... | |
| flexibility | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: i'M LiKE SO NOT FLEXiBLE AT ALL AND i DON'T TAKE CLASSES AND i DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO A SPLiT...SO ... A: Deziree, You don't need to take classes to improve your flexibility. You can get as flexible as you ... | |
| young girls for team? | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I saw on one of the answers for someone's question they replied, "Keep in mind a child at that age ... A: Kim, I didn't say that it didn't happen. I'm sure there are clubs out there that will train 4 year ... | |
| young girls for team? | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: I saw on one of the answers for someone's question they replied, "Keep in mind a child at that age ... A: Kim, It's very common for level 4 girls to train 6 hours a week. However, most of these girls are ... | |
| cant land it | 5/27/2008 |
| Q: every time i go to do my front hand spring i cant land it can u tell me what im doing wrong please A: Brittany, Because I haven't seen you do a fronthandspring (FHS), it's very difficult for me to tell ... | |
| What level would I be at?? | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: Hey! My name's Lauren I'm 13 and I was wondering what level I'd be at. I have taken dance for 10 ... A: Lauren, It looks to me like you are probably an advanced beginner. I say that because, while you ... | |
| Return to Gymnastics after injury | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: My 9 year old daughter fractured her ankle 2 weeks ago that required surgery. The doctor does not ... A: Elo, I know this will sound crazy, but I think you should be taking your daughter to practice. ... | |
| tall boys' future in gymnastics | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: I am completely dismayed that ALL Texas schools have turned down Mary Lou Retton's offer to FUND a ... A: Donna, As to the college funding, it's entirely a Title 9 issue. Until Congress changes it's ... | |
| front tumbling | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: I'm doing okay with my back tumbling, but I'm working on front tumbling and hitting some problems. I ... A: Annette, Obviously, getting your hands even on the floor is important to a good front handspring or ... | |
| Back Flips | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: I am wanting to tryout for college cheerleading, but with doing so, i have to learn how to do a ... A: Christine, You should start by going to a local gymnastics club and either signing up for adult ... | |
| Tumbling block | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is almost 12 and has been tumbling since the age of 8. She is a great cheerleader and ... A: Jennifer, Generally speaking the answer to this sort of mental block is to get your daughter back ... | |
| Front Handsprings | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: When I do my fronthandspring, I twist a lot and I want to learn how to not twist. When I land, I ... A: Ashley, Usually, twisting in a front handspring is either caused by turning your head, by putting ... | |
| Where To start | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: Im a 17 year old male looking to start gymnastics. I Used to do it before high school but then ... A: Bill, Your best bet to find a class is to look for a gym that does adult classes. These classes are ... | |
| Training | 4/28/2008 |
| Q: I have recently been changing my workouts. I have been getting involved in lots of Crossfit, Gym ... A: Robert, When I work with gymnasts I am mostly concerned with maximal strength and power. So when we ... | |
| Problems | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: my name is Hannah and I am 11 years old. I've been interested in gymnastics for nearly half of my ... A: Hannah, I think it would be ok for you to take gymnastics classes. In fact, it would be much ... | |
| planche | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: i have been trying to do a planche push up for the last 2 months now and reading all sorts of things ... A: Chris, Unfortunately it's very difficult to diagnose a problem with a specific skill when I can't ... | |
| Front Walkover | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: Please help, I end this skill in slight lunge position but I really want to end this skill with one ... A: John, the trick here is to keep your hip pushed out in front of your landing foot for most of the ... | |
| Front handspring front tucks | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: I am having trouble learning a front handspring front tuck. My front handspring is not very ... A: Hannah My first piece of advice is this. If your coach isn't helping you get better for whatever ... | |
| Mill Circles | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: I have a daughter who is a level 4 and there is a mill circle/stride circle in the bar routine. She ... A: Kay, It's very hard to diagnose a problem with a skill without actually seeing it. It sounds to me ... | |
| Level 9 | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: What are the requirements for level 9 next year? A: Danny, I think there will be very few changes for level 9 next year. Although this is not official ... | |
| How to do a cartwheel | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: i am doing a project in my class and hae to find an experts knowledge on a skill so can i get you to ... A: Mariah, A cartwheel is a surprisingly complex skill and very difficult to describe in writing. This ... | |
| pulled muscle | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: I am having trouble with a pulled thigh muscle and I have a meet coming up soon. Do you have ... A: Carly, As a general rule you can use the R.I.C.E. method. Rest Ice Compression Elevation Before ... | |
| repeating a level | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: my son is competing as an age 10/11 Level 6 gymnast...his avg meet score is 50. he is very strong ... A: Angela, A 50 is pretty good score and I would think that with the ability to score that high he ... | |
| Men's Lv 7~Elite | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: Hey again Dean, I've been going to gymnastics since my 8th grade year until now, so about one ... A: Terrell, Let me answer these one at a time. 1. No. You don't have to go level 9 next year. As a ... | |
| Gymnastics Routine | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: I am having a hard time coming up with a routine, so i could use all the help that is offered. I am ... A: Natasha, I'm truly sorry, but I can't help you with this one. For a start, choreography isn't my ... | |
| 5 year old gymnast | 3/11/2008 |
| Q: I have asked you about my son in the past and you helped me so much that I have another question. ... A: Michelle, I have 2 thoughts on this one: 1. As I have said many many times--- gymnastics is hard ... | |
| rhythmic gymnastics | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: i am in rhythmic gymnastics. im very flexible, but the one thing i can't seem to master is one of ... A: Chayda, I apologize, but you question is outside my expertise. I coach artistic gymnastics. In ... | |
| GYMNASTICS! | 3/9/2008 |
| Q: What do the judges expect on the level 6 balance beam routine? I feel like i do very good routines ... A: Kaka, While I am not qualified to answer this myself (my main expertise in is mens gymnastics) I ... | |
| What is level 6 in Europe? | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: we are sending my daughter to the Netherlands for 2 months and I am trying to find a gym for her to ... A: Sandra, I'm sorry I can't help you more on this topic, but I am not familiar with the Dutch jr. ... | |
| Side-Semi | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: I need to find out how to spot a side semi off tumble track. I have a gymnast that wants to do a ... A: Alicia, You spot a side somi basically the same way your would spot and aerial cartwheel. Put your ... | |
| Level 4 Age Requirements | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: My son is currently working out with the Level 4 gymnasts at his gym. He will be 5 on September 1, ... A: Karolyn, The age group that your son competes in is determined by his age as of Sept. 1. However, ... | |
| Maltese & Iron Cross | 2/29/2008 |
| Q: I'm a level 5 gymnast, 16 years old, and my coaches want me to hit level 8 next year. I'm possibly ... A: Terrell, I wish you luck on that. I don't think I've ever seen a level 8 do a Maltese. If you have ... | |
| conditioning | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: My son just turned 8 and he is a level 5 gymnast. I have some concern about the amount of ... A: Lisa, Let me first say that I am not a big proponent of endurance training for gymnastics. First, ... | |
| Standing Back Tuck | 2/21/2008 |
