Motionwear || Gymnastics Blog

Gymnastics Blogs I Really Like

Posted on 27. May, 2009 by Kathe Jones.

Every week I do this blog, my bookmark list gets longer and longer as I discover new gymnastics and dance blogs that make their way on to my must-read list. Here are few of my recent favorites:

The Gymblog

With regular updates, lots of videos and solid commentary, the Gymblog is at the top of my regular reading schedule. I also love the balance this blog strikes between men’s and women’s gymnastics. So many blogs tend to focus on either one or the other, so seeing a nice mix of the two is refreshing.

Live. Breathe. Love Gymnastics

Live. Breathe. Love Gymnastics is an easy-to-read blog based out of Indiana. What I love about this particular site is the great job she does finding and posting videos of events and her favorite gymnasts. It also updates regularly and trust me, that’s not as common as you’d think.

Inside Gymnastics Blogs

If you work or compete in gymnastics, you know Inside Gymnastics magazine. Well, the magazine’s site hosts a series of 4 blogs; Shannon Miller, former Olympic gold medalist writes the popular Shannon Says blog; John Roethlisberger, three-time Olympian, writes Johnn’s Take, a candid look at the sport’s hot topics; Glenn McCuen, an up and coming WOGA elite gymnast, takes you into his thoughts and world every week with In With Glenn and; Intern Ryan, the magazine’s intern, writes a cute blog about happenings and upcoming stories at the magazine.

Shannon Says
John’s Take
In With Glenn
Inside Scoop with Intern Ryan

The C Score

I’m worried about The C Score. After taking a break just before the new year to write her dissertation and focus on med school applications, this artistic gymnastics blogger hasn’t come back. She made a brief appearance in February, but I’m hoping that as the weather warms up and the school schedule lightens up, we’ll hear from The C Score again.

Gymnastics Coaching

Canadian-based, this great blog offers a blend of gymnastics’ news, coaching tips and advice from experienced coaches. You’ll also find instructional videos, coaching commentaries and what I consider to be insightful analysis about changes and trends in coaching styles. Another bonus? The site updates often.

Do you have a favorite gymnastics blog? Better yet, do you write a gymnastics blog? If I missed you or your favorite site, leave a note in the comments with a link!

Continue Reading

Courtney Kupets Deserves the Honors

Posted on 20. May, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

Last month, Georgia’s Courtney Kupets won the 2009 Honda Sports Award for top collegiate gymnast and for good reason.

The University of Georgia senior won the honor thanks to 1000 NCAA member school voters. This is also the second time she has won the award (the first time was in 2007). And with an Olympic history (she took home silver in 2004) and as a record-holder for the most gymnastics wins in NCAA history, it’s no surprise that Courtney Kupets took home the honor once again.

I think what amazes me so much about Kupets is that despite her history, fame and current athletic success, she’s still so focused on academic success. At UGA, she’s on the Honor Roll, an academic scholarship winner and the winner of of UGA’s Marilyn Vincent Award, which goes to the school’s female athlete with the highest GPA. So, she’s smart and athletic.

Now, of course, we’re left to wonder what will happen to Courtney Kupets after graduation? Will she continue on in the gymnastics world as a coach? Will she continue to compete? Or will she move into a career that’s not gymnastics-focused? It’s hard to imagine such a strong presence on the NCAA gymnastics scene giving up the sport, but I guess only time will tell.

Photo: Rick McCharles

Continue Reading

This Week’s Favorite Gymnastics Video

Posted on 15. May, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

I may be way behind the times, but I just discovered metacafe.com and I’ve been spending time tracking down the best gymnastics videos. Metacafe is basically a YouTube with stricter submission guidelines and an emphasis on social selection, ranking and voting, meaning the videos tend to be more interesting and of a higher quality.

And yes, you can search for just gymnastics videos. I’ve been checking that page daily for the last week and it’s now found a permanent home in my bookmarks. Here are my three favorite videos so far:

Incredible Tumbling

My background is in dance, but I’m always blown away by the strength, power and speed of competitive tumblers and this video shows it all. It’s a fast-paced compilation of some of the best tumbles:

Extreme Gymnastics – Best Ever Tumbling Compilation. – Funny home videos are a click away

Parkour videos

Do you remember the opening scene from Casino Royale? That was parkour. The sport, also called “Free Running,” is essentially “an activity with the aim of moving from one point to another as smoothly, efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body.”

It combines the power and moves of gymnastics, the flow and grace of dance, and the freedom of undefined, independent movement. You’ll find a lot of older gymnasts and even dancers are getting involved with this movement. This video is more stunt-based, but it’s still a great example of Parkour in action:

Amazing Le Parkour And Gymnastics – Click here for more free videos

5 Craziest Gymnastics Skills

If you get off on moves like the tkachev salto or a triple backflip off the parallel bars, this is the video for you. It’s all men, but it will amaze you:

The 5 Craziest Gymnastics Skills Ever! – The best bloopers are here

Do you have a favorite gymnastics video on either metacafe or YouTube? Please share it in the comments section and hopefully I can get it on the blog!

