This Week in Training: Before the Holidays

I keep forgetting to include this gymnast so I'm not forgetting this week! Margzetta Frazier of Parkettes is working a whip through to triple. You should also check her instagram for some pretty neat bars upgrades (stalder-pak-stalder-Chow here). IG: margzetta

Just some upgrades!

A video posted by Margzetta Frazier (@margzetta) on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:53am PST

After her knee injury, Maggie Nichols is working hard on the uneven bars. She shows both a Chow (which I believe is new) and Maloney.

new combos>>> feels so good to be swinging again😍❤️ #neverlosefaith #motivation #600days PC: @mal_pea

A video posted by Maggie Nichols (@swaggiemaggie2016) on Dec 12, 2014 at 4:49pm PST

Simone Biles posted a video on instagram of her double twisting double layout, named after fellow American Cup competitor Victoria Moors. Simone has such ease with her tumbling and her double double is finished so high that it was only a matter of time until the Moors came to be. I am glad.


Youna Dufournet is working a new balance beam mount. She has chosen to work the round off - layout step out onto the beam. Very few gymnasts choose to do difficult mounts. Vasiliki Millousi competes this mount and Natsumi Sasada does round off - layout full onto the beam. Youna posted video afterwards of her Def!!! I'm amazed because it was in connection.

Nouvelle entrée des poutre ? 💪😁 Faut pas croire les premiers essais m'ont valu quelques cascade 😂 #600Days #Rio2016 #NeverGiveUp #NotEasy

A video posted by Youna Dufournet (@youna_d) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:06pm PST

Marine Brevet's account is set to private but she is working a full twisting layout.

Nia Dennis' piked Tkatchev is back! Scratch that. Nia Dennis has a Church (toe on piked Tkatchev). The teammate of Gabby Douglas is hard at work.

Ayyeee putting in werk💁✌

A video posted by 💋Nia💋 (@niaadennis) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:17am PST

2014 World Bronze Medalist on Vault, Mykayla Skinner continues to work bars and keep her name in the USA all around discussion. She shows a new section with Maloney (toe on Shaposhnikova) to Pak salto, and also a Van Leeuwen (toe on Shaposhnikova with 1/2 turn). That might just be her new beginning (not metaphorically, literally).

A video posted by My~kayla Skinner (@mykaylaskinner2016) on Dec 12, 2014 at 3:15pm PST

Giulia Steingruber posted video of her working a new skill - a Church (toe on piked Tkatchev). I'm curious to see where this will go as she currently has a Shushunova (full twisting Tkatchev) that lacks some height. Will she swap the two or make some new connection? This is from her facebook page where she also shows her bhs-layout.




In Italy, two stars are working different dance skills. Vanessa Ferrari is working a switch ring on the low beam. For some reason, I thought she already had one but I guess not. Enus Mariani, known for her dance and flexibility, is working a Mustafina on floor - the triple Y turn.

Work in progress 🚫 Work hard, play hard 💪👊 MUSTAFINA 💕🙏 #me#em#today#workhard#playhard#progress#mustafina#staystrong#nothingisimpossible ✨

A video posted by Enus Mariani (@enusmariani) on Dec 12, 2014 at 5:00am PST