Gymcastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

Spencer is alone this week for a comprehensive explainer of this comically complicated 2020 Olympic qualification process, answering all the questions you were too afraid to ask because you didn't quite understand them. THE PROCESS How teams qualify to the Olympics from worlds How individuals qualify to the Olympics from worlds WTF the "Jade Carey route" is How the all-around world cups are different from the apparatus world cups and why they matter (AHHHHH) Why continental championships are so important in 2020 YOUR QUESTIONS Jade Carey? Sub-question: Jade Carey, Jade Carey, Jade Carey? How is the US going to qualify its fifth and sixth women to the Olympics? What will these non-team individuals even do at the Olympics? What should the US strategy be for that second individual spot? How does 2-per-country work at the Olympics with all these individuals? BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE US WANTS JADE CAREY ON THE TEAM OF 4?!?!?! Could the US send MyKayla Skinner and/or Sunisa Lee to apparatus world cups? Won't some

GYMTERNET NEWS We begin this week with a visit back to the land of dumpster fires. Louise Radnofsky has a piece for the WSJ on how information about the Nassar investigation was withheld from Simone—and information that Simone was a likely victim was in turn withheld from the FBI. We delve into the predictably terrible things we learn about Steve Penny and why information like this is still trickling out three years later, with further reporting from Scott Reid at the OC Register on the behavior of the FBI and how many holes there still are in our understanding of the FBI's failures.  COTTBUS WORLD CUP Now to the fun part! The 5th of 8 events in the apparatus Olympic qualification series is now complete, and we discuss Does the FIG understand its own Olympic qualification rules? Andrea Maldonado debuted a FRONT TRIPLE FULL and got it named after herself Hidetaka Miyachi isn't real, and how the demon spirit of Epke's sinuses disrupted the HB final Yu Linmin, Maria Paseka, and the state of the "Jade Carey s

Today, we have an episode commissioned by Club Gym Nerd member Helen, who asked for an episode about the 1984 NCAA Championships! That means we get to discuss sexism, a time when there were more than 16 men’s college teams, Baby Kathy Johnson commentary, Mitch GAYLORD and his GAYLORD, Timmy "The Bull" Daggett, a coach marrying a current athlete because 80s, and a time when Utah Gymnastics ruled the world! You guys: You had to have a mustache and giant glasses or you weren’t allowed to coach. Men had to wear little diapers on floor FEATHERED HAIR AND BIG BANGS AND LAYERS AND FROSTED BLUE EYE SHADOW The springboard might be made of rice paper An entire fluff piece about how hot Mitch Gaylord is and how cool it is that he rides a motorcycle "Tim Daggett style" How you dealt with a major injury in 1984 Fan-girling over Lisa Zeis and Heidi Anderson and Tami Elliott and (that's right) Elfi Schlegel Spencer has a coronary embolism over the state of NCAA scoring in 1984 The famous Greg and Megan fluff piece about th

Attention! We have very, very many episodes for you this week! A new Behind the Scenes episode about cats and musicals (but not Cats: The Musical) is currently available for Club Gym Nerd members, who can find all of their special goodies at our Club Content page. Also this week, you'll be able to enjoy a commissioned episode about the 1984 NCAA Championships. But for now, Gymternet News.  GYMTERNET NEWS On Facebook, International Gymnast provided some "problematic areas" in judging, presented by Tom Forster, in order to provoke discussion. And, boy, do we have some discussing to do. Because of course we are, we're going point by point and discussing why (almost) all of this is very bad. Plus, Jessica has feelings on the current state of NCAA rules for athlete compensation. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of SCSU gymnast Melanie Coleman An update on jump 1/2 to arabesque MANIA provoked by our 2024 compulsories episode Big NCAA signing news re: Morgan Hurd and Victoria Nguyen Shawn had the baby

This episode has been commissioned by Club Gym Nerd member Billy, who has used his commission to give a gift to you, the listeners, by commissioning a fan-idea episode—it's a special tribute to the most dedicated of gym nerds for our 400th episode! This is a super-extra gym nerdy topic submitted by Poor Lawyer who said, "spend one hour designing compulsory routines for 2024, if they returned." Eeeeeeee! (Spoiler alert: it's more than an hour.)  We discuss the background of compulsories and why we love them (a segment for the young youthful youngs who may have grown up in a time without compulsories), celebrate Spencer's favorite part of any game—an extensive review of the rules before you start—and go event by event to design the definitely real and absolutely going to happen compulsory routines at the 2024 Olympics. It mostly consists of Spencer presenting awesome, carefully constructed routines and Jessica callously and viciously tearing them to shreds. You guys, it's on. We even have some ideas for men's c