Photo: Simon Lesley

Continue Reading

Fantastic Gymnastics Community We Should All be a Part Of

Posted on 12. May, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

You’re on Facebook, you’re on MySpace and maybe you’re even on Twitter, but are you on Gymnastike? It’s a web-based gymnastics community that also creates its own content, including videos of meets, interviews with coaches and spotlights on up-and-coming gymnasts.

Users or members can upload their own content (they have a thriving collection of gymnastics videos), post to blogs and, of course, interact with one another in the “open gym” section.

Teams can even create their own site where they can share information, photos, messages and schedules. If you’re looking for an easy way to create a team site that also lets you communicate with your team members, this is a good one. These days, kids are so connected and online, that having a website they can go to to check stats, photos or messages is much more effective than a phone call or even a bulletin board.

And for the most part, the site is free from advertising – a refreshing break after the overwhelming onslaught of ads on MySpace or the never ending application requests on Facebook.

I think my favorite thing about this particular gymnastics community though is how positive it can be. I don’t know about you, but I’ve found some other online communities and listservs to be just a little too competitive for my liking. Personally, I prefer something that’s a tad more open, laid back and focused on sharing information. Gymnastike has that feel.

Continue Reading

I Love My Job!

Posted on 06. Apr, 2009 by Kathe Jones.

I just had to share this photo from the IGI “Chicago Style” Gymnastics Meet in Chicago. It’s so cute and so exactly why I love my job.

There’s a good story behind this photo. This little gymnast is wearing the leotard we designed for the meet and she came to our booth to shop with her mom. I asked if I could take her photo and she was more than happy to give us a great gymnasts’ pose. And because we make matching gymnastics leotards for both American Girl dolls and Build-A-Bears, she’s holding a matching “Chicago Style” bear. It’s too cute!

I mean, really, is my job cool or what? I get to spend time with gymnasts and dancers, designing leotards for them and then seeing them in action. That’s pretty great, if you ask me.

Continue Reading

Where Do You Buy Gymnastics Leotards? About.com Poll Tells Us

Posted on 02. Apr, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

I recently came across this great poll on About.com asking where parents go to purchase a leotard for gymnastics. The results aren’t too surprising, but I am taken aback at the number of respondents – 577 parents and gymnasts replied to answer the question “Where do you buy leotards?”

MotionWear supplies to the top three markets listed on the poll. We sell online (27% of respondents), we supply independent and local retailers (37% of respondents) and we do sell leotards for gymnastics to clubs with boutiques or sales programs (20% of respondents).

As for the “anywhere I can get ‘em” crowd, I’m assuming they’re buying their leotards either at a combination of all of the above, sites like eBay or Craigslist, local swap meets and sales, or even larger retailers like Wal-Mart who sell basic leotards.

With one-fifth of the respondents purchasing their leotards at their gymnastics club, it made me realize how quickly that particular market is growing. Clubs can now offer branded leotards and full boutiques to boost their sales and improve their bottom line (a nice prospect in these economic times).

Does your gymnastics club have a retail component? Have you considered retailing gymnastics apparel? If so, or if you have questions, please feel free to drop us a line at motionwear@motionwear.com or give us a call at 1-800-869-0609 . We can offer advice, assistance, consultation and a free catalog of the Motionwear Gymnastics line.

Continue Reading

What Newsies Say About Shawn Johnson on DWTS

Posted on 27. Mar, 2009 by Kathe Jones.

[ I thought that for today's post, I'd share some tidbits from what I did on my lunchbreak today... read up on the latest buzz about Shawn Johnson and Dancing With the Stars :) ]

Despite the recent stalker scare on the set of Dancing With the Stars, Shawn Johnson is back and training with a vengeance. You have to admire her. Johnson’s attorney, Phillip Cohen, was quoted in the LA Times, he said, “Shawn is 17, but she’s mature and is feeling very comfortable and confident because she feels that everyone has handled this matter quickly and efficiently across the board.” He also said we will see Shawn on DWTS this week… I’m glad to hear that!

Watching Shawn Johnson on the show has been great, it’s like a rare & wonderful combination of my two loves – gymnastics and dance.

The Monday before the stalking incident, Shawn did a foxtrot and tied with Melissa Rycroft and Gilles Marini who both scored 9’s, making it a three-way tie. Woo-hoo! Personally, I thought she should have won, everything from her dress to the steps were absolutely flawless. I like what Tom Conroy of FoxNews said of the performance, ” for a moment, it seemed we would get our first 10’s of the season, but Shawn had to settle for straight 9’s.”

