I Can Do Gymnastics [Paperback]

USA Gymnastics (Author)

Book Description

Series: Spalding Sports Library | Publication Date: January 11, 1993

You've mastered the beginning skills of gymnastics and are ready to go on to the next level. But where do you go for guidance in gymnastics skills progressions? It's simple! USA Gymnastics and Masters Press. This volume takes up where the first book in the series, I Can Do Gymnastics: Essential Skills for Beginning Gymnasts left off. Skills are combined into movement sequences and alternative apparatus possibilities are explored. Fully integrated with the beginning levels of USA Gymnastics' junior precompetitive program, I Can Do Gymnastics: Essentials for Intermediate Gymnasts is the perfect "next step" for budding gymnasts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (January 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940279541
• ISBN-13: 978-0940279544
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #816,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Gymnastics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guidebook, January 5, 2004

By 

Spongebob Squarepants Fan (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Can Do Gymnastics (Paperback)

I got this book a couple years ago when I was first starting off gymnastics on level 1. I found the book to be helpful and imformative, with good diagrams and instructions. Now I'm a level 8 gymnast, and I have to say, this is the book that helped me get so far. Every day after I came home from a workout, I would turn to this book to look at the diagram and learn the proper way to perform the skill. I would then practice it at home until I got it down. When I went back to workouts the next day, I would be practically the only one who knew how to do the skill properly and safely. In fact, I still enjoy looking through the book with my gymnastics coach and teammates to find good connecting skills to put in my routines.

This book features gymnastics skills on all of the boys' and girls' apparatus, such as vault, floor, pommel horse, bars, rings, beam, etc. They are divided into chapters; for example, beam will be one chapter, floor excercise will be another, etc. For each skill, there is a sequenced diagram along with instructions to perform the skill properly and in the safest way possible. Each skill builds on one another, for example, you may first be doing a standing back handspring, then cartwheel step-in to a back handspring, then finally, a round-off to a back handspring, etc. The way that USA Gymnastics sequenced the skills will make you feel more prepared and confident for moving on to the next skill. Each chapter had a checklist at the end for marking off the skills you had learned and the date you had learned it.

Since this book was written by USA Gymnastics and many gymnastics clubs are members of it, you'll find that you are learning many of the same moves in your gymnastics classes, which makes this book so effective. Plus, it includes the skills used in routines for levels 1-6 as an added bonus.

Besides from the skills, this book also includes a chapter of more advanced moves in the back that you could learn after learning the other skills. Plus, there was even an entire chapter devoted to landing safely in case you had a fall or a bad landing, etc. I practiced the safety falling procedures, and I found that I got less injuries from using them, and not just in the gym- they work great in school, playgrounds, and other places.

All in all, I highly recommend this book. Maybe Ninjahawk didn't find it helpful because he/she may not have gone to gymnastics classes, since this program is really intended to go with the gymnastics program at your club. This book has helped me move on up to new levels and to do excellently in competitions. I am having a test to move up to level 9 in several weeks and I know that I will be turning to this book for help and guidance. All gymnasts can benefit one way or the other from using this book.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for gymnasts and coaches, January 27, 2001

By 

"backflip" (Georgia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Can Do Gymnastics (Paperback)

I Can Do Gymnastics : Essential Skills for Intermediate Gymnasts is a wonderful addition to the library of any gymnast or coach. It includes a variety of skills for both girls and boys gymnastics on each event.

Information I found especially helpful was the section on landing safely. It provided drills on different ways to land so that if you were ever to take a bad fall on the equipment, you can reduce the risk of injury by using of the techniques. The book also included information on warming up your muscles properly and information on choosing quality equipment. The list of skills had detailed descriptions and ratings ("A" for easiest up to "C" for most difficult) along with several illustrations. At the end of each chapter, a chart was included to check off each skill section you mastered. Scattered throughout the book, there are helpful hints for the gymnast and teaching tips for coaches.

I would recommend this book to gymnasts who are at the intermediate level (optional gymnasts may also enjoy browsing through the book to find simple skills to include in routines) or coaches who teach girls or boys at that level.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the pre-team coach, July 17, 2001

By 

Christine Harrelson (MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Can Do Gymnastics (Paperback)

This book is great in teaching all the beginning skills a gymnast needs to learn right before competitive level 5. The diagrams are good and they even include a checklist page for all the skills. Excellent tool for coaches and gymnasts who want to get an edge in the early stages.