This episode has been commissioned by Club Gym Nerd member Britt, who asked for an episode all about the career of Oksana Chusovitina, saying, “I wanted to wait until she retired, but who knows when she will ever actually retire.” Correct. As we have established, she’s not allowed. Part 1 – What Is It About Chuso? Jessica takes us on a scenic tour of Chuso's life (and also the history of the internet?), from her start in Uzbekistan, to her time with the Unified Team, to her marriage and her son's illness, to the Germany years, and full circle back to Uzbekistan again. There will be some feelings. Chuso's longevity by the numbers — 7 Olympics, 17 world championships, and 13 combined medals. Plus, Spencer searches through the archives to find the first instance of a commentator being surprised that Chuso is still competing. Part 2 - The Big Fat Chuso Quiz Part 3 - The Early Years Chuso's successful junior career, her major international debut in 1990, and the fortuitous (for her) circumstances that leg to

BACK FROM WORLDS Everything we still want to talk about from worlds! Because there was so much! But first, Club Gym Nerd members be sure to listen to our special behind the scenes episode just for Club Gym Nerd members with photo gallery (Login or join here) about what happened in Stuttgart, including tales of the woman who tried to move in on Jessica's husband. The stuff of gymnastics lore for decades to come Tang Xijing goes from missing the all-around final entirely to winning the silver medal. We speculate on theoretical fluff pieces about this dramatic feat. Team Italy qualified for the team final by only .034 before its run to the bronze medal, and it was unsung hero Elisa Iorio who delivered the critical beam routine. Roxana Popa's qualification floor routine and the best triple Y spin ever done.  Tyson Bill making the high bar final and getting an Olympic spot! Noah Kuavita's triple back pike from high bar. Tingting's street snack hair and Chen Yile's "the birds that are angry...angry birds!" pig

EVENT FINALS DAY 2 It's overrrrrrrr! Worlds has come to a close for another year. We break down the stories from some of our most beloved and dangerous event finals (often the same one) on the final day of competition and reflect back on the journey that was Stuttgart 2019.  PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

EVENT FINALS DAY 1 Men's FX, PH and Rings. Women's Vault and Bars. Could anyone dethrone Simone and Nina? Did Jessica and Spencer emotionally survive having to sit through an entire pommel horse and rings final, respectively? You'll have to listen to find out as the team recaps with special guest, Coach Rick from GymnasticsCoaching.com the first day of event finals from worlds. Plus some Dumpster Fire News because the light keeps shinning even during Worlds: Gymnastics Federation’s Payments to a Linked Foundation Is Under Scrutiny PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

MEN'S ALL-AROUND FINAL We thought it would be the most wide-open competition heading into worlds. Did it play out that way? Did Russia and China keep Russia-ing and China-ing along? And how did Sam do on his big test? Jessica, Spencer, and very special guest, Olly Hogeben have all the news from the arena. PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

WOMEN'S ALL-AROUND FINAL The Simone Show continued its world tour in Stuttgart, and we have all the details. Who else was in the royal queen's court? We have all the news from the competition, and all the juicy details you didn't see on the live stream. Join us, won't you?  PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

We have officially crowned the 2019 winner of the Best Men Competition! Did everything go to plan for Russia and China? What do we make of that US men's performance? Jessica, Spencer, and Kensley have much to say. Much much much.  Plus details on the Fujitsu Robot Judging press conference. How it's been used so far during and after the competition so far, the other applications outside of gymnastics, monetization plans now and future and privacy concerns.  E score capability and connection value questions answered! PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

WOMEN'S TEAM FINAL It's our day of days! The women's team final! And our medal upset fantasies came true! We've got all the news, on the competition floor and off, as the US won another team title, followed by Russia with the silver, and ITALY with the bronze.  FINAL 1. USA 2. Russia 3. Italy 4. China 5. France 6. Great Britain 7. Canada 8. Netherlands PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

