As a gymnast I was a hard worker, stubborn and fearless but now I am just a hard worker and stubborn. I no longer have the firey fearless persona that the other gymnasts admired in me and that my coaches loved about me. I can confidently coach others to perform upside down moves on the beam or giants on bars and tell them to just “go for it” but when it comes to it now,  I can’t just “go for it”, I am terrified to perform a back flip on the beam or a twisting fly away dismount on bars, not only in gymnastics but also in life.

As a young girl, I would do anything, never embarrassed. I would do a full routine with my bum hanging out of my leotard – I once insisted on finishing my bar routine in training even though my leggings had split right down the middle from jumping into a straddle upstart, leaving the older girls in tears laughing at me! I wanted to try my hardest to get the technique of a move right as quickly as I could so that I could perform it without support from my coach, to feel that I had really achieved something. I was cheeky, a show off and some might say over confident.

I have been trying to discover when things changed. I was forced to retire at 17 and began to train casually as an adult from 19. The devastation of having to retire made it difficult to begin training again casually, mainly because of the physical pain but also the emotional pain. Eventually things got better as I understood technique and biomechanics more and I was able to achieve moves easily, even if it was on a casual basis, I knew ways to avoid hurting myself or putting too much stress on my recovering injury. Throughout these years, I went through the emotions and situations that any normal person does, heartache, depression, defeat and loss of a family member. I think each of these experiences maybe took a little part of me with them, they took my fire.

Apparently as a baby, I was firey and active, my parents have recalled many a time that I would crawl out of my cot as a baby whereas my brother acted like the normal baby and just slept! I think that gymnastics kept my fire burning and developed it into something special. I will always believe that gymnastics contributed largely to the person I am today.   When I go out and will be around people I want to look immaculate, I want to appear confident, a similar feeling that I would get when stepping out into the middle of the floor to perform a routine, maybe I see people as an audience. When I am going somewhere special or to something important, I like to take my time and get my head in focus. In an argument with someone close to me I am stubborn, I know what feels right and want to do it my way.  When I feel I have done something right or made the correct decision and someone tells me I have not or that I have failed at the task, I am gutted, I don’t take corrections too well. When I work, I have to have things organised, clear in front of me and tend to do things exactly to the book, I want it perfect and will try hard until I get the perfect result for a deadline.

I remember being 16 and on holidays. A facility on the island was offering bungee jumps, I was convinced that I was going to do it, in the end we didn’t have time (although maybe my parents told me that so that I wouldn’t give grey hairs early!). Now, I will not even go on the same rollercoaster that I would have gone on several times in a day every year! Ask me to get up on the beam to do a flip or to do a flyaway on bars and I’ll have to think it over several times.

The knock backs in life have certainly extinguished some of that fire that gymnastics nurtured, developed and matured in me. I miss that confident “get up and go” attitude about myself – since retiring it has slowly but steadily begun to diminish.  As a gymnast I would never question myself, consider what others would think of me or think the consequences and “what ifs”  through thoroughly. Maybe it’s my age, I’m getting older,  I’ve seen the world and read the news. I’m getting to the harder part of life and maybe it is that I don’t want to take risks as much, if any. I am still me but I would very much like this part of me to return, I’m not sure if I feel complete without it.

Throughout the year, I hope to continue to write more blog posts about the adventures in the gym.  As I explained in my previous post, three of my best gymnasts have progressed to another group so it will take me some time to get used to not coaching them. I’m looking forward to meeting my new recreation groups too.

I imagine that I will be very tired by the end of this evening and by tomorrow, my poor muscles will be aching from lifting the equipment in and out and also putting the gymnasts through moves.  My new group in the competitive class have some great potential so I’m really looking forward to seeing what they can do!

To everyone else who’s season is just kicking off, good luck and enjoy it!

Flexibility

Flexibility works hand-in-hand with strength. A combination of the two in a gymnast is a step towards perfection, as long as they know how to control their body (i.e. using their strength to not allow themselves be too flexible eg. over-twisting in the splits). I often find it more impressive to watch a more flexible gymnast on the beam or floor, rather than a gymnast who is mainly powerful, as some of the moves such as a split leap can be so beautiful to watch as opposed to powerful tumbling moves. Although not every great gymnast is naturally flexible, it is something you can develop over time.

