Jiani Wu

What was it like growing up in China before they were a gymnastics super power? Jiani tells us all about it. A native of Shanghai back when China was a closed society, Jiani was one of the first allowed to compete outside of the country. Wu helped the Chinese women win their first World Championships team medal, a silver at the 1981 Worlds in Moscow and a bronze for the team at the 1984 Olympics.We discuss:

• Adjusting to coaching in the United States and working with parents.
• The Yurchenko loop and Teza skills that she was doing back in the 70's.
• Her coaching philosophy and how it ties into her experience as an accidental champion.
• Secret romances and how she met her husband in the training halls of the national training center.
• The training schedule and beam complex seriousness of the Chinese training regime.
• Gymnastics urban legend busting about China's conditioning, pizza and hamburgers.
• What China was like in the 1970's before their athletes were allowed to compete outside of the country.
• Coaching both of her daughters, 2012 Olympic alternate Anna Li and level 9 Andrea Li.
• That time she Yin Alvarez'd when Gabby Perea hit her bar routine.
• The major awardChina gave her for winning an Olympic medal.

Legacy Elite Gymnastics

• 106: Biles and Ross Dominate the 2014 US Secret Classic
• 2014 Senior Secret Classic Competition Photo Gallery
• 2014 Junior Secret Classic Competition Photo Gallery
• Photo Gallery of Podium Training at the 2014 Secret Classic
• 88: Rhonda Faehn with Mackenzie Caquatto
• Episode 3: Russian Regime Change, Fashion Code and a Chat With Anna Li
• Episode 17: Growing Up In The Soviet Gymnastics System And Training At Round Lake
• Episode 5: Growing up at WOGA

Jiani Wu performing the Yurchenko Loop

Jiani Wu performing her eponymous skill on bars.

Watch the playlist for this episode here.

 

Uncle Tim, Blythe, and Jessica chat about:

• Our picks for most fascinating people of 2013.
• Routines from 2013 that people will still be talking about 20 years from now.
• Victoria Moors at the Tokyo International.
• Oleg Verniaiev and Danell Leyva at the Valerie Liukin Invitational
• Tatiana Nabieva's retirement.
• Plus Rowena Needham, Kohei Uchimora, Mykayla Skinner and Sam Mikulak's cool new skills.

We give our opinions on the latest news stories from around the gymternet:

• Our fantasy gymnastics teams.
• The bars falling down in Ellie Black's gym.
• Aliya Mustafina's fan Q&A session on VK.com (translations thanks to World of Gymnastike).
• A Gabby Douglas gymnastics update.
• Lexie Priessman and Amelia Hundley health updates.
• Simone Biles new choreographer.
• The airport adventures of Sam Peszek and Eric Stonestreet (Cameron on Modern Family).
• Our two solutions for making elite floor more fun with less tumbling passes even though the Stork Stand is here to stay.
• We respond to listener Questions & Comments:
  • In tirade news - Jessica responds to a listener's offense over her designation of cheerleaders as wearers of "slutty" outfits.
  • The best camcorder for recording gymnastics meets.
  • Should USAG hold a red-carpet award gala like USA Swimmings' Golden Goggles?

• GymCastic's Top 6 Episodes of 2013
• By the Numbers: 2013's Top All-Around Gymnasts
• A Gym Nerd's Guide to NCAA Bars
• 65: NCAA Judge Dean Ratliff, Early Recruiting & Saving Temple Men's Gymnastics
• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• Episode 40: Michigan's Stacey Ervin
• Episode 39: Victoria Moors
• Episode 38: Svetlana Boginskaya

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

• Sepcial guest, Scott Bregman, Communications Director at USA Gymnastics stops by to lets us know how to watch Tumbling and Trampoline World Championships starting this week in Florida.
• Jessica hit Scott with the hard hitting question about China - the squat toilets, the lavishness of the event and being an exotic foreigner.
• Our favorite saves from Worlds.
• Lots of emails and voicemails from the listeners!
• Who is the Nanning Bee on Twitter?
• Articles about artistry that drive us nuts, especially when they rely on nostalgia to make their arguments.
• Kenzo does a triple double at the Swiss Cup.
• Hip thrusting and Lilia Podkopayeva at the Gala de Estrellas de Gimnasia in Mexico.
• Jessica's favorite new Romanian junior Alexandra Mihai and her 2.5 backspin.
• Khorkina lets it be known that she was pissed off after the 2008 Olympics; we discuss the recent interview (there's a lot of discussion about public crying).

To watch TTWorlds.com outside of the United States just use a VPN! We like TunnelBear, Hola, ZenMate and GetUsVPN.

Olivia Searle, Maria Layton, Danica Taylor and Kalley Skitch. Contact us via email (gymcastic @ gmail.com) ASAP with a numbered list of your prize choices.

Prizes (small shirt, chalk, water bottle or towel) are first come first serve.