| Q: I can do a standing back tuck very well and I'm just wondering if my standing back tuck be better if ... A: Rayshawn, Very often yes. But because you can tuck tighter and rotate faster when you grab behind ... | |
| time | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: Hey im 15 and have no gymnastic experience but I really want to learn how to do a back tuck. I am ... A: Reginald, Unfortunately, I have no way to tell exactly how long it will take you to learn a back ... | |
| backtuck | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I really want to learn a standing backflip.I know im physically capable;i'm real strong. I tried ... A: Reggie, There are probably a dozen gyms in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Just do a google search for ... | |
| Future Stars avenue to elite Men's comp | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: I understand the drive to get girls to the upper levels while they are still small & light, and thus ... A: Nancy, Future stars is a tremendous program for jr athletes. And while there are other ways to ... | |
| knee and hip replacements | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE HAD THE ABOVE O5 O6 AND O7. I AM BACK AT THE GYM BUT I AM NOT SURE ABOUT SOME ... A: pat, If you have had these surgeries, then you have probably done rehab work with a physical ... | |
| Backbends for preschoolers | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: I just recently became a gym owner. When my child took gymnastics, I was told that as a preschooler ... A: Dawn, I got my information from Patti Komara, the country's leading authority on pre-school ... | |
| qualifying scores | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: what are the "new" qualifying scores for all levels for regionals? Since the change of scores for ... A: Terry, The region 8 mens' website is http://www.r8mensgymnastics.com/ The mens' regional director ... | |
| drills for beginners | 2/4/2008 |
| Q: I am a women's coach branching into boys and am having trouble finding drills for the basic skills ... A: Catharine, I'll answer your questions in reverse order. No. Boys don't need to learn leaps. Their ... | |
| Standing Back Handspring | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: When you do a standing back handspring, when your arms swing over are they supposed to be straight ... A: John, Yes. It absolutely matters. If you swing your arms over bent, it's very difficult to get ... | |
| Ring swings and back pain | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: I've been practicing the basic swing on rings for a few months now and I'm beginning to get a sense ... A: Simon, It's hard to say exactly without actually seeing your swing. But, in general, this kind of ... | |
| Beginning Pommel Horse Drills | 1/25/2008 |
| Q: Our small gym is looking to expand our rec boys program. We have purchased a floor mushroom for ... A: Bethanie, There are 2 drills that I use for beginners on floor mushroom. 1. Run around- Have them ... | |
| Standing Back Layout | 1/25/2008 |
| Q: I'm having a problem with my standing layout because every time I try one I rotate slow and land ... A: Russell, A standing back layout is a VERY difficult skill. The fact that you can even get around ... | |
| average hours for different levels | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: My son has been taking gymnastics for 2 years now. His first year was just basic 1 hour a week ... A: Sue, At most gyms that have boys the number of hours is strictly an economic decision. Competitive ... | |
| mod op /prep op | 1/22/2008 |
| Q: We go to a Florida Gym. And I see alot of gyms don't have a level 6. They have some kind of optional ... A: Anon, Unfortunately, girls optional rules are not my area of expertise. I do however know a very ... | |
| Fronthandsprings | 1/16/2008 |
| Q: What are some of your techniques when teaching students how to do a fronthandspring? I have my ... A: Geena, Sorry it took so long to answer your question, but I have been out of town. What I like to ... | |
| Standing Back Tucks | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: In a standing back tuck,when i jump in the air should I keep my head foward,tuck,and then roll over. ... A: RaShon, Sorry it took so long to answer your question, but I was out of town. When you do a back ... | |
| Back Tucks | 1/13/2008 |
| Q: If I tuck into a tighter ball in a standing, or roundoff back tuck will I rotate faster? And also, ... A: Rayshawn, Yes you will rotate faster if you get tighter, but it will also help if you make sure to ... | |
| Stretching for 4 year olds | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: My 4 1/2year old daughter trains in gymnastics twice a week for 1 1/2 hours each class. During their ... A: James, My personal opinion is that children under 6 shouldn't be doing more than very gentle ... | |
| rings | 1/5/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you its a good idea to incorporate weight training into my gymnastics ... A: Wun, The only weights I use in training are ankle weights and weight belts. That way I can have my ... | |
| Standing Back Tuck | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem with my standing back tuck,everytime I do one I rotate slow.Is there anything that ... A: Benjamin, Throwing your head back is a very idea. It causes you to throw your shoulders back and ... | |
| Standing Back Tuck | 1/3/2008 |
| Q: I've watched tutorials on youtube about how to do a standing back tuck and some have told me when ... A: Gary, Head position is very important to getting good height on a back tuck. If you throw your head ... | |
| What are we getting into? | 12/27/2007 |
| Q: My now 5 and a half year old daughter was in a pre-school program last year that was 30 minutes of ... A: Sarah, I'll answer your questions in order. 1. No. It would not be a great injustice to her to ... | |
| Back Handsprings | 12/22/2007 |
| Q: I need help with my back handsprings,they are always slow and lack a lot of power.What can I do to ... A: Devin, Generally, when a backhandspring(BHS) is slow because you aren't sitting your center of ... | |
| Aerial | 12/13/2007 |
| Q: I can’t avoid my hands from touching the ground (I really felt that I’m just touching and not ... A: John, Unfortunately this is one of those skills that's just hard to describe in print. But what you ... | |
| Level 5 routine | 12/12/2007 |
| Q: My son is repeating Level 5 this year and looking much better. On his practice meet this weekend he ... A: Jerry, There are 2 kinds of hold moves. A momentary hold, in which the gymnast only needs to stop ... | |
| men's vault | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: I have recently started assisting in coaching a men's gymnastics team, but have been out of the loop ... A: Erik, There really aren't any changes. The table is designed to give a greater mechanical advantage ... | |
| aerial | 11/30/2007 |
| Q: hi i am a level 4 how do i do an aerial i am so close? A: Monckaroo, It's hard to tell you exactly how to fix your aerial since I've never seen you do it and ... | |
| Standing Back Tuck | 11/28/2007 |
| Q: How do you land a standing back tuck because evertime I try one I land with my hands on the floor ... A: Jonathan, The first thing you should do is make sure you have a competent, professional ... | |
| ELEPHANT LIFTS | 11/27/2007 |
| Q: I am trying to learn an elephant lift for my next comp but i'm really struggling with it. Any tips ... A: Tom, I'd actually never heard of an elephant lift before you asked about it. I've been involved in ... | |
| Backflip Trouble | 11/25/2007 |
| Q: I'm having trouble on doing standing multiple back flips i do the first one with no problem and i ... A: Patrick, The problem is probably not your stretch, but your landing on the first flip. Try doing ... | |
| How old and tall can you be? | 11/22/2007 |
| Q: I have been interested in gymnastics for basically all my life, and have a natural ability to do ... A: Kimberley, You're never too old or too tall to start doing gymnastics and having fun with it. ... | |
| power | 11/18/2007 |
| Q: is it possible to lose power cause on some days i flip really well and after those days i kind of ... A: Patrick, If you have less power on your tumbling some days, then it is likely that you are doing ... | |
| Men's Gymnastics | 11/14/2007 |
| Q: I'm currently a freshmen in high school and I am going to compete in my first competition, haven't ... A: Terrell, There will be all new routines for next season. They aren't finalized yet but I can give ... | |
| ll | 11/11/2007 |
| Q: hey im laura and i wanted to start gymnastis but me and my freind keep trying handstands and ... A: Laura, If your split started out 30 cm above the floor and now it's 27 cm, that's a 10% improvement ... | |
| Appropriate training hours for a 12 year old | 11/9/2007 |
| Q: my 12 year old son is part of an elite mens squad and is currently training at level 7.He trains 16 ... A: Marie, The national average workout time per week, according to Dennis McIntyre(mens' program ... | |
