“Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” – John Wooden John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, has a lot of inspirational quotes, and this is one of my favorites. Attitude and mindset go a long way toward success in any arena. These attributes make all the […]
This article has been updated to reflect the 2026-2030 DP Code of Points changes. What are the “intangibles” that can elevate your routine to the top? Every optional gymnastics routine is evaluated, at the end, on several general categories. These categories can result in general deductions for the routine, if there are deficits in these […]
This article has been updated to reflect the changes in the 2022-26 Xcel Code of Points, and updated again July 20. 2023. Xcel gymnastics. These levels used to strike fear into the hearts of judges, when they were first being developed. The rules were so different from J.O. that some judges said they wouldn’t even […]
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. WARNING: This article discusses sensitive topics, which may not be appropriate for all readers. Recently, I watched the Netflix documentary “Athlete A”, about Maggie Nichols’ story. She was initially identified in the Larry Nassar investigation as “Athlete A”, before she […]
As I watch a gymnastics meet, I notice that some routines really seem to pull me in. I even get chills watching them, if they’re really good! Some gymnasts seem to have a special quality about them that draws people to watch them. What is it about these routines that makes them irresistible to watch? […]
This article has been updated to reflect the changes in the 2022-26 Xcel Code of Points. Ah, Xcel. These are the levels that foster the most questions. There are so many questions that our regional Xcel chair even started a Xcel Facebook group. Professionals in our region can write in to the group to get […]
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As some of the gyms around the country are opening back up, it’s been a while since most gymnasts have been on the equipment. That can be a really big deal to a gymnast returning to their sport! Gymnasts may […]
The only certainties in life are death, taxes, and gymnastics rule changes. Every May, the committees at USA Gymnastics hold their annual meetings to update the rules and send out all the new changes. These meetings are typically held in conjunction with J.O. Nationals. This year, the meetings were virtual, as J.O. Nationals was cancelled […]
This post has been updated to reflect the 2021-2029 compulsory routine changes, and was updated again in July 2023. The final compulsory floor routine is the Level 5 floor routine. This routine is full of progressions from the Level 4 routine, and helps gymnasts learn the skills necessary to become a successful optional gymnast. It’s […]
If you’ve been following gymnastics for a while, and even if you haven’t, you’ve probably heard of the Magnificent Seven. The Magnificent Seven is the nickname for the 1996 Olympic team. They were the first U.S. gymnastics team to win the team gold medal at the Olympics. The team consisted of Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, […]