Attitude and Dedication

Above all, a gymnast must be determined. Gymnastics is a difficult sport, watching your team mates achieving a move before you can be frustrating. Working for months and months on a move can be so hard, so tiring and frustrating but it’s having the will and determination to carry on that gets you through. Everyone can’t have  a “can do” attitude all of the time, and more than likely, I’d get annoyed with them if they did! With gymnastics you must have an open mind, you need to be able to take risks with a willingness to learn and listen to criticism. It can be tough to be a gymnast.

Other Factors

There are also many other factors to consider when looking for your ideal gymnast. Such as, are the parents dedicated enough and willing to travel across the country for competition or to bring their child to training practice however often they might train?  I have been told about parents who are not willing to help their child progress.

For example, one parent found it inconvenient to bring her daughter to training. he little girl, has the full package, the physique of a gymnast and all of the above mentioned qualities. The child is now training one hour a week in the recreation class, in my opinion wasting her talent. The coach has said that she has so much potential but will go nowhere with her one hour training a week which she appears to thoroughly enjoys. I think it is an awful shame.

Personally, from my studies in college, I have found  a common trend in particular body types. I have noticed that gymnasts with a long, leaner body, they tend to be less flexible, more graceful at dance moves and not always as strong as other body types. Smaller, stockier looking gymnasts seem to be powerful and excel in strength, especially shoulders and legs.  Their flexiblity tends to be relatively good but not the best and their dancing and choreography appears to be less co -ordinated and graceful as opposed to the longer, leaner looking gymnast.  This does not deter me from selecting a gymnast to invite into the competitive class but it is something I look very closely at to understand the gymnast better. 

Have I found the perfect gymnast?

I currently train a small group of 7 – 9 year olds at competitive level.  They are all extremely talented. One of the girls in particular outshines the rest in her approach to training. Although the youngest at seven, she is powerful, strong, flexible, determined and always has a smile on her face. In my years of coaching, I have not come across someone as young who listens to everything I say so intently and then puts this into practice. She is an inquisitive little madam but I am glad she is. I am yet to come across the perfect gymnast but this little lady certainly comes close.

Part One

Part of being a gymnastics coach is that I must constantly be on the look-out for new talent.  Every September when the new term begins, streams of new kids come through the doors. Kids of all different standards, some who have done gymnastics before, some who have not, some kids who want to be there, others who have been forced by their parents. It’s a big mixed bunch to say the least!

On that first day, while the kids are settling in and being shown how to warm up, the coaches take a quick look around. Immediately, we spot the child who is flexible, the child who is strong, the one who is crying and calling out for her mother, the one who is more interested in picking in between their toes than doing any exercise… the list goes on.

Collectively, the coaches are looking for a strong and flexible gymnast to move up to the competitive gymnastics class for more intense and focused training. Individually, we may search for different things. I look for a gymnast with a bit of flair. I steer well clear of criers. If by the age of five a child can’t stop crying at everything and anything, I don’t really have much time for them. It may sound harsh but a gymnast must be emotionally as well as physically strong. I like a child who is determined and adventurous, who listens and who has a natural feel for the sport . It is rare to find someone with these qualities who is also strong and flexible.

A child who cries for their parents or because you ask them to try something and they won’t, is a child that I find difficult to deal with. You can come across some really fantastic kids who are full of beans and then other kids whose beans…well, their beans are probably in a trail behind them on the floor due to fear of trying something new!

So, what exactly are we looking for?

• Height
• Strength
• Flexibility
• Attitude and Dedication
• Other Factors

Height

Height is believed to be a significant factor in determining a gymnast’s capabilities and performance. There is a general consensus that a gymnast must be small; personally, I don’t think this is true, as there is no proven reason why a taller gymnast cannot be as good as a smaller one. One of my icons was the Russian gymnast, Svetlana Khorkina, who is 5 feet and 5 inches tall. Not particularly tall in general, though it certainly is within the context of the sport. Bela Karolyi, a world renowned gymnastics coach who produced nine Olympic Champions and has coached many stars including Mary Lou Retton, Shannon Miller & Dominique Moceanu was asked by ESPN (Enterainment and Sports Programming Network) “If you could build the best gymnast, what would they look like physically?”. For height, he answered;

“The ideal gymnast would be between 4 feet 7 and 5-2. I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint an ideal height, however. It would be foolish to say that a gymnast above 5-2 could not be great.”

