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Karen Goeller, CSCS... Gymnastics and Fitness Author

Karen Goeller has completed a variety of gymnastics and fitness books from 2001 until present. She has educated thousands of coaches, teachers, fitness trainers, athletes, gymnastics parents, and fitness enthusiasts among others. Karen Goeller has been training athletes since 1978. Most of that time was spent coaching competitive athletes. Her sport has always been gymnastics which is all about strength, flexibility, and a determination to succeed. Karen Goeller is the author of *more gymnastics books than anyone in the USA. She is bursting with information that she needs to share with you!

Karen started writing books after she was involved in an accident in 2000 and suffered permanent spinal damage. (It was not a gymnastics-related accident.) She stopped coaching gymnastics as she knew it and left her advertising job with Gold's Gym. Desperate to remain involved in gymnastics and fitness, Karen turned to writing. "I felt like I had a ton of information in my head that was not being used." Goeller then compared the knowledge in her head to "an expensive item in your house that just collects dust because no one is using it." Karen shared, "I was so thankful as a young coach to the more experienced coaches who helped me throughout the years. I knew in 2001 that it was the perfect time to pass on this knowledge. Writing books was the perfect avenue to pass on this information." Karen has performed consulting work at gymnastics facilities from 2001- present and she has recently decided to offer clinics at gymnastics facilities. Karen also offers personal training for athletes of many different sports.

Karen Goeller's first book, "Over 75 Drills and Conditioning Exercises" was self published in 2001. That gymnastics book was an immediate hit! It was used to create numerous fitness and gymnastics training programs, including the CrossFit program. CrossFit has evolved since the start and is now a world-wide fitness phenomena. Karen has written many additional books and articles with topics that include handstand, back handspring, glide kip, Swing Set Fitness and so much more. Her books are currently used by gymnastics coaches, fitness experts, physical education teachers, fitness enthusiasts, and athletes worldwide. Many repeat customer's have referred to Karen's books as the "most useful on the market."

Karen's most recent series of books, published in 2007, are the Swing Set Fitness books. They were completed with Brian Dowd, Karen's nephew, who is a physical education teacher and life long athlete. These fitness books involve performing exercise with a playground swing. There are exercises and workouts for beginner through advanced fitness enthusiasts. This outdoor exercise offers an alternative to health club memberships. Karen shared “The Swing Set Fitness project was therapeutic for me in many ways.” As the Swing Set Fitness books evolved, so did Karen. Before the Swing Set Fitness project, her rehabilitation from the 2000 accident was very slow. Much of the damage is permanent. From 2001-2007 Karen performed the usual exercises assigned to patients with back and neck injuries, but it wasn't until the Swing Set Fitness books that Karen started to really make progress. Karen shared, "I finally feel like myself again. As soon as my nephew and I started working on the Swing Set Fitness project, I began to remember who I was before my accident and how much I really loved fitness. I felt like I was finally regaining my personality as I was becoming stronger, mentally and physically.  I hope this form of outdoor exercise will help transform other people too" When asked if she is completely healed from the accident, Karen replied, "I am still injured, but that no longer defines me. Now I work around my injuries much more efficiently." After Karen realized that Swing Set Fitness is a good avenue for the physical rehabilitation of former athletes with injuries, she started the Swing for Veterans Program where she is offering free Swing Set Fitness workouts for recent veterans, injured or not.

This is not the only volunteer work Karen performs. She offers her expertise in a web forum, AllExperts, where individuals ask Karen questions, looking for her advice or for answers on where to turn for gymnastics and fitness related products and services. Karen often gives gymnastics parents the coach's or gym owner's perspective on issues. She also informs parents on what should be expected of a gymnastics coach, how to shop for the right gymnastics facility, and what drills to perform for many gymnastics skills. Karen most often receives questions regarding gymnastics coach's behavior, safety issues, fears in gymnastics, and skill technique. Many of her answers are posted on her Gymnastics Stuff™ website.

