Why do you love it? What do you hate?

[emilykatherine]

Why do you love gymnastics? Why did you choose this sport and not something like soccer?

And what do you hate?

I love it because it's different, it's not like any other sports. It's special. I love the rush I get when doing a skill right, I love having a good day. I love seeing all my teammates (sisters) I love standing up on the podium. I love preforming. I like beating boys in pull up competitions. I love having to stop math class because someone thinks yet can hold a handstand longer than me. I love having that special relationship with my coach.

I hate getting hurt. Happens to frequently for me. I hate rope climbs, especially in ankle braces. I hate not finding pants that fit good.

 

[MissLisa]

I love they crazy things I get to learn to do. I love the adrenaline rush for doing said crazy things. I love being fit, strong and flexible. I chose gymnastics as it's fun, develops all of the above while learning cool tricks! I just love every moment now that I'm doing any form of gymnastics including the strength and flexibility training as I know it is making me better at doing the skills (and safer!). And of course I love beating all the guys at Uni at the handstand, push-up and chin up comps. Best thing ever!!!!

I hate that sometimes it's scary and it can't make myself do things. I hate the fact that as you get older things become harder and you lose flexibility etc. I hate that I literally don't have time to fit training in (being an adults sucks sometimes! Haha). I hate the niggling injuries that take forever to heal.

 

[All Chalked Up]

I love being fit & strong. I love coming out of a practice feeling like I've accomplished something. I love making my coaches proud. I love being able to pull a back tuck ANYWHERE ! I love swinging and flipping. I love my teammates and coaches. I love the life lessons gymnastics has taught me such as discipline, graciousness, modesty, dedication, hard work, how to accept criticism, standing up for myself (even my time at the bad gym taught me something I guess), and even how to better handle my anxiety.

I hate lingering injuries that affect progress. I hate the pressure that comes with competing. I hate knowing that someday I have to quit! I hate being scared of skills but physically being capable.

 

[RisingGymnast]

I love what gymnastics has "given me". I've gained confidence and some really strong relationships (coaches and teammates). I love performing for people. I love improving. There's always something to upgrade to, or to gain. I love that it has given me everything I've dreamed of. I always wanted a team that had sleepovers and did things together, the hotel rooms, the warm ups and competition leos, the medals and the podiums. It sounds completely materialistic, but I grew up watching all my friends have something similar to that and I never did. Once I started competing, I found that there was so much more, but I still think all the glamour is nice.

I hate the fear involved with almost every skill.

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

The thing about gymnastics is unlike every other sport because of the experiences. You make very special bonds with coaches because unlike other sports, you have to trust them to save your life sometimes.
I love everything about gymnastics. I only hate conditioning with a passion. People ask me all the time about the struggle and sacrifices, but there's no other way I'd want to spend my life.

 

[emilykatherine]

The thing about gymnastics is unlike every other sport because of the experiences. You make very special bonds with coaches because unlike other sports, you have to trust them to save your life sometimes.
I love everything about gymnastics. I only hate conditioning with a passion. People ask me all the time about the struggle and sacrifices, but there's no other way I'd want to spend my life.

I don't hate conditioning, I love it. We did some hard conditioning the other day and I couldn't breathe when it was over but to me it was so fun!

 

[dreamergymnast]

I love gymnastics. I love the thrill of getting new skills, and especially when people tell me to throw a ROBHSBHS or do a split, I do it, and everybody goes, "How do you do that?!" Pretty funny. And I love the relationship between me, my coaches and my teammates. I hate conditioning with a passion.

 

[zoe_the_gymnast_]

I love gymnastics. I love the thrill of getting new skills, and especially when people tell me to throw a ROBHSBHS or do a split, I do it, and everybody goes, "How do you do that?!" Pretty funny. And I love the relationship between me, my coaches and my teammates. I hate conditioning with a passion.

I agree!

 

[stxrdusty]

I only ever tried dance (ballet and tap) before I started gymnastics. I was a shy kid so I didn't want to do any other sports. When I started gymnastics I thought it was fun and I was relatively good at it.

I love the thrill of learning new skills and even just getting better at ones I can already do. For the past 2 years I've been training with no true goal in mind except doing gymnastics because I knew I wouldn't get picked up by a college team and I've been injured, so that's been what's kept me going.

I also love the confidence, determination, people-skills, and small community/family that gymnastics has given me. It's had an insurmountably influence on my life.

I hate that my ankle is basically permanently injured because I want to be able to do all the events again, injuries in general, running, rope climbs, and how no matter how much strength I seem to do I still have a flab layer on my tummy. I wish I was good at strength and was strong, but I'm just not.

 

[KeepCalmTumbleOn]

I love the adrenaline you have before you go for a new skill and that amazing feeling you get when you finally stick that skill youve been working on for months

No other sport can give you those feelings. And i like how gymnastics is completely unique. Not many people do it so it gives you the ability to show off and catch people attention

I hate the fact that getting injured is so hard and knowing a tiny mistake could take you out for the season. It makes you afraid of going to the doctors cause you know they will only tell you bad news and i also hate the fear and frustration this sport gives you. I dont get mental blocks but i get really easily frustrated and when that happens i never can make it and it just gets worse

 

[GymRat]

I love the feeling it gives me. Every once in a while I'll stop what I'm doing and go "I am flipping over four inches of wood," or "I am running full-speed at a stationary object." It amazes me that I can get my body to do these things, and I am constantly reminded by myself and my coaches and my teammates and other gymnasts and non-gymnasts how truly incredible this sport we do is. I love the way getting a new skill makes me feel. I love the way perfecting an old one makes me feel. I love to push my body to the limit. I love to get stronger, and more flexible, and more brave. I love the feeling I get every time I walk into the gym. I love the sweat, blood, and tears. Gymnastics has truly taught me so many extremely valuable life-lessons, like self-confidence, the value of hard work, teamwork, good body image, being able to overcome obstacles, how to deal with frustration and so much more. I have learned so much from this sport and I hope that I never stop learning.

Really, I don't hate any part of it. No matter how frustrating or infuriating it is to get injured or to be stuck on a fear, no matter how hard the conditioning is or the way it makes your body ache, no matter how many times you leave the gym with bloody hands, all of that is a part of gymnastics. All of that has taught us such valuable things that I think it is so, so worth it in the end.
I hope to never stop flipping.

 

[gymnast-mac]

I love everything you guys have said. I love my team and coaches almost as much as I love competing, the thrill of getting a new skill. I love conditioning even when my body aches and I wake up sore. I love the memories I've made inside and outside the gym. I love being able to beat all the boys in push ups and chin ups. I hate being scared of something, and I hate feeling like everyone's better than I am. I hate when people say gymnastics isn't a real sport. I hate falling off beam at meets. No matter what though, I'll always love this sport, through the blood, chalk, sweat, and tears. I think gymnastics is harder than any other sport, and that's why I do it. Because really, what football player is ever scared to run the ball or pass it? It's not just a physical sport, it's a mental sport, too.

 

[zoe_the_gymnast_]

I love the feeling it gives me. Every once in a while I'll stop what I'm doing and go "I am flipping over four inches of wood," or "I am running full-speed at a stationary object." It amazes me that I can get my body to do these things, and I am constantly reminded by myself and my coaches and my teammates and other gymnasts and non-gymnasts how truly incredible this sport we do is. I love the way getting a new skill makes me feel. I love the way perfecting an old one makes me feel. I love to push my body to the limit. I love to get stronger, and more flexible, and more brave. I love the feeling I get every time I walk into the gym. I love the sweat, blood, and tears. Gymnastics has truly taught me so many extremely valuable life-lessons, like self-confidence, the value of hard work, teamwork, good body image, being able to overcome obstacles, how to deal with frustration and so much more. I have learned so much from this sport and I hope that I never stop learning.

Really, I don't hate any part of it. No matter how frustrating or infuriating it is to get injured or to be stuck on a fear, no matter how hard the conditioning is or the way it makes your body ache, no matter how many times you leave the gym with bloody hands, all of that is a part of gymnastics. All of that has taught us such valuable things that I think it is so, so worth it in the end.
I hope to never stop flipping.

Well said. I wholeheartedly agree!!!

 

[HannahGS]

I love that my team and group is like a family. I love the feeling of getting a new skill. I love performing and medaling and winning. I love the special relationship I have with
my coaches. I love the good days where everything feels perfect and I feel like I can do anything.

I hate losing skills. I hate fear and being scared of everything. I hate being injured. I hate when the coaches just don't get it. I hate the bad days where I feel like I'm made of lead and nothing works.

 

[Acrogymnastmegan]

I love that it is so exciting when you learn a new skill! There is a thrill to it and I completely love it! There is so much to aim for, but if can't say I love the conditioning