I don’t think there is a set height we are looking for. I, for example, am 5′ 3.5″. That said, it is easier on the coach to lift a smaller and lighter child through moves than a taller, heavier one. Perhaps to an outsider a smaller gymnast looks more impressive and the idea that a gymnast should be short has aesthetic origins.

Strength

Strength is crucial to being a great gymnast. An outsider might think it is easy to get up on the bars and just perform“one of those twirly things”, perhaps assuming that the speed and momentum must just carry the move on through. That’s simply not the case. Everything we do requires great strength. It not only takes balance to land a move on the beam, but strength also. A lot of emphasis must be placed on the core strength of a gymnast. The handstand shape is involved on all pieces, bars, beam, floor and vault. The importance of strength cannot be stressed enough.

A weaker gymnast will not be able to perform the move as well as a stronger gymnast and, in my experience, a stronger gymnast seems to be more aware of their body, knowing that their technique might not be right but that they are pulling themselves through a move.

All the pain and sweat you endure during all the sit ups, back lifts, leg lifts, chin-ups, press-ups is worth it if you get the results you need to help you perform to your best.

*As this post is long, I have decided to split it into two. Check back tomorrow for the second part

Personal Education

My coaches taught me about my body – what was the correct way to stand and why. Standing up tall with my “bum tucked and belly sucked in” somehow gave me an air of confidence.  I learnt that I could make my body stronger and developed an understanding of why I needed to. I discovered that I could make my body go from being sloppy and loose to strong and hard. A strong interest in the biomechanics of the human body from an early age also encouraged this!

Absolute enjoyment

There’s nothing like the feeling of achieving a new move, of winning a medal at a competition, whether it be individually or as part of a team. Many kids are put into sports and activities that they really aren’t suited to but for me, this was never the case. Gymnastics has always been my sport, I’ve always felt a part of it. Knowing I belonged made it that bit more special and enjoyable to me. Even when outside of the gym, I was always cart wheeling and back flipping on the road outside. I even had my own show at my primary school. In the summer, we were allowed to spend lunch time in “the field”. Myself and 2 of the older girls from the club would practice our back flips and somersaults, while all the other children and teachers watched in awe. It made me feel really special that people wanted to clap and cheer for me.

Mind Frame

When I’m in the gym, I can block out all other thoughts. When I focus, nothing else enters my head. So much concentration is required when training on all of the pieces, and even as a coach, watching every line of your gymnast’s body to try and spot the tiniest mistakes. My mind has to be clear, other worries will affect my training too much. The outside world must fade to insignificance.

My personal comparison between gymnastics and other sports

Gymnastics, to me, is just so different to other sports. In others, you use just one thing: one football, one racket, one pole vault, one shot putt, one javelin. Gymnastics is much more dynamic; other sports just never appealed to me. Each sport is unique and challenging in it’s own way but my interest in gymnastics has soared above the rest. Gymnastics practice brought something new every time. No two training sessions were too similar, let alone identical. I’ve always found it such a thrill to achieve a new move, the rush would spur me on to perfect the next move, which would inspire the next…

Even now, I still get so excited at the prospect of buying new equipment. Recently our club made a huge purchase, almost doubling our current amount of equipment. This is a big achievement for the club. The amount of equipment a club requires to progress in the sport is vital but with it costing so much, it can be hard to regularly add to your stock.

Why?

I began this blog to write about one of my biggest passions in life. I hope that other gymnasts, coaches and maybe even outsiders will find this interesting.. I will mostly write about gymnastics, sports injuries and other sporting interests. Along the way, I may also write about other topics that I enjoy. Please feel free to leave comments and of course to subscribe using the button below the moon image.

Welcome to part of my world!