What’s it like to be one of Britain’s greatest gymnasts? In this fascinating autobiography, Beth Tweddle takes us through the biggest moments of her life, from winning gold at the World Championships, to being honoured with an MBE at just 25 years old. Follow her story as she prepares for her most important task yet – the Olympics!

Buy “Becoming an Olympic Gymnast” on Amazon.co.uk here. Note that the book is from the new Pearl Band, the highest band in the scheme which helps children make the transition from a reading series to chapter books. Pearl books offer substantial texts to help stretch fluent readers and increase their vocabulary.

An unflinchingly honest memoir from Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu that reveals the often dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics as only an insider can—and the secrets she learned about the past that nearly tore apart her family.At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastic team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixie-like appearance, passion for the sport, and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships.

     From her stubborn father and long-suffering mother, to her acclaimed Svengali-like coach, Bela Karolyi, Off Balance reveals how each of the dominating characters contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after being publicly scorned by her father.

     But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life, just as she reclaims the love of the sport that had defined so much of her life.

     A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of gymnastics and sport, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.

View it on Amazon.

Mrs Wieber says that the book won’t as such be a “how to” guide for Gym Moms but observations and insights from her  experience as a gymnastics parent over the years. This isn’t the first time that Jordyn’s mother will put pen to paper, she is a longtime freelance writer, once writing a popular fitness column for the Lansing State Journal for a number of years.

It should be a good read, I always welcome new gymnastics books.

Read more Detroit Free Press.

Coach Zaglada asks the reader to think about what would have to happen if a double salto was to be performed on the beam. He says this would require one of three things:

1. The beam would have to be wider
2. The beam would have to be constructed out of different materials with better shock absorbing properties to soften landings.
3. The material out of which the base is constructed would have to be changed

He points out that if this was to happen, essentially the beam would be a long springboard:

“something more appropriate to the circus than artistic gymnastics”

Zaglada seems against changing the beam;
“Every gymnastics event has it’s own unique image, and in my opinion this image shouldn’t change – no matter what.  As I have stated before, the basic materials of the working components of equipment have to constantly be perfected to make them more elastic, reliable, and safe. The vaulting table was an exception. Given the increasing difficulty of modern vaults, the FIG was compelled to update the design for safety reasons.”
He also welcomes the FIG’s move to enhance the shock absorbing qualities of the floor apparatus with thousands of shock absorbers. In both this instance and the vaulting table, the FIG improved the safety of both events and made it possible to raise the difficulty.

• What do you think?
• Do you think we should have wide beams, like those in the tv show Make It or Break It?
• Would you be as impressed  by beam World Champion Ana Porgras if you knew she was performing her World winning skills on a sprung beam?

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

I don’t want to ruin the book for anyone who hasn’t read it but it really is fantastic, Marta and Belas move to America was brave and obviously a brilliant choice! I especially enjoyed reading it since I had also previously read Nadia Comaneci’s autobiography “Letters to a Young Gymnast” so I could read situations from both Bela and Nadias sides. I urge any big gymnastics fans to read this book, I got mine as a very cheap second hand version on Amazon.

I would really welcome a new book from Bela. This book was published in 1994 so you can only imagine what situations and stories would be involved in a new biography from 1994 to 2012.

I am now about halfway through reading Vladimir Zagladas book “One Coaches Journey From East to West”,  I thought it would be more like Belas book, it started off that way but is turning more technical and educational. I’m finding the heavy Russian to English translation hard so it’s not as fluid and easy to read as. It’ll take a me a couple of days but should be able to update you on my thoughts by the end of the week.

Have you read either of these books? What are your thoughts on them? 

ONE COACH’S JOURNEY FROM EAST TO WEST: HOW THE FALL OF THE IRON CURTAIN CHANGED THE WORLD OF GYMNASTICS

Until the fall of the Soviet Union the West and the Communists were engaged not only in a heated arms race but a race for Olympic gold, and Moscow poured tremendous resources into the effort, attracting some of the country’s greatest minds. Author Vladimir Zaglada provides a look inside some of the Soviet Union’s gymnastics “think tanks,” such as the Moscow’s Lenin Institute. One Coach’s Journey from East to West also introduces us to some of the brilliant and colorful figures that have advanced the art of gymnastics and examines how the flood of coaching talent into the West has shifted the “balance of power.” The force of this “flood” has been somewhat impeded by cultural and language barriers, which are also discussed in the book. “Hot topics” such as the relentless increase in the difficulty level of artistic gymnastics are also discussed and a number of technical issues are covered, complete with illustrations. Zaglada provides a rare look inside the world of Soviet gymnastics at its height and provides information never before published in English.

Did the machinery that cranked out Soviet gymnastics champions allow for a happy childhood? Why has the balance of power in gymnastics shifted in America’s favor – but will Russia retake the throne? The rigid line between “amateurs” (who are true professionals in almost all senses of the word) and professionals – is the “amateur” in “amateur gymnastics sacred? Is there an ideal physique for women’s gymnastics? How much of current American coaching practice can be traced back to Soviet sports institutes? Ever heard of the “profile system”? What is the difference between an Arabian, an Onodi, and a Mostepanova? Why a few basic terms are constant sources of confusion. How effective was the system of incentives for Soviet gymnasts and coaches? How did the nomenklatura system of privileges and patronage impact Soviet gymnastics?

You can follow Coach Zaglada on Twitter or visit his website.

