The No. 1 Gymnastics Podcast in the Galaxy

Episode 48: Kyla Ross

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2012 US Olympic Team Champion, Kyla Ross (art courtesy of My Crazy World of Graphics)

This week, 2012 Olympic team gold medalist, Kyla Ross, and her mom, Kiana, join us. Kyla tells us about training smart after time off, upgrades, her fantasy tumbling skill, the status of her Amanar, who she looks up to in the gym, overcoming fear and mental blocks, her infamous Championships lipstick and the “saviors of the US team.” Kiana reveals who gave the family the most important advice about going pro, why Gym-Max is so unique and the best advice she ever received about navigating the world of elite gymnastics.

Jessica and Uncle Tim discuss the latest Gabby Douglas news, world team rosters, Romanian and Chinese nationals, the crime against the gym gods that is Australia’s decision not to send anyone to Worlds and Igor Radivilov‘s staring role in a new music video.

The third member of the early training group that turned out Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney, elite trampolinist Miss Charlotte Drury.

Yao Jinnan on Bars at Chinese Nationals.

The BB routine that everyone’s talking about: Junior Luo Huan

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cpt.Hook
cpt.Hook
10 years ago

I like you guys, but sometimes what you are saying is a total nonsense. American gymnastics system, like any other, is a part of American economy, which is still the biggest in the world. You can’t take American gymnastics system and implement it in a different economy. I can give you short review of the different systems:
American system strong sides are: massive population, big middle class layer (gymnastics is a quite expansive sport), coaches can make a good living and this attracts coaches from other countries were they straggle. Exodus of the coaches from Romania, Soviet Union and other countries gave some boost.
Soviet system was very strong, because there were a lot of gyms (free of charge), massive population, free medicine, coaches were paid and rewarded for good work by government. Any talented kid had a chance to become a champion.
Old Romanian system were similar to Soviet with lower population.
New Russian system: Population is still pretty big, but significantly lower then in Soviet era. The size of the middle class is very small and most people are poor (gymnastics is still expansive ), there is some help from government, but it’s not enough. Tough time from 1990 till 2000 wipe out coaches, gyms and athletes.To rebuild all structures they need a lot of time, that’s why there’s no depth in their gymnastics now.
New Romanian system is similar to Russian, but without a significant government financial help.
Chinese system is seems to be a lot like Soviet system and with significant growth of Chinese economy has a potential to become the dominant system.

cpt.Hook
cpt.Hook
10 years ago

I’m too lazy to give you the translation of the rap song you posted but I wanna say a couple words about it. Rap is usually equal to bad poetry to me, but this one is filled with a good energy of respect to kids who train very hard to become a champions and there coaches. I like it a lot. It’s in Russian but it’s a common thing in Ukraine were more than a half population speaks Russian.

gymgirl
gymgirl
10 years ago
Reply to  cpt.Hook

Please translate some of it if you get a chance!!

Kendra
Kendra
10 years ago

I love that He Kexin is in that video. Where did that come from? I wonder if she knows she’s in it…

shergymrag
shergymrag
10 years ago

I think the US has more junior elites but the senior elite team has gotten smaller. The junior team seems like a developmental program so standards for juniors to qualify elite and compete at classics or championships are easier than the standards for seniors to reach those goals. As far as seniors go, the US is basically doing what Australia has done. Where Australia says, if you can’t hit this standard, you can’t go to worlds, the US says, if you can’t hit this standard, you can’t go to classics or nationals.

Personally, I wish there were more seniors. It’s just sad to me that there were only 13 Senior elites at Nationals this year.

Ann
Ann
10 years ago

T&T offers are great opportunity for athletes to continue with gymnastics if they feel that perhaps Artistic gymnastics is not working for them anymore. T&T offers not only tumbling, but trampoline and double-mini, all apparatus’ where the skills you have learned in Artistic gymnastic are very applicable.
There is a high attrition rate in the sport, especially when you hit high school age and the upper levels and many girls quit, T&T is a great alternative as it does require less hours, but is still a highly competitive sport. Several high level trampolinist have also at the end of their careers switched over to diving and landed NCAA scholarships. Just something to think about before you hang up your grip bag! And how fun is it not to bounce on a trampoline….??

Lisa
Lisa
10 years ago

I found these podcasts a few days ago and am already in love. Thank God for a (relatively) light semester because the last few days have been a GymCastic binge (seriously you drew me away from my Law and Order SVU binge). I love your interviews and all of the news from around the gymternet. I would love to have you interview Kaitlyn Ohashi. And Norah Flatley/Chow (or just Chow but they are both so flippen cute!). Awesome job all

Amy
Amy
9 years ago

Just found these podcasts and I love love them! You guys are great and I love how international gymnastics is discussed too!

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