Men Unusual FX of Connor McCool and Jackson Harrison

[Denn]

Top score on FX at the US Classic this past weekend… He does some big tricks.

But watch the skills BEFORE the big flips.

 

[OnoNoKomachi]

He does a butterfly. That’s cool.

 

[Aeris]

A full twisting butterfly! With a rather hunched entry. It fits right into the jankiness of the whole routine. Those roundoffs to forward are very unusual (the first one is awkward because it comes down sideways-ish).

 

[RichardL]

I can’t get past the roundoffs!

 

[L_R]

I appreciate the difficulty but I’ve seen much cleaner tumbling than this .

 

[dweiss324]

It was admittedly hard for me to get past the constantly flexed feet and hunched shoulders. The roundoff halfs were cool, but nothing was square. Can he not do flip flops?

 

[rlayt]

What do you think of this guy? He’s trying to get in some artistry.

 

[irichluck21]

I haven’t seen anyone (in elite) do a roundoff half into a front skill, interesting technique.
Are the judges crediting him with a roundoff 2 1/2 back twist or a roundoff half front double twist.

 

[irichluck21]

Can he not do flip flops?

I am guessing probably not.
But also I think he gets more power off the roundoff, it is a current trend in MAG to not do BHS anymore but just roundoff and element.

 

[tempest]

I used to love to do round off halves

 

[QuietColours]

Bock’s was okay. I appreciate that he’s putting in a couple of extra items, but it was very much back and forth along the same diagonal, step into the corner and turn, and then go down the same side twice to get him on the other diagonal. No actual attention to the quality of movement, and so much just back-and-forth on the same diagonal that it makes me wonder still why they don’t just put men’s tumbling on a rod floor.

Harrison’s was a lot more interesting–there was obviously a lot of thought there on how to make the transitions look good and/or interesting and on creating deliberate, extended movement between tumbling passes, and trying to keep the routine flowing. It looks like a comprehensive exercise, not power tumbling on a square.

 

[irichluck21]

He’s trying to get in some artistry.

The leaps were great!

 

[Denn]

He’s tall. He probably likes the roundoff, but also benefits because of his height.

 

[Denn]

Harrison got 9.05. SHOCKING — a clear overscore.

So the judges were looking for ways to prop that up. That really doesn’t happen any more, and I am actually proud of them for working outside the rules to reward that.

If he can just clean up his landing position — legs together — that score could go up to like 9.3. Amazing.

 

[rlayt]

It’s nice that they wanted to reward attempts at artistry,

 

[Denn]

I do think he’s a little … “extra” before that first pass. LOL

 

[makam]

Yeah, i didn’t know how to word it, but pick one pose, not all of them. It feels like mocking (?) women’s gymnastics with all the arm movements. Mocking might be not quite the right word but it is too much.

The leaps were a nice add though since most men’s exercises are 3 tumbling lines, a few hops and maybe a handstand, then a few more tumbling lines. Doing something different should definitely be encouraged.

 

[RedBirdie]

Some serious whiplash, going from McCool to Harrison!

 

[irichluck21]

It feels like mocking (?) women’s gymnastics with all the arm movements.

That is just Harrison’s style. They do the same salute on vault and high bar.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Harrison has a bad case of Shannon Miller wrists, which leaves us no choice but to stan.