Meet Coach Chow
Liang Chow - Director
Chow’s Gymnastics & Dance Institute is the home of Liang Chow. Coach Chow is well known for his excellence as a coach and for training Olympic Gold Medalists Shawn Johnson, Gabby Douglas and international top elite gymnasts, Coach Chow was also an exceptional gymnast for the Chinese National team. Throughout his competitive gymnastics career, he received numerous honors and winning more than 30 International Gold Medals. In 1990, Coach Chow won the All-Around title and became the XIV World Cup Master Champion. That year he also became the Asian Games Champion. In 1989, Coach Chow was a Bronze Medalist at the 1989 World Championship.
After moving to the United States and coaching the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams at the University of Iowa, Coach Chow opened his own world-class gymnastics training facility in West Des Moines, Iowa. It is here that he trained Shawn Johnson & Gabby Douglas. He continually trains other Olympic hopefuls and strives to provide the highest-quality gymnastics program possible in the United States.
Career Achievements
Coach of the Year
- 2012 National Coach of the Year
(voted by US Olympic Committee & Pan American Olympic Committee) - 2009 Region 4 Coach of the Year
- 2008 Senior Elite Coach of the Year
- 2007 National Coach of the Year
(voted by US Olympic Committee & Pan American Olympic Committee) - 2007 Senior Elite Coach of the Year
- 2004 State of Iowa Coach of the Year
- 2000 State of Iowa Coach of the Year
Olympic Coaching Achievements
- Coach of 2012 London Olympic Games Gold Medal Team
- Personal Coach of 2012 London Olympic Games All-around Champion –
Gabby Douglas - Personal Coach of 2012 London Olympic Games Gold Medalist –
Gabby Douglas - Coach of 2011 World Champion Team at World Championships in Tokyo, Japan
- Head Coach of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Silver Medal Team
- Head Coach of 2007 Stuttgart World Championship Gold Medal Team
- Personal Coach of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Beam Champion –
Shawn Johnson - Personal Coach of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games All Around Silver Medalist – Shawn Johnson
- Personal Coach of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Floor Silver Medalist –
Shawn Johnson
Other Coaching Achievements
- Personal Coach of 2007 World Champion in All Around (Stuttgart) –
Shawn Johnson - Personal Coach of 2007 World Champion in Floor (Stuttgart) –
Shawn Johnson - S. Head Coach of 2007 World Champion Team at World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany (September 1-9, 2007)
- S. Head Coach of 2007 Pan American Games Champion Team in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (July 14-18, 2007) - S. Head Coach of 2006 Pacific Alliance Champion Team in
Honolulu, Hawaii (April 13-15, 2006) - S. Head Coach of 2006 Jr. Pan American Games Champion Team in Ottawa, Canada (August 21-27, 2006)
- Coach of 2007 U.S. National Team at USA vs. Great Britain in
Lisburn, North Ireland (March 17-18, 2007) - Coach of 2007 U.S. National Team at American Cup in
Jacksonville, Florida (March 2-3, 2007) - Coach of 2006 U.S. National Team at Gymnix Invitational in
Montreal, Canada (March 18-19, 2006) - Coach of 2005 U.S. National Team at Top Gym Invitational in
Belgium (October 21-22, 2005) - Coach of 2005 U.S. National Team at USA vs. Japan and Australia in Houston, Texas (January 19, 2005)
- 1991-1998, Seven years coaching at the University of Iowa for both
Men’s & Women’s Teams (5 gymnasts made the U.S. National Mens’ Team)