• 125: Growing Up In China - Jiani Wu Interview
• 124: Event Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 123: All Around Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 122: Team Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 121: Qualifications Recap from the 2014 World Championships
• 120: The World Championships Preview Show

 

Uncle Tim and Jessica chat about:

• Our favorites from Tumbling and Trampoline World Championships and what we think artistic gymnastics can learn from these daredevils with good form.
• Are fake music endings acceptable in floor routines or a cruel joke on the audience?
• The floor routine to the Sia song Chandelier by Ellie Boterell of England is everything!
• The GymCastic Floor Music contest playlist is up on Spotify here.
• A guide to shapashnikova variations on uneven bars, because Jessica sometimes needs help with bars.
• Standouts at the Medellín World Cup: Yamilet Peña, Mariana Chiarella of Peru and Jossimar Calvo Moreno.
• Mustafa's latest interview where she discusses her injuries, coaching (can't because she doesn't dislike children enough) and frustrations with the bar code.
• Will the open division at Shawn Johnson's new NCAA-esque meet series allow for international elites to compete?
• Oleg Vernaiev talks about training in war-torn, pit-less Ukraine.

The Gymternet's Ultimate Floor Music Playlist is ready for you listening pleasure. Send us videos if you use one of the songs for a floor routine! Check it out here.

A GymNerd's Guide to Shapashnikova's on Bars:

1. Shapashnikova = Clear hip
2. Van Leeuwen = Toe-on with 1/2
3. Khorkina = Clear hip with 1/2
4. Toe on Shapash = Maloney
5. Toe on Shapash ½ = Van Leeuwen
6. Stadler Shapsh = Isn’t named, but sometimes called the Chow after Amy Chow
7. Stadler Shapash half
8. Inbar (piked) stalder Shaposh = Komova II (2011 World Championships)
9. Inbar (piked) stalder Shaposh with ½ turn = Komova I (2010 Youth Olympic Games)

• 126: Post-Worlds Hangover
• Episode 58: Charlotte Drury, Fall Euro Series & NCAA De-commits
• Episode 47: Justen Millerbernd,Tumbling and Kalon

Audrys Nins of the Dominican Republic, gives good cowboy.

Watch this week's playlist on YouTube here.

 

The Cal Bears of University of California Berkeley strut their stuff in their new backless leos on opening weekend.

Uncle Tim, Evan Heiter, and Jessica chat about these news items:

• Sarah Finnegan returns to competition with some new skills.
• The American Cup roster is off the charts amazing but will the media degrade it into a rehashing of Ferlito-Gate?
• Uncle Tim and Evan take a quiz on NCAA rules to answer frequently asked questions from our newbie fans.
• Will delve deep into the Minnesota, LSU, Florida, UCLA, Arkansas, Georgia and Oklahoma meets including:
  • Danusia Francis competing the first ever longitudinal aerial to full dismount and her floor routine, that literally made boys fall out of their seats.
  • Georgia's new choreographer, Bulldog alum Cassidy McComb of GymCats.
  • Has the floor finals bar been set by Lindsey Mabel's exquisite execution or Kytra Hunter's jaw-dropping tumbling?
  • WIll Bridgeport be the first Division II team to beat a Division I team?
  • Oklahoma's ginormous team score and difficulty.

As always we discuss the latest stories from around the gymternet:

• Gymnasts at the Golden Globes
• Louis Smith comes back to elite gymnastics
• Shawn Johnson launches The Body Department
• Beth Tweddle's next skating show
• The Gabby Douglas story already has an air date

• Episode 30: Women's NCAA & European Championships
• Episode 29: Vanessa Zamarripa and Danusia Francis
• Episode 28: Kristen Maloney
• Episode 27: Tricia Woo - An Artistic Gymnast Finds Her Home in the Circus
• Episode 26: Ivana Hong
• Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall & The American Cup
• Episode 18: Bridget Sloan
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price

AlyRaisman training in the recent USA Gymnastics documentary

Uncle Tim and Jessica chat about:

• Komova's triumphant return to international competition (nobody cares if she watered down)
• Oleg's baby mohawk, Ruggeri's floor , Roxana Popa's hot new bars steal the show at the Blume Memorial.
• Why does Boguinskaya make Chusovitina pose in front of lingerie shops wherever they go?
• Our jazz hands filled love for Elythora Thorsdottir and Axelle Kinckaert's big band choreography.
• Why the Romanian juniors are leading the charge for artistry and uniqueness in eastern Europe.
• Should all competition bibs feature names instead of numbers like the did at the Stuttgart World Cup?
• Afanaseyeva is back with a new floor routine and a huge neck tattoo. Seriously.
• We lament for the Mustafina who could have been in Stuttgart (it wasn't pretty, e.g. helicopter legs triple full is back).
• The adorable VK fan chat with Oleg Vernaiev. That American's are the friendliest and he still hates high bar!
• All the reasons to love german announcers especially when they talk about Donell Wittenberg and Hambuchen.
• Andres Breischneider does the double twisting kovcas again! You better STEP UP Epke!
• Who has the best team on paper -- the NCAA signing day debate.
• The 43-year-old mother of three, Louise Andrew's experience competing in the masters gymnastics (AKA being the coolest mom ever).
• The cheerleader who's never competed in gymnastics, Laney Madsen of Gym-Max, was invited to national team training camp.

• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• 77: Aly Raisman
• 72: John Orozco
• 64: Glasgow World Cup & NCAA 2014 Previews
• 71: The Chest Position Enforcement Bureau

   

Larisa Iordache ended the year on a high, winning the 2014 Glasgow World Cup.

This week we've included time stamps for each segment of the show per your request. Let us know if you like it.  Uncle Tim, Emma, and Jessica chat about:

• The Glasgow World Cup (00:00): massive moments of joy, shooting fire, Vanessa Ferrari looking tired, pulling shorts up to belly buttons, John Orozco and Oleg Verniaiev scamping around Glasgow, why Pauline Schaefer of Germany stole the show. Plus the juniors we fell in love with from Espoir.
• The Mexican Open (34:14): The Four Amiga's: Boguinskaya, Daniela Silivas, Podkopayeva, and Chusovitina; the greatness that is Marta Pihan-Kulesza's exquisite form; the return of the fierce little Italian, Enus Mariani to international competition; and most importantly, our review of the latest super bling $10,000 leotard by GK.
• NCAA previews (52:49): Our thoughts of Chayse Capps new floor routine, the genius that is Stacey Ervin's stick-a-thon floor routine and our gratittude for NCAA gymnastics after the long artistic drought that is the elite gymnastics code of points hell.
• Our favorite items from the 2014 Ultimate Gym Nerd Gift Guide(1:01:16) and what Uncle Tim's gymnastics nieces want for Christmas. It involves heavy excavation machinery.
• Uncle Tim gives his review of Cirque du Soliel's steampunk-inspired show, Kurios--complete with droplets of man sweat and what made the wive's in the audience smack their husband's mouthes closed. (1:05:34)
• Gymternet News (1:13:43): Gabrielle Douglas's agent dished all the dirt on why Dougy left Chow's, an explanation for Mustafina's poor performance in  Stuttgart, the coming out stories of a  rhythmic and artistc Olympian, how we feel about men's and women's Olympic trials being held separately, new skills in the code of points and why you should sign up for college Fantasy Gymnastics.
• Mail Call (1:41:43): An outraged Russian listener, Irish Daniel asks what we think of Verona van de Leur announcing her comeback, and a very knowledgable listener takes gymnasts to task for copyright theft against choreographers.

Check out our Gift Guide here. Draft your fantasy gymnastics team by December 27!collegefantasygymnastics.com

• 64: Glasgow World Cup & NCAA 2014 Previews
• Episode 62: Pavlova to Azerbaijan, Oleg (Finally!) in Stuttgart & The Mexican Open Extravaganza
• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men's NCAA Championships
• Episode 38: Svetlana Boginskaya
• Episode 41: Laurie Hernandez & Coach Maggie Haney
• Episode 40: Michigan's Stacey Ervin
• 72: John Orozco
• 74: Melanie Sinclair & A Review of Cirque's Amaluna
• 104: Gabby Douglas Missing In Action & USA Championships

  

Mary-Anne Monckton doing her aerial layout series on beam. Photo by Nadia Boyce.

The 20 year-old is a student of the sport, should probably be a in the next episode of The Hard Way To Success, she still loves gymnastics despite seven surgeries, she gym nerded-out because she made a beam final with Catalina Ponor, is inspired by the number of women (20 and older) who held their own in the all-around final in Nanning -- she is Australia's Mary-Anne Monckton! Emma and Jessica discuss the following gymnerdery with Miss Mez:

• Why she hated gymnastics at first and being chosen like Nadia at age 7.
• Surviving seven surgeries with her love for gymnastics intact!
• Trying not to freak out while competing in beam finals with her gymnastics idol, Catalina Ponor.
• Thinking the wrong score was posted when she placed second to Larissa Iordache on beam in Doha.
• Her description of the beloved post-beam finals celebration with Ellie at the Commonwealth Games.
• Tales from Nanning, food report, her favorite competitors there and her opinion on the tie-breaking procedures for finals.
• Being coached by the infamous, Ju-Ping Tian.
• Explaining her desire to do American NCAA gymnastics to her Australian mother.
• Why she became a student of the sport (AKA super gym nerd), not just an athlete.
• Jet lag tips everyone can use.
• Her thoughts on Australian Gymnastics Jail and how the team Glasgow Commonwealth Games were chosen.
• She tells the most endearing Peggy Liddick story you will ever hear and shares Peggy's sage advice.

Follow Mez on Twitter, her YouTube channel for progress videos or Instagram. 

