What goes into making a floor routine?

The floor exercise is an event where a gymnast gets to display her power, artistry, and ability to perform for a crowd, all in just 90 seconds! It's exhilarating for fans to watch and certainty a pleasure for the gymnast to perform! So what exactly goes into making a world class floor routine? We caught up with 5 former/current elite gymnasts to figure out how they go about learning a new floor routine and how long is takes them to pick up on the choreography!

Elizabeth Price

"My favorite floor routine so far is the one I have now because I like the poses and the choreography. It was picked out for me and choreographed by national team dance instructor, Antonia! It took me about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to learn my current routine, but it could be longer depending on how hard the choreography is and how easily I grasp it."

Kamerin Moore

:)

                          

"I love every floor routine I've ever had because they were all perfect for my age at the time I had them. I'd have to say my favorite one was the first one I had to the song "splish splash" because it was so upbeat and the song was hilarious. Plus it was my first floor routine so I was so excited to have it! It takes about 4 hours for me to learn a floor routine and although I do get to pick out my own music, it has to be approved by my coaches. The choreography is all done by Dominic and I've never tried to give my opinion on it because everything he choreographs is amazing without any help from myself."

Samantha Peszek

         

"I don't necessarily have a favorite floor routine, but I like the fact that my floor routines have changed throughout the years. It keeps things interesting for me and for everyone watching. It is also fun to experiment with a new style. I started off in level 7 with the Wizard of Oz and moved to the "big band" type of stuff in levels 8-10. Then I went to a little bit more serious music for elite. My last few years competing elite was a type of tango and I really liked it! Now, in college I had Guns n' Roses last year and Shakira this year, so my favorite floor routine is not one routine, but the fact that I could play around with so many different ones! It doesn't take too long to learn a floor routine, it can be as fast as a few hours, but I do think it takes a lot longer to polish and put some emotion to it. It also takes a lot of work to keep the dance aspect of the routine while adding tumbling. I always had a say in my music/choreography. I think something all my routines had in common was they were fun, and I tried to send that message when I was performing them."

Briley Casanova

             
"I would say my favorite floor routine is the one I just got over the summer. Every year I love my routines even more than the last year, so this year's routine is my favorite! The choreography is a little more "fun" which is a little bit of a departure from my normal style, but it has a little more "flair" than my earlier routines. Also, I definitely have a say in the music choice and choreography. My coach/choreographer (Cecile Landi) is a great person to work with when we create routines. She trusts me, and I trust her. We make a great team in the creative process of developing floor routines. We really listen to each other and speak up if an idea for a pose or dance movie comes to one of us. Usually we can get a routine done in one private lesson in about 2 hours. That's pretty fast in my opinion!"

Peng Peng Lee

                         
"My favorite one was the one I competed at national championships in 2008. I absolutely loved that routine because it was fun and the dance was awesome. I could smile and enjoy myself while I performed. When learning new a routine, I think it depends how hard the choreography is. It normally will take me a weekend to fully learn a routine but to master and be comfortable with the movements takes me about a month. I have a little bit of a say in my floor music but normally it is chosen for me. "


Read our other question posts with elite gymnasts:

What's the hardest skill in gymnastics?

How do you balance elite gymnastics and school?

What's the difference between elite and college gymnastics?

What are you thinking during your routine?

What's in your gym bag?

All you need to know about the Nastia Cup.

Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions regarding the Nastia Cup. So I decided to enlighten you all on this top notch level 10 competition!

What is it?

The Nastia Cup is what I like to call the Olympics for level 10 gymnasts. It's a chance for them to compete against some of the top level 10's in the country, on a stage that's much bigger than they're use to. Having the opportunity to compete on a podium. in front of a TV camera, and in front of the national team staff is huge for a  level 10!

History of the event.

The Nastia Cup started in 2010 and was called the Supergirl Cup in it's inaugural year. In 2011, the name of the competition changed to simply the Nastia Cup. The meet uses the "perfect 10" scoring system, which is used in level 10 competition. The Nastia Cup is held the day before the American Cup and it's in the same arena. The meet has been shown on the Universal Sports Network for the past 3 years.

Who competes there?

The Nastia Cup is considered "open" which means level 10 and elite gymnasts who are not on the national team can compete there. To qualify to the Nastia Cup you must compete in a invitational that is apart of the "Nastia Liukin Cup Series" and place 1st all around. The winner of the junior and senior category of every invitational qualify's to the Nastia Cup. Many gymnasts who once competed in the Nastia Cup have gone on to become great things. The winner of the first ever Nastia Cup was Lexie Priessman, who is the current junior national champion. Gabby Douglas placed 4th all around that same year and went on to win the all around gold at the 2012 Olympics. This competition is a great place to find young talent.