| ll | 11/8/2007 |
| Q: hey im laura and i wanted to start gymnastis but me and my freind keep trying handstands and ... A: Laura, It's very hard to coach these sorts of things online. I could give you a VERY lengthy ... | |
| Gym. levels | 10/27/2007 |
| Q: Hey there, My daughter is on a Competition Gymnastics team. Sh eis Level One. I was wanting to ... A: M, If you live in the US, level 1 is a non-competitive program designed to teach skills. While I ... | |
| shoot thru | 10/22/2007 |
| Q: My daughter has been tring to learn her shoot thru for several months but has not been making much ... A: Dawn, Imagine that she were trying to press to a handstand from a support on the bar. She would ... | |
| shoot thru | 10/21/2007 |
| Q: My daughter has been tring to learn her shoot thru for several months but has not been making much ... A: Dawn, It's hard to say for certain without actually seeing her do the trick, but I would say that ... | |
| Boys Gymnastic | 10/12/2007 |
| Q: My six year hold started gymnastic 9 months ago. He loves it. He is going to a local gym and they ... A: Jennifer, If you go to the website for the national gymnastics judges association (www.ngja.org) ... | |
| bar skills | 10/10/2007 |
| Q: My daughter is very weak on the bars. She has had her pullover for about 9 mos. but is very ... A: Leigh, If she has the strength to do a pull-up and a leg lift she should be able to make it. There ... | |
| Connecticut/NY men's programs | 10/7/2007 |
| Q: I have a 5 yr. old son who has been doing gymnastics classes since he was 1. He shows a deep love ... A: Jennifer, Sorry it took so long to reply, but I have been out of town since last week. Anyway the ... | |
| Planche | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: I am currently training to do the planche but i have a few question. I do the tuck planche for about ... A: Rock, For the wrist pain, I would recommend getting a good pair of wrist supports. Here's a good ... | |
| AAU vs USAG | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: We recently(over the summer) moved my daughter to a new gym after her old gym had a buy out and her ... A: Dawn, Your daughter's coach probably sees the makings of a good optional gymnast in her. Because ... | |
| gymnastic for children | 9/22/2007 |
| Q: hope you can help me with this kind of question. I know it seems too odd but I am 40 years old and a ... A: Paula, About the easiest thing I can do here is point you to some books you can buy. There is ... | |
| Turn | 9/18/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering whether you had any tips to help me stay on the beam during a full turn. I have a ... A: Grace, It's hard to diagnose the exact problem you are having without actually seeing you do the ... | |
| gymnastics | 9/15/2007 |
| Q: i took her to a gymnastic class today and they asked me to bring her again tomorrow to the pre squad ... A: Helen, Every gym names their classes a bit differently. So I can't say with certainty exactly what ... | |
| boys gymnatics, level 1 | 9/14/2007 |
| Q: My son just turned 7. He has been in beginner gymnastics classes for about 4 months now. We belong ... A: Melissa, If your son's goal is to make it on the team, the extra 2 hours/week is probably a good ... | |
| Exercise & Conditioning Bar | 8/28/2007 |
| Q: Could you kindly advise some safe & effective ways to use the training aid (exercise & conditioning ... A: Roisin, We have one of these at the gym where I coach. They are very useful. We have it tied down ... | |
| Exercise & Conditioning Bar | 8/27/2007 |
| Q: Could you kindly advise some safe & effective ways to use the training aid (exercise & conditioning ... A: Roisin, Could you be more specific about exactly what kind of bar this is? Can you hang or swing ... | |
| boys level 5 gymnastic | 8/24/2007 |
| Q: My son is 8yrs old and a level 5. I'm wanting to know how you determine if there is potential? The ... A: Mrs. Copeland, Here is the contact info for the Texas State director. Kevin Muenz ... | |
| boys level 5 gymnastic | 8/24/2007 |
| Q: My son is 8yrs old and a level 5. I'm wanting to know how you determine if there is potential? The ... A: Mrs. Copeland, I would say that at this level having fun with it is very important. Gymnastics is ... | |
| 18 month doing somersaults | 8/19/2007 |
| Q: I have an 18-month old son who can do somersaults by himself. Is this advanced for his age? He's ... A: Kim, Yes it is somewhat unusual for an 18 month old to be able to roll over like this. Many gyms ... | |
| Beginning Gymnastics | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm 14 years old and have been dancing for one year. I plan to start gymnastics this year, too, but ... A: Samantha, It really depends on the class. If you are doing a class that is designed for people your ... | |
| GYMNASTICS HELP WITH BARS | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: Okay hii!!...my name is samii im 12 years old started gym last july and i have my roundoff ... A: Samantha, A pullover is purely a strength skill. So I would recommend lots of pull-ups and leg ... | |
| finger injury and exercise | 8/16/2007 |
| Q: Do you recommend any exercise for my daughter who fractured her ring finger 3wks ago? She still has ... A: Leigh, There are all kinds of exercises your daughter can still do. In fact, I would recommend that ... | |
| girls' coach to boys' coach question | 8/16/2007 |
| Q: I am wondering how hard/or easy for a girls' team coach to become a boys' coach? I am specifically ... A: Leigh, I have found that it's harder to make the transition from girls to boys because boys ... | |
| All Level Requirements | 8/15/2007 |
| Q: I'm am a beginner in gymnastics and would love to know all the requirements for competing ... A: Jade, I am primarily a mens' coach, so I don't know the girls' requirements off the top of my head. ... | |
| Gymnastics | 8/13/2007 |
| Q: I'm 16 years old and I love sport. I already made gymnastics, swimming, volley and nippon kempo. I ... A: Sara, If you love gymnastics and you are willing to do the work, it is absolutely worth it to go ... | |
| back hand spring | 8/11/2007 |
| Q: I am still in preamteam because i keep going side ways on my back hand spring. i used to be able to ... A: KK, It's very hard to for me to say, with certainty, what's wrong with your backhandspring without ... | |
| Starting Gymnastics as a Teen! | 8/9/2007 |
| 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, Your height and your hip problem do put you at a slight disadvantage in learning gymnastics. ... | |
| Pre-school gymnastics Vs. Pre-school dance | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: I was actually wondering if you feel it is worthwhile to enroll a 3 year old in pre-school ... A: Rebecca, Absolutely! Pre-school gymnastics has all kinds of benefits. In addition to improving her ... | |
| backflips | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: My grandaughter has been in gymnastics now for a 2 years. She is exactly 5.5 yrs old. The coaches ... A: Kris, The most important thing at her age is that she's having fun. Gymnastics is arguably the ... | |
| backflips | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: My grandaughter has been in gymnastics now for a 2 years. She is exactly 5.5 yrs old. The coaches ... A: Kris, This is absolutely normal. Children that age have not had time to develop strong soft tissues ... | |
| 5 year old gymnast | 8/1/2007 |
| Q: My son is 5 and has been taking gymnastics on and off for a couple years. He has now moved from the ... A: Michelle, Yes it does matter what gym he goes to. You want to go to a gym that demonstrates a long ... | |
| gym | 7/30/2007 |
| Q: recently i was doing doing some sort of exercise by carrying heavy weight, but i got a pain in my ... A: Sulieman, You have strained some of the muscles in your lower back. Very often this sort of injury ... | |
| preschool skills | 7/29/2007 |
| Q: I work at a daycare and this summer we are trying to give the kids a little something different. We ... A: Dawn, If you want to get better information I can give you, you should go to this website: ... | |
| gymnastics | 7/22/2007 |
| Q: hey! well i used to do gymnastics and really loved it, but it seemed like i was going no where. ... A: Jennifer, 1st- My apologies for taking so long to answer, but my net access has been down for the ... | |
| trigger finger | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: Dean, My son is a current level 5 and our gym does not use grips for this level to help develop ... A: Peggy, I honestly don't see how using grips would help your son's condition. Grips do cause you ... | |
| Front/Back Walkover | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: What are the best exercises or stretching to master this skills. A: John, As far as flexibility, you need to get your shoulders to hyper extend. To illustrate: put ... | |
