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gymnastics coaching
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 Keith Russell |
Gymnastics Canada coaching manuals Level 1 Introductory gymnastics. (4th edition) Coaching Level 2 & 3 manuals also recommended. E-mail Gymnastics Canada for current prices as their website shop is being updated. |
Level 2 (intermediate) and Level 3 (advanced) coaching certification manuals (English & French) are also available. Some sections of each are excellent; some badly out-of-date.
The Canadian Trampoline manuals Level 1, 2 & 3 are very good too — and much more current than the artistic texts.
Biomechanics of Women's Gymnastics, G. S. George, 1980.
This classic book has been studied closely by thousands of coaches. Wonderful illustrations. The title is misleading; the book speaks more to artistry & technique than biomechanics. Look for a copy in the library.
Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Gymnastics, by Price, Price & Haselow-Dulin (Editor)
Gymnastics Australia coaching resources
We feel Australia offers (overall) the best quality manuals & resources in English. Particularly recommended are:
Schembri, G., Russell, K., & McKail, G. (1983). Introductory gymnastics: a guide for coaches and teachers. (No link on their website October 2003.)
Amazon.com may be able to find a used copyWAG basics videos (women’s artistic gymnastics) Levels 1-3 & Levels 4-6. Excellent basics.
Up, Down, All Around, Russell, Schembri, Kinsman
60 easy lesson plans for teachers Grades 1-6, but also useful for club coaches. Excellent resource!
USECA books
Recommended by the US Elite Coaches Association for competitive athletes:
- Conditioning and Peaking the Junior Olympic Gymnast, Larry Nassar
- Straight and To the Point, Kris Buchheister
- USECA Team Handbook – Chalk Dust on my Shoulders, David Holcomb
- Drills for Skills v 1.0, Bill Sands
- Gymnastics Training and Competition Planner, Bill Sands
- Collected Gymnastics Works of William A. Sands
- Coaching Women's Gymnastics, Bill Sands
Gymnastics, Sport Psychology Library, Karen Cogan & Peter Vidmar, 2000
Perhaps the most useful gymnastics specific psychology text.
Gymnastics: How to Create Champions, Leonid Arkaev, Nicolai Suchilin, Nikolai Suchilin, 2004.
Intriguing book co-authored by Leonid Arkaev from Russia, the most successful coach of all time.
Gymnastics: Floor, Vault, Beam and Bar, Trevor Low, UK, 1993
new Carly Patterson, book, 2004, Susan Valentine
new Carly Patterson (Amazing Athletes), book, 2005, Jeff Savage
Rookie Coaches Gymnastics Guide, by American Coaching Effectiveness Program
new Coaches Certification manuals, Rita Brown
Check details on Brown's website.
International Gymnast magazine, USA
Inside Gymnastics magazine, USA
Teaching FUNdamental Gymnastics Skills, Debby Mitchell, Barbara Davis, Raim Lopez, 2002.
Book with well illustrated titbits for beginner gymnastics.
Dance Choreography for Competitive Gymnasts, Denise Gula, 1993.
Book recommended for choreographers.
RINGS: Methods, Ideas, Curiosities, History, by Istvan Karacsony, Ivan Cuk, 2002
202 paged devoted just to rings. Illustrated and detailed.
Pommel Horse Exercises, Methods, Ideas, Curiosities, History, by Istvan Karacsony, Ivan Cuk
Perhaps the best pommel horse book ever published. You would need to contact Karacsony from Hungary to purchase a copy directly.
new Moving to Learn is a resource for teaching children up to age 3. Excellent informative website, as well.
Superguides Gymnastics, by Joan Jackman, foreward by Shannon Miller
The Gymnastics Book, Elfi Schlegel and Claire Ross Dunn, 2001. Good overview for young girls in gymnastics.
book Carly Patterson: Be Strong, Carly Paterson and Clint Kelly. Olympic Champion's story.
new Developing A Successful Cheerleading Program, Headridge & Garr, 2004.
new Paul and Morgan Hamm, book, 2004, Amanda Bader
new books - Roland Carrasco, Rick McCharles. Recommending the wonderful books published long ago in French by Vigot Editions, Paris. GymnasticsCoaching.com
new I could write a “handstand” book, Rick McCharles. Recommending the books of Karen Goeller. GymnasticsCoaching.com
new why so few good gymnastics books?, Rick McCharles. GymnasticsCoaching.com
Developing Talent in Young People, Benjamin Bloom (editor), 1985
Research on nurturing talent. Case studies of athletes, musicians & intellectually gifted young people. Parallels are striking.
Coach's Planning Handbook & Gymnast’s Training Workbook, Fadel Chidiak
Fill in the blank workbooks for coach & gymnast: Calendar, Schedule, Cycles, Charts, Yearly Periodisation Chart, Micro/Macro Planning, Physical/Technical/Physiological prescription, training and evaluation, Routines Preparation & Values, Goals & Objectives, Testing & Evaluation, Progress Reports, Fitness & Anthropometric Measures, Food In-Take, Competitions Results Charts, & more.
Double-Goal Coach, Jim Thompson
Positive Coaching Tools for Honouring the Game and Developing Winners in Sports and Life (Highly recommended by a gymnastics coach.)
Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, Joan Ryan
The title you might find provocative, the content controversial. Widely read & well written, this exposé of abuse of young female gymnasts and figure skaters is criticized by coaches for lack of balance. Don’t buy it. The author has made enough money documenting worst case examples. Many libraries have a copy if you want to know what the fuss is about.
new Gymnastics Games Compendium, Ken Daley, 1981, is one of the few good books of gymnastics games. Unfortunately it is out of print & difficult to find.
100 Drills and Conditioning Exercises, Karen Goeller
Karen posts a free drill each month.
E-mail if you have additional manuals or books you find useful.
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Funtastics Gymnastics, Idaho
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