• 108: The Commonwealth Games
• 124: Event Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 123: All Around Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 122: Team Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 121: Qualifications Recap from the 2014 World Championships
• 120: The World Championships Preview Show
• 101: Olivia Vivian
• 96: Australian Nationals & Men’s European Championships

  

In the news, Jessica, Uncle Tim and Evan chat about:

• The freshly made senior elites, why we are excited about them, from Nia Dennis (USA) and Ryannon Jones (GB) to Flavia Saraiva (BR). (7:30)
• The best thing about new gymternet sweetheart Ksenia Klimenko's beam video, aside from her gymnastics; the gong show.
• Evan reports in from the first and most mind blowing NCAA meet of the year so far; at the NorCal Classic where Cal won and Stanford came in fourth. Elizabeth Price murdered the vault, Taylor Rice made us imagine her beating Britney Spears down with a glittery hammer while Indian Princess, Kalliah McCartney, strummed at our heart strings with her tall-is-gorgeous-ness. (16:30)
• Evan predicts the eventual rise to power of Cal's new competitor, Toni Ann Williams, the owner of a double front dismount on beam.
• NCAA season means we get to see our favorite elites in a whole new light. Find out who we are most excited to see - hint it's Captain Canada for Jessica. (35:00)
• What should the best qualities be in an adult gymnastics coach? We have the example by way of an unusual ballet teacher.

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

• Aliya Mustafina is now working with Denis Ablyzian's coach at a primarily male gym. (44:50)
• Uncle Tim reviews Shawn Johnson to find out what makes her taco pie pop on Celebrity Apprentice.
• USAG gifts us a video view of Simone Biles and her new Aliya bar dismount.
• Roxana Popa was competing with a torn ACL.
• Adrianna Kenebrew can do beam and squat-ons even though she's legally blind - what's your excuse grown ups?! Time for adult gymnastics for everyone!
• Shilese Jones is the newest immigrant to Buckeye Gymnastics with Gabrielle Douglas and Nia Dennis.
• Katelyn Ohashi announces her return to competition at Texas Prime as a level 10, but at age 17 why hasn't she committed to college yet?
• The Olympics official add "sexual orientation" to Principle 6 of the charter. Should the FIG follow suit and ban meets in countries with anti-gay laws on the books?

Kenzo is doinga triple-double laid out! Koji Uematsu posted an Instragram video of his piked Kovacs, tucked kovacs, Kolman, Gaylord II! Not human!

• 90: The 2014 Women's NCAA Championships! Plus details from the Ljubljana World Cup, Korean Meet and Romania takes on Belgium and France
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• 89: Everybody Loves Raymond! Pacific Rim, Men's NCAA Championships, plus a Russian Championships/Tokyo World Cup recap DO OVER!
• 106: Biles and Ross Dominate the 2014 US Secret Classic

Kalliah McCartney is our gymnastics goddess of the week. The Sacramento State junior is 5' 7" tall (normal human size), went to Naydenov Gymnastics (just like 2014 Secret Classic champ Jordan Chiles), and if that wasn't enough, she is the decedent of a Native American princess in the Cowlitz tribe! We will be watching the Bulgarian trained mistress of elegance all season long. Expect her to make it to NCAA Championships again this year.

  

Peng Peng Lee (CAN/UCLA) gracing the cover via fan art of a game that we all wish we could to play.

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

• Could it be Aliya Mustafina's love life that drew her to a new gym?
• If a gymnast like Shawn Johnson became a spokesperson for safe sex and contraception, could it change the image of gymnastics for the better?
• Scandal in Singapore! How do you get revenge when your coaches are fired? Hire them like Lim Heem Wei did.
• US elites, Ariana Guerra and Deanne Soza are back after injury and illness.
• Pac-12 Conference adopts changes that could put them ahead of the SEC.

In the news, Uncle Tim, Evan, and Jessica chat about:

• Updates and recaps from the NCAA meets: Georgia, UCLA, Florida, Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma, SJSU, and the men of Stanford and Cal.
• New rules you should know about for the NCAA competition this year.
• Elites premiers in college: Brenna Dowell, Peng Peng Lee and Brianna Brown from the famed Cincinnati Gymnastics.
• Favorite leotards, unique skills and our opinions of veterans new floor routines, including LSU's Rheagan Courville and Lomincia Hall.

Adult Gymnastics Camp 2015 details here.

Oakville Gymnastics 5th Annual World Masters Gymnastics Championships, which really just means they give out beer as a prize--details here.

Gymnastics Injury Data http://www.gymnasticsinjurydata.com/

• 116: Louis Smith, Amelle Berrabah of Team Sexy & Tumble Episode 5 Recap
• 113: Junior & Senior Women’s Finals from the 2014 US Championships in Pittsburgh, plus an Interview with Kim Zmeskal Burdette
• 112: Junior & Senior Women's Prelims from the 2014 US Championships in Pittsburgh
• 130: Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton
• Episode 129: Why Gabby Left Chow (or Chow left Gabby?) & Glasgow World Cup
• 128: Aly is Back

 

She is the gymnastics equivalent of panda cubs playing in snow for the first time, combined with the feeling you got when Nastia did a pirouette on bars; the perfect gymnastics happiness pill. The 2013 American Cup all-around champion, Katelyn Ohashi, has committed to UCLA and we have the exclusive interview just hours after she announced her decision to her future teammates. We discuss:

• The candlelit moment when she told the team
• Why she chose UCLA and when she will start
• The status of her return to bars and what skills she's working on
• Surprising her coach by busting out crazy dismounts
• The look on her face after her second pass on floor at Texas Prime last weekend
• What she thinks of the Tumblr posts you make about her
• Switching from coach Valeri Luikin to Laurent Landi
• If she knows that the gymternet is obsessed with Laurent

• Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall & The American Cup
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 39: Victoria Moors
• 61: Katelyn Ohashi Clears The Air

Watch all of Ohashi's routines from this Texas Prime here.