Before 2000, Karen produced NY State Champions, National TOPS Team Athletes, and Empire State Games Athletes.  Three National Champions are from Karen's gymnastics facility. One of her staff members was the 1996 USATT National Champion and two were gymnasts who trained with Karen for the majority of their gymnastics careers. One was a Level 10 Uneven Bars National Champion and one was a Level 10 Balance Beam National Champion. All of this success as a coach was after her 1991 cancer surgery. The cancer surgery was a success, but Karen was forced to take on a more intellectual style of coaching. After her surgery, when Karen could not stand due to lymphedema (swelling) in her leg, Karen offered her gymnasts more drills and conditioning exercises as a method of learning skills and gaining strength.  Very quickly, Karen realized that this was the absolute best method of coaching. Her gymnasts were progressing remarkably fast. Even when Karen was feeling 100% she continued to train her athletes by offering plenty of drills and conditioning exercises. Karen shared, "The skills just came so much faster. It was amazing. Our gymnasts averaged only 4 months from day 1 to the day they performed glide kips with straight arms on their own." Day 1 was when the gymnast first started the drills for this skill.

Karen Goeller and her athletes have been featured regularly in the media throughout the 1990's including on Good Morning America, GoodDay NY, Eyewitness News, and NY Views (old show) among others. They have also been featured in The New York Times, NY Newsday, Brooklyn Bridge Magazine, and Interview Magazine as well as in numerous neighborhood newspapers including the Brooklyn Heights Press, Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill Courier, Bay News, and the Spring Creek Sun among others. More recently Karen has been featured on  Your Story Matters with Angela Schaefers (2012), Lymphedema Mavens (2012),  Lynn Johnson's Motivational Radio Show (2010),  I Run MY Body Radio (2010), Late Night with Johnny Potenza TV (2010),  Talkin' Health with Dr. Joe Kasper Radio (2011, 2009), the Coast Star (2009), Asbury Park Press (2009), Observer/Reporter (2009), Staten Island Advance (2007), and Inside Gymnastics Magazine (2012, 2008).

Karen considers it a privilege to have worked at Karolyi's Camp as well as at USGTC and International Gymnastics Camp. Working at these camps along with attending many USA Gymnastics events such as Regional Congress and the National TOPS Training Camp have all been contributing factors to her vast knowledge of gymnastics. Karen feels the knowledge she gained as an employee of Paul Spadaro, Bela Karolyi, Mike Jacobson, and Bruno Klaus has really helped enable her to produce several successful gymnasts.

Before earning her BA Degree, Karen's education included training as an EMT, Physical Therapist, and Nutritionist. She has held certifications such as EMT-D, Nutritional Analysis, Fitness Trainer, Counseling Techniques, Childcare Fundamentals, USAG Safety Certification, USAG Meet Director, and USAG Skill Evaluator among others. Her most recent certification is the CSCS certification offered by the NSCA.

And more on her fitness life... Besides training at the finest health clubs in Brooklyn, NY, Karen has trained in hard core gyms and enjoyed the serious training atmospheres they have offered. Goeller has also endured physical training at the NYC Police Academy when she was working for the NYPD in the late 1980's. Karen has tremendous personal experience with training in a variety of settings and has become very well rounded as a result. Although her training regimen has been drastically modified over the years due to cancer surgery (1991) and an accident (2000), her mental strength and previous experiences are unmistakable when she trains athletes and fitness clients. In early 1991, Karen had a sub-max squat of 225 pounds. That was the same year that she attended the tryouts for the American Gladiator television show (October 1991).

Karen has spent a lifetime refining her skills as an athlete, gymnastics coach, fitness trainer, and business owner. She is bursting with information that she needs to share with you. Her knowledge has been captured in her books and she has educated thousands of coaches, athletes, gymnastics parents, and fitness enthusiasts among others.

You too can learn from the coach who wrote the book...

Karen Goeller's Gymnastics and Fitness Books.

Karen Goeller's Gymnastics, Fitness, Golf, E-books.

