here's another gymnast to diver story - tallness being a factor for her in her decision apparently: "Diver Heads to NCAA Zones" - http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2007/02/28/Sports/Diver.Heads.To.Ncaa.Zones-2747458.shtml [quote]Shannon Hosey's career changed the moment that she realized she was too tall. A gymnast prior to the beginning of high school, Hosey endured an injury that prevented her from advancing in her gymnastics career, and so she turned to diving to fulfill her athletic needs. "I did gymnastics for about seven years, and I quit right before high school," the School of Engineering and Applied Science sophomore said. "I had come to a wall in competitions, and it's [gymnastics is] a hard sport to do when you're a lot taller. I was trying to find a sport similar to gymnastics that I could be good at." [/quote] we have some tall people at our gym - they use the bars at the highest settings, and as far apart as they go. easier for the coaches to spot the smaller girls tho if they need it, esp. more if the coach isn't so experienced. it's funny the news people call svetlana khorkina tall and she's like 5'4" - she does look taller from being so thin, and also next to the shorter gymnasts / tv sports people interviewing her.

a couple of the girls on our team are even taller than the tallest coach and he is pretty tall! they put the bars all the way down and as far apart as they go like u said, and also they move the bars landing mat a little more out so that they don't hit it on their swings.

too tall? naaa :D Here's a story on Brian Carr, a University of Oklahoma senior that is 6-1!! (men's gymnastics): "Persistence pays off for gymnast" - http://www.normantranscript.com/sports/local_story_076153643.html [quote]Problem was, OU coach Mark Williams didn

wow - 6-1 that is tall! it's funny when the tv commentators and everyone say Khorkina is so tall and she's like 5-4. :D cool story!

I know! I'm 5' 4" and the among the shortest of all my friends.

lol..im 5' 10" and im a level 7...lol i never really let it get in the way of gymnastics tho =]

[quote=gotchalk35]lol..im 5' 10" and im a level 7...lol i never really let it get in the way of gymnastics tho =][/quote] Cool! tallest acrobat? "At 6'5", Leland Tilden of RISING DESCENT stunt team is the world's tallest acrobat." video: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/259506/gymnasty/ Tallest female elite artistic gymnast: Svetlana Khorkina: 5'5" ? 6 moves named after her in the Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points, more than any other gymnast Nastia has the long legs like Khorkina and is often compared to her, but in her official website it says she is 5'. from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Olaru and http://www.answers.com/topic/maria-olaru : [quote]Olaru was one of the tallest gymnasts competing in the late 1990s, standing 5'3"/160cm. Her strengths were vaulting and floor exercise, however, she was best known as an all-around gymnast. Olaru retired after the 2000 Olympics, noting that the new Code of Points would not be suited to gymnasts of her height, and enrolled as a student at the West University of Timişoara.[/quote] You can work around the code and choose skills, and even create new skills like Khorkina did!

I have seen a lot of quite tall gymnasts competing very successfully even all the way up to level 10. But there would be a lot of factors in their success. They need to be much stronger than a smaller girl to do the same skills and would need a coach who is able to spot or at least a lot of fantastocs training aides at their gym like foam pits, strap bars, saftey harnesses and so on to reduce the need for so much spotting. Being taller can have its advatages, for example if you train as a gymnasts and decide to become a coach, because you are taller you will probably find spotting easier. Having said that I have never seen a tall elite, I don;t think I have ever even seen someone of average height compete as an elite and have international success. But there are many sports such as sports acrobatics, rythmic gymnastics, cheerleading, trampolining and so on where their height is not so much of an issue.

I think the height factor is ridiculous. Too many really talented kids are over-looked because they happen to have tall parents. Although it might be true that height can make things more difficult, I think coaches forget this is an individual sport and each individual wants to get as good as they can - regardless of height. Also, there are those who achieve amazing results no matter how tall. Another issue that coaches aren't considering is that we can't keep a club running if we only train kids who fit the "perfect" mold. It takes a lot of gymnasts to finance a club. To limit upper level training to short kids is financial disaster. Finally, there ARE some kids who are short even when their parents are giants. Genetic pools can be quite large and height is not only factored by the immediate parents....

Ice skaters think about being tall too, who knew? :D Here's the thread on Evan Lysacek (he won the 2008 US Men's Figure Skating Nationals just recently) talking about on being tall, and figuring out skills to do to go with his height, show long lines, etc.: http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?p=22394#22394 Reminds me of Svetlana Khorkina!