About Coach Keith

A former NCAA gymnast, an elite gymnastics coach, and gymnastics coach to Games athletes

So you are wondering why I began coaching gymnastics type exercises online and working with Games Athletes.  Well it is a pretty long story.   It was the best of times, it was the worst of times - wait wrong story.

It all began about 40 years ago.  My older sister started gymnastics at the local YMCA.  Well since she pretty much bossed me around, she made me go. Good thing she did, because its been a big part of my life ever since.

I competed through college as an elite gymnast.  In college I was All-Big Ten,  NCAA Finalist, USA Championships Competitor, and Nissen Award Finalist (The Heisman Trophy of Gymnastics.) When I graduated I was the high score record holder at Michigan State in the All Around, Floor Exercise and Horizontal Bar.

After graduation in 1989, I took an engineering job and began coaching at night at Queen City Gymnastics. It was a way to keep gymnastics part of my life and I really enjoy telling people what to do so it was perfect.  In that time I have placed a gymnast on the USA National Team 18 different times, had a gymnast win the Jr. National All Around Title 5 different times and coached the Spanish National All Around Champion.  My gymnast from Spain was a two time Olympian and an All Around Finalist in the 2000 Olympics.

I was the head coach for numerous international competitions for the United States and was the 2002 USA Gymnastics Developmental Coach of the Year - given to the top Junior Coach in the country. 

About two years ago, I started helping my nephew and his friends with muscle ups and gymnastics type movements to help their cross fit.  It was something new for me to teach and i realized coaching adults was a lot of fun.  They were very eager for my tips and unlike the boys i coach, I never had to tell them to get up and take a turn on pommel horse.  

I started  giving monthly clinics to adult athletes on gymnastics type strength.  While I am not affiliated to crossfit, I have done numerous box visit clinics and work regularly with some top level Crossfit athletes including  six Games athletes (one is a former champ) and many Individual Regional Qualifiers.

I started an instagram account to show  drills to some athletes, my followers grew and it  led me to develop  online coaching tutorials.  I try to give a step by step approach to learning each strength skill from the perspective of a gymnastics coach.  That means I break down each skill for every level of athlete.  Each tutorial has multiple drills, descriptions and variations.

If you want more of an idea of what my tutorials are like, read my blog or follow me on instagram as Coachkeithpettit.