GymCastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

Jessica O'Beirne & Spencer Barnes
  • 4.6 (1.5K)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

GymCastic Podcast is a weekly gymnastics talk show. The hosts interview people who love gymnastics almost as much as we do, discuss the latest news, events and offensive leotard fashion.

  1. 4d ago

    Elite Summer 2026: The New World Order

    Elite summer is officially here and GymCastic is breaking down the state of the art in gymnastics heading into the 2026 season. We discuss Simone Biles revealing she "almost died," Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos' emotional return to competition in France, and the gymnasts currently setting the global standard on vault, bars, beam and floor. From Kaylia Nemour's historic bars work to Hezly Rivera leading the all-around rankings, we analyze what it actually takes to contend for World medals in 2026. Plus: French Nationals artistry deductions, NCAA news, and the latest gymternet controversies. SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Games  Podcast Tour Tickets Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources SHOW NOTES Simone Biles shared that she "almost died" in what she called one of the scariest experiences of her life. Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos returned to exhibition competition at French Nationals for the first time since the Paris Olympics, performing floor and discussing her recovery and renewal in Martinique. French Nationals introduced separately listed artistry deductions in live scoring — the future is now. Elena Colas won the French all-around title with a 54.250 and continues her rapid rise as one of the top new seniors in the world. We break down the current world leaders on every apparatus and discuss: • Why Kaylia Nemour is redefining bars • Why Hezly Rivera is currently the all-around world leader • What makes beam composition "state of the art" • Why vault scoring may be changing • What separates a 14 floor routine from a 13 in 2026 GYMTERNET NEWS • Utah gymnastics Ghana trip controversy discussion • NCAA age-rule proposal update • New proposed NIL restrictions in Congress • Texas abortion laws and athlete healthcare concerns • Sam Oldham's charity comeback routine • Jackson Harrison Achilles injury • Emma Slevin transfers to Arkansas • Coaching updates across NCAA • Gymnastics Australia concussion investigation CHAPTERS 00:00 Simone Biles' scary health news 01:21 Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos returns at French Nationals 08:30 French Nationals artistry deductions revolution 09:25 Elena Colas wins French Nationals 17:02 Elite Summer 2026 begins 18:08 All-Around World Leaders: Hezly Rivera vs Kaylia Nemour 27:12 Vault world leaders and why vaulting has changed 35:30 Bars: Why Kaylia Nemour is redefining gymnastics 49:05 Beam world leaders and Chinese beam excellence 1:02:02 Floor exercise: what makes a 14 in 2026? 1:10:18 Gymternet News 1:16:04 NCAA age rule proposal explained 1:19:08 New NIL bill and athlete pay debate 1:21:29 Texas abortion laws and athlete safety concerns 1:23:00 Sam Oldham's charity comeback routine 1:24:01 Jackson Harrison injury and Emma Slevin transfer 1:24:33 NCAA rules and laws limiting athlete income 1:25:58 Australia concussion investigation UP NEXT Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific

    1h 27m

  2. Jun 2

    The Rivalries We Never Got: How to Fix Gymnastics

    Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade are two of the greatest gymnasts in history. Yet they competed against each other just five times in nine years! In this episode, we tackle what may be gymnastics' biggest structural problem: the world's best athletes rarely get the chance to face each other. We propose a complete overhaul of the competition system, including world rankings, federation-free qualification pathways, athlete-controlled careers, an elite season, and fan-voted wild cards. We also explore how sports like tennis, the WNBA, and other professional leagues handle competition, athlete compensation, data rights, and fan engagement—and what gymnastics can learn from them. Plus, we discuss real-time scoring technology, VR and AR viewing experiences, digital-twin technology, and other innovations that could modernize the sport and make gymnastics easier to follow for fans around the world. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro: Revolutionizing Gymnastics 01:01 – HEADLINES Texas State Adds D1 Gymnastics 03:13 – Canadian Championships & Ellie Black 07:07 – Koper Cup Chaos 14:04 – Behind The Scenes: Sharks, Dysentery & Club Gym Nerd 16:32 –  Gymternet News: Texas Coach Indicted, DA looking for suvivors 17:38 – Simone Biles Is Still 50/50 21:18 – Ukrainian Gymnastics Protest Campaign 22:23 – Denver's Achilles Injury Research 24:09 – Florida's Singapore Tour 25:35 – Nadia's 50-Year Perfect 10 Celebration 26:54 – Michigan Men Get a New Facility 27:28 – Gymnaestrada Comes to Las Vegas 28:59 – New Pakistan Gymnastics Documentary 30:25 – 1984 U.S. Men's Team Documentary 33:08 – Iranian Women Win Historic Medal 33:47 – Melanie & Rebeca Return Updates 34:25 – Revolutionizing Gymnastics: How We Fix The Sport 34:45 – The Problem: The Best Gymnasts Never Compete 37:19 – Simone vs Rebeca: Only 5 Times in 9 Years 39:17 – When World-Class Athletes Get Left Home 42:06 – Why Federations Have Too Much Power 47:02 – Borrowing the Tennis Model 50:34 – Rankings, Injuries & Athlete Autonomy 54:24 – Wild Cards System 56:26 – Fixing Judging with Technology 58:26 – Make Scores Understandable 01:01:12 – Real-Time Skill Tracking & Data Visualization 01:01:39 – AR, AI & Digital-Twin Technology 01:03:29 – VR Front-Row Seats for Every Fan 01:09:01 – Alternative Broadcasts & Fan Engagement 01:14:06 – How Gymnasts Should Actually Get Paid 01:16:39 – Athlete Unions, Data Rights & Ownership 01:22:40 – The WNBA Model for Athlete Bio Data 01:24:38 – Designing the Perfect Competition System 01:27:12 – Turning Olympic Viewers Into Real Fans 01:34:15 – Listener Question: Biles I vs Dos Santos

    1h 38m

  3. May 26 ·  Bonus

    Behind The Scenes: Spy Databases, Georgia's Power Move, Konnor McClain's Health Warning

    BONUS Welcome to Behind The Scenes: Secrets of The Podcast We are enjoying a well earned break this week. But we'd never leave you without the news. Here is a little bonus of our weekly Q&A show for Club Gym Nerd members, where we answer your questions live.  To listen or watch the full episode login here. Here's how to ask questions live. Can't make it live? Add Club bonus episodes to your favorite podcast player (instructions here). Not a member? Join here. GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell Replay tickets available → Get tickets here CHAPTERS 00:00 – Behind the Scenes Intro & Che Campbell Replay 01:28 – Georgia News: Laurent Landi Officially Joins Cecile 01:53 – Joscelyn Roberson Transfers to Georgia 05:02 – Which WCC Gymnast Could Follow to Georgia? 07:42 – Konnor McClain's Post-NCAA Season Health Update 11:47 – Chuso at Tashkent & World Gymnastics Score Problems 13:11 – Japan's Worlds Team Heartbreak 15:09 – Worlds Qualification Rules & Rotterdam Tickets 17:00 – U.S. Pan Ams Team Announced 19:06 – Claire Pease's Cheng: Real or Not Yet? 20:42 – GymCastic Updates: Games, Referrals & Merch Sale 22:52 – Liverpool Gets 2030 Worlds 23:21 – Melanie de Jesus dos Santos Returns 25:33 – Melnikova's U.S. Gym Tour 26:14 – Chinese Nationals Beam Queen News 27:35 – Kidney Transplant Update & Sam Oldham Spy Database Follow-Up 30:15 – Goodbye to Regular Listeners / Club Gym Nerd BTS Begins 31:24 – Jessica's Graduation Trip to Boston 32:47 – Tufts Graduation Week & Boston Pops 33:57 – Baccalaureate, Jumbos & Tufts Civic Duty 36:17 – AI as a Weapon & Graduation Speeches 38:22 – Plane Seat Hell & Back Row Bathroom Life 40:43 – The Overmedicated Seatmate 42:45 – Cape Cod, Jaws & Great White Shark Warnings 45:59 – Provincetown, Mayflower Money & Gayborhood History 47:04 – The Giant Ship Inside the Library 47:42 – Airbnb Disaster: Wet Dog Smell, Mold & Mineral Deposits 50:54 – Eurovision, Sweden & Body-Part Grammar 54:12 – New Zealand Gymnastics Jail Explained 56:36 – Can College Gymnasts Train Year-Round? 58:42 – What Happens to Competition Equipment? 60:00 – EVO Gymnastics, Men's Training Centers & Funding 62:40 – Does Florida's Elite Focus Hurt NCAA Titles? 64:20 – Why WAG Needs an EVO-Style Model 65:03 – Resistance News & Legal Wins 67:02 – Wrap-Up, Sam Oldham Extended Interview & Memorial Day Sign-Off RELATED Sam Oldham Interivew - Jpanese gymnastics spy network  Behind The Scenes - Fridays at noon pacific  SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Gymnastics Games Suite Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources Unlock the Episode Join Club Gym Nerd → Choose a plan Complete checkout — your site account is created. Log in here → /my-account/ Return to this page and refresh. The extended player appears automatically