 

The PSU gymnastics team wrote 409 on their hands. Jessica is furious, find out why.

In the news, Uncle Tim, Spanny Tampson, and Jessica chat about (time stamps in parenthesis):

• Catalina Ponor is training again. Will she make the Romanian team? (3:30)
• Texas Prime Meet:  Texas Dreams is raising an army of artistic gymnasts. Our listeners really liked this girl Colbi Flory
• Lilia Podkopayeva  resorted to thievery and dancing as a form of protest in order to defend the efforts of her team at the Legendz Classic. (11:00)
• Katelyn Ohashi returns to competition! (14:35)
• Spanny declares Oklahoma the new queens of choreography and has an out-of-body gym-gasm experience watching Chayse Capps in person.(40:15)
• Kyla Ross working new skills and applying to Stanford next year. (23:30)
• NCAA rankings and a review of the 10's on vault. (33: 28)
• Kennedy Baker (Gators) does the sassiest arabian double pike in all the land. (48:45)
• Our picks for NCAA floor champ if as of right now, including Denver's Nina McGee. (51:45)
• Alabama vs. Arkansas - Katie Bailey (Bama) might have done the highest full-out in the history of gymnastics; Courtney Kupets makes her debut as a television commentator. (1:01:50)
• UCLA vs. Arizona - Sam Peszek invents a new skill to cover a wobble, and Arizona continues their Halloween themed dramatic floor choreography. (1:15:25)
• PSU vs. Nebraska - where Nebraska continues to push the difficulty level with E's on floor and variety on beam; while PSU star Robles steals the show. (1:21:16)
• Rage-o-Meter: Jessica is furious that the Penn State gymnastics team wrote the number 409 on their hands, according to a television broadcast, to honor football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno who was fired for failing to report child molestation to police even though it happened in the Penn State locker room and was reported to him by an eyewitness. (1:24:35)

Jerry Sandusky grand jury report. Joe Paterno grand jury  testimony. The Freeh Report.

Article: What Paterno Admitted he knew: Sandusky couldn't have done it without him

ArticlePenn State Hockey : Decision to put 409 stickers on helmets overshadowing program

Article Penn State Hockey: Athletic Director Sandy Barbour apologizes for 409 sticker tweet.

• 133: Interview - Katelyn Ohashi Commits to UCLA
• Videos: Katelyn Ohashi is back!
• 132: It's Never Too Late to Start Adult Gymnastics
• Episode 131: A New Hope

In the news,  Jessica and Spencer from The Balance Beam Situationchat about:

• Auburn could be the bar dismount champions, especially Caitlin Atkinson half-in half-out (look out Katie Bailey)
• Ranch News: Gabrielle Douglas, Aly Raisman, Simone Biles vs. Bailie Key, plus Laurie Hernandez is back on the team!
• The latest NCAA rankings and why they don't really mean anything right now.
• Our thoughts on the latest 10’s from Brenna Dowell, Haley Scaman and Ashley Lambert.
• Did we think Florida was underscored on beam at Alabama? Did Alabama recover from last week's beamsaster?
• Thank goodness the SEC Network is obviously listening to the show because they've fixed Courtney's Keys.
• The good, the gorgeous (Kari Lee's beam! Peng's bars! DABRITZ) and the beam start-value apocalypse from Utah vs. UCLA.
• Kentucky at Georgia: Brittany Rogers saves the team with all of her patented Mapleleaf stadler action bar genius.
• Comeback-MANIA in Romania! Marian Drăgulescu joining Ponor to save Romanian gymnastics!
• Tabitha Yim gave one of the most important interviews of all time. Print it on your soul now.
• Shannon Miller's ex-husband is in trouble again.
• The period, good ol' menstruation - is it still taboo in sports? We give our expert opinions.
• Your feedback about the Penn State gymnastics team's 409 controversy.

Tabitha Yim says, “not everyone achieves their dreams and when I talk to my athletes now, I tell them I didn’t, but I’m okay.Just because you don’t, doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. You can always build new dreams and pursue them just as passionately.” Read the rest of her interview here.

