The Gymnastics Coaching Blues

Gymnasts and coaches need to be aware that at the end of the summer, coaches often stress about the difference between what they had hoped to accomplish and what really happened. Often inflated hopes and expectations can lead to an … Continue reading

Choose Between Gymnastics and …

Subject: PLEASE ADVISE HI I have a nine-year-old who has been doing gymnastics for 3 years. He is very talented (I used to do gym myself as a youngster, so I know) in fact last year in second grade he … Continue reading

Learning Kips

Kips are landmark skill for young gymnasts, but are often difficult for gymnasts to learn. Here are some helpful tips. Continue reading

More About Learning Kips

Subject: kips! I tried what you said and it helped but, now all I have to do is pull myself over the bar! How can I do that? I know this sounds a little strange, but you don’t want to … Continue reading

In Memoriam: Kim Bird

Gymnastics coach and choreographer, Kim Bird passed away Monday evening, November 19, 2007, after battling complications from Valley fever. Kim was the founder of Tumbleweeds Gymnastics and well known, well-loved and well-respected throughout the gymnastics community. Tumbleweeds Gymnastics was founded … Continue reading

Keep Gymnastics Instruction Fun!

Gymnastics is a naturally fun sport. Running, jumping, climbing, swinging, bouncing and tumbling are activities that you would likely be doing on your own without being in a gym or gymnastics class. You do those things because they are fun … Continue reading

Jump to the High Bar Safety

We had not anticipated putting an individual skill (especially a non-skill, like jump to the high bar) on the safety pages, but having viewed and heard about a series of serious accidents (broken bones) and resulting negative effects (fear) of … Continue reading

A Rude Welcome to Coaches to Our Little Forum

This is a challenge to all coaches to coach the sport the way it is supposed to be coached morally and scientifically. Continue reading

Strap Bar Gymnastics Training

One of the differences we have noticed in gymnastics programs is the use and/or extent of use of strap bars. Too many gym programs do not have or use strap bars at all and many do not use them extensively … Continue reading

Coaching Girls’ Gymnastics

There is a big difference in coaching boys in gymnastics and in coaching girls gymnastics. The most noticeable difference is the level of confidence that boys and girls have. Boys often have more confidence than their talent should engender. The … Continue reading