2013 Nastia Liukin Cup Series.


Circle of Stars Gymnastics Invitational, Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 11-13
The Atlanta Crown Invitational, Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 11-13
Pikes Peak Cup, Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 18-20
CGA Coaches Spectacular, Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 18-20
Kim Zmeskal's Texas Prime Meet, Irving, Texas, Jan. 18-20
Lady Luck Invitational, Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 18-20
Sand Dollar/Whitlow Invitational, Kissimmee, Fla., Jan. 25-27
Wisconsin Dells Gymnastics Vacation Classic, Wisconsin Dells, Wis., Jan. 25-27
Parkettes Invitational, Allentown, Pa., Jan. 25-27
San Diego Classic, San Diego, Calif., Jan. 25-27
Fiesta Bowl Invitational, Chandler, Ariz., Feb. 8-10
Charity Choice Invitational, Tacoma, Wash., Feb. 8-10
IGI Chicago Style, Chicago, Ill., Feb. 8-10
Gliders Invitational, Ontario, Calif., Feb. 8-9
The Magical Classic, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 15-16
Buckeye Classic, Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 15-17
Presidential Classic, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Feb. 15-17
WOGA Classic, Frisco, Texas, Feb. 15-17
Arizona Sunrays Classic Rock Invitational, Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 15-17

You can watch the full version of last year's cup below.  

         

Written by: Ashlee

8 Questions with Olympic head coach John Geddert

For John Geddert, the passion for coaching began in his early college days. During his senior year at Central Michigan, John began coaching a high school gymnastics team and soon discovered that coaching was something he wanted to pursue. In 1980, he moved to Maryland to coach at one of the top gyms in the country, the Marvateens. He coached there for four years and then made his way back home to Michigan, where he started coaching at Great Lakes Gymnastics. Many of John's first elite gymnasts were coached at Great Lakes. In 1996, John and his wife Kathryn opened up their own gym, Gedderts Twistars USA Gymnastics Club and the rest is history. In just 16 short years, John's program has been put on the map, with several top Level 10 and elite athletes going from his gym. Now that the 2012 Olympics are over, his career has come full circle. He can now proudly call himself the head coach of a gold medal winning team! We talked to John about the Olympic experience and what's in store for Twistars Gymnastics.

John with Jordyn and his wife Kathryn.  Photo Credit: Unknown

Triple Twist: How would you sum up the whole Olympic experience?

John: The entire Olympic experience is something that I have worked for my entire life. I really don't think many people grasp the totality of the situation. It's not that we woke up one day with an Olympian, it's the 25 plus years of learning, trying, failing, adjusting, and persevering that eventually reaps the ultimate goals.... and for some coaches IT NEVER HAPPENS. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity, the athlete to accomplish the goals, the gym to support the process and a national training system that pointed us in the right direction. This Olympic experience featured the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, so we got to see it all and the records will show.... Jordyn Wieber- 2012 Olympic Champion... John Geddert- 2012 Head Coach for the USA Olympic Team. The experience was incredible.

Triple Twist: What did you say to Jordyn after the qualifying round? How do you handle a moment like that as a coach? 

John: The results of the qualifying round were devastating.  To see the pain on the face of my athlete is more than any coach would ever want to endure. She was crushed and I was helpless to ease her pain. I did tell her how very sorry I was, and after a few moments to let her drain the emotions I did remind her that she would handle the disappointment like the true champion she was, she would handle it with the grace and dignity that she had always handled her successes. No excuses, and she had full support for her teammates.

Triple Twist: Have you talked to Jordyn about her future plans?

John: Jordyn has been fairly quiet in regards to her future plans. I know she is loving the tour and the performances associated with the Kelloggs Tour of Champions. She has earned a little down time and the opportunity to just have FUN!. If she decides that she would like to continue, we of course would do all in our power to make sure her success in the sport continues. If she decides that she has had enough, we would support her in that decision also.

Triple Twist: You recently reunited with the Fierce 5 at the Detroit tour stop. How was it to see everyone together again? 

John: It was great to see Aly, Gabby, Mckayla and Jo... they all seemed so happy and loving "living in the moment". They were a great team to be associated with, no prima donnas or super star attitudes. (Both at worlds and the Olympics). 

Triple Twist: What has life been like for you after the Olympics?

John: Well the world did not stop turning that is for sure. My gyms are packed with an all time high enrollment, so it was not long before it was back to reality. I have had some speaking engagements (I actually kind of like sharing the Olympic Story), coaches educational projects (one of my biggest goals) and was inducted to my High School Hall of Fame (very cool). I have enjoyed the notoriety, support and recognition from the gymnastics community.

Triple Twist: What do you think is in store for you and Twistars in the future?

John: I have always said you are only as good as your next performance. I can assure you that Twistars will not be resting on past accomplishments. We have a strong program and are committed to helping athletes of all levels achieve their individual goals and aspirations. We do have a large group of fast track athletes (about 15) and they show great potential. We will see where that takes us. I love coaching dedicated, determined, and motivated athletes. It is simply in my blood.

