Comments on: Dude, I'm flippin' out!

Dude, I'm flippin' out!

CuJoe — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:02:51 -0800

I first saw Russian Barre at Cirque du Soleil's Alegria show. I find it an exciting display of acrobatics but the ending of this video is absolutely amazing to me.

By: killy willy

killy willy — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:18:07 -0800

oh.my.god. this is unbelievable. the acrobatics I've seen at Cirque du Soleil never cease to amaze me.

By: DU

DU — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:22:15 -0800

I really love Cirque du Soleil, but I wish there were a condensed version. Not "just the acrobatics", but maybe a 5:1 ratio.

By: pieoverdone

pieoverdone — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:25:36 -0800

There was some video of a gymnast I saw years ago, and it was part of a montage, but it involved a gymnast who stood on top of the high bar on the parallel set and jumped backwards to catch it. I have never seen it since or anyone do it in competition.

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:26:22 -0800

As it happened, I had just started listening to a version of Teenage Riot by Sonic Youth that was the same length as that video, when I clicked through. They went great together.

By: spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints

spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:33:30 -0800

I literally just screamed "What the fuck!?!?" at my monitor. Is it bad that I want to Rule 34 this and see all these people in a crazy gymnastic orgy?

By: jabberjaw

jabberjaw — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:49:03 -0800

Remember this when you watch Olympic gymnastics this summer. In particular, remember how effortless these Russian Barre performers make all of this appear. Talent is an understatement.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:56:23 -0800

Well, now. That was pretty incredible.

By: Space Kitty

Space Kitty — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:19:41 -0800

*picks jaw up from floor* Words fail me.

By: msali

msali — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:49:01 -0800

I want to know what the practice session was like the first time the pair in the last video tried that trick. Absolutely amazing.

By: seanmpuckett

seanmpuckett — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:55:11 -0800

At least when I'm sitting here at my desk watching video and listening to a printer run, I'm eating celery instead of potato chips. Lovely!

By: thomas j wise

thomas j wise — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:31:40 -0800

There was some video of a gymnast I saw years ago, and it was part of a montage, but it involved a gymnast who stood on top of the high bar on the parallel set and jumped backwards to catch it. It's Olga Korbut.

By: janetplanet

janetplanet — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:38:33 -0800

These athletes are amazing and dazzling, but there is a very dangerous side to this, as well.

By: The White Hat

The White Hat — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:51:21 -0800

Metafilter: Is it bad that I want to rule 34 this?

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:28:15 -0800

Yeah, so, pretty much I wasn't expecting that ending. Amazing.

By: HighTechUnderpants

HighTechUnderpants — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:07:02 -0800

Wow. The Russian Bar stuff was incredible, as was the Olga Korbut stuff.

By: prefpara

prefpara — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:37:39 -0800

Holy CRAP Olga represents for the Commies. Wow.

By: swerve

swerve — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:29:04 -0800

It's Olga Korbut. Later, a Soviet athlete named Elena Mukhina added a full twist to the Korbut. Neither skill is performed today; the rules now prohibit standing on the high bar. This is fantastic, CuJoe. Thanks.

By: prefpara

prefpara — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:50:26 -0800

I just watched some of these videos with a friend who is a former gymnast, and she pointed out that the bars are much farther apart now. She felt that what today's gymnasts do is more difficult than what gymnasts were doing in the 70s. Here is a video she felt provided some good contrast. The speed is very different, the way the motion flows, everything. It's hard for me to understand how difficult different moves are, because I have never really studied gymnastics. Nevertheless, it's interesting to compare (1, 2).

By: Rora

Rora — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:33:34 -0800

I always feel awed and humbled when I watch amazing feats of acrobatics, but I also wonder about the sadism of the people who push the acrobats to perform ever more body-defying acts. Especially this sort of thing.

By: JujuB

JujuB — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:50:31 -0800

Their bodies are beautiful.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:19:16 -0800

Sad stories. Pro gymnatics/acrobatics is hardcore. And often inflicted on children.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:36:02 -0800

Bloopers. Some very painful ones. I have concluded that gymnasts are insane.

By: goo

goo — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:33:19 -0800

Their bodies are beautiful. God, no. What they do with their bodies is beautiful, but arresting your development at age 9 does not a beautiful woman's body make.

By: redteam

redteam — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:54:16 -0800

Brought a tear to my eye - that was totally amazing.

By: PigAlien

PigAlien — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:24:37 -0800

OMG, FFF, those bloopers are awful! I kept wincing, gasping and looking away from the monitor! I had to admit I was laughing too, off-and-on, but I felt awful for it. I didn't get very far in watching it, in fact, because of my guilty conscience.