| backhandspring help | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: I have been trying to learn a backhandspring, but my fear is too great. I have gotton a spotter. ... A: Ryan, Try breaking the skill down into parts and working each part individually. Do the "sit and ... | |
| whats appropriate to teach a 6 yr old boy? | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: I'm a level 5 gymnast and 14 my sister is also level 5 but she is 11. we have a 6 yr old brother and ... A: Michal (sorry about the misspelling), The best conditioning stuff to work at home is the stuff that ... | |
| whats appropriate to teach a 6 yr old boy? | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: I'm a level 5 gymnast and 14 my sister is also level 5 but she is 11. we have a 6 yr old brother and ... A: Michael, While there are some simple skills that it is safe to work at home, it is a very short ... | |
| gymnastics levels | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: How do you know what level you are in? A: Ali, The level you are in is determined by the difficulty of the skills you are doing. Here in the ... | |
| more flexible | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I would like to become more flexible, more importantly I want to be able to do a split? A: Christian, There are lots of different ways to achieve the flexibility you're looking for. Partner ... | |
| handstand forward roll | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: Could you help me figure out how to help my daughter do her handstand forward roll. She goes up into ... A: Christy, I have taught many children with this problem. The trick is to get her to feel the ... | |
| full | 7/5/2007 |
| Q: what is a full and how do i do one?! A: Lexie, A "full" usually refers to a Layout back flip with a full twist. Although it can refer to ... | |
| training | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I am going to start doing gymnastics next year in high school as a freshman. I was wondering if you ... A: Hannah, You can always do the old standby exercises. Push-ups, Pull-ups, dips, and sit-ups and any ... | |
| back handsprings | 6/21/2007 |
| Q: When I do my standing back handspring, my arms always bend. Why do they keep bending? Also in my ... A: Amanda, As to the backhandspring, my guess (I can't tell for certain without actually seeing it) ... | |
| 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, Sorry it has taken so long to reply. I got behind on my emails and you kind of got lost in ... | |
| Grips | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: Dean, My seven year old just got grips. I know it takes time to get used to wearing them but it ... A: Casey, Standard dowel bar grips should fit just past the first knuckle of her middle and ring ... | |
| Standing back tucks | 6/14/2007 |
| Q: I am currently working on improving my standing back tuck. My roundoff backhandspring back tucks ... A: Cu, It is very difficult to diagnose a problem with a skill like a standing back tuck without ... | |
| side somersault on beam | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: I have to teach a side somersault on beam as part of an upcoming coaching exam. Just wondered if ... A: Owen, You should start your students learning a side somi on a tramp or tumbletrak. If you have one ... | |
| reverse flyaway / front away on A bars | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: Just wondered if you have any tips, progressions & conditioning that would help when learning / ... A: Evy, The most important thing you can learn for a front flyaway is a reverse tap swing. If you can ... | |
| Back Limber | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: I can't pull my legs upward to handstand in doing back limber and I usually fall back to Bridge ... A: John, Generally this problem comes from a lack of shoulder/upper back flexibility. Try just doing a ... | |
| Gymnastics Training | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: I am a level 6 gymnast hoping to do gymnastics in college. The only problem is......I'm 16. I have ... A: Hannah, Moving to a higher level in the USAG program is more a function of the skills you are ... | |
| maltese cross | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: Im a beginner gymnast working my way up on rings, parallel bars, pommel horse, and high bar. I weigh ... A: Mike, Sorry for how late my response is. I was judging mens' jr. nationals in Oklahoma City last ... | |
| backwalk over | 5/6/2007 |
| Q: I am having troubles with it. I get up on the beam and feel confident and all the suddden I just ... A: Lauren, Sorry it took so long to respond to you, but I am frequently out of town at gymnastics ... | |
| 5-year-old doing back handsprings-Is this safe? | 5/2/2007 |
| Q: My 5-year-old daughter can do a round off and three back handsprings on the floor with ease. Her ... A: You wrote: <<My 5-year-old daughter can do a round off and three back handsprings on the floor with ... | |
| pommel horse | 4/27/2007 |
| Q: The pommel horse is also known a the side horse. Why? My daughter is doing research for school. ... A: You wrote: <<The pommel horse is also known a the side horse. Why? My daughter is doing research ... | |
| handspring | 4/26/2007 |
| Q: do you know how i land on my feet in my hanspring because evrytime i do it i land on my butt/ back. ... A: You wrote: <<do you know how i land on my feet in my hanspring because evrytime i do it i land on my ... | |
| timing on floor | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: 21 okay thanks harley A: You wrote: <<how long or how short does the level seven floor routine have to be is 1:21 okay ?>> ... | |
| My young son and gymnastics | 4/24/2007 |
| Q: My little boy has an avid interest in gymnastics and also, I have been told, quite a lot of natural ... A: You wrote: <<My little boy has an avid interest in gymnastics and also, I have been told, quite a ... | |
| wrist pain. | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: my 12 year old son, trialing for level 6 now, has had ongoing pains in both wrists ( due to stress, ... A: You wrote: <<my 12 year old son, trialing for level 6 now, has had ongoing pains in both wrists ( ... | |
| Not sure what to enrole myself into | 4/19/2007 |
| Q: Hey there, i am currently 14 and i have found an interest in people doing backflips and front flips, ... A: You wrote: <<Hey there, i am currently 14 and i have found an interest in people doing backflips and ... | |
| Men Gymnastic training videos | 4/17/2007 |
| Q: I am looking for men's (boy) training videos for level 7. I am able to find videos for girls but ... A: You wrote: <<I am looking for men's (boy) training videos for level 7. I am able to find videos ... | |
| Gymnastics | 4/14/2007 |
| Q: i would like to join Gymnastics but my parents won't let me they think I'm too old to join and that ... A: You wrote: <<hi I'm Alex, i would like to join Gymnastics but my parents won't let me they think ... | |
| Backhandspring | 4/6/2007 |
| Q: I was out on my trampoline and doing my backhandsprings and then i got off and my mom who was in ... A: You wrote: <<I was out on my trampoline and doing my backhandsprings and then i got off and my mom ... | |
| Backhandspring | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: When i went over to my friends house we did backhandsprings without a spotter on her trampoline and ... A: You wrote: <<When i went over to my friends house we did backhandsprings without a spotter on her ... | |
| college gymnastics after time off | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: My daughter has missed the last 5 months of gym, including the entire competitive season, due to an ... A: You wrote: <<My daughter has missed the last 5 months of gym, including the entire competitive ... | |
| roundoff issues. | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: i am 14 and have been doing boys gymnastics for about 6 months, i am totally new to this and i cant ... A: You wrote: <<Hi. i am 14 and have been doing boys gymnastics for about 6 months, i am totally new to ... | |
| Can I start gymnastics at age 23? | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: my name is Oscar. My question is: can I start gymnastics at age 23? I've never been into sports or ... A: You wrote: <<can I start gymnastics at age 23? I've never been into sports or exercises before, I ... | |
| Next Level Readiness? | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: My 8 year old daughter has been a Level 4 for this past season only. She has only been doing ... A: You wrote: <<My 8 year old daughter has been a Level 4 for this past season only. She has only been ... | |
| twisting in tumbling | 3/24/2007 |
| Q: How do you determine twisting direction for a child is starting gymnastics and has no habits. ... A: You wrote: << How do you determine twisting direction for a child is starting gymnastics and has no ... | |
