Archives for May 2015

May 27, 2015 by GymCasticCrew Leave a Comment

150: Luke Carson

luke carson looking sexy interview — Northern Irish stud and a man, literally filled with titanium, Luke Carson.

Northern Ireland’s Luke Carson has become a symbol of strength and perseverance around the world. A veteran of six World Championships, he was poised to send Ireland to their second-ever Olympics before an injury forced him to water down his routines. He came back from two potentially career-ending injuries to compete again. Emma Bailey and Luke discussed:

You thought his leg was bad, wait until you hear about his birth defect and the awful procedure he must endure every six months! (See example video on the playlist below to fulfill your creepy curiosity)
The status of his injury almost one-year after the Commonwealth Games
The problems with metal rods and hot tubs
Coaching his pommel horse prodigy, Rhys Mcclenaghan and team at Rathgael Gymnastics Club
How he proposed to his girlfriend
How social media can fuel healthy competition between gymnasts
The both frightening and gratifying truth about funding and sponsor relationships
The future of gymnastics in Ireland

What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use any of these Steve Nunno quote hashtags: #ItsMillerTime or #InterGalacticChampion or #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 15th

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

shannon miller red leotard 1992 Olympics straddle L sit balance beam — Shannon Miller © Dave Black

Or watch this week’s playlist on YouTube here.

May 21, 2015 by GymCasticCrew 1 Comment

149: New Rules for Tokyo Olympics in 2020

What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use any of these Steve Nunno quote hashtags: #ItsMillerTime or #InterGalacticChampion or #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 1st

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

The FIG announced changes to the qualification rules for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Teams can only send four all-arounders, for a three-up three-count finals format. Qualifying teams can still also send two individual event specialists who qualify through several results from World Championships, World Cups and Continental Championships. For example, the US could still send six gymnasts to compete, four for the team medal, plus two event specialists. Uncle Tim, Spencer, and Jessica chat about the new rules and more:

New Olympic qualification rules:
- Our gut feelings about the rule: from horror to elation and mistrust.
- How will the new rules effect non-dominant teams and individual World medalists?
- A list of questions that need to be answered about implementation before we can decide if this is good or bad.
- Do we trust the FIG to implement the qualification system fairly?
- Individuals and countries who stand to be damaged the most by the new rules.
- What past Olympics have looked like for athletes like, Hollie Vise, Alicia Sacramone, Anna Li or Elizabeth Price if these rules had been in place.
Rhonda Faehn left University of Florida to be Senior Vice President of Women’s Program
- Is Rhonda Faehn the House of Cards of gymnastics?
- We discuss the reasons she was chosen specifically for the position.
- Conspiracy theories about why a head college coach would leave…they never, ever leave.
- We also think that
The Varna World Cup
- How soon is too soon to start fixing the equipment after a routine?
- Does the FIG need to have an intervention on behalf of Ri Se Gwang’s ankles?
- Pinheiro Rodrigues won rings with an Olympic cross.
- We got to see a Church from Dufournet.
Sao Paolo World Cup
- Brazil rolled out the soccer style enthusiasm for new senior, Flavia Saraiva.
- Approve or Disapprove: Shang Chunsong’s new back to back tumbling passes on beam.
- Should elites use music on balance beam?
- Enrique “Porn ‘Stach” Gonzalez Sepulveda’s side roll!
Gymternet News:
- Brazilian Federation investigates racist video by Arthur Nory.
- Nastia almost made it to the finale of Dancing With The Stars.
- Shawn Johnson posts a cryptic message about tumbling again.
- The ugliest leotard we’ve ever seen: The Bavarian-tard.
- NCAA Nationals: new proposal for a four team final.

Which Gymnast Does Your State Love the Most? Find out here.

May 15, 2015 by GymCasticCrew 10 Comments

Which Gymnast Does Your State Love the Most?

Gymnastics fans, pack your bags for New Hampshire. That’s where your people are! (Of all places!)

If you miss the Perfect 10, head for South Dakota!

We analyzed Google trend data to discover where the most dedicated gymnastics fans live. As it turns out, Kyla Ross’s biggest fans aren’t in her home state of California. They’re in her birthplace of Hawaii.

And it appears that Marta does a lot of Googling for Aliya Mustafina in Texas.

Where do you find your fellow gym nerds? Just check the maps.

