GymCastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

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156: Event Finals Pan Am Games and Secret Classic Preview Jul 22, 2015

Show notes

This week Uncle Tim and Jessica discuss the Pan American Games Event Finals with 2004 Olympic floor champion and CBC analyst Kyle Shewfelt!

Gym Myth Busters: We found out, straight from the men's FIG Technical Committee President, if Manrique Larduet (CUB) was deducted for excessive celebration after his parallel bars routine in qualifying.
We had to know Kyle's opinion: should the men's all-around final have gone to Manrique instead of Sam Mikulak (USA)?
Why Canada, Cuba and Flavia Lopez Saraiva (BRA) stole the show in Toronto.
The Out of Bounds Championship floor final, a first of it's kind.
Kyle and our listeners came up with the solution the Yamilet Peña (DOM) and the Produnova of Death vault situation. Nellie Kim, now hear this!
Why Daniele Hypolito (BRA) is a hero and true sportsman (even after being robbed of a bronze in the vault final).
Why Rachel Gowey (USA), Jessica Lopez (VEN) and Amelia Hundley's (USA) floaty bars made us smile.
Ellie Black (CAN) told Kyle Shewfelt why she was able to achieve to her highest potential during the most pressure packed final of the competition: beam.
Ana Sofía Gómez Porras (GUA) finally redeemed herself on the floor, but she presented a text book example of why a gymnast should never tumble with hands side by side on beam!
How difficult is the full-in off the end of the parallel bars, done by Jossimar Calvo (COL), compared to a double-tuck off of the side; Kyle weighs in.

Our weekly roundup of the latest news stories from around the gymternet include:

A preview of the Secret Classic: from college elite Brenna Dowell to 2011 world team gold medalist, Sabrina Vegas; to reigning Olympic champions, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas; it's going to be a great meet!
Does being named to a Pan Am Team hurt a gymnasts chances of being on a World or Olympic team?
Shannon Miller's coach, Steve Nunno, is back! It's has been confirmed to a fan website first; congratulations Full Twist! Emily Gaskins (AKA Baby Podkopayeva) of Intensity Gymnastics in Florida, is being coached by Steve Nunno and Romanian Olympic gold medalist, Lavinia Agache. We discuss the implications--at length!
Plus, rhinestones, not just for facial injuries anymore.

If you want to hear Kyle Shewfelt's analysis of the Pan Am Games, download the CBC Sports App for streaming replays, available on Android and Apple.
Check out Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics, it is a marvel; from business plan to layout and function, it needs to be the centerfold of a gymnastics school design and business magazine. They have acrobatics, adult gymnastics classes, rhythmic, tumbling, trampoline, gymnastics cross training, yoga, Gymsanity, Warrior Gymnastics (What is this? We want to do it!) and parkour. If the GymCastic headquarters were in Calgary, we'd live at Kyle's gym.

Secret Classic coverage begins on Friday with live podium training here or USA Gymnastics YouTube Channel. The senior competition will be on Universal Sports. If you aren't in the US and are having trouble with access to Universal Sports, try using a VPN. Our listeners recomend TunnelBear, Hola, ZenMate and GetUsVPN.

155: University and Pan Am Games Jul 15, 2015

Show notes

Manrique Larduet (CUB) urges the crowd to show their appreciation after his parallel bars routine in prelims of the Pan American Games. © Grace Chiu

This week Mary-Anne "Mez Monckton from the Australian national team, Uncle Tim and Jessica chat about:

