It's like, as long as I have a waist, I'm NSM with what the other measurements are. I have an hourglass; I loveloveLOVE the very distinct dip between my hips and waist, esp. in my lower back.
This is me. I usually think the scale is lying to me when it says 175, because I keep telling it "I've got a waist! I can't weigh that!" I've always gotten compliments on my waist being "tiny", no matter what my weight, so who cares what the scale says. And, even though I can't see it, I get compliments on my legs and ankles. Well, I'll take 'em, even if I don't quite believe 'em.
IOmeN, I hooked up a new router this evening and it's being a pain in the butt. My TiVo didn't want to play nice with it and after a lot of fiddle-faddle with its setup and my home network and other oddities, I've finally got it hooked up and loading the TV schedule for the next two weeks. Damn, I wanted to be in bed an hour ago.
amych. Sorry. My grammar & spelling skills are horrid. When I am at the computer, I'm pretty good about checking. But on the iPhone, it's too much a pain. It is the one glaring area where I am very unBuffista. I am getting better. Since joining, I am far more aware of my serial comma usage.
What do others think? Are they over 16? Is that why they don't list a home town (so research can't be done)?
Those three who did the uneven bars? No way.
Interesting thought about the home town thing. Though, if you're pulled at three into a central training program, is that even a meaningful concept?
Watching the lady gymnists now. I find it interesting that the Chinese list a whole province for 'home', vs. a city.
I asked Wallybee about this. She said that the gymnasts are first selected for the provincial team. The provincial teams compete against each other, and it's through performance in that competition that the national team gets selected. That's her guess on why they're identified by province, because it's the avenue by which they make it to the national team.
omnis, not to harp, but I think amych's point was about the term "lady" gymnasts, as opposed to women.
What is the advantage for having super young gymnasts? Maybe some of them could be on the edge of 16, but that wee little thing can't be anywhere near 16.
Yes, what Brenda said -- I'd never dream of correcting your spelling. But "lady" diminishes what they do as athletes.
At least two of the Chinese gymnasts who are currently listed as 16 were listed as 12 just two years ago.
What is the advantage for having super young gymnasts?
It was discussed a good bit in Natter the other day by people who know way more about gymnastics than I ever will, but in a nutshell, tiny=better balance and prepubescent=not having to relearn all your skills to account for hips. The age limit used to be 14, but when they raised it to 16, the incentive for forging papers on some kids who aren't anywhere near the required age must have gone through the roof. For those teams that would do such a thing, of course.
What is the advantage for having super young gymnasts?
Shorter = lower center of gravity, better balance, less likely to get really close to the edge of the floor on a tumbling pass, able to get way better rotations on bars. Younger = less likely to question what the coaches tell them to do. (Well, from several interviews I've seen with Bela Karolyi, I get the feeling that that's why he wants to work with younger gymnasts, anyway.)
Also, in the Chinese system, where the girls start training really intensely really young, some of them might not make it to 16 before they get to the point where their joints can't take the strain of competition-level training anymore. In countries where they start training a bit older, that's less of an issue.
