It's time!! The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are here!
While most people only pay attention to gymnastics during the Olympics, those of us in the gymnastics community are more invested. We understand the incredible hard work, dedication, and sacrifice these athletes have made to reach this point. As a gymnast, you know that gymnastics is a year-round sport that requires dedication, hard work, and passion (and a little bit of good luck).
One of the most overlooked aspect of success in gymnastics is the TEAM behind each gymnast. While gymnastics is largely an individual sport, a gymnast can't succeed without the support of so many others. Teammates, coaches, and parents all have such critical roles in a gymnast's career. However, many others can and should be on each gymnast's TEAM so she can train for her goals like an Olympian. Registered Dietitians, physical therapists, and sports psychologists all can help a gymnast level up her training to perform her best in the gym since nutrition, recovery, and mental health are an important yet often overlooked aspects of gymnastics.
Whether you aspire to make the Olympics someday or have your own big goals, every gymnast can train like an Olympian and take the necessary steps to achieve their gymnastics dreams.
How you do anything is how you do everything.
As a gymnast, of course it is important to work your hardest in the gym. But it is also just as important to be invested in what you do outside of the gym too. Gymnasts that reach the highest level of the sport are "all-in", both in and out of the gym!
This "all-in" mindset takes dedication and hard work in order to be your best both in gymnastics and other aspects of your life, but it will make the payoff of the journey and achievement of your goals all the more rewarding.
So what does it really mean for a gymnast to be "all-in" in and out of the gym?
Here are five key ways to train for your gymnastics goals like an Olympian.
1. Commit to Recovery
To perform your best in the gym, you must feel your best. Whether you're injured, recovering from an injury, or trying to reduce the likelihood of one, physical therapy and preventative mobility exercises can help you stay strong and healthy.
Learning and doing the right movements and exercises can help you perform skills with proper form and reduce the risk of injury from compensating for weak muscles. Additionally, mobility training can increase your flexibility and also lessen your chance of injury.
Additionally, don't forget about other recovery techniques such as dynamic and static stretching, foam rolling, icing, heating, and options like cupping, acupuncture, needling, Normatec, or a massage. These can all help your body recover and heal so you can feel your best in the gym every day. Commit to taking the necessary preventative and recovery techniques seriously.
2. Get Enough Sleep Every Night
Getting enough sleep every night is crucial for gymnasts, not only for performance when you're in the gym, but ensuring your body is able to recover to it's fullest. Sleep is the best time for your body to rest, recover, and repair itself so that you're ready to train your hardest and improve in the gym the next day.
Gymnasts should aim to get adequate sleep each night:
6-12 year olds: 9-12 hours per night
13-18 year olds: 8-10 hours per night
18+ years old: 8+ hours per night
If you're not getting enough sleep, you will feel tired, sluggish, and not at 100% in the gym. Athletes who sleep less than 8 hours per night are at a 1.7x higher risk of injury compared to those who get enough. Commit to a sleep schedule that maximizes your sleep and stick to it. Even schedule in short naps (20 or 90 minutes) when needed.
Prioritize getting enough sleep by going to bed early enough. If you have trouble falling asleep, building a bedtime routine can help. This may include:
Using blue light blocking glasses for screen time
Setting a tech curfew 60-90 minutes before bed
Taking a hot bath or shower
Writing daily gratitudes
Preparing for the next day (pulling out snacks, setting out clothes, making to-do lists, etc.)
Breathing, meditation
Stretching
Reading
3. Find Time for Other Passions
Gymnastics is a time-consuming commitment, and it may feel like the only thing that matters in a gymnast's life. However, it's important to remember that gymnastics is not your only identity. There will be a life after gymnastics.
Luckily, gymnastics training teaches valuable life lessons such as time management, trusting your ability, and the value of hard work. These lessons can be applied to other aspects of your life, both while you're still a gymnast and after you retire from the sport.
Don't sacrifice your school work (and future) for gymnastics. During the school year, dedicate yourself to your school work just as you do to your training in the gym. Reach out to your academic and personal support system as needed because they want to help you succeed in and out of the gym. The "all-in" mentality of an Olympian extends to all aspects of your life, with school being one of the most important.
4. Take Care of Your Mental Health
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Gymnasts who neglect the mental aspect of the sport cannot expect to succeed, just as gymnasts who neglect their physical health won't reach their full potential.
In gymnastics, your brain is as much a muscle as your biceps or your abs. Top gymnasts train their brains as well as their bodies. They visualize routines and success, have confidence in their abilities, use mental cues, and have techniques to overcome their fears.
Don't be afraid to reach out for help if you need it. Sports psychologists and mental performance coaches can be very helpful for all gymnasts, not just those who are struggling. Many top-level elite gymnasts have sought the assistance of a sports psychologist and likely couldn't have reached their levels without this help. Many collegiate gymnastics teams also have a sports psychologist who counsels individuals as needed and support the team as a whole.
Gymnasts, don't neglect your mental health. Seek help from others, especially professionals, if you're struggling. You won't be able to reach your goals and perform your best in the gym if you don't take care of your mental health.
5. Prioritize Performance Nutrition
Prioritizing your nutrition will help improve your training and performance in the gym. When you eat enough and get all the nutrients your body needs, you'll feel energized, refreshed, and strong in the gym, helping you practice your best and reach your goals. Additionally, adequate nutrition is essential for recovery.
Remember: "prioritize" does not mean "exclusive" or "always." Going "all-in" on proper nutrition and fueling is not the same as having an all-or-nothing mindset regarding nutrition.
An "all or nothing" mindset can be detrimental to your health and training. You risk not eating enough food and therefore not having enough energy in the gym. Additionally, this mindset can lead to a binge and restrict cycle and feelings of guilt if you don't eat "perfectly."
A gymnast with an "all-in" mindset surrounding nutrition understands that food is fuel for both the body and mind. They commit to eating enough (gymnasts need a lot of energy) to support training. They know that a gymnast can easily find balance and eat both nutrient-dense and fun foods. A properly fueled gymnast will have the energy and strength to feel good in practice and train hard toward their goals.
As important as your training in the gym is, what you do outside of the gym can truly set you apart as a gymnast and help you reach your goals. Focusing on recovery, sleep, other passions, mental health, and performance nutrition outside of the gym will help you be better at practice, so you have the energy, strength, and mindset to reach your goals. The "all-in" mindset extends beyond the gym, and you can train like an Olympian, no matter what your gymnastics goals are, by committing to this mindset and being at your best!
When you skip meals and snacks, avoid foods, and don't make performance fueling and recovery a priority, you can't expect make the most progress in the gym this summer (and beyond). It's not just about giving 100% when you're in the gym, but also making what you do outside of the gym a priority. It's not too late to get your nutrition sorted out and see major improvements this summer!
The Fueled Gymnast Academy is the is the simplest way for busy gymnast (and those who feed them) to learn the ins and outs of fueling their body as a high level gymnast so they can
have more energy, reduce the risk of injury, and perform their best
AND
feel confident and empowered to make their own food choices (and not just have someone tell them what they have to eat).
Fueling your body doesn't have to be a guessing game. And you don't have to figure it out on your own.
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