    31 min

  4. May 19

    Olympic Bronze Medalist Sam Oldham on Gymnastics Politics, Spies & Athlete Welfare

    Olympic bronze medalist Sam Oldham joins Jessica for a conversation about his personal Japanese Gymnastics Spy, mental health, ADHD, grace and letting coaches learn rather than be cancelled, sports science failures, NCAA gymnastics, and life after the 2012 Summer Olympics. From injury prevention and athlete autonomy to judging politics and storytelling in gymnastics media, this episode dives deep into how the sport is changing — and where it still falls short.  Club Gym Nerd members, login for the extended version almost 2 hrs long. Add Club bonus episodes to your favorite podcast player (instructions here). Tip: After logging in, refresh the podcast page and the extended player will appear. Not a member? Join here. GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae CampbellReplay tickets available → Get tickets here SAM OLDHAM INTERVIEW British gymnastics legend Sam Oldham is here, and yes, we're going to talk about everything from winning Great Britain's historic (first in 100 years) bronze medal at the London Olympics that changed everything for British Gymnastics, to the chaos, comedy, and emotional whiplash of elite gymnastics life. Sam brings the rare combination of competition accolades, deep gym nerd-student credentials, and the kind of honesty about athlete culture that makes you gasp-laugh and then immediately need a therapy session. We discuss the pressure cooker of British Gymnastics, his friendship and love for his coach, surviving weight-obsessed culture he swore he would never succumb to, and being followed by a Japanese gymnastics spy! Login to reveal the extended version on the website. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro & Why Sam Oldham's Story Matters   02:15 – The Reality of Funding Men's Gymnastics   06:40 – Building Relationships That Save Careers   10:12 –  Live Show Replay & Club Gym Nerd Perks   16:11 – Sam Oldham on Coaching Wisdom & Sergei's Influence   22:45 – Why Gymnastics Breaks So Many Athletes   28:33 – Neurodiversity, Burnout & Life After Elite Sports   36:20 – The Pressure of Being "Perfect" as an Athlete   44:08 – Mental Health, Identity & Retirement from Gymnastics   52:14 – British Gymnastics Culture vs NCAA Energy   01:01:32 – Training Through Pain & Learning to Fuel Properly   01:08:45 – Eating Disorders, Fasting & Dangerous Training Culture   01:15:24 – Has Gymnastics Culture Actually Changed?   01:22:50 – Why Athletes Need Control of Their Own Narrative   01:30:57 – Speaking Out Against Harmful Coaching   01:33:44 – Cancel Culture, Grace & Learning in Coaching   01:40:10 – Why Storytelling Changes Gymnastics Culture   01:44:59 – The Japanese Gymnastics "Spy Network" Story   01:48:18 – FIG Studying NCAA Gymnastics & the Future of Pro Leagues   UP NEXT Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific (next one May 22nd) SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Games Podcast Tour Tickets Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources Thank you to this week's sponsor StoryWorth: Order right now and save up to $20 at STORYWORTH.com/gymcastic