I also agree with Annie Barrett from Entertainment Weekly, she said, “Shawn completely held her own against Mark’s moves and caused my own back to ache after that drawn-out assisted backbend, but my favorite part of their dance was, surprisingly, when they toned it down for a few seconds and just slightly swayed in place.”

If you’re like me and watch Shawn on DWTS, I’d love to hear your recaps… Go ahead and share with me in the comments below!

photo:fred of brazil

Continue Reading

Super Strength

Posted on 24. Feb, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

Most competitive gymnasts hover around the 100-pound mark and yet they’re some of the strongest athletes I’ve ever seen. On a pound-for-pound basis, they’re lean and mean thanks to years of proper weight training and body weight conditioning.

I challenge you to show me another group of teens and young adults disciplined enough to withstand drills of push-ups, planks, chin-ups and sit-ups. I know I wouldn’t stand a chance in a physical fitness test against a serious gymnast (and neither did these University of Georgia football players.)

What always amazes me though is how so many competitive gymnasts are able to combine this physical strength with inner strength.

They’re Strong on the Inside Too

The ability to overcome challenges like finding the correct coach, intense pressure and burn-out alongside the stress of staying focused despite all the distractions that come with being a young adult is both admirable and enviable.

Due, in part, to the lack of standardized coach training, there are some bad (or misinformed) coaches out there. And because most coaches learned from their own coaches or other coaches at their gym, bad habits have a tendency of being passed on like a virus.

The worst offender? The tendency to push a talented gymnast to the point of burn out.

Because so many young gymnasts are pressured to win by both parents and coaches, burn-out is a real problem, especially for the extremely talented. Often, the harder they’re pushed, the more likely they are to drop out. It’s a vicious cycle that can hopefully be repaired by better coach training.

And yet, our gymnasts push on and continue to train, succeed and win. I’ve seen grown men and women crack under a lot less. Like I said, that kind of strength, both physical and inner, is enviable.

Image:Faeryan

Continue Reading

Zoom Delivery

Posted on 13. Feb, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

Recently, we had a gymnastics meet in Chicago for which we were supplying over 4000 pieces of gymnastics wear. These leotards were going in the welcome packages for meet attendees and it was a pretty big deal for both us and the event organizers.

Well, the fabric didn’t arrive until the Friday before the gymnastics meet. That was a problem, especially when you factor in all of our regular orders. After bringing in extra people on the weekend and staying late, we got that gymnastics wear out the door. We were so determined to meet this client’s deadline; we even had someone drive up the day before with about 75% of the order to make sure it got there.

Why?

Because we made a promise.

I think that’s a reflection of how MotionWear does business and my own philosophies. We are always striving to make a competitive, quality product and then delivering that to our customers. If that means telling Jim from accounting that he may have to drive a van load of 4000 leotards to a gymnastics meet in Chicago, well then that’s what it means.

My job at MotionWear isn’t to sit here at the helm of the ship and look off into the distance. It’s hand’s on and all of our managers have the same attitude. Just because you wear a suit to work, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to get down into the trenches – especially when our customers’ needs are on the line.

Continue Reading

Gymnastics, Self Doubt and Success

Posted on 11. Feb, 2009 by Bob Wilson.

Self doubt can become a big stumbling block for a competitive gymnast, or any other high performance athlete for that matter. Unlike basketball, soccer or even a sport like tennis, a gymnast occupies a very lonely “stage” and is critiqued so precisely and instantly that it is utterly unrelatable to team sports.

I have witnessed parents glazing over the distinct challenges that come with gymnastics like assuming that if little Jenny enjoyed soccer, then she will do just fine in gymnastics with the same amount of coaching and support. There is a real danger in this.

As I was reading an article in Dance Magazine written by a psychotherapist named Anne Wennerstrand, who helps adult dancers with self doubt, I realized there is an emotional parallel with gymnastics. Both activities are very personal expressions by one individual, are very competitive and are intentionally critiqued.

What’s more, the self doubt of a gymnast, like a dancer, is usually linked to childhood and can bleed into all aspects of adult life. Anne Wennerstrand explained this when she told the story of Emily, who had been “trained in an exclusive ballet conservatory” but now, as an adult, struggled deeply with a rejection letter.

She said, “as a child, she (Emily) was praised for following directions…and thinking of herself as one of a special chosen few. Some of her ballet teachers, in a misguided effort to uphold high standards, devalued her abilities in class, forcing her to prove herself worthy of their attention. The unquestioned belief that she must prove herself worthy of success became a part of her adult thinking…”

We all know that childhood experiences impact our adult life but this story really seemed relevant to me. As a father with girls active in dance and that did take gymnastics, I decided to help my girls question the belief that they have to prove themselves worthy. As the president of a company that makes gymnastics wear for girls of all ages, adults included, I decided to relate this story and encourage you all to question that belief as well.

You ARE worthy of approval and success!

photo credit: goetter

Continue Reading