Saturday, March 1, 2008, Manhattan, NY

Spread throughout Madison Square Garden, a disparate bunch of us watched the Tyson American Cup Gymnastics Championship...!

In various parts of the large arena, Ann W., Marcie B., Jason F., Amy G/W, Molly G., Emma S., Nicole A., Samantha W., Dawn (last name?), my Catherine & I watched world-class gymnasts from the U.S., Canada, China, Venezuela & Columbia. These champions included Canada's Allysa Brown, 2007 all-around world champion Shawn Johnson; 2004 all-around Olympic champion Paul Hamm; 2007 balance beam & team world champion Nastia Liukin; 2007 all-around world silver-medalist Fabian Hambuechen; 2006 pommel horse world bronze-medalist Alexander Artemev; 2007 all-around world bronze-medalist Hisashi Mizutori; 2006-07 Tyson American Cup champ Jonathan Horton; 2001 & 2003 team world silver-medalist Raj Bhavsar; and 2007 team world champions Samantha Peszek & Shayla Worley.

My first personal favorite was Raj B. who I felt was a sort of underdog w/his solid performances even though the judges were hard w/his scores. The crowd actually booed the judges after Raj was given a much lower than expected score for his high bar routine! It was funny b/c the sound of MSG filled w/booing spectators was washed w/the high pitched sound of dozens of very young, aspiring gymnastic girls! My other personal favorite was Shawn Johnson who performed solidly through every event & did so w/a great, winning smile the whole time. My heart went out to Canada's Allysa Brown b/c I feel like my Canadian wife was one of the few really cheering her on. And, I was rooting for the champion underdogs from Columbia & Venezuela, too.

Here's Allysa Brown on the balance beam:


I was keeping my eyes & mind open for new ideas to try on a flying trapeze bar. So, w/that in mind, I took some videos of these incredible gymnasts on the uneven bars & high bar.

Here's Paul Hamm on the high bar:


Here's Nastia L. on the uneven bars:


Shawn Johnson on uneven bars:


I'm thinking of various bar tricks. Imagine a bar release trick involving a Layout w/a half twist to re-grab the bar. Or, imagine an B/E Uprise to a free hip circle casting up to a handstand/force out! Or, imagine a straddled Cut Away to re-grab the bar! Let's keep these in mind & develop them together...!

"I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso