Gymnastics Scoring: Execution Videos

If you’ve ever wondered how a gymnast can get two points or more in deductions for a solid looking routine, execution videos can help you understand.  Here’s one for Elena Gerasimova’s balance beam routine posted by youtuber Flip Fly Tumble.

I DON’T KEEP UP WITH GYMNASTICS RULES

In the sport of gymnastics, the rules change every four years like clockwork.  There was a time, when I would buy the new Code Of Points when it came out.  Once, I even bought  codes for the gymnastics disciplines I don’t even follow that much.  At some point, I’m not sure when, I just stopped caring.  I still go and reference the code on the FIG’s website when I want to know the value of a skill.  I just don’t keep that information in my head any more.

I’m not saying I was ever a guru!  I can just tell I had a better grasp of the rules 20 years ago.  I can name changes that have happened over the years but I couldn’t tell you exactly when those changes happened without looking them up.  I couldn’t tell you the start value of someone’s routine without looking it up, either.  I’m a huge fan of those D-score videos on youtube!

The FIG’s Plan to Make the World Cup Relevant

I’ve been as confused as anybody about the FIG’s move to decrease artistic team sizes from five to four.  It seems really weird, pointless, and confusing.  Then I realized that the new qualifying events are Event and All-Around World Cups plus Continental Championships.  Let’s just forget about the Continental Championships and focus on the World Cups.  Turning the World Cups into qualifiers for the Olympics instantly makes the FIG’s World Cup Series more important.  They’ve been trying to accomplish this for ages.

Right now they have World Challenge Cups where people with 4.8 start values end up with silver medals.  Where top countries send their greenest newbs to get some experience.  This is not the World Cup that the FIG wants.  The FIG wants the World Cups to be premiere events.  I think this new Olympic qualification scheme will finally get them there.

The funny part is, I wrote a plan about making the World Cups relevant by turning the them into qualifiers FOR WORLDS in 2011 and completely forgot about it.  So I’ve been scratching my head for three years now wondering why the FIG would do this crap.  Well, now I get it.  The point is to make the World Cups  more important!   I gotta say, I’m happy that Worlds is essentially unchanged because I like the idea that any FIG member country can send a full team to the mid-quad worlds at least.

Ukraine Rhythmic Group “Vogue” to Madonna

Ukraine’s rhythmic group performed the same hoops and clubs routine they did in Guadalajara at the Rio Olympics later in the year.

But It’s Louis Smith That’s Sexist

So Louis Smith posted a picture of Carly Patterson’s 16 year old ass. People are like, “OMG, So SEXIST!!” But why the fuck does he have a picture of Carly Patterson’s 16 year old ass in the first place. It’s because she’s wearing what is basically a T-shirt and panties. The required uniform for FIG women’s gymnastics. Yes, the FIG requires women, but not men, to wear what is basically underwear when they compete. But it’s Louis Smith that’s sexist.

There is an option for athletes to wear unitards, the last time I checked. But I’ve never seen a gymnast wear one on FIG artistic competition. The National Governing Bodies don’t take advantage of this tool to keep 16 year old asses from being ogled by people who like a nice ass. But it’s Louis Smith that’s sexist. Not only do NGB’s put 16 year old asses on display, some NGBs put them in leos that are two sizes too small with a high leg line so their asses stick out MORE. But it’s Louis Smith that’s sexist.

I hate leotards. They are completely stupid. So are people who have no problem with gymnasts wearing leotards but start shouting, “Sexism” when people look at what is on display. If you don’t want gymnasts to be ogled, let them cover their butts!!

Simone’s New Floor Routine

Simone debuted her new floor routine at the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships.  When I heard she was getting a new floor, I was looking forward to it because although Team Simone does a good job at putting together floor routines, there were a couple of things about her last routine that I really hated.  The stupid “oh” sound effect and the strange ass ending pose.  Apparently, she feels the exact opposite because those two things have been put into this new routine too.  I should have seen the ending pose coming because it was also used in her floor routine from 2014.

Simone is one of the latest “power” gymnasts from the US who also has a good track record for putting together nicely choreographed routines.  I wouldn’t give her anything less than a B for all her routines going back to 2010.  Actually, I’ll have to give her extra credit for basically having a new floor routine every year.  With other gymnasts, if you don’t like their routine, you’re stuck looking at it for three or four years.  So we’ll say B+.

 

Chinese Training: Rio Edition

A video from the Economist about Chinese gymnastics training. It focuses on trampoline.

LOL! The US Team Needs To Wear This Leo!

espnW and Marvel teamed up to create super hero drawings of 25 influential women in sports. Simone Biles is one of the 25 and she’s wearing a really great leo.

Raunchy Gymnastics Movie

You can tell from the trailer that it’s going to be on the raunchy side. It actually has an R rating – so apparently, they go even deeper into raunchy territory than you might expect.

And here’s a 20 minute Q&A from the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

The Chinese Gymnastics Schools

I just watched a documentary about Chinese Gymnastics school. If you throw out the parts with the guy kicking the kid and the part with the other guy threatening to beat them with a cane, I’d have to say the next worst part was at the very end when a coach says a seven year old won’t be world champion because supposedly she is already too big. This girl just started training. If you know she’s too big, stop taking her parents’ money and send her home. Ditto for the poor kid with curved arms. Six years training, and his parents spending money on that training, and his career was doomed from the start because of his arms. Terrible.