Recent content by GymRat

Thank you so much everybody! I'm getting my vitamin levels checked by a GP soon, so pending the results I may start taking specific vitamins. However, I'll definitely make sure I am getting enough protein, especially after a workout. Thank you everybody!

Hello all, As time goes on and college gymnastics has become more of a tangible goal for me, I have begun to become more conscious about the importance of my nutrition and how it can affect my gymnastics. I am currently a vegetarian, though I would be willing to change that if it would help with...

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...

Our coach insists that we do not attend any trampoline parks. A new one just opened up near our town and we have already been hearing about the many broken bones and other injuries that have occurred there (none of these were gymnasts), just in the short time it's been open. Sounds like great...

Bars are definitely my favorite!

I think that you should first work through the routine with your coach. He or she will give you corrections that are specifically tailored to you. You have plenty of time to run your routine before season starts. Watching videos could help cement it in your mind, but I would definitely go...

Once you practice a routine enough, your body will remember how to do it, even if your brain is telling you that it can't. It sounds like you have plenty of time to learn and perfect your routines before competition season, so don't stress over it. When the time comes, muscle memory will kick in...

We call our big mat (level 3 vault) "Baby Baluga." We also have an inflatable bouncy mat that we call "The Friend". Along with various other mat names, we have names for some of the beams, such as "Kit-Kat" and "Squishy" To anyone else we must sound crazy. "Go put Baby Baluga under the bars."...

Hotel hallways are absolutely irresistible.

We have a very small gym. We have no pit, one set of bars, a full spring floor, four single-rail bars, one vault, one airtrack, three low beams and three high beams.

We go from 18 hours in the school year to about 26 during the summer (for optionals). We also will be beginning at 8:30 in the summer.

-Hairties -Hairspray -Hair clips -Bobby pins -Chapstick -Hand Creme -Sore Muscle Rub -Knee brace -Extra Leo -Extra Shorts -Money -Granola bars -Water bottles -Tape and Prewrap (We leave our grips in our gym lockers except for comps.) -Girl Things -A ball of sweaty, "lucky" prewrap from a...

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone has insight on how difficult of a change it is to go from solid strap bar giants to getting solid giants on the real bars. Thanks!

At my gym, we have always been told no nail polish. But recently I learned that it was just a preference of my gym. Some judges might not like it, so better to not risk losing a tenth over something that could be prevented. Although I would be surprised if you got in trouble for wearing polish...

Thanks!!