A for Artistic Gymnastics
I adore gymnastics, women’s artistic gymnastics in particular. I find the drive and determination necessary to reach the elite level, or even level 10, amazing. It’s drive and determination I constantly try to apply to my own writing.
Sadly, I’m not always successful. Sometimes I give in to the lure of the tv, the corgis and sometimes even a good book.
Anyway – I digress. Back to gymnastics.
The Olympics is this year and I’m a huge Olympics bug. Especially because it means I can watch the gymnastics. I was obsessed with it in 2008 and so disappointed that Shawn Johnson only got the silver all round medal. But she did win gold on my favourite aparatus. Beam. Take a look.
Yes, that beam is 4 inches wide. Isn’t that amazing?
Sadly, I don’t think she’ll make it to the 2012 Olympics as much as I want her to. She tore her ACL and some other muscles in Jan 2010 and the knee still isn’t as strong as it needs to be.
But the USA has really strong gymnasts. We have the 2011 World Champion Jordyn Wieber, and members of the 2011 World Champion team such as Ally Raisman and Gabrielle Douglas (all three are in the picture above). Not to mention a new senior this year – Kyla Ross. Overall, we have very strong contenders.
So the Secret Classic, the Visa Championships, and the Olympic Trials this year are going to be amazing.
Most of these girls spend a minimum of 6 hours a day, at least 6 days a week in the gym. They refine their abilities, learn new ones, and repeat routines a set about of times to get numbers in. The more numbers, the more steady they (should) be.
To me – this is the tenacious attitude you need to be a writer. You need to dedicate yourself to writing, and be determined to achieve what you want to, regardless.
So – does anyone else like gymnastics?
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Great start to the Challenge! I do enjoy watching gymnastics. While never a gymnast myself, I have strong memories of the 1984 Olympics. The gymnast I followed were Mary Lou Retton & Julianne McNamara. The excitement of those games is unmatched to any other sport I’ve watched.
Looking forward to your posts. Happy Sunday!
Thank you so much for dropping by. Yeah, I love all gymnastics. Always have and my mother always insisted on ballet and piano instead. So mean! Haha. 1984 was a fantastic year. I’m hoping 2012 is just as good.
I LOVE watching gymnastics. I’m always in awe of their physical abilities.
They’re amazing. I can’t believe some of the stuff they pull off.
I always wanted to do gymnastics. I never got to do it though. I did figure skating for a while, ballet and tap. Now I am a writer, reader and I play the violin. Fun to see how one dream (doing gymnastics) transformed into something so different many years later.
I know! I always wanted to do gymnastics, but mom had me doing ballet and piano instead hehe. I think our dreams manifest more as we get older. Gymnastics just isn’t realistic for most people after your thirties (although I have seen one 37 year old gymnast who might qualify for the Visa championships this year!).
I’m glad you pursued writing!
I don’t watch many Olympic sports, but I love it when they show the gymnastics. The floor routines, the uneven bars, the balance bar, and the rings are all awesome to watch.
Oh I love the uneven bars and the balance beam. I think they’re utterly amazing. I must admit, I do like the swimming and equestrian too
I like gymnastics. I tend to only watch it during the Olympics though. Shawn Johnson on the beam is really an amazing thing to watch.
Yeah, she’s amazing on the beam. I used to only watch gymnastics during the Olympics, but now I follow it avidly.
I love watching artistic gymnastics, although I don’t follow it religiously. There are some really talented gymnasts! It’s awesome to watch them do all the crazy things they do. My heart is always racing for them. =] I hope Shawn gets better so that you can see her make it to the 2012 Olympics. <3
I’ve been following it religiously since 2008. I have this thing where every time they do a release on the bars, I hold my breath. I’d love her to make the team and go to the 2012 Olympics, but I’m not sure if her knee is up to it. <3
Gymnastics was the sport I watched when I was too little to be interested in anything else. I just thought they were magical in some way. I’ve never quite lost that feeling.
I know! I agree. I thought they could fly. It was amazing!
Great post! I’ve always been a big fan of gymnastics. I used to take rhythm gymnastic lessons, but had too many foot injuries to keep up with it. The amount of strength these girls have is impressive.
Ooo Rhythmic gymnastics – that’s fantastic. So flexible and amazing coordination.
Yeah their strength is amazing. The dedication it takes to succeed in that sport will never cease to amaze me.
Nice blog. I like to watch the gymnasts myself. I guess that is why I love the Cirque du Soleil performances so much. I cannot believe the human body is capable of such grace and beauty (especially considering the shape of my own. LOL) Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.
Thank you Brendan
I liked dropping by your blog. And yes – it’s amazing what the human body is capable of (though not necessarily my own haha)
i remeber the ’84 olympics as well. if old age doesn’t interfere, wasn’t that the same year that the Russians didn’t compete and the US finally won gold? either way, it’s awesome! determiniation, dedication, motivation for your goal, to do your best!
Yeah, I think that was the boycott year. And the Americans have won gold a lot since then. Definitely upped their game. *hugs*
Hi Hanna, Yours was one of the two blogs that inspired me to start the A – Z challenge! Glad to read your blog. Nija
Thank you
I’m glad you decided to take part 
I love gymnastics. I remember with great detail Mary Lou Retton’s 10. But I have fond memories of Mitch Gaylord back in the day, too. Great A topic!
Yeah, it’s actually amazing how much things have changed. Especially the uneven bars. I’m very happy they have the new version, the old version can’t have been good for their middle sections hehe.
I love gymnastics too. And I am sooooo looking forward to the Summer Games. When I was a kid I took gymnastics myself, but never competitively. I had Mary Lou Retton red, white and blue socks! I loved watching Kim Zmeskal back in the day. Greetings from A to Z!
Isn’t it an amazing sport to watch? Except the falls. My heart always sits in my throat if they fall. I love the Olympics. I’m a swimming, equestrian and gymnastics buff hehe. Greetings back!
Love gymnastics–picture myself up there. I left Australia to come to the UK over twenty years ago. The next Olympics will be right here in London.
Ooo – are you going to see them at all? I would so LOVE to be able to. I left Australia too, but only 5 years ago hehe.
I love gymnastics! I’ve, uh, seen a few Olympics in my time…all the way back to Olga Korbut and Nelli Kim days, back when the Russians and the East Germans were such mysteries… That routine is AMAZING. Thanks for posting it. Woo Olympics, am so excited…and avoiding London this year because of them. LOL!!
Ooo, I’ve seen videos of Olga Korbut. Yeah Shawn’s beam from 2008 is amazing even by today’s standards except that it doesn’t have the side aerial element in it.
Hope you get to watch the Olympics on TV at least hehe
Um, I am SO in. I don’t have cable, but I’m going to try and keep up with the Olympics anyway.
I used to play gymnast in the kitchen, using linoleum tiles as the “beam” and spinning around till I was dizzy.
Yeah – I had a piece of masking tape over the carpet in our living room that I used for a balance beam hehe. I think we can watch Olympic coverage online. At least I hope so. I don’t have cable either LOL