• 134: 409 Wins Restored, Lives Still Ruined
• 133: Interview - Katelyn Ohashi Commits to UCLA
• Videos: Katelyn Ohashi is back! 
• 132: It's Never Too Late to Start Adult Gymnastics
• Episode 131: A New Hope

Alexandra "Sasha" Tsikhanovich of Bridgeport University

In the news, Uncle Tim, Evan, and Jessica chat about:

• Brazil's Amanar vaulting superstar,  Rebeca Andrade.
• The best gymnastics job posting we've ever seen ever - help make grand exit with flips as I quit my job.
• Cintia Rodrigues (ESP) and Niamh Rippin (GB) instagram-nastics, a hecht full and Yurchenko double tuck respectively.
• Play Nerd-Jack : by relating any topic to gymnastics in as few words as possible. (16:50)
• The results, skills and return of Victoria Moors to competition at Elite Canada. (24:00)
• Debate who has the better pike front on beam: Ellie Black or Alicia Sacramone.
• Evan yearns for more substantive and instructional commentary from the newest college television hosts in his own version of the rage-o-meter. (29:00)
• NCAA rankings, which 10 was really worthy (can it be a 10 if the gymnast has full out syndrome, AKA "I have to pee" legs on her landing?), and gush about Kennedy Baker and Division II powerhouse, Bridgeport star, Sasha Tsikhanovich. (34:00)
• Highlight the best of the NCAA meets including Gnat's double twisting Yurchenko, UW's Allie Northey who can do a Jaeger with pointed toes, Peng Peng Li smoking bars and beam like a G for UCLA, Cal's Dana Ho who has Gienger that puts Nastia's to shame, plus what to do when a judge forgets about the meet.
• Our fabvorite unique skills of the season so far: backspin, Comaneci salto, aerial to land in Y scale, and a one armed front handspring to knee sit on beam.
• Debut the new feature, an under appreciated gymnasts of the week in Lexi Cappelli of University of North Carolina who does a Depeche Mode floor routine with a supine worm.
• Three ways to watch the AT&T American Cup in person even if you are on a budget.

Install the Greenhouseplugin to find out which industry contributes the most to your representatives.

• 135: The Duchess of Stalderland
• 134: 409 Wins Restored, Lives Still Ruined
• 133: Interview - Katelyn Ohashi Commits to UCLA
• Videos: Katelyn Ohashi is back! 
• 132: It's Never Too Late to Start Adult Gymnastics
• Episode 131: A New Hope

Lexi Cappalli FX (UNC) Depeche Mode routine.  Best view of the supine worm here at 1:05.

Kennedy Baker's MONSTER Arabian double pike here.

Ellie Black's winning beam routine at Elite Canada here.

Video story on Rebeca Andrade.

Cintia Rodriguez (ESP) Stadler hecht full to high bar transition here.

The original diva, 14 time Olympic and World medalist, the Belarusian Swan tells all

In the news, Jessica, Uncle Tim, Lauren Hopkins U.S. editor at The Couch Gymnast chat about:

• Norah Flatley, the best thing out of Iowa since Chow landed, is going to Jesolo!
• The Australian gymnasts have been released from gymnastics prison! We like Georgia Godwin.
• Low scores, fulls on beam and clean gymnastics at Cottbus.
• Rodionova, Scheder or Komova -who will be the new queen of the inbar stalder?
• Princess Catherine Lyons of Europa teaches us how to salute
• Broken floor plates, vault mastery and Louis Smith at the English Championships.
• The 30 year-old swan of Chilean gymnastics, Ochoda ballet's it up on floor.
• Danusia gets a 10 on beam with her insanely difficulty dismount.

GYMITATION CONTEST: Enter our #gymitation contest by imitating your favorite gymnast. Just take a photo or video of you doing a pose, skill or impression of a gymnast. Tell us who you are imitating, tag us and include the hashtag #gymitation. We’ll pick our favorites to win one of these fantastic four prizes! Check them out here.

No show is complete without discussion of the latest news stories from around the gymternet:

• Shawn Johnson in the running for The Celebrity Apprentice
• Our favorite commentators from the Big 10 Network
• Alicia Sacramone marries her longtime love.
• Kalon Ludvingson is on the mend and looking great.
• Greg Marsden throws a fit about seeding and he's kind of right.
• Beth Tweddle robbed of Dancing on Ice win.

• Safe for Athletes survey.
• Lisa Mason on Instagram

• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 16: Elizabeth Price
• Episode 10 : Greg Marsden
• Episode 4: Louis Smith, Spanny's Athlete Oath, Making Men's Gymnastics More Popular
• Episode 26: Ivana Hong
• Episode 33: Simone Biles & Her Coaches
• Episode 48: Kyla Ross
• Episode 47: Justen Millerbernd,Tumbling and Kalon

Gymitation Contest entries so far! Two weeks left!

Louis Smith in his Union Jack shorts at English Championships

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Olympian, Khorkina beater, adult elite, mother and jet pack booty owner, Lisa Mason.