Karen Goeller's Animated E-books, Training Programs.

Personal Training with Karen Goeller in NJ or through the Web.

Private Gymnastics Training with Karen Goeller in NJ.

Events with Karen Goeller (gymnastics clinics).

Testimonials for Karen Goeller's Products and Services.

Contact Karen Goeller's office (email at top of page) for book signings, gymnastics clinics, gymnastics training, fitness training, Swing Set Fitness workouts, or any other events.

Follow Karen Goeller: Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Gymnastics Stuff News...  http://www.gymnasticsstuff.com/news.htm

Karen Goeller Blog... http://blog.karengoeller.com

Gymnastics Stuff (Karen Goeller) Twitter... http://twitter.com/KarenGoeller

 Swing Set Fitness (Karen Goeller) Twitter... http://twitter.com/SwingSetFitness

Become a Fan of Swing Set Fitness Facebook... www.facebook.com/pages/Swing-Set-Fitness/22072890984

Swing Set Fitness (Karen Goeller) Facebook... http://www.facebook.com/SwingSetFitness

Karen Goeller on LinkedIn... http://www.linkedin.com/in/swingsetfitness

List of books by Karen Goeller that are currently available...

1) Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Exercises (978-1-4116-0579-4)
Over 100 drills and conditioning exercises in this book. Appropriate for developing gymnasts.
Topics: Running, Vault, Bars, Dance, Press Handstand

2) Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning for the Handstand (978-1-4116-5000-8)
Appropriate for most gymnasts because of the body tightness drills.
Topics: Learning Body Tightness, Handstand Shape, Tightness in Motion and More!

3) Gymnastics Drills… Walkover, Limber, and Back Handspring (978-1-4116-1160-3)
Appropriate for most gymnasts. The walkover drills can be performed by high level gymnasts to help maintain flexibility and alignment as well as gymnasts learning the basic skills.

4) Gymnastics Conditioning for the Legs and Ankles (978-1-4116-2033-9)    (Available in Print and E-Book)
Appropriate for gymnasts of most levels in order to maintain lower body strength. Increase difficulty by increasing weight used.

5) Gymnastics Journal… My Scores, My Goals, My Dreams (978-1-4116-4145-7)
Appropriate for all competitive levels. It inspires gymnast to set reasonable short and long term goals.

6) The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Gymnastics (1-59113-372-6) (Available in Print and E-Book)
Guide for gymnastics parents and competitive gymnasts.

7) Fitness Journal: My Goals, My Training, My Success (978-1-8472-8444-0)

Record workouts, goals, and meals. Useful for people who need motivation or take fitness seriously!

8) Strength Training Journal

Record your workouts as you complete them. Great for college athletes, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts.

9) Gymnastics Conditioning Programs: Five Conditioning Workouts! (Available in Print and E-Book)

Topics include endurance, core, upper body for uneven bars, and more.

10) Gymnastics Conditioning: Tumbling Conditioning (Available in Print and E-Book)

Tumbling Conditioning has conditioning for twisting, body tightness, upper body strength, plyometrics, and more.

11) Fitness Program: Strength Training and Core (Now only as an E-Book)

Two workouts: The first is full body strength training using dumbbells. The second is light conditioning, mostly core.

12) Fitness Program: General Conditioning with Dumbbells (Now only as an E-Book)

The exercises are basic and this program is great for the person who would like to become fit and maintain a good fitness level.

13) Fitness Program: General Conditioning with Dumbbells and Fitness Ball  (Now only as an E-Book)

This program is a great program to gain and maintain fitness for daily activity.

14) Fitness on a Swing Set! (ISBN: 978-0-6151-4788-8)

Nearly 50 exercises that take place on a playground swing! It's time for a change...

15) Swing Set Workouts (ISBN: 978-0-6151-5170-0)

Twelve workouts that range in difficulty. They all take place on a playground swing! It's time for a change...

16) Fitness on a Swing Set with Training Programs (ISBN: 978-0-6151-5028-4)

Nearly 50 exercises and twelve workouts that take place on a playground swing! Combined book of other two swing set books.