Pan Am Games Team Finals and All-Around Competitions:
- Do we like Elfi Schlegel better on on ESPN or NBC?
- We answer the most important question of the meet: Where’s Marta?
- Cuba, Cuba and more Cuba! Manrique Larduet and Marcia Videaux Jimenez thrilled us.
- Yamilet Peña (DOM)and the Execution score vaulting problem; should Yamilet Peña have gotten credit for her Produnova/buttahara/chalk skid mark landing?
- If Manrique was deducted for excessive celebration, was it justified?
- Was Daniele Hypolito (BRA), aka "Hypolito The Great” and "No Gripz Hypolitz," unfairly deducted for a fall on her beam dismount?
- Yes, darling of the Games, Flavia Saraiva (BRA) touched the beam for a 1.0 deduction but Jessica doesn’t care.
- Winning with a fall: the Sam Mikulak (USA) vs Manrique all-around showdown.
- Did the US team make the right decision by not letting Donnell Whittenberg (USA) repeat his Cassina after slamming his head against the ground and possibly suffering a concussion in all-around finals?
- Jorge “The Hair” Vega (GUA) and his ode to Japanese gymnastics.
- Ellie Black (CAN) informed the world that she is the shield maiden of the North!
- We love that Maddie Desch (USA) went for all her difficulty, including a laid-out full on beam.
- Who would we put up in a team final on beam? Amelia Hundley (USA) and Ana Lago (MEX).
University Games in Gwangju, South Korea:
- Mary-Anne “Mez” Monckton (AUS) talks about her experiences competing at the Uni Games after nine months out for ankle reconstruction.
- Mez talks about her coping mechanisms for handling disappointment.
- MERS outbreak may have kept some teams at home, but the bars almost falling on judges, plastic sheets on the beds, and unpredictable schedule kept the competitors living the phrase, “be prepared for anything.”
- The Russian training system in action: how Maria Paseka (RUS) hit her routines.
- With a score of 92 (higher than Kohei’s in the last two Worlds), is Oleg Vernaiev (UKR) now THE legitimate threat to Kohei (JPN)?

Our weekly roundup of the latest news stories from around the gymternet include:

Steve Nunno is rumored to be coaching again
Nia Dennis has left her longtime gym, Buckeye, for Legacy Elite Gymnastics in Chicago.
Keira Brown has officially transferred to University of Pennsylvania.
Kyla has a new skill on bars; a Bhardwaj (Pak full) and we will post the video by Deanne Hong at midnight EST Wednesday, July 15th!
We read your feedback about Aly Raisman’s statement on eating disorders in The Body issue of ESPN magazine.

154: Aly in The Body Issue Jul 08, 2015

Show notes

Olympic gold medalist, Aly Raisman in the 2015 ESPN magazine's Body issue. Click on the image for her video and interview with ESPN.

In the news this week, Uncle Tim and Jessica chat about:

Aly Raisman's take on the lack of eating disorders in gymnastics and learning to have muscle pride in ESPN's Body Issue
Raducan asked the Olympic Committee to give her gold back, they said no.
International Gymnastics Federation President, Bruno Grandi's interview on the 2020 Olympic qualification changes:
- Grandi says gymnastics has a business problem; but is really just a marketing problem?
- We agree with Grandi most of the time, but when he leans on nostalgia for evidence, we tear his arguments to shreds!
- Grandi argues that Romania has been hurt by the lack of elegance in the code. He must mean this 1978 routine from Romanian, Emilia Eberle and her famous for the hump the floor choreography.
Menstrual Cups for gymnastics. If you have used them for gymnastics, tell us about your experience.
How not to flirt with girls at gymnastics
Gym Myth Busters:
- Is difficulty really the strongest predictor of all-around rankings?
- Do height or weight matter in elite gymnastics?
- Shawn Johnson promotes self love on The Secret Life of The American Teenager.

Full Out Movie has an air date! August 9th 4pm after the NFL pre-season game on LA/San Diego television.
2000 Olympic Trials: Special Victims Unit from The Balance Beam Situation
Do Height and Weight Matter in Women's Elite Gymnastics? Uncle Tim has the answer.
E-Scores vs. D-Scores: Which is the strongest predictor of all-around rank? Find out here.
Sexy Data: Which event is the strongest predictor of all-around rankings?
Lauren Mitchell wishes to stress that she has yet to make a decision on her gymnastics future
Gymnast Kiera Brown dismissed from the team due to violation of team rules

Gymnastics competition begins on July 11 with the men’s team finals, which also serve as the all-around and individual event final qualification.

The women take the floor on July 12 for team finals.

Pan American Games scheduling and listings here.

Check out these meet summary videos from A R Federova. 2011 Worlds here.

153: Inaugural European Games Jul 01, 2015

Show notes

Seda Tutkhalyan (RUS), Giulia Steingruber (SUI), Lisa Top (NED) on the vault podium at the inaugural European Games in Baku.

Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton, Emma and Jessica chat about:

The unusual format of 3 up 2 count over two days for team, and men and women on the floor at once.
One per country rule for finals - spoiler alert, we hated it!
The level of difficulty might have been lower than usual (12.8 for bronze on bars) but the performances were gorgeous! We choose our favorite routines and skills
The return of Komova! Rejoice!
Showdown of the Olegs, plus the big payout for medals given to Oleg Stepko by Azerbeijan. He made bank!
The Russian Dream Team: Seda, Aliya and Komova
Giulia Steingruber, is she the new Sacramone of vault and floor?
Concussions in context: Brinn Bevin high bar fall and why concussions are always serious.
Fabian Hambüchen's dinasour roars and new floor skill.
Miguel Rayderley Zapata from Spain won floor just like Jessica told you guys he would! If you don't love him, you are not paying attention!

