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The End

Performing a simple handspring vault, I landed incorrectly, meaning one foot took a disproportionate amount of the impact, mainly on the big toe joint from pointing my toes so much during the move. I was competing in an international friendly at the time and oddly I had complained to my coach that this vault was too easy for my level.  I almost felt like Kerri Strug in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.   I was in incredible pain but presented to the judge before hobbling off to the side. Bruising …

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Part 1
 
Being injured is a terrible event in any athlete’s career.  One injury can jeopardise some-one’s progression in the sport or even mark the end of their career.  In gymnastics, it is so easy to get hurt. The simplest deviation of a body line can inadvertently cause great harm.
 
Types of Injuries
There are the obvious types of injuries; muscle strains and tears and broken bones.  There are also injuries that develop over a period of time (Osgood Schlatters disease for example, which occurs from a combination of factors such as …

Tweet 1. There are 9 different disciplines in Irish Gymnastics (IG)

Womens Artistic (WAG)
Mens Artistic (MAG)
Tumbling
Acrobatics
Special Needs
All Disciplines
Aerobics
Trampolining
Rhythmic

2. There are eight different regions throughout the country in IG. In these eight regions, there are currently 92 clubs registered with IG, the governing body.

3. While Ireland is not renowned for producing gymnasts to the standard required for Olympic competition, Barry MacDonald became the first and only Irish Gymnast to compete in the Olympic Games when he performed at the 1996 Atlanta Games

4. In Ireland, Salto Gymnastics Club in Lisburn, Co Antrim …

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Flexibility
Flexibility works hand-in-hand with strength. A combination of the two in a gymnast is a step towards perfection, as long as they know how to control their body (i.e. using their strength to not allow themselves be too flexible eg. over-twisting in the splits). I often find it more impressive to watch a more flexible gymnast on the beam or floor, rather than a gymnast who is mainly powerful, as some of the moves such as a split leap can be so beautiful to watch as opposed to powerful …

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Part One
 
Part of being a gymnastics coach is that I must constantly be on the look-out for new talent.  Every September when the new term begins, streams of new kids come through the doors. Kids of all different standards, some who have done gymnastics before, some who have not, some kids who want to be there, others who have been forced by their parents. It’s a big mixed bunch to say the least!

On that first day, while the kids are settling in and being shown how to …

Tweet We are all aware of the Global Recession. How is it affecting your club? Surprisingly, we have not noticed a drop in numbers nor a lack of interest for gymnastics since the global recession came to light. However, we have found during fundraising events that people are not as generous as they would have been a year ago.
 You can read here how the Irish Sports bodies are calling on the government to protect the remaining sports budgets. Hopefully it will work out as Irish Gymnastics gains significantly less funding from …

Tweet For sixteen years, I’ve taken part in the great sport of gymnastics. I trained as a gymnast for eleven years and I am now in my fifth year of coaching professionally.  Everyone has their reasons for feeling passionate about something in their lives. I’d like to introduce you to mine.

Personal Education
My coaches taught me about my body – what was the correct way to stand and why. Standing up tall with my “bum tucked and belly sucked in” somehow gave me an air of confidence.  I learnt that …