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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 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 Artistic / Getty Pictures
April 19, 2024
We love celebrating ladies on high of their sport. In our new sequence, Sport On, we’re interviewing high athletes about their well-being routines—overlaying every thing from vitamin that makes them really feel sturdy to the moments that carry them pleasure.
Like many individuals, I used to be first launched to Gabby Douglas over a decade in the past, through the 2012 Summer season Olympics in London. That summer season, the nation turned enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took house the staff gold in ladies’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 grow 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 staff 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 ladies’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 most likely simply her pure glow.
I used to be thrilled to have the ability to test in together with her all these years later, study how she’s presently caring for herself and her physique, how she mentally prepares for giant competitions, and what recommendation she has for younger athletes with massive desires.
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 preserve 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 accomplish that a lot preparation within the gymnasium main as much as [competitions]. For instance, we do strain 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, take heed to music on the way in which, and get within the mindset of “OK—let’s do that.”
mbg: What meals enable you 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 making an attempt 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 onerous. For instance, just lately we went like 30 days straight of observe within the morning and at night time. 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 observe, then coming again later within the day for an additional.
So our our bodies are drained—we actually do want the remaining.
mbg POV
mbg: Gymnastics is notoriously onerous on the physique. How do you take care of it after?
Douglas: I do numerous 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 eliminates 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 extremely hydrating foot cream, like Dr. Scholl’s Dry Cracked Foot Restore Extremely-Hydrating Foot Cream as a result of it gives 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 necessary.
mbg: Being knowledgeable gymnast comes with a lot strain. 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 stage?” I am like, “No—let her take pleasure in 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 pleased. If you grow 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 search out other ways to chortle 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 onerous. It is necessary to search out other 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 stage?” I’m like, “No — let her take pleasure in it first. She’s a child.”
mbg: That is a extremely nice perception. You need to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger ladies who need to take their sport extra critically—what recommendation do you’ve for them, as somebody who turned knowledgeable athlete?
Douglas: Do not quit. Irrespective of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t quit.
And you do not have to take it to the skilled stage, however I do encourage ladies 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 incredible 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 onerous—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 encourage them, I am right here for you. So simply assembly people the place they’re.
I used to be at all times taught to by no means finish on a foul day.
mbg: What qualities about your self are you most happy with and why?
Douglas: My perseverance and drive. I used to be at all times taught to by no means finish on a foul day. So I at all times attempt to preserve going and ensure I go away every thing on a excessive word.
Like, even if you happen to did not make it—however you gave it your all—on the finish of the day, you may be happy with the outcome as a result of you already know you place your all into one thing. For me, I need to be certain I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.
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