May 13, 2015 by GymCasticCrew 1 Comment

148: Shannon Miller

Shannon Miller interview It's Not About Perfect book red leotard 1992 ring leap smiling — Shannon Miller in 1991 at her first World Championships. © Mike Proebsting

The GymCastic Book Club had the most gym nerd-tastic celebration of all time this week when Shannon Miller, thé Shannon Miller, joined us to talk about her new memoire, “It’s Not About Perfect: Competing for My Country and Fighting for My Life.” She has more combined Olympic and World medals than any American gymnast male or female. She won the World Championship all-around two times in a row. She had multiple eponymous skills in the Code of Points. She was diagnosed with one of the deadliest forms of cancer and it ran away from her like a Level 5 who hears, “It’s time for conditioning!” Her male coach, Steve Nunno, acted like the love child of Bela Karolyi and Donald Trump, yet he complimented her perfectly. She did two back extension rolls in a row on beam just because the crowd loved it! She did her full difficutly on the post-Olympic tours because she wanted to give the fans what they paid for. She is so bad ass, that when a reporter said Olga, Nadia, Mary Lou…why isn’t it just Shannon? She replied, “Who says it’s not?” SHE IS SHANNON FREAKING MILLER, the greatest American gymnast of all time. Shannon answered your book club questions and we discussed:

Her infamous wrists and unique salute. Yes, she talks about her wrists! We died!
The time she thought she was over scored.
If there’s anything she would do differently in order to prepare herself for a social and romantic life after gymnastics; to avoid her troubled first marriage; and what will she tell her son and daughter about finding love?
She competed so much more than elites do today, does she wish she competed less?
The strong female role models in her life: her mother and Peggy Liddick.
The very first training camps at the Ranch when Bela was National Team Coordinator.
Training as an adult and how her coaches helped her stay in the sport as she grew older.
Skills she worked on that the world never got to see.
Does she plan on running for FIG President?
Should we bring back compulsories and the 10? Which team would she compete for if she had done gymnastics in college?
When can we expect to see her back in the commentator’s chair.
What women should do to screen for ovarian cancer.
Most importantly, if Alexi Nemov is as hot in person as he is on TV.

Uncle Tim and Jessica give their recap of the book including:

What coaches, parents and gymnasts can learn from this book.
As a hardcore gym nerd, what was most satisfying answer to finally read ?
What part of the book made us go hmmm.
What we wish she had talked about more.
The top tips and tricks we learned from Shannon for life, gymnastics and cancer preventing pelvic exams. (1:06:32 time stamp)
Shannon Miller’s Tips & Tricks According to Jessica:
- Always use two pair of grips and switch off every few days. Have two pair ready at all times during meets.
- Turn your feet in on beam especially if you were born with them that way.
- Have a signature look!
- Glue bedazzles to your scrunchie.
- Use your parents as mediators for compromise between coach and athlete.
- Coaches, plan time in your schedule for parent meetings, just like warmups and conditioning.
- Go on vacation, condition a little bit while you relax on vacation.
- Every gymnastics coach agrees, no gymnast should ever ski!
- Do at least 20 minutes of cardio every day.
- Don’t compensate for one injury, you’ll cause another.
- Having the mindset of a perfectionist comes at a price. You don’t have to pay the price, it’s a choice.
- Go sightseeing when you travel. Even if it’s only for an hour. Make trips special.
- If all of your athletes quit at age 15, it’s probably not them, it’s you.
- Teenagers and women cannot be coached physically or mentally the way children are trained. Adapt coaching to the age of your athlete.
- If you have knobby knees, land in 4th position and then slide your feet together fast into first position to get that 10!
- Use bacitracin and zinc oxcide (JUST LIKE I SAID!) to heal rips.
- What’s good for the media isn’t necessarily good for the gymnast. Don’t fall into the sexist expectation of being expected to smile all the time. Being in the zone like Nastia and Shannon is fine.
- If you go on tour, do full difficulty! Fans paid hard-earned money to watch you.
- Rolls on beam are awesome. Always do them to stand out like Shannon!
- Plan for rest, not just for competition.
- Gymnasts have to feel comfortable talking to their coaches, gymnastics is too dangerous to for silence.

Steve Nunno Poster — If Steve Nunno quotes were Motivational Posters by Spanny Tampson. “Stop crying! There are people everywhere!” – Steve Nunno, July 25, 1996 as Miller cried about under-performing on floor exercise in the Olympic all-around final.

Spanny Tampson made Steve Nunno motivation posters. Keep in mind, this is not a work of fiction, these are actual quotes.

Find out more about Shannon Miller’s exercise videos, fight against cancer, books and foundation here.

What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use any of these Steve Nunno quote hashtags: #ItsMillerTime or #InterGalacticChampion or #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 1st

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

SHannon Miller interview — © Renee Parenteau

Shannon Miller’s Eponymous Skills: The Miller on beam. The Miller on bars.

Archives for May 2015

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