October Camp & News 2012

It's camp time again, kids! 

Property of Heather Maynez

Kyla Ross tweeted earlier today that she'd be returning to the ranch this weekend as well. This certainly seems like a good sign for her 2013 prospects. It's my understanding that the other 4 Olympians will remain on tour.

Nia Dennis, who has a "very close" Amanar will be attending as well. The '99 born gymnast was injured this summer but is working on some pretty impressive skills. 

Although I do not have confirmation on if Rebecca Bross will be attending camp, The Couch Gymnast reported that she may be competing at the Mexican Gymnastics Gala in November. My 
guess is, if she will be competing then, she'll attend this camp as well.

Here's a list of who is going. This is not yet complete and will be updated as I receive more information: 

Kennedy Baker
Simone Biles
Bridget Dean
Nia Dennis
Peyton Ernst
Ariana Guerra
Nica Hults
Bailie Key

Maggie Nichols
Katelyn Ohashi
Elizabeth Price
Lexie Priessman
Kyla Ross
Ragan Smith

The October camp may serve as an opportunity to add gymnasts onto the National Team, although additional members may not be added until January. I will keep you updated with any information that I can find.  

Camp News

After Polina Shchennikova posted a picture of everyone, including Rebecca at Camp, it appears that Marta has asked for things to be kept quiet regarding "big names".

(Was on Polina Shchennikova's FB)

This was a working camp. Girls verified individual skills and combinations and continued to work out. There were not winners of these verifications.

I will tell you, of all of the people who I've talked to, I've asked, "How are Becca & Nastia?" The consistent answer has been "working hard". I'm sorry guys, that's all I know. I've been trying I promise.

Here are updates on girls, as I receive them, in alphabetical order:

Simone Biles is training an Amanar into a pit. It doesn't seem too far off.

Rebecca Bross has a knee brace on, but is working bars and doing a ton of conditioning.

Brianna Brown of CGA won the Physical Abilities Testing.

Nia Dennis is training a Double Twisting Yurchenko.

Ericha Fassbender was invited to camp but did not attend due to an injury just before camp.

Amanda Jetter has been added to the National Team.

Bailie Key has added a standing arabian on beam, and is training a Double Twisting Yurchenko. She's also training a BHS-BHS-LO, Shawn Johnson Style. (To 2 feet).

Lizzy LeDuc is still recovering from elbow injuries that she sustained before moving to Zenith.

Nastia Liukin is "working out like crazy", verified skills on bars and is working beam and floor. She's been added to the National Team.

Katelyn Ohashi has the same bar set plus some new 1 hand pirouette work, like Onos.

Kyla Ross has no major upgrades on beam or floor yet. She's still got the Amanar, which looks good, and I'm not sure how her bars look.

Polina Shchennikova is training a BHS-BHS-5/2 beam dismount. She's also working a BEAUTIFUL L-Grip Endo to Jaeger! She has a minor knee issue, but nothing too serious.

McKenzie Wofford is reportedly training a tkatchev half into jaeger & a double double into pit on bars. HOLY UPGRADES!

All of the Texas Dreams girls look lovely on Bars and Beam.

Currently, I haven't heard about any girls going to Top Gym (begins 11/25).

Please don't ask "How is so-and-so?" You know everything that I know currently, and I will let you know more as soon as I find things out. More info will be coming later today.

Rebecca Bross returns to Camp

Earlier this week, I had several people inform me that Rebecca Bross had been invited to camp. Until today, I was unsure if she was attending. However, a video on Polina Shchennikova's Facebook proves that she is at camp. (Thanks Rivka719 for the link!)

I've been told by a reliable WOGA source that Bross has been working some bars and doing a lot of conditioning. She's seen running with a knee brace in the video. I've also been told that Valeri likes his gymnasts "in the gym watching" even if they cannot actually participate.

If you were under a rock this summer, Bross dislocated her kneecap at the 2011 Visa National Championships on a Double Twisting Yurchenko Vault.

You can see an updated list of the girls at camp here. 

Camp 11/17-11/22 - Full Attendance List

It's National Team Training Camp Time!!!

