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mbg Magnificence Director
mbg Magnificence Director
Alexandra Engler is the sweetness director at mindbodygreen and host of the sweetness podcast Clear Magnificence College. 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 Photos
April 19, 2024
We love celebrating girls on high of their recreation. In our new sequence, Sport On, we’re interviewing high athletes about their well-being routines—protecting all the things from diet that makes them really feel sturdy 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, in the course of the 2012 Summer season Olympics in London. That summer season, the nation turned enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took residence the workforce gold in girls’s gymnastics for the USA.
Douglas’ star-making performances and gravity-defying power earned her 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 into the Olympic particular person all-around champion and the primary U.S. gymnast to win gold in each the person all-around and workforce competitions on the identical 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 stated, as she laughed once I instructed her about our small, largely one-sided connection. I instructed her it was most likely simply her pure glow.
I used to be thrilled to have the ability to examine in together with her all these years later, study how she’s presently caring for herself and her physique, how she mentally prepares for large competitions, and what recommendation she has for younger athletes with massive goals.
mindbodygreen: You are 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 a giant competitors?
Gabby Douglas: Actually, I hold my routines fairly easy. That is been my routine for a very long time now—I do not do so much. I need not 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 look at you do your set. That manner, by the point you get to a contest, it feels second nature.
So, on the day of a contest, I rise up, eat breakfast, take heed to music on the best way, and get within the mindset of “OK—let’s do that.”
mbg: What meals show you how to 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 a giant competitors? I imply I am unable to think about attempting to go to sleep earlier than one thing as massive because the Olympics!
Douglas: To be sincere, on the finish of the day, my physique is simply so drained. Gymnastics may be very laborious. For instance, not too long ago we went like 30 days straight of follow 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 follow, then coming again later within the day for an additional.
So our our bodies are drained—we actually do want the remainder.
mbg POV
mbg: Gymnastics is notoriously laborious on the physique. How do you take care of it after?
Douglas: I do a whole lot of icing. I additionally do so much with my ft. I actually grind and pound my ft a lot. I like utilizing Dr. Scholl’s Callus Remover Digital Foot File, which removes all of the hardness and dryness. I like having my ft very, very easy on the beam. The chalk will dry pores and skin out, so I like utilizing a very hydrating foot cream, like Dr. Scholl’s Dry Cracked Foot Restore Extremely-Hydrating Foot Cream as a result of it offers moisture again into the pores and skin and again into my ft. You see a lot of our ft in gymnastics, so truthfully foot care is so vital.
mbg: Being knowledgeable gymnast comes with a lot stress. How do you discover that childlike pleasure that made you fall in love with the game to start with?
Douglas: It is so true—so usually mother and father will say to me, “Hey, how can I get my daughter to be at your degree?” I am like, “No—let her get pleasure from it first. She’s a child.”
Generally we [professional gymnasts] want we might return and begin that journey once more, when it’s joyous and joyful. If you become old is once you begin pondering, Oh that is one thing else.
However we do attempt to hold it enjoyable within the gymnasium with me and my teammates. We like to seek out alternative ways to chuckle and be joyful and have banter right here and there. As a result of if not, the game is simply that a lot tougher—and gymnastics is already actually laborious. It is vital to seek out alternative ways to maintain it enjoyable.
So usually mother and father 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 is a very nice perception. It’s a must to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger girls who wish to take their sport extra critically—what recommendation do you’ve got for them, as somebody who turned knowledgeable athlete?
Douglas: Do not hand over. Regardless of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t hand over.
And you do not have to take it to the skilled degree, however I do encourage women to remain in some type 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 teammates—what qualities make an ideal teammate? How do you present up on your teammates?
Douglas: I simply attempt to meet everybody the place they’re. Some circumstances meaning not pushing somebody too laborious—and as an alternative, 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 encourage them, I am right here for you. So simply assembly people the place they’re.
I used to be all the time 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 all the time taught to by no means finish on a nasty day. So I all the time attempt to hold going and ensure I depart all the things on a excessive observe.
Like, even should you did not make it—however you gave it your all—on the finish of the day, you might be glad with the outcome as a result of you understand you set your all into one thing. For me, I wish to be certain that I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.
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