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Hi everyone! I've been to the Chalk Bucket before...mainly the web site, although I've browsed the forums for a bit. Decided tonight in my quest to become somewhat close to the gymnast I once was that I'd join and chat with you all!

I'm Lauren...24 years old, currently living in NYC for the past four years, but originally from New England. I'm a grad student now while working in publishing...but for about 13 years, gymnastics was my life! Now I watch from the sidelines (going to the American Cup in Feb!) and on TV and occasionally take an adult class at Chelsea Piers (which is really embarrassing, working out after the eight and nine year olds who are ten times more in shape than us finish their workouts).

Let's see...started gymnastics when I was three, along with ballet and tap. By age seven, I began focusing solely on gymnastics, and around nine started going on the "elite track"...but then a major injury when I was 12 sidelined me. I kept training, and really hoped to at least train for the 2000 Olympics (I turned 16 that year, so it would've been perfect!) but the harder I trained, the worse my injury got, and around 15 I knew it wasn't going to happen, so I kept training for that year but then it just got too depressing, so I left the sport and went back to dance.

Now I'm...uh...quite a bit heavier than I was during my gymnastics days, and when I tried to lift my suitcase on the train over the holidays, I realized I don't have much strength left either! So my one and only goal for the New Year was to get my body back to my gymnastics body...or, at the very least, somewhat close to it. I think Dana Torres (the swimmer) is incredibly inspiring because her body is RIDICULOUS, so my goal is to lose some weight and gain some strength...and I'm here to get some tips since I'll be training on my own, for the most part!

Happy New Year everyone, and I look forward to chatting with you!
 
Welcome, starfish313. I'm pretty new here too. Have a great start into the new year and good luck training on your own.
Wasn't Daniela Silivas at Chelsea Piers? Did you get to meet her?
 
Welcome to the Chalk Bucket!!!

Hope you're training goes well. :) Publishing is a cool field, I know a few people in it. :D


Welcome!
 
Welcome - sounds like you set some good goals for yourself. Good luck with them. It must have been hard having had to stop when you did due to injury. Gymnastics can be very tough on the body. My daughter recently switched to cheer after one too many injuries over the past year. Nothing too major - but I wanted to keep it that way. Welcome to the CB.
 
Welcome to the CB. Sounds like you will have alot of insight to share with the gymnasts and parents about training for the elite level. We also have some kids who do dance and gym, so looks like you've found the right place.

Again---glad to have you and good luck with the New Year plan!
 
Rosalie - Thank you! :)

Catya - I never met Daniela Silivas. I just started there in the past year in the adult classes. I was with Rita Beaulieu in Rhode Island from about 1987-1993 and then at Elite Gymnastics in Massachusetts until I retired in 2000. Maybe she's been at Chelsea Piers as a guest or something in the time that I've been there...but I've never seen her! Although the 08 Olympic gals came to the gym in June I believe, to work out...I heard they were in the city to do press interviews, so they used our gym while they were in town.

davidfp - Yeah, publishing is great! I kind of fell into it, through a temp agency, so even though it's not what I want to do with my life, it's definitely interesting!

Flippymonkeysmom - Yeah, it was a knee injury that kind of put an end to my 'career' but I think had I continued pushing at that level, I would've burned out within the year anyway and did something permanently damaging...I was already noticing it affecting my performance because I'd go for the simplest skill, but the fear of damaging my knee further would make me hesitant, so my routines were completely suffering and that's when I knew it would be better off to just move on. I still have knee problems in dance classes and even at the gym, but definitely not as bad as if I continued the way I was going!

gym law mom - Yeah, it's been awhile, and I've noticed that training methods have changed since my time training as a kid and how kids train now, but I think I will hopefully still have helpful posts in regards to going elite...I remember my very early days, when I was maybe 3-6 years old (and remember my first time doing a backwards somersault down a triangle mat!) so hopefully reading all of these posts will bring me back to the days of my training, and all of the little tips and bits of advice I learned along the way.
 
Welcome to Chalkbucket! I'm a suburban NYer, but I spend a decent amount of time in the city since my dad keeps an apartment there (near Union Square). Good luck with your goals, you should try doing some of your old gym conditioning routines...that'll get ya back into shape quick ;).
 
Hey NYgymfan! Union Square is close to where I work, and I spent most of my income at the holiday market this year. :rolleyes: I've tried some of my old gym conditioning routines, and even some that I used to be great at (I LOVED climbing the rope)...I can no longer do! My body has definitely aged in the eight years I've been out of the sport. Dance, thankfully, kept me somewhat in touch for awhile (my calf muscles are still ridiculous) but a desk job and a short hospital stay contributed to my elderly flab, as I like to call it. The holidays were pretty rough on me as well...especially a week long stay with my parents. I'm so used to heating up oatmeal for dinner, but my mom made some sort of fatty holiday meal like three times a day. I blame her!
 
Oh that's awesome! Union Square is a pretty lively area. Our apt is actually a few blocks from the square. Astor Place is my subway stop. I love NYC so much. I hope I get to live here for real someday. I guess for now I'l have to deal with suburban life for a while longer :rolleyes:.

Thats rough about getting out of shape. And I hope your OK after your hospital stay. I guess its not easy challenging getting back into shape. But start easy....and climbing the rope is not easy! I started with pushups and situps and squats and calf raisers and stuff like that...I'd do them when watching TV and commercials come on. You can get yourself in shape pretty quick by doing that but I guess it depends on how much TV you watch. What kind of dance do you do? Well good luck and I hope you can climb ropes again eventually (it is fun!!!).
 

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