MEN'S QUALIFICATION DAY 2 Jessica, Spencer, and Kensley dive into the second day of men's qualification, which began with a power-packed USA/Japan session and and ended with our dear Dutch men, sandwiching the Chinese men's team, which finally got to throw down. How did China's performance compare to Russia yesterday? And WHO MADE THE OLYMPICS?!?!?! We'll tell you.   Plus a non-appology appology from USAG re Kara Eaker's beam inquiry. PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

MEN'S QUALIFICATION DAY 1 Jessica, Spencer, and Kensley discuss all the happenings from inside the arena on the first day of men's qualification as the Russians got started and a bunch of countries fought for their Olympic team lives. Who's still living? Brazil after we were sure they wouldn't go! And what happened to all of our pommel horse princes? Let's dive in.  PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

WOMEN'S QUALIFICATION DAY 2 Jessica, Spencer, and Kensley discuss all the happenings from inside the arena on the final day of women's qualification, featuring the US women getting their competition started, and INQUIRY DRAMA GALORE. We have many thoughts. Plus, who are you and what have you done with the Russians, Chuso Watch 2020, and the big upset in Olympic team qualification. We've got it all.  PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 388: 2019 Worlds - Women's Qualification Day 1 387: World Championships Preview Special 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?  

  WOMEN'S QUALIFICATION DAY 1 Jessica and Spencer discuss all the happenings from inside the arena on the first day of women's qualification. What happened to China and Canada, medal upset hopes France, the home nation of Germany, and the glory that is Nina? We're breaking it all down, along with the current state of Olympic qualification dreams with one day to go. Plus the Robot Judging transparency issue.  PODIUM TRAINING VIDEOS Check out all of our routine videos and interviews from podium training on our YouTube page, brought to you by TumblTrak! SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 386: Things You Only Know If You're a Gymnast, with Bram Verhofstad (Commissioned) 385: Follow the Money 384: But What about Allan?    

US World Team Trials  You can rewatch (or just watch) the replay streams on USAG's Youtube.  The US worlds team has been announced! Jessica tries to make Spencer start with positives. It barely works. Spencer's Rage-O-Meter about uneven floor carpets, Microsoft Excel, and small sample sizes Why there's a disconnect between the team selection and the written selection procedures Riley McCusker withdrew from camp with mild rhabdomyalasis – what we know, and what we don't Breaking down the major performances from camp that earned worlds tickets Why doesn't Faith Torrez have an FIG license? World Championships Preview Women's storylines Is a team upset coming? We talk France and Italy Last-minute Russian team changes (of course) All-around medal possibilities for Melanie and Ellie Olympic qualification implications Breakout star nominees Li Shijia and Giorgia Villa Why bars and beam will be amazing and vault will be better than usual Jessica's feelings storylines Men's storylines What's the same and what's

This week, we have a commission from Club Gym Nerd member Sara, who requested an episode all about the things you only know if you've actually done gymnastics. But that's not all! We have the pleasure of being joined by a special guest, Dutch elite gymnast and 2017 world floor finalist Bram Verhofstad, to help us in this vital mission.   From how annoying it is when people ask if you're going to the Olympics (NO! SHUT IT!), to pit boogers and urban legends (or not so urban legends) about finding rats in the pit, to the only proper way to break in grips, to gymnast's gross cool and impressive hands, to favorite beams, to vault-step rituals, to awkward spotting accidents, it turns out there's a lot that gymnasts know that no one else could ever understand. Plus, you're going to learn what "tricky boys" are, and you won't be disappointed.  Find Bram Verhofstad on YouTube Instagram SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. FURTHER READING Worlds Team Updates Paris World

Heads up! We have a bonus, extra mini-episode this week because we really need to talk about the Department of Justice.  GYMTERNET NEWS The Wall Street Journal and OC Register report that the Department of Justice is investigating sexual abuse claims AND financial and business misconduct within Olympic organizations Jessica has never been more excited about anything, ever Steve Penny, endorsement deals, and the post-Olympic tour. MMMM HMMM. Bruno Grandi, former president of the FIG, has died Comeback queens Chen Yile and Sanne Wevers are going to worlds! Polish gymnastics jail exists and is NOT OK California passed a bill that would let college athletes collect endorsement money. We discuss what this could mean for the NCAA (say it with us, "a multi-BILLION dollar organization!") and for college athletes.  MEET NEWS Everyone chanted for Melanie at the Paris World Cup and also just screamed through the entirety of floor routines.  Plus, what you need to know for following US women's selection camp this