It's expected that Top Gym Assignments will be given, along with another possible December competition.It's also possible that the Olympic Test Event team will be chosen at this camp, because as Jennifer stated in the comments, Nominative entries are due December 7th. 

Here is the full list of camp attendees:

Kennedy Baker 

Simone Biles

(Property of Gym Examiner)

Rebecca Bross
Brianna Brown 

Nichelle Christopherson

Bridget Dean
Nia Dennis

Maddie Desch
Brenna Dowell

Peyton Ernst
Sarah Finnegan
Amelia Hundley
Brandie Jay

Amanda Jetter

Bailie Key

Lizzy LeDuc
Nastia Liukin 
Grace McLaughlin
Katelyn Ohashi

Elizabeth Price
Lexie Priessman
Kyla Ross
Polina Shchennikova
Mykayla Skinner

Kiana Winston

McKenzie Wofford

This list is based on conversations I've had with gymnasts/coaches & posts on twitter and other sites by gymnasts/coaches. 

My guess is that it will be Junior National Team, Some Seniors and some extra invites. 

The biggest shocks to everyone have been Amanda Jetter, who had pretty major surgery to repair her foot after complications with her Jesolo injury in Early September and Lizzy LeDuc, who was rumored to have dropped down to Level 10 after her move to Zenith.

The National Team Warmup

Some comments on the McKayla Maroney Post, as well as on my Twitter prompted me to write this post about the National Team Warmup.


Many elite coaches swear on this. AOGC uses it (as McKayla told us), Texas Dreams does it on their Two-a-days, and John Geddert has said he uses it often as well. I'd suspect that more elite coaches use it than don't.

Gymnastike has a great video from Region 3 Camp about the Warmup:



Watch more video of Workout Wednesday, Season 2 on gymnastike.org



After years of not being able to find a complete video of the National Team Warmup for years Beechurst10 came to the rescue! Here is a video of a modified warmup from 2007 TOPs A Camp. Below the video is a list of the exercises. It does not perfectly follow along with the video so don't expect it to. I'm not sure is this is modified for TOPs, if the warmup has changed since 2007 or both. Many of the exercises are in the video though.


Nica Hults and Nicki Shapiro (Sami's little sister who's going to be the best college gymnast EVER) are in this video (both in White), Polina Shchennikova is in Pink, and Bridget Dean is in Gold. Let me know if you find any other recognizable faces.

The owner of the video won't allow anyone to embed her video, but you can see a video of the warmup here.

The National Team Warmup based on USA Gymnastics' Website. 




Preparation 
Jump Rope (optional)
Variation of jumping 5 minutes
Walking Around Mat 
Head and wrist rolls 8-16 counts
Shoulder circles w/bent arms 8-16 counts
Arm swings Up, Down, Cross, Side 4 times each
Trunk twists arms in opposition 8-16 counts
Toe/Foot Stretches
Ball of foot lifts R begins then switch, quick 8 times
Top of toe lifts R begins then switch, quick 8 times
Repeat
2 steps rebound, R begins 4 times
Cardio
Running
Forward runs 3-5 passes
Backward runs 1 pass
Knee Lifts 1 pass
Butt kicks 1 pass
Prance, toes point, legs straight in front 1 pass
Power skips using big arm swing 1-3 passes 
WalksHigh toe 8-16 counts
Heel 8-16 counts

