All About the Sport of Gymnastics

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Maryland Rhythmic Gymnasts Qualify for U.S. Nationals

By Anonymous

May 30, 2004 -- Four girls from the Gaithersburg based Rhythmflex Rhythmic Gymnastics Club have qualified for the U.S Gymanstics Championships. At the Eastern Qualifiers held during the weekend of May 22-23 in Wilmington, DE, Shelly Guy finished 15th with a score of 61.45, and Christina Williams finished 16th with a score of 59.75 in the Senior Division while Katherine Wolf finished 18th with a score of 51.05 in the junior division. The top 20 Juniors and top 20 Seniors from the Eastern and Western Qualifiers go to nationals. In addition, Julie Zetlin who did not compete due to an injury, was also invited to participate as she is currently the number 1 ranked Junior in the U.S. The girls are all from Montgomery County. The 2004 US Gymnastics Championship, and will be held in Nashville, TN, June 2-5.

Rhythmflex has competed at the highest levels of this sport since 1992 and is the home of several former National Team members and Olympians.
The girls are trained by Olga Kutuzova and train at Gymnastics of America and Rhythmflex, 602A East Diamond Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD. Rhythmflex offers classes in Rhythmic Gymnastics for all levels as well as a full day summer program.




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Karate in Madison Wisconsin takes Martial Arts Training to the Next Level

By Anonymous

MADISON, WI July 31, 2004 -- Jason Huett, owner of Kicks Unlimited training center, knows a thing or two about performing martial arts. He believes soon a growing number of other people will too. Huett has developed Kicks’ Unlimited Performance, a combination of martial arts and acrobatics that can be polished into a high-energy, high-impact performance. Kicks Unlimited Performance will premiere during a Hollywood-style martial arts seminar at Kicks Unlimited, 2981 Cahill Main in Fitchburg, Sunday, March 21 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

“This is the newest wave of martial arts,” said Huett. Kicks’ Unlimited Performance is geared toward kids and teens, but anyone interested in this combination of martial arts, fitness and performance can enroll. “It definitely has an entertainment edge to it,” said Huett. “Hollywood has helped build credibility for this style of martial arts in recent years. A lot of people want to do it because it’s fun and good for you.”
Huett and other nationally ranked performers will take part in the premier of Kicks Unlimited Performance. After attaining 1st Degree Black belt status in America Tae Kwon Do, and creating Wisconsin’s first nationally recognized synchronized forms team, Huett moved to Los Angeles to pursue professional martial arts training. Along the way, he performed in the Live Tour of the popular children’s show Power Rangers, and acted as a stuntman in several motion pictures, including “Legally Blonde.”

“Kicks Unlimited Performance will keep students engaged and focused,” added Huett. He said it can work with many of the existing martial arts training programs currently offered at Kicks Unlimited. “In 15-years, martial arts will be like hockey, or baseball, except every person is a winner because every person gets to play.”




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Flipping for Fitness -- AdultGymnastics.com fills a much-needed niche

By Anonymous

Tempe, Arizona December 8, 2003--In an effort to support the growing trend of adult interest in gymnastics fitness and recreation, Scott Dahlem has created AdultGymnastics.com to cater exclusively to the needs of the mature gymnast.

"Currently, less than ten percent of gymnastics clubs offer instruction for adults," said Dahlem, who came late to the sport. "AdultGymnastics.com attempts to negate some of these difficulties by not only educating the interested public but also by educating gymnastics club owners and coaches, and providing them a place to make their adult classes known on the World Wide Web."

Inspired at the 1984 Olympics by Mary Lou Retton's performance, Scott was 15 years old when he began pursuing the sport, an age he refers to as "very old for gymnastics." He later became a field correspondent for local, regional and national gymnastic competitions, has served as a regional columnist for International Gymnast Magazine and he continues to compete in the sport.

"I created AdultGymnastics.com because I saw that there were people over the age of 18 who want to pursue gymnastics and I wanted to create a community for them," said Dahlem. "They may not be Olympic caliber athletes but they want to pursue the sport for personal enjoyment. I designed the site as a portal for them."

Conventionally viewed as a sport for children, gymnastics is a rapidly growing trend for adults. According to a November 2003 article in The Washington Post, there are numerous fitness benefits for the mature gymnast including improved reflexes, coordination, agility, balance, muscle strength and general stamina. CBS reported in an article last year that Peter Kormann, the first male American gymnast to win an Olympic medal, termed adult interest in gymnastics "an unbelievable growth phenomenon."

"I hope that people who visit AdultGymnastics.com will discover that there are opportunities for adults in the sport," said Dahlem. "Just because you do not see us on TV doesn't mean we're not out here."



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