    1h 49m

  5. May 13

    NCAA Stars Who Could Go Elite? Plus Bărbosu Suspended, Belarus Returns & Acro's Olympic Problem

    Ana Bărbosu has been provisionally suspended for whereabouts violations, the IOC has cleared Belarus restrictions, and USA Gymnastics is disputing claims from fired men's program manager Lisa Mendel. Plus: could NCAA stars like Selena Harris-Miranda, Avery Neff, Anna Roberts, and Nikki Smith make the leap to elite? We draft our dream NCAA-to-elite teams and answer a mini-commission on acro's Olympic future. GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell  - Replay tickets available → Get tickets here HEADLINES Ana Barbosu has been provisionally suspended after an alleged "whereabouts failure" tied to missed out-of-competition testing The IOC no longer recommends restrictions on athletes from Belarus Lisa Mendel, the USAG Men's Program Manager, was fired from her position See USAG's response to Mendel's statement GYMTERNET NEWS Jessa Hansen Parker received a five-year contract extension at Washington The French Ministry of Sports has dismissed the disciplinary proceedings against the former WAG high-performance director, Véronique Legras-Snoeck Former Oklahoma gymnast Jordan Bowers has been added to Nebraska's coaching staff Lynx Gymnastics Centre, the former gym of the Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova, has burned down Faith Torrez is the Honda Sport Award winner for gymnastics! CHAPTERS 00:00 – Cold Open: Judges, Eat Your Pencils 00:33 – Headlines: Mendel, Bărbosu, Belarus & Mini-Commissions 01:23 – Corrections: Kara Eaker & Tabea Alt 04:08 – Ana Bărbosu Provisionally Suspended for Whereabouts Violations 09:05 – IOC Clears Belarus Restrictions, Russia Still Suspended 12:45 – Lisa Mendel Firing & USAG's SafeSport Statement 18:32 – Chae Campbell Live Show Replay Trailer 21:52 – Club Gym Nerd, BTS & Merch Updates 24:18 – Meet News: Michele Pineda, Oceania & Worlds Qualification 27:01 – Georgia Godwin's World-Medal-Pace Scores 29:47 – Courtney McGregor's Worlds Qualification Path 31:33 – Liechtenstein Makes World Cup History 33:08 – Gymnastics Greatest Stars of the Week 38:22 – Floor Slooff's Beam Sorcery 41:51 – Brazil Trophy Feelings, Tears & Dance Cam 44:22 – Level 10 Nationals, Raeya Linton & Broken Floors 53:08 – Gymternet News: Washington, France, Nebraska & Lynx Fire 58:18 – Gymdle, Gym Bee & Referral Program 59:40 – Mini-Commission: Could NCAA Stars Go Elite? 01:12:57 – Drafting the NCAA-to-Elite Dream Team 01:24:14 – Mini-Commission: What Happened to Acro? 01:32:04 – Olympic Program Cuts & Acro's Olympic Chances 01:38:43 – What's Coming Next: Chinese Championships, NHK & Sam Oldham UP NEXT Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific (next one May 22nd) SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Games  Podcast Tour Tickets Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources

    1h 40m

  6. May 5

    Jade Carey Comeback, NCAA Transfers & Worlds Qualification Explained

    GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell -  Watch the Trailer HERE Replay tickets available → Get tickets here Olympic champion Jade Carey is officially BACK, Jordyn Wieber steps away from coaching, and the NCAA transfer portal is chaos. Meanwhile, Algeria makes history, Japan's team selection system is already causing stress, and the road to World Championships just got way more complicated. We break down: Jade Carey's return and what it means for LA 2028 Major NCAA transfers and NIL strategy shifts Coaching carousel chaos across top programs The new Worlds qualification system (and why no one is safe) Russian and Japanese storylines you need to watch Plus: a behind-the-scenes teaser from our Chae Campbell live show 👀 Stay to the end for a BTS preview you won't hear anywhere else. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Cold Open: Postseason Chaos, Jade Carey Returns & Wieber Leaves 00:59 – Jade Carey Comeback & Elite Impact 02:56 – Joscelyn Roberson Transfer Portal & NIL Strategy 05:07 – Cecile Takes Over Georgia + Coaching Power Shifts 06:18 – Jordyn Wieber Steps Down at Arkansas 10:40 – Algeria Makes History: First Women's Worlds Team 13:16 – Coaching Carousel: Auburn, Nebraska, Georgia Shakeups 16:55 – Transfer Portal With Strong Bite Me Vibes: Cal → Stanford Fallout 20:03 – Ana Bărbosu Whereabouts Violation Update 24:06 – Live Show Promo + Chae Campbell  27:34 – African Championships Deep Dive & Nemour Dominance 31:26 – Bars Arms Race: Nemour vs. Yang Fanyuwei 33:18 – Worlds Qualification System Explained (No Auto Spots!) 36:17 – Oceanic Champs Preview & "Sponsor Courtney McGregor" Campaign 39:32 – StoryWorth Ad 42:21 – New Uneven Bars Skills (Finally Named!) 50:12 – Russian Cup Results + Neutral Athlete Controversy 52:17 – Russian Broadcast Goes Full Video Game Mode 57:04 – Japan Rising Star Nishiyama Misa + Beam Artistry Masterclass 59:05 – Japan Team Selection Heartbreak Incoming 01:01:21 – Upcoming Meets to Watch (NHK, Pan Ams, Euros, Worlds Path) 01:03:26 – Gymternet News: Surveillance Cameras in Gyms 01:05:48 – Dumpster Fire News: Criminal Case & Coaching Abuse 01:07:47 – Hall of Fame + Olympic Trials 2028 Announcement 01:10:51 – Nadia, Simone & Laureus Awards Moment 01:12:33 – Fantasy League Winner + What's Next 01:13:26 – Outro + Weekly BTS Reminder 01:13:41 – BTS Teaser: How the Chae Campbell Interview Really Happened UP NEXT Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Games  Podcast Tour Tickets Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources

    1h 24m

  7. May 3 ·  Bonus

    Behind The Scenes: How the Chae Campbell Interview Really Happened

    The weekly Q&A episode where we answer your questions and talk about what's it's like to do this for a living.  This Behind the Scenes episode dives into everything we couldn't fully unpack on the main feed — from major NCAA coaching shakeups and transfer portal chaos, ranking debates, and the questions everyone's asking but no one is answering clearly. We're breaking down: The latest coaching moves across NCAA gymnastics What's actually happening in the transfer portal (and why it's so confusing) Misconceptions about our live show process GYMCASTIC LIVE Featuring: CHAE CAMPBELL – Get replay tickets here Ranking inconsistencies that still make no sense Big-picture issues like access, money, and who gets to do gymnastics Plus: your questions, hot takes, and the conversations that don't make it into the main version of the show. Want the FULL episode (1 hour 15 minutes) + the members-only BTS conversation? Join Club Gym Nerd and get access to extended episodes, live show replays, behind-the-scenes Q&As, and all the unfiltered takes: Join here: https://gymcastic.com/join-the-club/  You're not getting the whole story unless you're in the club.

