Several times a year, the members of the US National team descend upon the National Team Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas for training camps. In the early months of the year, these camps take place roughly once a month, and then selection camps are added in or combined before international events.

The first camp of the year took place January 21-25, and USA Gymnastics uploaded footage on youtube of the training, showcasing some of the upgrades the gymnasts have been working on. Many of the gymnasts will be aiming to use these new skills in their routines later in the year, at events such as the World Championships. We have taken a look at the videos and summarized some of the upgrades that the elites are working on, focusing first on the Senior National Team.

Vault



No major upgrades were seen on vault, but it’s worth noting that Aly Raisman was practicing her Amanar. Although it was a soft landing with mats on the pit, she got the twist all the way around.

It’s also possible that by 2016 we’ll be seeing upgrades from Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner, who have both hinted at working more difficult vaults.

Uneven Bars



On bars, most of the girls have been working new connections, which can give a gymnast a lot of extra points toward their D score. Two girls in particular- Maggie Nichols and Ashton Lockear - have been working on long connection series. If Maggie inputs all of this into her routine at some point, it will result in +0.40 in connection value. Ashton's connections would result in +0.60.

A couple of girls have also been working new skills, such as Ashton's Galante and Maddie Desch's Ricna. Simone Biles has been training a new dismount - a Mustafina.

Kyla Ross
New connection: Pak Salto into Van Leeuwen
Connection value: D + E = +0.20

MyKayla Skinner
New connection: Shaposhnikova into Pak Salto
Connection value: D + E = +0.10

Maggie Nichols
New connection #1: Toe-on 1/1 into Chow
Connection value: D + D = +0.10
New connection #2: Chow into Pak Salto
Connection value: D + D = +0.10
New connection #3: Pak Salto into Maloney
Connection value: D + D = +0.10
New connection #4: Maloney into overshoot to handstand
Connection value: D + D = +0.10

Ashton Locklear
New skill: Galante (inbar stalder, open hip before flight – Reverse Hecht over HB)
Value: E (0.50)

New connection #1: Inbar Stalder 1/1 into Galante
Connection value: E + E = +0.20
New connection #2: Galante into Pak Salto
Connection value: E + D = +0.20
New connection #3: Pak Salto into Chow
Connection value: D + D = +0.10
New connection #4: Chow into overshoot to handstand
Connection value: D + D = +0.10

Madison Desch
New skill: Ricna (Stalder bwd on HB with counter straddle -reverse hecht over HB to hang)
Value: E (0.50)

Simone Biles
New skill: Mustafina dismount (double back with 1 ½ twist)
Value: E (0.50)

Balance Beam



Similar to uneven bars, many of the girls are working new connections on beam to get them those extra points in their D score. Aly Raisman showed the most new connections, potentially resulting in an extra +0.40 to her score.

Aly Raisman
New connection #1: Front tuck connected into sissone
Connection value: D + A = +0.10
New connection #2: Front pike connected into wolf jump
Connection value: E + A = +0.10
New connection #3: Back-handspring back layout connected into split jump
Connection value: B + E + A = +0.20

Alyssa Baumann
New connection: Onodi into wolf jump
Connection value: D + A = +0.10

Simone Biles
New connection: Wolf jump into front tuck
Connection value: A + D = +0.10

New skill: Triple tuck spin
Value: E (0.50) - same value as the 2 ½

Felicia Hano
New connection #1: Front tuck into sissone
Connection value: D + A = +0.10
New connection #2: Front aerial into split jump into wolf jump
Connection value: D + A + A = +0.10 total

Madison Desch
New connection: Wolf jump into front tuck
Connection value: A + D = +0.10

Ashton Locklear
New skill: Arabian
Value: F (0.60)


Floor Exercise



Training on floor consisted of mostly new skills. The most notable is Felicia Hano who is training a Biles, a G-element worth 0.70.

Aly Raisman
New skill: Double layout
Value: F (0.60)

Simone Biles
New skill: Chusovitina (Double layout full-out)
Value: H (0.80)

New connection: Biles into sissone
Connection value: G + A = +0.10

MyKayla Skinner
New connection/skill: 1 ½ twist into a triple twist (E)
Connection value: C + E = +0.20

Felicia Hano
New skill: Biles
Value: G (0.70)

Ashton Locklear
New skill #1: Triple twist
Value: E (0.50)
New skill #2: Double back
Value: D (0.40)

Madison Desch
New skill: Triple twist
Value: E (0.50)

What do you think of the new skills the senior elites are training? Let us know in the comment section below, and stay tuned for the next piece on what the junior elites are training.


Related:
January National Team Training Camp Underway
February National Team Training Camp Concludes Today
USA Nominative Roster for 2015 Jesolo Trophy