I love books like Gerald S George’s recent “Championships Gymnastics” and his 1980 book “Biomechanics of Women’s Gymnastics” and my current love Monem Jemni’s  ”The Science of Gymnastics“. The Science of Gymnastics Journal often has some really great pieces that interest me, especially the current edition which has contributions from FIG Members.

The FIG are set to do some scientific research of their own this month. They have invited a panel of scientific experts from Great Britain, USA, Belgium, Greece and Australia to participate in a study to investigate the effects of intensive training on the growth and development of gymnasts.

A team of internationally recognised experts will be received in Lausanne to address an issue that is largely debated within the FIG; the aim is to bring objectivity and answers to questions that loom in the minds of both gymnasts and their technical entourage.

Chaired by Canadian Keith Russell, the FIG Scientific Commission was the project initiator before it was passed on to Dr Adam Baxter-Jones (USA). Discussions will hinge on the impact of intensive training on a gymnast’s adult height, segmental growth, growth rate rhythm and the possible presence of negative hormones in that process. The colloquium will bring concrete answers to whether or not there is an effect, and the degree of personal impact.

Sounds great, really interesting. I’ll be looking forward to the results and answers that the panel come up with. I hope that they’ll be widely released for everyone to see.

Via FIG

I finally began to sit down and read my copy of the new book “The Science of Gymnastics“. I might be wrong but started with part 3 “Psychology and mental training for gymnastics”. I only read a few pages but so far I’m loving it, really loving it.

Bruno Grandi has a foreword at the beginning of the book, I thought it was a nice thing to share.

From my earliest steps in gymnastics I have worked in the development of different aspects of this magical sport and have never deviated from this path.

The cultural aspects, the aesthetic appeal and the underlying science are among the features of gymnastics that I value. Indeed, human beings’ development  is based on their movement capacity. The variety of their motor skills allows them their ‘freedom of movement’ as well as a wide range of creativity.

Nowadays competitive gymnastics is flourishing. It is present at every major sporting event. It is a fascinating, dynamic and emotionally inspiring sport… . In one word, it is artistic.

The coaches, technicians and scientists working in the field are responsible for gymnastics’ development. They always have to keep in mind that technique serves the artistic side of the sport.

You, the scientists who are the authors of this volume, have my compliments and my gratitude for your contribution to gymnastics.

Prof. Bruno Grandi

President of the International Gymnastics Federation

That made me smile reading it and remind me just how beautiful and amazing gymnastics is.

Part 1: Physiology for Gymnastics

Part 2: Bio mechanics for Gymnastics

Part 3: Psychology & Mental Training for Gymnastics

Part 4: Interaction between physiological , biomechanical & psychological aspects of gymnastics performance

The book was edited by Moném Jemni, who is a former international gymnast and coach. He is a Principal lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Greenwich in the UK. In the dedications, he dedicates the book to Boris Shakhlin who he says was an inspiration to him as a gymnast. Boris, a six time gold Olympic medal winner was the first documented gymnast to perform mental training and mental practice before competition, before each event.

Remember you can order yours too. I ordered mine from Amazon.Co.UK which has an earlier release date than ordering from Amazon.com

Drawing on cutting edge scientific research, and including contributions from leading international sport scientists and experienced coaches, the book represents an important link between theory and performance. With useful summaries, data and review questions included throughout, the book examines every key aspect of gymnastic training and performance, including:

• energetic, physical and physiological assessment
• training principles
• diet, nutrition and supplementation
• growth and development issues
• kinetics and kinematics
• angular and linear motion
• angular momentum
• stress, anxiety and coping
• motivation and goal setting
• mental skills training for practice and competition
• the psychology of learning and performance.

I’ve ordered my copy from Amazon UK which has a release date of January 26th 2011 showing. Amazon.Com however is showing a release date of March 5th 2011. I can’t wait for my copy!

Look at what just arrived in the post! I’m very excited! One of the best presents I’ve ever received was Gerald’s previous book Biomechanics of Womens Gymnastics – it’s fantastic. I expect Championship Gymnastics to be nothing less!

Order your Champion Gymnastics book by Gerald S. George here.

Rick posted a link to this fantastic book Building The Gymnastic Body. I had a quick glance over the contents and bought it immediately. Including shipping it cost $79 (€55 / £48), I’m hoping it will turn out to be an invaluable source of information for myself and the gymnasts I coach.

Our club recently purchased some new equipment and I see that Gymnova UK have updated their website, looking lovely, a much better layout than the previous website.

Over the last few months, many people have been doubting Nastia Liukins return to gymnastics next season. I have definitely noticed how Nastia is concentrating mainly on her business projects since taking this year off. It would be a great pity if she didn’t return to the sport as I know a lot of my gymnasts look up to her. Up until a few months ago, I followed both Nastia and Shawn Johnson on Twitter but soon began to feel somewhat irritated with their updates. I suppose I wanted it to be more gymnastics related but with Shawn on Dancing With The Stars and Nastia concentrating on her business schedule I felt a little bored of seeing their updates about taking a flight to X, Y and Z etc.  Here’s a few links from Gymnastics Coaching , Full In Full Out and Gymtruthteller’s Blog to get an idea as to how people are feeling – especially check out the comments on each blog post.

Since finishing Letters to a Young Gymnast, I have started reading “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes” by Joan Ryan.  It is written about the “making and breaking of elite gymnasts and figure skaters”. So far it’s an ok read although I find myself skipping through the pages about the figure skaters as I’m not all that interested in that. I’m taking it all with a pinch of salt and not getting too caught up in the extremes some of the girls went to attempt to achieve their dreams.

Do you have any thoughts on the book?