| straddle L | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: My daughter is a Level 4 gymnast and does very well at competitions (usually above 9.0). Her team ... A: You wrote: <<My daughter is a Level 4 gymnast and does very well at competitions (usually above ... | |
| front flips | 3/21/2007 |
| Q: i would like to try martial arts or gymnastics. i would like to ask, could i do a front flip? and ... A: You wrote: <<hi im only a kid but im a green belt in shotokan karate.i would like to try martial ... | |
| i need help | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: i thought my self my tuck and it is my last time tumbling before i have try-outs and i can do a ... A: You wrote: << i thought my self my tuck and it is my last time tumbling before i have try-outs and ... | |
| level 4 girls and level 4 boys scoring and dvd of routines | 3/18/2007 |
| Q: I'd like to know where I can get a dvd of both boys and girls level 4 routines and how scores are ... A: You wrote: <<I'd like to know where I can get a dvd of both boys and girls level 4 routines and how ... | |
| Need Information | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: I am a sophomore in college and it is probably to late to do college gymnastics so I decided to try ... A: You wrote: <<I am a sophomore in college and it is probably to late to do college gymnastics so I ... | |
| floor pattern | 3/5/2007 |
| Q: Our gym is fairly small and has no room for a full size floor. At our last meet our level 5 ... A: You wrote: <<Our gym is fairly small and has no room for a full size floor. At our last meet our ... | |
| Boys level 5 | 2/28/2007 |
| Q: My son is having a very hard time with a couple of things... 1) Getting his kip, he is so close but ... A: You wrote: <<My son is having a very hard time with a couple of things... 1) Getting his kip, he is ... | |
| Lev 8 floor requirements | 2/26/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me what the tumbling requirements are for level 8? Is twisting a requirement? A: You wrote: <<Hello. Can you tell me what the tumbling requirements are for level 8? Is twisting a ... | |
| level 4 boy | 2/24/2007 |
| Q: My 7 year old is doing level 4 for a second time. Last year he was very unprepared to compete, but ... A: You wrote: <<My 7 year old is doing level 4 for a second time. Last year he was very unprepared to ... | |
| Can i learn | 2/6/2007 |
| Q: i am 28 yrs old ,i have learnt karate from 1990-1997,now my eyes are on gymnastics ,can i learn ... A: You wrote: <<Hi, i am 28 yrs old ,i have learnt karate from 1990-1997,now my eyes are on gymnastics ... | |
| landing | 2/3/2007 |
| Q: i am malika from India , i wants to know the importance of "landing" in gymnastics.? A: You wrote: <<hi. i am malika from India , i wants to know the importance of "landing" in ... | |
| Levels in gymnastics | 1/31/2007 |
| Q: What is level 1, level 2 in gymnastics .how many levels are there? and Which group of exercise a ... A: You wrote: <<What is level 1, level 2 in gymnastics .how many levels are there? and Which group of ... | |
| Backhandspring power. | 1/31/2007 |
| Q: I can do a backhandspring. but i only have enough power to do one when i do a roundoff ... A: You wrote: <<I can do a backhandspring. but i only have enough power to do one when i do a roundoff ... | |
| gymnastics | 1/16/2007 |
| Q: because we have project & i need direct answers;;;tnx A: You wrote: <<hi i will just ask about the history of gymnastics & terms used in gymanastics(mount & ... | |
| gymnastics | 1/14/2007 |
| Q: what is the average level for an 11 year old to be in. A: You wrote: <<what is the average level for an 11 year old to be in.>> Sidney, That depends on a ... | |
| Hello | 1/13/2007 |
| Q: Hey Dean, how are you doing? I was looking for names on the internet and I found you. How are you ... A: You wrote: <<Hey Dean, how are you doing? I was looking for names on the internet and I found you. ... | |
| MY GYMNASTIICS ROU TINE | 1/10/2007 |
| Q: kay, so liek imn a lvl 100 gmnest and liek i am windring if u culd gimme the valus of sume skils ... A: You Wrote: << kay, so liek imn a lvl 100 gmnest and liek i am windring if u culd gimme the valus ... | |
| gymnastics question | 1/8/2007 |
| Q: I am a gymnastics coach. last year there were problems at our regional championships. after that ... A: Bill, <<I am a gymnastics coach. last year there were problems at our regional championships. after ... | |
| gymnastics coaching | 1/8/2007 |
| Q: I am a gymnastics coach. One of my gymnast always bring one of the other coaches fish, as a ... A: You wrote: <<I am a gymnastics coach. One of my gymnast always bring one of the other coaches fish, ... | |
| events | 1/3/2007 |
| Q: . i was wondering how the levels have changed from like 7000 years ago to like now...if you could ... A: You wrote: <<Hi my name is kate and i am doing a research project for school.. i was wondering how ... | |
| Trick | 12/29/2006 |
| Q: There is this one trick that i can do but i don't know the name of it. It is exactly like a round ... A: You wrote: <<There is this one trick that i can do but i don't know the name of it. It is exactly ... | |
| To old and to tall but figure skater | 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: You wrote: <<I know this has been asked a lot but I just turned 18 and I am very interested in ... | |
| help. | 12/7/2006 |
| Q: I started doing a cross handstand on a beam and I have a problem. I could only do it once and then i ... A: You wrote: <<I started doing a cross handstand on a beam and I have a problem. I could only do it ... | |
| something torn in back of thigh | 12/6/2006 |
| Q: when i was at dance last week, we had to do a quick exercise involving leaps, splits and high kicks. ... A: You wrote: <<when i was at dance last week, we had to do a quick exercise involving leaps, splits ... | |
| Gymnastics | 12/4/2006 |
| Q: I am going to ask you some Questions!! 1: What is the meaning of gymnastics? 2; what is the most ... A: You wrote: <<1: What is the meaning of gymnastics?>> The word "gymnastics" comes from the ancient ... | |
| Back Handspring | 12/4/2006 |
| Q: My 11 year-old daughter has been working on her back handspring for about a year and a half. She ... A: You wrote: <<My 11 year-old daughter has been working on her back handspring for about a year and a ... | |
| Level 4 age groups | 11/29/2006 |
| Q: .. Can you tell me if there are age brackets within level 4 for a boys competition. (ie will a 6 ... A: You wrote: <<Can you tell me if there are age brackets within level 4 for a boys competition. (ie ... | |
| doing my back handspring | 11/27/2006 |
| Q: I have been going to tumbling classes for about a year and i can do it it is just that i get nerves ... A: You wrote: <<I have been going to tumbling classes for about a year and i can do it it is just that ... | |
| "Compulsory" Level 8 routines for men | 11/22/2006 |
| Q: Our gym is new to competitive men's gymnastics. We have some young men ready to progress out of ... A: You wrote: <<Our gym is new to competitive men's gymnastics. We have some young men ready to ... | |
| gymnsatics | 11/22/2006 |
| Q: id like your personal opinion on something. Ive never done gymnastics officially, but ive always ... A: You wrote: <<Hi, id like your personal opinion on something. Ive never done gymnastics officially, ... | |
| Flexibility | 11/18/2006 |
| Q: Its been sense summer im practicing my flexibity.I wanted to get flexible because i do ballet and ... A: You wrote: <<Its been sense summer im practicing my flexibity.I wanted to get flexible because i do ... | |
| 5 year old chest role | 11/12/2006 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old who is needing to learn how to do a chest role. She can do a backhandspring and ... A: You wrote: <<I have a 5 year old who is needing to learn how to do a chest role. She can do a ... | |
| level dilema | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: Hey, I was just wondering, does USAG have a certain all around score requirement to compete at the ... A: You wrote: <<Hey, I was just wondering, does USAG have a certain all around score requirement to ... | |
| splits | 11/5/2006 |
| Q: if you cant do the splits YET what is a GREAT way to learn them? A: You wrote: <<if you cant do the splits YET what is a GREAT way to learn them?>> Ashley, I would ... | |
| Starting gymnastics at age 16 | 10/31/2006 |
| Q: My son took gymnastics for a year when he was about 8, then stopped. He is now an elite soccer ... A: You wrote: <<My son took gymnastics for a year when he was about 8, then stopped. He is now an elite ... | |
| Boys level 4-5 | 10/27/2006 |
| Q: I have a 7 yr old boy who has beeen doing gymnastics for the past two years and he really enjoys it ... A: You wrote: <<I have a 7 yr old boy who has beeen doing gymnastics for the past two years and he ... | |
| drills | 10/25/2006 |
| Q: Are there any drills you know of for a back tuck and or back layout on floor or arabians? A: You wrote: <<Are there any drills you know of for a back tuck and or back layout on floor or ... | |
| Cartwheel | 10/16/2006 |
