Taken from the article - Gymnastics: 'Grandfather' Still In The Swing, August 2010

Next time you see a pommel horse in a gym, hop up and give it a try. Just for a laugh. Then try and swivel, twist and spin your body round while holding the bar with one hand.

Now consider that Mark Holyoake entered the Guinness Book of Records for completing 63 double leg circle revolutions in a minute.  It should be no surprise Mark Holyoake, at 27 and nicknamed "grandfather" by his Commonwealth Games - bound teammates, favours the pommel of the artistic gymnastic disciplines. And it's there, and on the parallel bars, where Mark Holyoake is hoping to make his biggest contribution to the New Zealand cause in New Delhi.

He finished 11th overall at Melbourne four years ago but knows he is better prepared this time. He fell off the pommel on the first day and targeted a top eight finish. But the memories of the parallel bars competition stuck with him. "It was an eye opener for me, walking out there by myself, with 16,000 people there and I was first off. Looking back, I rushed it a bit. I feel I could Handle that a lot better now."

Mark Holyoake, who started doing gym at 7 and was making national development squads withing three years, moved from Wellington to Auckland at 17 to further his sporting ambition. Holyoake first made the New Zealand team in 2002, has been to three world championships, and what he's particularly relishing at New Delhi is being part of a team.

Strange as it sounds, the games squad which will go on to the world champs in Rotterdam later in October will be New Zealand's first in about 20 years. Mark Holyoake has never been part of a proper competitive men's team group in his eight years as an international.

Read the full article at:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10665922

Mark Holyoake - Insight into the training of a top gymnast

A common misconception of male gymnastics is that it perhaps lacks the masculine or athletic edge of other sports. However, a day in the life of a top male gymnast training for the Olmypics would certainly put those thoughts to bed.

Mark Holyoake

 This is made especially ckear by Mark Holyoakes trainer at the Tristar Gymnastics Club, Matt Roskill who says We train up to 30 hours a week". "I train first thing in the morning and in the evening. I have goals I want to fulfil before I throw in the towel.

Tri Star president Grant Price says Holyoake is one of the club's leading lights.
"It's good for gym sports in New Zealand to have representation at the world championships.
"And it's inspirational for the younger guys in the club to see if they work hard, there are opportunities at the highest level."

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Mark Holyoake - Video footage of the gymnast record breaking!

For those who are interested to see Mark Holyoake’s world record breaking feat of 63 double leg circle revolutions, the footage of the successful attempt can be found in the following video:

 

A large crowd tunred out to see the New Zealand born and raise gymnast and he did not dissapoint! Holyoakes personal fitness can be attributed to a rigorous training programme that is recquired to compete in gymnastics. This consists of upper and lower body muswcle building excersises as well as extremely tough overall conditioning training.

Mark Holyoake - 2007 Commonwealth Games

It was the 2007 Commonwealth Games when Mark Holyoake was filled with hope the hope of success in a major gymnastics competition. In the previous year, Holyoake, a New Zealander, made the not-too-far journey over to
Melbourne, Australia where the 2006 games were held. The result was a respectable although not emphatic 11^th placed finish in the Parallel bars competition. 

And it is in this event in which Mark Holyoake would be considered at his strongest once again. The 2007 games were being held in Delhi, India and the stage was set for the New Zealander to compete once again and try and improve on his performance of the previous year. 

Mark Holyoake

  The results was a significan improvement and a fourth placed finish, which although meant agonising missing out on a medal was a great achievement for New Zealand gymnastics and a career best for Mark Holyoake.

Mark Holyoake – the world record holder for rotations on a pommel horse in one minute!

New Zealander Mark Holyoake has not only enjoyed success at major athletics tournaments around the world whilst having the honour of representing hic country. But he can also claim an accolade that all athletes and sports men and women around the dream of; holding a world record. 

 

Mark Holyoake completed an incredible 63 double leg circle revolutions on the pommel horse in only one minute!

Mark Holyoake

The previous record was held by Andreu Vivo Tomas of Spain, who did 59 rotations in a minute in 2001. However, Mark overcame the odds and completed four more rotations than the Spaniard, and in doing so created a new world record!

Mark Holyoake has competing at major athletics tournaments since 2004, but the achievement of breaking a world record is surely something to be proud of on another level!

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