Lady Lisa Mason, as she will be known on this show because she is the owner of the sexiest gymnastics property in the land (AKA, her Instagram), is an Olympian; a World Cup champion; won the British Championships three time in a row; was the youngest British Champion ever and even beat Produnova and Khorkina on Floor at a World Cup on her way to a historic all-around appearance final in Sydney--the first ever for a Brit. She's back, competing again at age 32. Oh, and she has a daughter, goes to night school, works for a living and trains for elite competition yet still finds time to make us laugh with her uncensored tweets. We discuss:

• Missing out on the balance beam final at the Sydney Olympics, the vault height debacle, its effect on her to this day, and her opinion of Raducan's ban for taking cold medicine.
• How her training has changed over the years, the dance secret that allows her to keep going, adjusting to the new vault table, handling nerves and muscle memory versus strength.
• Teen Shenanigans: Sneaking into the Lilleshall gym at night, busking at meets abroad and putting naked teammates into suitcases.
• Motherhood: The decision to become a mother (was labor easier because of her 12-pac abs?), post-natal pelvic floor strengthening, why she banned her own mother from meets, and her advice for parents on health and fitness.
• Does she ever regret wearing her heart on her sleeve and being so outspoken?
• Working at International Gymnastics Camp, which she calls a "Gymnastics Utopia" with waffles for breakfast and the competing in Pro Gymnastics Challenge.
• Managing uneven bars despite her jetpack booty acting as a counter weight.
• Beating Khorkina and Produnova at the old school World Cup battles where the only a back-to-back routines won gold, and got lifted up on a fork lift.
• Training at the Romanian national training center, Deva as a kid, smuggling cheeseburgers to Lavinia Milosovici and that one time Octavian Belu apologized for his gymnast winning the silver medal instead of Lisa.
• Loving the American way of life and how it connected her to Australian, Oregon State alum, Olivia Vivian.
• Finding the financial resources to pursue her career as an adult.
• What to do when the bars come unhinged but you still have to compete.
• The beauty and elaborate modesty preservation efforts it took to photograph her naked for Sports Uncovered.
• Then, in a GymCastic first she translates her tweets for us, so that we don't have to look everything up on Urban Dictionary.

Follow Lisa on Instagram,Twitter or book her for for stunts or modeling in your next commercial here. Download the Sport magazine app to see the Sports Uncovered raw photo shoots with Lisa, Dan Keatings and Hannah Whelan (no dates have been revealed as of this episode posting).

• Episode 20: Jenni Pinches
• Episode 22: Beth Tweddle
• Episode 29: Vanessa Zamarripa and Danusia Francis
• Episode 38: Svetlana Boginskaya
• Episode 39: Victoria Moors
• 82: Cottbus, English Championships & Danusia Francis finally gets a 10 on beam!
• 86: British Championships & Doha World Cup
• 99: Princess Catherine Lyons and Coach Rochelle Douglas
• 101: Olivia Vivian
• 116: Louis Smith, Amelle Berrabah of Team Sexy & Tumble Episode 5 Recap

 

Who's that in the bunny costume? Why it's Winter Cup Prize for Elegance winner, Mr. Emyre Cole.

In the news, Uncle Tim, Spencer, Evan and Jessica chat about:

• LSU putting a whoopin' on Florida where Bridget Sloan returned to competition for the Gators. But Tiger fans are riled up by the bad sportsmanship allegations levied by Faehn and Caquatto. We give you our opinions on the controversey.
• Massive scores at Alabama v. Georgia meet with seven 9.9 or above in the first three rotations for the Tide. Meanwhile, Georgia is having their worst start since 1998.
• Lindsey "Perfection" Mable moves into first in the all-around ranking this week with a 39.545 RQS (regional qualifying score), but Rheagan "Alpha Tigress" Courville scored a season high of 39.825 at home. We tell you what the RQS means at this point in the season.
• The only non-pro gymnast from the Fierce Five, Kyla Ross, committed to UCLA.
• Understanding the new four-year-guarantee scholarship rules and what it means for gymnastics teams with more than 12 gymnasts on their roster in 2016. It's not retroactive people!
• The comeback is real! Gabby Douglas shows off a new bar combo and a solid standing full in the latest USA Gymnastics video.
• Updates on seniors from the latest US National Team camp at the Ranch; Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and even Sabrina Vega.
• New gymnastics movie alert! The Bronze, starring Bernadette from Big Bang Theory is getting rave reviews, but not for the dialog.

The Balance Bean SituationRoad to Nationals

College Fantasy Gymnastics

USA Gymnastics YouTube Channel

Gymnastics Meets

ManServants.co

Emyre Cole's is also a dancer. Check out his Instagram eb.cole

Emyre Col with coach, Nalani Cook

What this week's video playlist on YouTube here. 