| Q: I have learned to do a cartwheel for about two weeks now, that's fairly good, but today, the ... A: You wrote: << I have learned to do a cartwheel for about two weeks now, that's fairly good, but ... | |
| bridge | 10/8/2006 |
| Q: when i do bridges my hands give way what can i do to strenghen my hands because i am determined to ... A: You wrote: <<when i do bridges my hands give way what can i do to strenghen my hands because i am ... | |
| back standing back handspring | 10/4/2006 |
| Q: i wanted to know how to do a standing back handspring however i never did one in my life but i have ... A: You wrote: <<i wanted to know how to do a standing back handspring however i never did one in my ... | |
| gymnastics levels | 10/4/2006 |
| Q: i have been doing gymnastics for the past 4 years. it has been a great hobby of mine. i havent ... A: You wrote: <<i have been doing gymnastics for the past 4 years. it has been a great hobby of mine. ... | |
| almost every thing | 9/30/2006 |
| Q: i think my handspring is to high because every time i try to do a hand spring back tuck i cant ... A: You wrote: <<i think my handspring is to high because every time i try to do a hand spring back tuck ... | |
| MENTAL BLOCKS | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: Do you have any advise on mental blocks? I'm a gym owner/coach & I have a lot of girls on my team ... A: You wrote: <<Do you have any advise on mental blocks? I'm a gym owner/coach & I have a lot of girls ... | |
| Gymnastics | 9/15/2006 |
| Q: What are the 3 types of stunts of gymnastics and their meaning? A: You wrote: <<What are the 3 types of stunts of gymnastics and their meaning?>> James, I'm not ... | |
| Level 7 Girls Routines | 9/11/2006 |
| Q: I have no idea what I am looking at when my daughter competes. Is there a web site where I can go ... A: You wrote: <<I have no idea what I am looking at when my daughter competes. Is there a web site ... | |
| My Level | 9/10/2006 |
| Q: I am 14 years old and have participated in gymnastics for 8 years, 4 years at a competitive gym, ... A: You wrote: <<Do you think I could possibly compete again, and what level do you think I could ... | |
| Levels 1-3 gymnastics | 9/7/2006 |
| Q: I would very much like to know the requirements for these levels. I hav elooked online and cannot ... A: You wrote: <<I would very much like to know the requirements for these levels. I hav elooked online ... | |
| aerial | 9/2/2006 |
| Q: it really helped. i almost landed the aerial the other day. i put my hands down just as I landed. ... A: You wrote: <<thanks for the info, it really helped. i almost landed the aerial the other day. i ... | |
| mens gymnastics | 9/1/2006 |
| Q: I am in region 8, I was wondering if boys are required to be entered in a competition as a level 5 ... A: You wrote: << am in region 8, I was wondering if boys are required to be entered in a competition as ... | |
| aerial | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: I've asked you this question before, but I don't think you quite got what I was asking. i do know ... A: You wrote: <<Hi Dean! I've asked you this question before, but I don't think you quite got what I ... | |
| aerial | 8/21/2006 |
| Q: I'm a guy and that is the main reason I asked you to help me.I have been practicing an ariael for ... A: You wrote: <<I'm a guy and that is the main reason I asked you to help me.I have been practicing an ... | |
| flair | 8/20/2006 |
| Q: Dryer: how are you doing? I asked a question about flairs before and you gave me some tips on ... A: You wrote: <<I asked a question about flairs before and you gave me some tips on conditioning. So I ... | |
| 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: You wrote: <<What are the most important and effective things to do the day of weigh-in to stay ... | |
| flare | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: Dryer: Thanks for the answer! It is interesting that people spell this as "flare" a lot of the ... A: You wrote: <<I understand the front support and back support you said. the front one should be just ... | |
| flare | 7/30/2006 |
| Q: Dryer: My name is yan, 22 year old. I have been taking tumbling class for about half a year now. ... A: You wrote: <<My name is yan, 22 year old. I have been taking tumbling class for about half a year ... | |
| I need you | 7/29/2006 |
| Q: The Problem is we don't have a Gym in my area only for kids and i'm 18 ... so can you tell me what ... A: You wrote: <<The Problem is we don't have a Gym in my area only for kids and i'm 18 ... so can you ... | |
| Gymnastics | 7/29/2006 |
| Q: My daughter is in pre level 4, she is the one girl that can't do as many things that the other girls ... A: You wrote: <<My daughter is in pre level 4, she is the one girl that can't do as many things that ... | |
| 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: You wrote: <<Hi, I wanna bring a personal ACROBATICS instructor, let say from China, how much you ... | |
| weak wrists | 7/28/2006 |
| Q: My daughter is 5 years old and is on preteam. She has very good upper body strenght but inherited my ... A: You wrote: <<My daughter is 5 years old and is on preteam. She has very good upper body strenght but ... | |
| 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: You wrote: <<Hi, I wanna start training gymnastics ((Acrobatic)) but i'm 18 years old :S is it ok to ... | |
| Forward stride circle | 7/19/2006 |
| Q: I have a group of Level 4's and a few of them are haivng trouble with the forward stride circle. I ... A: You wrote: <<I have a group of Level 4's and a few of them are haivng trouble with the forward ... | |
| Son's reactions | 7/17/2006 |
| Q: My Son is 9 years old and competes in both Mens Artistic Gymnastics and Sports Acrobatics. The ... A: You wrote: <<My Son is 9 years old and competes in both Mens Artistic Gymnastics and Sports ... | |
| level 4 routine | 7/15/2006 |
| Q: what are the level 4 routines i forgot them and i really need to know them and i dont know them ... A: You wrote: >>what are the level 4 routines i forgot them and i really need to know them and i dont ... | |
| level 4 skills | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: My daughter will be competing in level 4 gymnastics this year. I know very little about the sport. ... A: You wrote: <<My daughter will be competing in level 4 gymnastics this year. I know very little about ... | |
| Fulls and double fulls | 7/7/2006 |
| Q: I just started tumbling last year. I tought myself everything i know. I tought myself how to do back ... A: You wrote: <<I just started tumbling last year. I tought myself everything i know. I tought myself ... | |
| Clarify | 7/5/2006 |
| Q: Would you happen to know anything about Texas Tech's Gymnastics Club?I just asked what I need to do ... A: Gabriel, Unfortunately I don't have info on the program at Texas Tech. You might try emailing Mark ... | |
| Punch Fronts on the ground | 7/5/2006 |
| Q: I coach an exhibition team that has kids ranging in ages from 8-16 (18 girls and 1 boy) I am having ... A: You wrote: <<I coach an exhibition team that has kids ranging in ages from 8-16 (18 girls and 1 boy) ... | |
| compulsory music | 7/4/2006 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could send me the old level four and five compulsory music. if you can please ... A: You wrote: <<hi. i was wondering if you could send me the old level four and five compulsory music. ... | |
| flyaways | 7/4/2006 |
| Q: my flyaways have always been kind of erratic, always letting go at different times. recently, they ... A: You wrote: <<my flyaways have always been kind of erratic, always letting go at different times. ... | |
| speed in flips | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: what workouts can i do to increase my overall back flipping speed A: You wrote: <<what workouts can i do to increase my overall back flipping speed>> Brent, The speed ... | |
| age of gym coaches | 6/27/2006 |
| Q: My son does gymnastics and has competed level 4 for the last two years. Baseball is his number one ... A: You wrote: <<My son does gymnastics and has competed level 4 for the last two years. Baseball is his ... | |
| help | 6/27/2006 |
| Q: ok wen i was little like 5 or 6 i wa shtisgreat gymnast and i cud do backflips andstuffbut the i had ... A: You wrote: <<ok wen i was little like 5 or 6 i wa shtisgreat gymnast and i cud do backflips ... | |
| what do i need to do | 6/23/2006 |
| Q: ok i am in forth grade and i need help on what kind on things i can do A: You wrote: <<ok i am in forth grade and i need help on what kind on things i can do>> Taylor, I'd ... | |
| Boys High bar Grips | 6/17/2006 |
| Q: My son is training for level 6. However I cannot find grips small enough to fit his hands. They ... A: You wrote: <<My son is training for level 6. However I cannot find grips small enough to fit his ... | |
| high bar grip change problem | 6/16/2006 |