17) One Swing Set Workout (ISBN: 978-1-4348-1259-9)

One very useful and time efficient exercise routine. It offers the reader a sample of the larger Swing Set Fitness books.

18) Lymphedema... Sentenced to Life in Bed, but I Escaped (ISBN: 978-1-105-16601-3)

You will see how Karen Goeller went from being the bed-ridden patient to who she is today.

Training with Karen.

List of Health, Fitness, and Gymnastics Articles by Karen Goeller

1. What's Behind the Ability to Focus What athletes do to focus well... hydration, nutrition, and sleep.

2. Ankles & Wrists: This article offers tips and exercises to keep the ankles and wrists strong for gymnastics.

3. Elbow Stability: Exercises to keep the elbow joint strong. Hyper-extended elbows.

4. Shoulder Stability: Rotator Cuff exercises.

5. Hip Flexors: The forgotten muscles.

6. Dehydration: Signs, prevention, and recovery of dehydration.

7. Cartwheel on Balance Beam: How to stay on beam during cartwheel. It's a drill for advanced skills too.

8. Leg Strength for Gymnast: Two strength exercises for gymnasts.

9. The Back Walkover - Back Pain Connection: Reducing back pain and back walkover technique.

10. The Feet Matter: Correct Over Pronation and Avoid Various Problems

11. Glide Kip Article: Drills & conditioning, position, strength, timing. 

12. Press Handstand: Sport-specific conditioning, two drills included.

13. Cast Handstand Article: Handstand shape while on the uneven bars and conditioning for this skill.

14. Handstand Article: Handstand shape and drills. 

15. Split Leap Article: Common problems with the split leap.

16. Injuries... What a Pain!: Tips for dealing with injuries in the gym.

17. Learn the Handstand Pushup: It's a great bodyweight exercise for fitness and gymnastics training.

18. Mental Training: Mental Blocks and Visualization: Tips for teaching visualization to gymnasts.

19. Staying on the Beam: Tips for remaining on beam during a routine.

20. Tsukahara Vault: It's all about the pre-flight.

21. Giant Swing on Uneven Bars: Giant Swing explained and common problems.

22. Gymnastics Conditioning Article: Simulate the Skills with Straight Arm Conditioning.

23. 21 Mindset Tips: This article will motivate you to exercise or train consistently.

24. Running Article: Running drills and suggestions for introducing running drills to young children.

25. Exercise with Your Kids: Get fit using a playground swing.

26. Nutrition: Red Flag Ingredients: Food ingredients you should avoid.

27. Health: Eating Disorders in Gymnastics: A response to a student regarding this topic.

28. Elliptical Exercise Machine: Tips for using the elliptical safely.

29. Exercise with Lymphedema: Maintaining lymphedema, a patient and fitness trainer's view.

30. Ballroom Dance: An Unlikely Recipe for Physical Rehabilitation

31. Social Media and Athletes: Lots of Pressure on Athletes to Use Social Media

32. Cheerleading: Assign Resistance Training. Great for gymnasts too!

33. Health / Fitness: Weight Lifting does more than increase strength and improve fitness.

34. Sports Conditioning: Is it Appropriate for Your Child?

35. Fitness: Building Muscle Mass

36. Nutrition: Calcium... Do You Get Enough?

37. 5 Keys to Managing Your Weight: Portion size, reduce stress, exercise, and other great tips.

38. Health: Lactose Intolerance

39. Health: What is Osteopenia? (Fractured bones? Read this article.)

40. Nutrition: Eat healthy, the food pyramid.

Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Books: Topics covered in these books include Handstand, Leg, Ankle, Walkover, Back Handspring, Dance, Glide Kips, Cast Handstand, Clear Hip, Press Handstand, and More!

Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Posters: Based on the drills books, but designed so that they can be posted on the walls for all coaches and gymnasts to view.

*Author Research conducted on Barnes and Noble website.

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