mbg Magnificence Director
mbg Magnificence Director
Alexandra Engler is the wonder director at mindbodygreen and host of the wonder podcast Clear Magnificence Faculty. Beforehand, she’s held magnificence roles at Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports activities Illustrated, and Attract.com.
Picture by Wealthy Polk / Stringer x mbg Inventive / Getty Pictures
April 19, 2024
We love celebrating girls on high of their sport. In our new collection, Sport On, we’re interviewing high athletes about their well-being routines—overlaying every little thing from diet that makes them really feel robust to the moments that convey them pleasure.
Like many individuals, I used to be first launched to Gabby Douglas over a decade in the past, throughout the 2012 Summer season Olympics in London. That summer season, the nation turned enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took residence the group Gold in girls’s gymnastics for the USA.
Douglas’ star-making performances and gravity-defying power earned herself one other Gold within the particular person all-around. And in doing so, she made historical past: Douglas is the primary African American lady to turn out to be the Olympic particular person all-around champion and the primary U.S. gymnast to win gold in each the person all-around and group competitions on the similar Olympics.
I used to be an intern at Sports activities Illustrated that summer season, and was assigned to analysis all issues girls’s gymnastics. Meticulously following Douglas’ meteoric rise to Gold endeared me to her — and I’ve adopted her profession since.
“I am blushing,” she mentioned, as she laughed after I advised her about our small, largely one-sided connection. I advised her it was in all probability simply her pure glow.
I used to be thrilled to have the ability to verify in together with her all these years later, study how she’s at the moment caring for herself and her physique, how she mentally prepares for giant competitions, and what recommendation she has for younger athletes with huge desires.
mindbodygreen: You’re somebody who’s been competing on the worldwide scale for a very long time—in a famously intense sport at that. How do you mentally put together for an enormous competitors?
Gabby Douglas: Truthfully, I preserve my routines fairly easy. That’s been my routine for a very long time now — I don’t do rather a lot. I don’t must as a result of we achieve this a lot preparation within the gymnasium main as much as [competitions]. For instance, we do stress units, which is when everybody comes over to observe you do your set. That method by the point you get to a contest, it feels second nature.
So on the day of a contest, I rise up, eat breakfast, hearken to music on the best way, and get within the mindset of ‘OK — let’s do that.’
mbg: What meals aid you really feel strongest and nourish your physique?
Douglas: My favourite is baked salmon, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Good protein — you gotta have it!
mbg: How do you go to sleep—particularly earlier than an enormous competitors? I imply I am unable to think about attempting to go to sleep earlier than one thing as huge because the Olympics!
Douglas: To be sincere, on the finish of the day my physique is simply so drained. Gymnastics could be very laborious. For instance, just lately we went like 30 days straight of apply within the morning and at evening. So I simply really feel like our our bodies are naturally drained as a result of we’re waking up early within the morning for apply, then coming again later within the day for one more.
So our our bodies are drained — we actually do want the remaining.
mbg POV
Mbg: Gymnastics is notoriously laborious on the physique. How do you take care of it after?
mbg: Being knowledgeable gymnast comes with a lot stress. How do you discover that child-like pleasure that made you fall in love with the game to start with?
Douglas: It’s so true — so usually dad and mom will say to me, “Hey, how can I get my daughter to be at your degree?” I’m like, “No — let her get pleasure from it first. She’s a child.”
Typically we [professional gymnasts] want we may return and begin that journey once more, when it’s joyous and completely satisfied. If you become old is once you begin considering, Oh that is one thing else.
However we do attempt to preserve it enjoyable within the gymnasium with me and my teammates. We like to seek out other ways to giggle and be joyful and have banter right here and there. As a result of if not, the game is simply that a lot more durable—and gymnastics is already actually laborious. It’s vital to seek out other ways to maintain it enjoyable.
So usually dad and mom will say to me, ‘Hey, how can I get my daughter to be at your degree?’ I ’m like, ‘No — let her get pleasure from it first. She’s a child.’
Mbg: That’s a extremely nice perception. It’s important to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger girls who wish to take their sport extra critically—what recommendation do you could have for them, as somebody who turned knowledgeable athlete?
Douglas: Do not surrender. Regardless of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t surrender.
And also you don’t need to take it to the skilled degree, however I do encourage women to remain in some sort of sport. There are such a lot of advantages of being concerned in one thing. Gymnastics has taught me time administration, self-discipline, perseverance, and teamwork.
mbg: Talking of group mates — what qualities make an excellent teammate? How do you present up to your teammates?
Douglas: I simply attempt to meet everybody the place they’re. Some instances meaning not pushing somebody too laborious — and as a substitute, simply actually being there for them. In the event that they want a shoulder to cry on, right here you go. In the event that they want somebody to inspire them, I’m right here for you. So simply assembly of us the place they’re.
I used to be at all times taught to by no means finish on a nasty day.
Mbg: What qualities about your self are you most pleased with and why?
Douglas: My perseverance and drive. I used to be at all times taught to by no means finish on a nasty day. So I at all times attempt to preserve going and ensure I depart every little thing on a excessive word.
Like, even when you didn’t make it—however you gave it your all—on the finish of the day, you could be happy with the outcome as a result of you already know you set your all into one thing. For me, I wish to be sure I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.