| Q: , Im writing for my 10 yr.old,leval 9,Thad,he is having trouble with his , front grip -piroette,into ... A: You wrote: <<Im writing for my 10 yr.old,leval 9,Thad,he is having trouble with his , front grip ... | |
| boys grips | 6/7/2006 |
| Q: My son will begin competitive gymnastics this year, after a couple of years in classes. He is 8. ... A: You wrote: <<My son will begin competitive gymnastics this year, after a couple of years in classes. ... | |
| floor routine | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: I was hoping to find someone to choreograh a floor routine for my level 10 gymnast. I am able to ... A: You wrote: <<I was hoping to find someone to choreograh a floor routine for my level 10 gymnast. I ... | |
| Trainer | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could give me any tips on finding a coach/trainer. I have visited many gyms ... A: Nick, If you have been looked at all the gyms in your area and not found what you are looking for, ... | |
| back tuck | 5/23/2006 |
| Q: i've been working on my back tuck and i can do it on the ground by myself but i want to learn how to ... A: You wrote: <<i've been working on my back tuck and i can do it on the ground by myself but i want to ... | |
| front flip | 5/13/2006 |
| Q: i have been tring to do a front flip i run then jump forward land on my hands but when i try to ... A: You wrote: <<i have been tring to do a front flip i run then jump forward land on my hands but when ... | |
| What type of mat? | 5/5/2006 |
| Q: my daughter is beginning competitive gymnastics. I also have another recreational gymnast. They ... A: You wrote: <<Hi, my daughter is beginning competitive gymnastics. I also have another recreational ... | |
| barani | 5/3/2006 |
| Q: i am having a lot of trouble with my barani. i am trying to do this skill on the trampoline. i can ... A: You wrote: <<i am having a lot of trouble with my barani. i am trying to do this skill on the ... | |
| I miss it... | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: I am a twenty yearold male looking to get back into the sport I quit just before turning 16. I began ... A: You wrote: <<I am a twenty yearold male looking to get back into the sport I quit just before ... | |
| flips | 3/29/2006 |
| Q: what is the best way to learn how to do a front flip and a back flip. Can you tell me how to do ... A: You wrote: <<Hi, what is the best way to learn how to do a front flip and a back flip. Can you tell ... | |
| The Round-Off over a box | 3/26/2006 |
| Q: I am currently undertaking a 'major gymnastics' course as part of my teaching degree at university, ... A: You wrote: <<I am currently undertaking a 'major gymnastics' course as part of my teaching degree at ... | |
| Crazy Gym Moms | 3/23/2006 |
| Q: I don't want to come across as rude but there's a pretty big group of mom's at our gym that are ... A: You wrote: <<I don't want to come across as rude but there's a pretty big group of mom's at our gym ... | |
| boys regionals for region 8 | 3/21/2006 |
| Q: What is the qualifying score for regionals, level 5? Also where is it being held and when, or if you ... A: You wrote: <<What is the qualifying score for regionals, level 5? Also where is it being held and ... | |
| back handspring mental block | 3/10/2006 |
| Q: My 7 year old daughter was in gymnastics from the age of 3 and has been in cheereleading since she ... A: You wrote: <<My 7 year old daughter was in gymnastics from the age of 3 and has been in ... | |
| mens level 5 hi bar | 3/9/2006 |
| Q: In the men's level 5 hi bar routine, if the boy chooses to do the fly-away dismount, how many ... A: You wrote: <<In the men's level 5 hi bar routine, if the boy chooses to do the fly-away dismount, ... | |
| backhandspring | 3/5/2006 |
| Q: I did tumbling for two diff gyms. One gym told me when I do a backhandspring to turn my hands in and ... A: You wrote: <<I did tumbling for two diff gyms. One gym told me when I do a backhandspring to turn my ... | |
| 8 year old | 2/27/2006 |
| Q: Dean, Thank you for your time. My son is 8 years old and slightly overweight. His doctor ... A: Youw rote: <<Thank you for your time. My son is 8 years old and slightly overweight. His doctor ... | |
| getting the confidence | 2/16/2006 |
| Q: I've been a huge fan of gymnastics eversince I saw my first tumbling pass. I tried my best to ... A: You wrote: <<I've been a huge fan of gymnastics eversince I saw my first tumbling pass. I tried my ... | |
| Some ligiment under my knee | 2/10/2006 |
| Q: ok!!! Im not in gymnastics im in cheerleading but i hurt myself in tumbling!!! ok this happened two ... A: You wrote: <<ok!!! Im not in gymnastics im in cheerleading but i hurt myself in tumbling!!! ok this ... | |
| twisting flyaways | 1/30/2006 |
| Q: I have a gymnast who I would like to start learning a flyaway full. She has a full on floor and a ... A: You wrote: <<I have a gymnast who I would like to start learning a flyaway full. She has a full on ... | |
| Pre School skills | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: I am the coordinator for a gymnastics program ranging from preschool to school age where the ... A: You wrote: <<I am the coordinator for a gymnastics program ranging from preschool to school age ... | |
| mens' splits | 1/7/2006 |
| Q: I'm a 17-year-old guy who, for no reason I can explain, really wants to learn how to do the splits. ... A: You wrote: <<Hi, I'm a 17-year-old guy who, for no reason I can explain, really wants to learn how ... | |
| After gymnastics :( | 11/27/2005 |
| Q: I have been doing womens gymnastics for 11 years now. I'm 17, I had a later start but oh well. I ... A: You wrote: <<I have been doing womens gymnastics for 11 years now. I'm 17, I had a later start but ... | |
| coaching | 11/25/2005 |
| Q: Dean I'm 15 and I want to be a competitive gymnastics coach next season. I never took gymnastics, ... A: You wrote: <<I'm 15 and I want to be a competitive gymnastics coach next season. I never took ... | |
| hi | 11/24/2005 |
| Q: I m a boy i m not in gymnastics yet but i want to be . I m not flexible what are some stretches i ... A: You wrote: <<I m a boy i m not in gymnastics yet but i want to be . I m not flexible what are some ... | |
| Artistic gymnastics | 11/23/2005 |
| Q: ------------------------- Whatsupplementation could a high level gymnast use and what effects would ... A: You wrote: << Whatsupplementation could a high level gymnast use and what effects would it have?>> ... | |
| 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: You wrote: <<Hey mark.>> You might have been trying to send this Mark Williams, one of the other ... | |
| Artistic gymnastics | 11/18/2005 |
| Q: ------------------------- Do gymnasts need any supplementation to perform the high level of ... A: You wrote: <<Do gymnasts need any supplementation to perform the high level of strength required ... | |
| Artistic gymnastics | 11/16/2005 |
| Q: What are the most important strength concepts required in gymnastics and how can they be achieved? A: You wrote: <<What are the most important strength concepts required in gymnastics and how can they ... | |
| gymnastics and growth | 10/27/2005 |
| Q: Does gymnastics stunt your growth? I know it delays maturation and puberty, but is there any ... A: You wrote: << Does gymnastics stunt your growth? I know it delays maturation and puberty, but is ... | |
| gymnastics for 5 year old | 9/23/2005 |
| Q: Mr. Dryer, My five year old son has been involved in Gymastics for about a year and a half now. ... A: You wrote: <<My five year old son has been involved in Gymastics for about a year and a half now. ... | |
| 10/10 scores | 9/14/2005 |
| Q: Which Gymnasts have scored 10/10 at the olympics? A: You wrote: <<Which Gymnasts have scored 10/10 at the olympics?>> Suzy, While I can't give you an ... | |
| Tumbling | 9/12/2005 |
| Q: I am 35 and have the opportunity to teach a tumbling class in our small town. I was in gymnastics ... A: You wrote: <<I am 35 and have the opportunity to teach a tumbling class in our small town. I was in ... | |
| Dean Dryer, about height | 9/1/2005 |
| Q: I have a 7 year old boy. We would like to start him on gymnastics. He is pretty short, I mean his ... A: You wrote: <<I have a 7 year old boy. We would like to start him on gymnastics. He is pretty short, ... | |
| planche and handstands. | 7/20/2005 |
| Q: I just read your recommendations about doing core strength drills to develop strength for the ... A: You wrote: <<I just read your recommendations about doing core strength drills to develop strength ... | |
| strength | 6/6/2005 |
| Q: i am a 25 yr old male i plan to take up gymnastics for recreation and strength but i am quite skinny ... A: You wrote: <<i am a 25 yr old male i plan to take up gymnastics for recreation and strength but i ... | |
| Boys Gymnastics | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: My son is 6 yrs old. He started gymnastics last summer and then in the fall he moved to an all boys ... A: You wrote: <<My son is 6 yrs old. He started gymnastics last summer and then in the fall he moved to ... | |