Results, video, photos and news from the first European Games here.

Episode 38: Svetlana Boginskaya Jun 24, 2015

Show notes

In June, 2013 the Belarusian Swan graced us with her presence. Svetlana Boginskaya (Boguinskaia) is a 14-time Olympic and World medalist and is as elegant as she is fierce. This is a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind! Bogi gives us the scoop on: Alexander Alexandrov and why he left Russia, what happened at Round Lake when the USSR collapsed, the real story behind her snub of Kim Zmeskal at the 1991 World Championships, the politics behind Natalia Kalinina being left off of the Barcelona Olympic team, what makes her gymnastics camp different, why she thinks she isn’t artistic, dating as a teen gymnast in Moscow, her Bolshoi choreography, her favorite routines, coaching Oksana Chusovitina in 2013, and why raising kids is harder than doing a sixth Olympics or trying to understand Bela Karolyi's english.

Follow her on Instagram under the username "Svetlanaboguinskaia", check out the schedule for her camp here or email her for choreography at info@ogccamp.com. If you are ever in the Houston area, make sure to visit her resturant, Mazzei's Gourmet Pizzeria in Katy, Texas.

9: Chellsie Memmel Jun 17, 2015

Show notes

This week we talk about our favorite routines from the Swiss Cup and discuss the platforms Grandi, Stoica and Titov ran on in their FIG presidential campaigns. We talk to Chellsie Memmel who gave us very honest and frank answers about her experience being eliminated from the 2012 Olympic trials process; how Steve Penny suggested her retirement after Classics, being announced as an alternate live on television in 2004, finding love while being an elite athlete, making the team but competing with a severe injury in Beijing and how she made the decision to move on from her longtime coach Jim Chudy at Salto.

Louis Smith Calendar Blythe's Notes from the 2012 Swiss Cup Rybacki is the new Kathy Kelly Karolyi confirmed as U.S. National Team Coordinator; Liukin, Rybacki get new job Visa no longer the title sponsor for US Nationals Platforms of the FIG presidents from the fantastic blog / FIG Watchdog, The All Around Dvora for Deadspin U.S. Gymnastics Turns Its Back On Chellsie Memmel, Genuine Badass

152: Four Nations Cup Italy, Russia, Romania and Colombia Jun 10, 2015

Show notes

Four Nations Cup all-around champion, Seda Tutkhalyan (RUS)

Jessica, Emma and Bea chat about:

The rules for pre-floor routine walk out choreography; our dos and don'ts.
Laura Jurica (ROM) has made progress on bars.
If there were gymnastics-satyr made of Mustafin's arms and Shawn Johnson's power, it would be little Russian power house, Seda Tutkhalyan.
The throwback Pozar-esque folk dance floor from new senior Anastasia Dimitrieva (RUS).
The triple full from Zarzu (ROM) that looked as easy as a playground cartwheel.
An update on training for comeback masters, Catalina Ponor and Dragulescu.
Brazilian babies, Rebeca Andrade and Flavia Saraiva put the world on notice at the Flanders International.
Nastia got engaged and announced the founding of The Shine Agency, but questions about what Shine will actually do still remain.
Douglas Family Gold will air on Oprah's Oxygen channel later this year, and Emma has many concerns!
A listeners discovers that Paul Ruggeri predicted the future of Olympic qualifying on this very show in 2012.
Since Bea is Romanian, we got a little pronunciation tutorial--even Nadia would be impressed with.

What: Do your favorite Shannon Miller pose or choreography.

How: Post it on Twitter or Instagram, tag us and use hashtag #MillerTimeContest

Deadline: Monday, June 15th

Winner: Gets a copy of Shannon’s book!

Shannon Miller © Dave Black

The Couch Gymnast coverage of Four Nations Cup.

See the Must Watch Routines from the Four Nations Cup over on The Couch Gymnast.

Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

150: Luke Carson May 27, 2015

Show notes

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

Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

94: Women's European Championships Part One May 21, 2015

Show notes

149: New Rules for Tokyo Olympics in 2020 May 21, 2015

Show notes

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.

Watch the Full Out movie trailer here.

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