Triple Twist: If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now as a coach, would you do anything differently?

John: If I had to start my career over, I would do so with the well learned lesson that PATIENCE is essential in the long term development of athletes. Early on I fell victim to wanting success and progress overnight and pushed far to hard to get there. Since learning the art of patience, our program has developed at a greater and more consistent pace and the athletes are far more motivated and anxiety free. Patience in development should not be confused with accepting mediocrity in training, rather it is a developed coaching tool that guides us as to when to push and when to back off.

Triple Twist: You have had a long journey with Jordyn, what has been your greatest memory?

John: The entire journey is a great memory. She was the perfect athlete for me... we clicked. My favorite memory would have to be her coming out party at her first American Cup. She was relatively unknown and simply rocked that competition. Her competitiveness was forever etched in my mind. Then of course the come back, never give up, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP would have to rate right up there also.

John Geddert celebrating with team USA. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Follow John on Twitter
Check out his website for tips and instructional coaching DVD's.

Interview done by: Ashlee

Catalina Ponor- Final Dismount

At an age that is considered ancient in the sport of gymnastics, 25 year old Catalina Ponor of Romania announced her retirement from the sport that has been her life at the elite level the past 8 years. Fans from across the globe watched as the Romanian queen took her final bow during the floor event finals at the 2012 London Olympics.

Just 8 years earlier, Ponor was a 3 time Olympic gold medalist in the 2004 Athens games (team, balance beam, and floor) and became the first gymnast since Daniela Silivaş in 1988 to win 3 gold medals in a Olympic Games. After her success in Athens, Catalina seemed content with her medal count. "I'm very happy for my medals. Today it was a dream that came true. I would like to thank my coaches for the courage they gave me during the competition, and for the preparation. The atmosphere was wonderful, simply unique. Adding these two titles to the team's gold is an amazing feeling. I was not afraid that I was going to lose the gold medal on Floor. When I won the gold medal on Balance Beam, I was very emotional. I had wished to win that medal forever. I became even more emotional when I won the gold medal on Floor Exercise, because it became a second gold medal, and a gold medal is very hard to get." Catalina competed briefly in 2005-2007, retiring after the 2007 World Championships due to ongoing injuries.

                           

In March, Ponor began training again with the Romanian national team under the newly returned coaches Octavian Belu and Mariana Bitang. At the beginning of August, Ponor had a minor medical procedure to correct a congenital heart defect that was causing an arrhythmia. Luckily, she was able to resume training that very week. "I had a congenital problem I was born with, but I went to the doctor and all is well. This will not stop me in making a successful comeback" At the end of August, Ponor competed at the Romanian National Championships in Onesti, Romania where she placed second on balance beam and third on floor^. In October, Ponor competed at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. She helped the Romanian team place fourth and individually she placed seventh in the balance beam final. But Catalina wanted more.  "I want to do the same thing that I did in 2004. It was hard to make a comeback, but all the time I was thinking that I could do it. I will not relax till I reach my goal." That goal, would include multiple medals at the 2012 London Olympics, and maybe even a few gold.

I watched Catalina compete in 2004 and was captivated by how powerful her gymnastics was. It's incredible to know that 8 years later, she can still hang with some of the very best  in the world. Even though Catalina only left London with a team bronze and silver on floor (with one of the best routines I've seen, might I add!) she wants to make it clear that she leaves this sport with no regrets. "I will say it again, I want everyone to know, I will quit without regrets. I have worked every second for my team, I have worked every second for myself, I have worked every second for everybody. I have already been an Olympic champion. I will quit gymnastics with my chin up." Catalina will always be remembered for her elegant beam work, powerful tumbling, and inspiring determination. Not many people could make a successful comeback to a sport like gymnastics after 4 years of not stepping foot in the gym. Not to mention she only had 7 months to produce world class routines on every event. For Catalina Ponor, impossible is clearly just a word.

         

While it was hard to see one of Romania's legends say farewell to the sport, Catalina is certain gymnastics will always be apart of her "For now, I want to have a vacation so I can relax my mind. Afterwards, I want to try to do something like coaching." Catalina is currently training for the Mexico Gala in November, although she has not committed to continue competing in gymnastics. 

Your gymnastics will certainty be missed Catalina!

More articles on Catalina's retirement:

http://www.romania-insider.com/romanian-gymnast-catalina-ponor-retires-after-london-games-with-five-career-olympic-medals/62830/

http://www.gymnastike.org/coverage/248218-2012-London-Olympics/article/13971-Catalina-Ponor-Says-Farewell-One-Final-Time

http://www.examiner.com/article/ponor-announces-her-retirement



Written by: Brittany