| Injuries | 5/13/2005 |
| Q: Dryer, my question is about my knee injury. I'm 17 years old and about 8 months ago, I tore my ACL ... A: You wrote: <<Hello Mr.Dryer, my question is about my knee injury. I'm 17 years old and about 8 ... | |
| Still rings | 5/1/2005 |
| Q: When swinging just backwards and forwards on the rings, not going over the top through the rings, do ... A: You wrote: <<When swinging just backwards and forwards on the rings, not going over the top through ... | |
| Still rings | 4/25/2005 |
| Q: What is the basic technique for swinging on the rings? I've heard of tap swing on the p.bars,is ... A: You wrote: <<What is the basic technique for swinging on the rings? I've heard of tap swing on the ... | |
| vault | 3/17/2005 |
| Q: Do you have any drills for teaching front handspring front tuck on vault? We do not have a pit. A: You wrote: <<Do you have any drills for teaching front handspring front tuck on vault? We do not ... | |
| coaching negative/positive reenforcement | 1/23/2005 |
| Q: my daughter just quit a gym (level 6) with our support due to negative reinforcement. Over the past ... A: You wrote: <<I am planning to have my daughter try out to a gym an 1hr and 45 min. away from our ... | |
| gymnastics | 1/21/2005 |
| Q: My son a third grader and 3 of his friends need a 90 second routine for school and I wanted to know ... A: You wrote: <<My son a third grader and 3 of his friends need a 90 second routine for school and I ... | |
| 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: You wrote: <<I've been trying to get aerial cartwheels for over a year now but whenever I try them ... | |
| Self-learning trampoline safely | 12/28/2004 |
| Q: We've just bought a reasonable trampoline for the family, we have two kids 12 and 10 y.o., I'm 42, ... A: You wrote: <<Hi Dean, We've just bought a reasonable trampoline for the family, we have two kids 12 ... | |
| tumbling | 12/25/2004 |
| Q: I am a 33 yo female sho i taking tumbling as a rec sport and Love it. However not being a spring ... A: You wrote: <<I am a 33 yo female sho i taking tumbling as a rec sport and Love it. However not being ... | |
| Transitioning from Compulsory to Optional | 12/22/2004 |
| Q: I am a coach of a program that in the past has only had gymnasts up to USAG level 6. I have two ... A: You wrote: <<I am a coach of a program that in the past has only had gymnasts up to USAG level 6. I ... | |
| Chosing the right gym/coach | 12/14/2004 |
| Q: My son's competed in two level 4 meets and has done well. He's been in gymnastics 11 months and ... A: You wrote: <<My son's competed in two level 4 meets and has done well. He's been in gymnastics 11 ... | |
| HELP! | 12/5/2004 |
| Q: I am a cheerleader so I only need to know how to tumble. I started about 2 years ago at a gymnot ... A: You wrote: <<I am a cheerleader so I only need to know how to tumble. I started about 2 years ago at ... | |
| points scoring | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: I have an 8 yr. old daughter on a recreational team at Level 5. Some of the other parents and I were ... A: You wrote: <<I have an 8 yr. old daughter on a recreational team at Level 5. Some of the other ... | |
| roundoff backhandspring question | 10/26/2004 |
| Q: ok thnx i think i get what you are saying with pushing off strongly into hollow and overturning. i ... A: You wrote: <<ok thnx i think i get what you are saying with pushing off strongly into hollow and ... | |
| Still Rings | 9/15/2004 |
| Q: We recently began a boys competitive team, but do not have still rings. We are looking to purchase ... A: You wrote: <<We recently began a boys competitive team, but do not have still rings. We are looking ... | |
| Start Value determination of a routine | 9/11/2004 |
| Q: How is the Start Value of an athlete's routine determined? Are the judges given an athlete's ... A: You wrote: <<How is the Start Value of an athlete's routine determined?>> All routines have ... | |
| 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, The subject of flexibility is far too detailed to go into via email. However, I do know ... | |
| Mens Gymnastics Level Requirements | 9/9/2004 |
| Q: I was hoping that you could tell me or at least show me where i could find out what skills are ... A: You wrote: <<I was hoping that you could tell me or at least show me where i could find out what ... | |
| the planche | 9/4/2004 |
| Q: i've been having a hard time learning the planche. i can do a press handstand from a split, and a ... A: You wrote: <<i've been having a hard time learning the planche. i can do a press handstand from a ... | |
| levels | 9/1/2004 |
| Q: What are the different skills on each event for women artistic gymnastics, for levels 5 and 6? A: you wrote: <<What are the different skills on each event for women artistic gymnastics, for levels 5 ... | |
| tumbling | 9/1/2004 |
| Q: I used to be able to do a round-off backhandspring really well, untill i hurt my back. Now i just ... A: you wrote: << I used to be able to do a round-off backhandspring really well, untill i hurt my back. ... | |
| level | 8/26/2004 |
| Q: My daughter is 13 years old and competes in level 5. What do you think the highest level she could ... A: You wrote: <<My daughter is 13 years old and competes in level 5. What do you think the highest ... | |
| connection bonus for new quad | 8/25/2004 |
| Q: do you know if d to d skills are going to awarded as bonus this year. not knowing is making ... A: You wrote: <<do you know if d to d skills are going to awarded as bonus this year. not knowing is ... | |
| Gymnastics move | 8/16/2004 |
| Q: What is the name of the "flare" move that the male gymnasts do on the floor exercises and pommel ... A: You wrote: <<What is the name of the "flare" move that the male gymnasts do on the floor exercises ... | |
| gaining flexibility and tumbling | 8/2/2004 |
| Q: my name is elizabeth and i'm 17 yrs old. i would like to know some routines or exercises in order to ... A: You wrote: <<hi, my name is elizabeth and i'm 17 yrs old. i would like to know some routines or ... | |
| Men's gymnastics | 7/25/2004 |
| Q: Do you have a description of the men's junior olympic levels for north carolina? I understand that ... A: You wrote: <<Do you have a description of the men's junior olympic levels for north carolina? I ... | |
| Name of move on rings? | 6/16/2004 |
| Q: I heard of a strength skill on rings that looked similar to the maltese, but the gymnast was facing ... A: You wrote: <<One quick followup, I'd like to ask if you have any contact information on the ... | |
| Name of move on rings? | 6/16/2004 |
| Q: I heard of a strength skill on rings that looked similar to the maltese, but the gymnast was facing ... A: You wrote: <<I heard of a strength skill on rings that looked similar to the maltese, but the ... | |
| Coaching Elites | 5/19/2004 |
| Q: Sorry. I coach in Australia and I have 4 - 8 year olds who are in my development squad that I ... A: You wrote: <<Sorry. I coach in Australia and I have 4 - 8 year olds who are in my development squad ... | |
| Coaching Elites | 5/19/2004 |
| Q: I was just wopndering if you could tell me where I can find information on coaching potential 5 - 8 ... A: You wrote: <<I was just wopndering if you could tell me where I can find information on coaching ... | |
| kip | 5/16/2004 |
| Q: wich one is it? also i can do a kip so easily if someone just pushes me a tiny tiny tiny bit, why ... A: You wrote: <<hi its nevine again and about my kip it had improved greatly and i can feel like im ... | |
| kip | 4/30/2004 |
| Q: . i have a couple of problems with it i dont always get my feet to the bar and sometimes i will get ... A: You wrote: <<hello i cant get my kip and ive been working on it for about two months and im soo ... | |
| hANDSPRINGS, kIP UPS ON P=BARS, bACK UPRISES ON RINGS | 4/15/2004 |
| Q: fOR MY HANDSPRING I USUALLY GO INTO IT LIKE A HANDSTAND AND WHEN I AM DONE FOLLOWING THROUGH I DONT ... A: You wrote: <<fOR MY HANDSPRING I USUALLY GO INTO IT LIKE A HANDSTAND AND WHEN I AM DONE FOLLOWING ... | |
| Backward Rolls | 11/21/2003 |
| Q: Is there a specific age to start teaching backward rolls? Any restrictions on age - any KAT ... A: I'm not sure what KAT has to say on the subject, but I teach back rolls to children as young as 3. I ... | |
| uneven bars | 9/21/2002 |
| Q: I am a level 9 gymnast at Gymnastics Unlimited in Wilmington. In creating my bar routine, my coach ... A: Katy, Unfortunately, I am a mens' judge. However, I know two people who will definitely be able to ... | |
Gymnastics
Answers by Expert:
Dean Dryer
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Any question relating to gymnastics or tumbling from the pre-school to elite level. Mens` gymnastics is my specialty.
Experience
20+ years coaching experience. Safety certified. Internationally rated mens' judge.
Organizations
USAG. AAU. FIG. NGJA.
Awards and Honors
1998 Florida mens' judge of the year.
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