• 115: Kenzo Shirai
• Quick Hits: The 2015 Winter Cup - Finals
• Catching up with Paul Hamm at the 2015 Winter Cup
• Quick Hits: The 2015 Winter Cup - Session 2
• Quick Hits: The 2015 Winter Cup – Session 1
• Episode 7: Ruggeri, FIG Elections, Geddert on Goodbyes & Halloween Costumes Ideas
• Episode 13: Justin Spring
• Catching up with Paul Ruggeri
• Quick Hits: 2014 Winter Cup Challenge – Finals
• Catching up with John Orozco at the 2014 Winter Cup Challenge
• 2014 Winter Cup: Chris Brooks on Broken Bones, Blaniks, and Rio
• Catching up with Jake Dalton at the 2014 Winter Cup Challenge
• Quick Hits: 2014 Winter Cup Challenge – Session 2
• Quick Hits: 2014 Winter Cup Challenge – Session 1
• Adrian de los Angeles: “I think it’s going to be a good year.”
• Quick Hits: 2013 Winter Cup - Finals
• Catching up with Danell Leyva at the Winter Cup
• Catching up with Jake Dalton at the Winter Cup
• Quick Hits: 2013 Winter Cup Challenge - Session II
• Quick Hits: 2013 Winter Cup Challenge - Session I
• Episode 21: Kyle Shewfelt
• Episode 24: Sho Nakamori & Match-Play Meet Debrief with Justin Spring
• Episode 32: Sam Mikulak & 2013 Men's NCAA Championships
• Episode 35: Jake Dalton
• Episode 40: Michigan's Stacey Ervin
• 72: John Orozco

 

An all-interview episode with 1988 Olympic alternate at the Seoul Games and Florida head-coach, Rhonda Faehn. She is a super gym-nerd, just like us. We discuss:

• Competing at World Championships with no ligaments left in her ankle.
• The pile of injuries that led to her injury-retirement from UCLA.
• How she met her super-hot, French, tennis coach husband at Florida.
• What was Rhonda thinking as her team made uncharacteristic falls at Regionals.
• What it was like living away from home with Phoebe Mills and then the Kristie Phillips family.
• Being a Karolyi Kid; one of the first crop of gymnasts to train with Nadia's coaches when they first came to the US.
• If there were any perks, like extra leo sparkles for becoming national champions.

Mackenzie Caquatto won a silver medal with the US team at the Rotterdam World Championships in 2010. Then she became a key player at the University of Florida and led the Gators to their first ever, national championship.

• Can having a boyfriend actually improve a girl's gymnastics?
• Choosing artistic gymnastics over rhythmic gymnastics.
• The injury that ended her elite career and landed her in a wheelchair two years in a row.
• How college improved her consistency and confidence on beam.
• How her elite coaches and college coaches worked together to help her reach her goals to compete for the US.
• Her suggestions for improving the team dynamic in elite gymnastics to improve the confidence and experience of elite gymnasts.

Announcement! The first ever GymCastic Meet-up is happening at the NCAA Championships. Come join us for a drinky-poo and gym-nerd out with your people!

When: 3:30-4:30 on Saturday, April 19th before Super-Six Finals.

Where: Todd English Pub, right behind the parking structure at BJCC arena.  It’s only a three minute walk to the meet from here. The address is: 2221 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203.

• Episode 18: Bridget Sloan
• 83: University of Georgia Head Coach Danna Durante
• 75: Classic Episode - UCLA's Miss Val
• 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama's Sarah Patterson
• Episode 23: Lloimincia Hall & The American Cup

 Check out Rhonda and Macko in action in this week's playlist here. 

FIG Men's Technical Committee President, Steve Butcher.

This week the President of the International Gymnastics Federation Men’s Technical Committee, Mr. Steve Butcher is here. Yes, the Nelli Kim of men’s gymnastics talks about spring board thieves, fashion rules, Execution score data analysis (nerdgasm!), tons of Code of Points nerdtastic details, gymnastics jail and if he would want his own son to do elite gymnastics. This is important to you women's gymnastics fans becuase MAG and WAG rules must now inform each other. What happens in men's effects the women's rules! We discuss:

• The FIG's analysis of Execution score parity between men's and women's judges.
• The downfall of having too many examples of Execution scores on the FIG Helpdesk.
• Bruno Grandi's statement that biomechanics will become a bigger part of the Code of Points versus the medical aspect of athlete health.
• Bringing back the 10.0 and making it Execution score more visible during competitions.
• Date for the next Code of Points newsletter with bonus content for the first time in 20-ish years.
• Artistry in men's gymnastics: What President Butcher's female friends say they want to see on men's floor exercise.
• Country imposed minimum scores which prevent gymnasts from competing in major international competitions.
• Release from gymnastics jail for judges - how judges from non-power house countries can gain more experience.
• Misconceptions about the powers of his position and responsibility for the current Code of Points.
• How closely he works with Nelli Kim to make sure women's and men's gymnastics inform each other.
• The rule making process -- concnesus or majority.
• Fixing the Broken Grip Rule!
• Can the FIG regulate the manufacture of grips like they do the equipment?
• Getting the FIG to match the gold standard for social media and streaming video that USAG has set.

• 138: Prince Emyre Cole
• 124: Event Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 123: All Around Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 122: Team Finals at the 2014 World Championships
• 121: Qualifications Recap from the 2014 World Championships

Watch the grip controversy on YouTube here.