Stretching 
Arm Swings
R back, L back 4 each
R forward, L forward 4 each
Alternating R back first 4 each
Alternating L back first 4 each
Diagonal swings R then L 4 each
Trunk (stand in straddle)
Trunk twist, R begins 4 each
Pilé twist R Straight twist L lifting L leg 2 times
Repeat beginning with L
Hip push RLRL
Hip circle begin to R 1 time
Repeat to L
R lean, R hand on hip, L arm overhead stretching 2 times
L lean, L hand on hip, R arm overhead stretching 2 times
Forward lean, hands on hips 2 times
Backward lean, hands on hips 2 times
Arms through legs then thrust up overhead 2 times
Alternating arm lifts, body bent over, hand on floor RLRL
Repeat
Floor Stretching 
Join legs in pike stand
Pike, squat, pike, squat, 4 quick toe rises twice
Tuck roll to brief pike lay, roll down to pike sit
Sitting
Pike sit stretch with toes pointed 8 counts
Pike sit stretch with toes flexed 8 counts
Straddle legs, R reach 2 counts
Middle reach 2 counts
L reach 2 counts
Open and hold 2 counts
Repeat beginning with L
Lying
Reach back R to side, swing L leg up and around and allow body to follow to L.
As roll finishes, allow R leg to continue swinging back bent, as R arm swings forward then switches as R leg swings forward and R arm swings back.
Begin counting with R leg back then F,B,F,B,F,B,F and move leg up and over head as exercise began.
Repeat on L
Finishing on L side, Side stretches 8 counts
Roll to tummy, Seal stretches 8 counts
Roll to R side, Side stretches 8 counts
Roll to tummy, Quad stretches, R then L 8 counts
Feet 
Push back, sit on knees and lift body over top of toes 8 counts
Hop over toes, straighten legs, walk hands out
Achilles stretch R begins alternating 8 counts
R leg straight, L ankle at R ankle, stretch 8 counts
R leg bent, L ankle at R ankle, stretch 8 counts
Repeat above on L side
Ankle pops, pike stand, flat, then pop to top of toe 8 counts
Toe rises in pike stand 8 counts

Splits 
Turn to R, R leg in front, stride stand, chest to knees 8 counts
Deep lunge, toes pointing forward, back leg straight 8 counts
Wider stride stand, R foot flexed 8 counts
Deep lunge, toes pointing forward, back leg straight 8 counts
L knee on floor, pull L foot to hip (Hamstring stretch) 8 counts
Slide into R split, square off 8 counts
Lift L leg, hold it with R hand 8 counts
Release, L leg joins R in pike sit, turn over to knees
Repeat lifting L leg to stride position
From knee sit, step on L foot in lunge
Move to R side lunge, L,R,L slide into side split 8 counts
Wrist warm-up, top of hands, palms of hands - while in split
Pull legs together and bridge, push thru shoulders 2-4 counts
Tuck and roll 2 times
Repeat

Conditioning 
On last roll, roll all the way up to:
Straight jump, Tuck jumps (alternating) 5 each
Roll back to back, crunches 25
Alternating V-ups 10 each
Roll to R side for Arch ups 10
Repeat to L 10
Roll to tummy, Push-ups 15
Slide legs in to pike press, rebounds 5 each
Kicks 
In lines, step R, kick L front, step L, kick R side, step R, kick L back, turn
Repeat down the mat alternating legs
Bend over kicks, touch floor with hands, kick R back straight then bend
Repeat to L
Report to personal coaches for additional warm-up and conditioning as time allows.

10 Insiders' Opinions of Camp and Marta's System

The premise of the feature was to find out what the coaches, gymnasts and USA Gymnastics staff really think about the National Team Training camp. Of course, no one would say their true feelings if their names were released along with their opinions so each respondent was promised anonymity. 

All of these are straight out of the mouths of Elite Gymnasts, Coaches and Other Staff Members. Answers have only been edited for spelling, grammar and to ensure anonymity. 

“I think the results speak for themselves. The camps serve a very valuable purpose and are instrumental to the success of the USA program.”

“I look forward to the training camps and so do my athletes. It is an incredible learning environment and it is where we bond as a team.”

“All good. [The person I coach with and I] are both supportive of the camps and their obvious results. The ‘rumors’ are so hyperbolic.” 

“I definitely feel the camps are beneficial. Without them, I don't think the U.S. Would be as great at gymnastics as we are today. The trainer that is there does a very good job with helping everybody stay healthy.”

“I feel like the gymnasts getting injured is not because of Marta or her Training Camps, but because of the gymnasts own destiny. Plus that's the name of the game sadly, it's keeping your body healthy, and training very hard at the same time. I wouldn't blame anybody because that's just mean.”