    14 min

  8. Apr 21

    LIVE from NCAA Team Finals 2026

    Welcome to The Original College Gymnastics Post-Meet Show! We recored this episode live immediatly following Team Finals between Oklahoma, LSU, Florida and Minnesota at the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth.  Scores and watch links. Members watched the recording live and asked questions live. Can't make it live? Add Club bonus episodes to your favorite podcast player (instructions here).  GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell  Replay Tickets HERE CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro: Oklahoma Wins Again (8th NCAA Title) 00:40 – Did the Right Team Win? LSU vs Oklahoma Debate 01:04 – LSU vs Oklahoma: Beam Falls, Margins & What Decided It 02:02 – Scoring Controversies: Overscoring on Bars & Floor 03:23 – Skye Blakely & Routine Credit Questions 04:03 – Beam Camera Angles & Judging Visibility Issues 05:05 – Live recording moment when the arena turned our power off 05:12 – NCAA Not Following Credential Rules 06:10 – Security Failures 07:16 – Konnor McClain MVP Case: Competing Injured & Delivering 08:09 – Beam Dismounts: The Real Difference Between LSU & Oklahoma 08:39 – Florida Breakdown: Why They Underperformed Again 10:15 – Bars Equipment Issues & Athlete Feedback 11:05 – Coaching Carousel: Florida, Auburn, Nebraska Speculation 12:29 – Minnesota's Historic Finish & Program Rise 14:07 – Emotional Reactions & What This Finish Means for Minnesota 15:39 – Facilities Impact: New Gym vs Old Training Conditions 16:39 – Behind the Scenes: Arena & Chalk Spewing Vaccumes 17:37 – LSU Highlights: Freshmen, Vault Power & Floor Struggles 18:10 – The "Sliding Mat" Problem & Safety Concerns 19:04 – Coaching Decision Debate: What To Do When A Coach Fails To Do Their Job? 20:05 – Event Winners & Individual Standouts 21:54 – Vault 10 Controversy: Was It Actually Perfect? 23:00 – Bars, Beam & Floor Champions Breakdown 24:03 – Equipment Fix Ideas & Gym Nerd Solutions 25:09 – LIVE SHOW RECAP  25:45 – Favorite Moments from the Live Show 26:32 – STORYWORTH AD 29:24 – Exclusive Live Show Content: UCLA, Culture & Coaching Discussion 31:03 – Coaching Experience vs Hiring Decisions Debate 32:03 – Oklahoma Lineup Strategy: Should They Have Changed Beam? 33:19 – Mental Toughness: Handling Delays & Pressure 36:21 – LSU Perspective: Why This Still Counts as a Huge Success 38:47 – LSU Coach Reaction & Athlete Resilience Stories 41:34 – Alternate Scoring Scenario: What If All Scores Counted? 43:27 – Should NCAA Format Change? 5 Up 5 Count Debate 44:00 – Oklahoma Difficulty Strategy: Smart or Boring? 47:06 – OSHA & Safety Issues: Blood, Trainers & Protocol 47:54 – Wild Story: Team Drives Into Tornado 49:01 – MVP Picks: Ella Murphy Clutch Beam Routine 50:17 – Judging Analysis: Mary Jo's Role & Broadcast Improvements 52:53 – Diversity in Judging: Who's Missing? 54:15 – Coaching Rumors & Job Movement Speculation 55:35 – Who's on the Hot Seat? Coaching Pressure Debate 56:42 – Final Thoughts & Thank You to Fans 57:09 – Post-Show Plans: Vacation & Celebration SUPPORT OUR WORK Club Gym Nerd: Join Here Merch: Shop Now Fantasy: NCAA Championships Fantasy Game now open. Newsletters The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim Resistance Resources

    58 min
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About

GymCastic Podcast is a weekly gymnastics talk show. The hosts interview people who love gymnastics almost as much as we do, discuss the latest news, events and offensive leotard fashion.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessica O'Beirne & Spencer Barnes
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    884
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    Copyright © GymCastic 2012-2026
  • Show Website
    GymCastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

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