“Of course the sport of gymnastics will always have injuries and all of coaches and athletes are aware of this. The US team is by far one of the strictest, if not the strictest team, out of all the countries, which can take a tough toll on all of the gymnasts bodies during a big competition time. Not only physically, but the mental aspect of it is what is exhausting. With Marta's system, it is extremely tough, but that's what it takes to be the best athlete and the best team in the World. Being prepared physically and mentally to become the best that you are capable of being. Having the confidence of knowing you've pushed through the worst of workouts and can still make your routines, you're mentally prepared for the routine at a competition. The training camps are intense, but if you don’t train and practice with that intensity, how can one feel fully prepared and confident going into a competition with any circumstances that may come about. People got injured, but it didn't matter because every girl on the Worlds team was prepared in every even that they trained. It's the nature of our sport to have injuries. We train and compete on broken bones, torn muscles, or ligaments, but its all the hard work and dedication that we've put into it Every single day, that makes no one want to give up when you're finally reaching your life long dream and goal. The National Team Training Camps and Marta's system is brutal but I know it's her ways and opinion on reaching success and it has proven to do so. She tries to do what's best for the team and USA always ends up on top, regardless of injuries.”

"Well, I think that having two selection camps was probably not necessary. Maybe one would have been better. ...  But it was definitely interesting hearing Martha say that having the mock competitions at the camps helped decide whether or not to put Gabby Douglas on the team, and she clearly benefited from that. I mean I don't have an answer to what would be better, but I feel like there has to be other options. ... Most people tend to do better when they're enjoying what they're doing. Why not make them a little more fun and semi-enjoyable? It's still possible to work hard and get things accomplished in that setting. I mean, that may not be the answer either but that's just my take on it. At least that's my personal preference.

I will add though, that obviously something worked, since we just won Gold even after losing  Alicia two days before and the other injuries and circumstances." 

“From all my experience, it's no one's fault anyone gets injured. Its the nature of the sport and sure there are smarter ways to train and less smart ways to train but everyone has a personal coach who ultimately makes their training decisions and knows their body. It just stinks that the human body isn’t made to with stand the numbers and training required to succeed at that level. Its brutal but its what it takes and we are all so willing to do it!!”

“I don't think it has to do with training camps, or Martha. I think it just has to do with the numbers you put in your body and what you do when you train at home. At the training camps your body does get sore but it's just because you try different things. Injuries just happen sometimes.”

“Personally I don’t think has anything to do with Marta and the training camps I think sometimes injuries just happen. It may be because of all the hard hits you take while training at home. Even though we do have many camps I know that does make our bodies hurt a little, but not a ton, at least not for me.”

So what I understand from these responses: Camps are a necessary evil of being an elite. They help the team as a whole, but the girls often leave sore.


This can also be found on the International Gymnast Forum here.

A Sneak Peek for an IGF Feature!

I'm currently working on a really cool feature to post on the International Gymnast Forum but I wanted to give everyone who's been kind enough to follow my blog a sneak peek! 

The premise of the feature was to find out what the coaches, gymnasts and USA Gymnastics staff really think about the National Team Training camp. Of course, no one would say their true feelings if their names were released along with their opinions so each respondent was promised anonymity. 


While I haven't finished compiling and formatting all of the responses, I wanted to give you all a sneak peek of one of my favorite responses. 


The following is the opinion of one US Elite Gymnast: 


"Well, I think that having two selection camps was probably not necessary. Maybe one would have been better. ... 


But it was definitely interesting hearing Martha say that having the mock competitions at the camps helped decide whether or not to put Gabby Douglas on the team, and she clearly benefited from that. I mean I don't have an answer to what would be better, but I feel like there has to be other options. ... Most people tend to do better when they're enjoying what they're doing. Why not make them a little more fun and semi-enjoyable? It's still possible to work hard and get things accomplished in that setting. I mean, that may not be the answer either but that's just my take on it. At least that's my personal preference.

I will add though, that obviously something worked, since we just won Gold even after losing  Alicia two days before and the other injuries and circumstances." 

This is just one of the many responses that will be coming soon!

Join the  International Gymnast Forum if you haven't yet. It's free and open to everyone!