Relationship between sportists

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henrik541

Gymnast
I'd like to know what do you think about the relation between people in different sports.
For example:

- Some girls (14-15) go to our gym watching our practice because they like to see their friends doing gymnastics, but some older guys (14-16) go there to joke with us, specially the male ones, since we're few around here. :mad:

- Otherwise, people who do judo next to our gym ( specially the younger ones ) really like us and like to be with us. It's like they understand we are just like everyone, but in a different way. :p
 
I think lots of times people under-estimate gymnasts. My ex boyfriend would always make fun of me because of gymnastics. I have cartiledge (sp?) damage in my back and some other complicated things that I am working through with my back, and he makes fun of me. He tells me that I am being a baby and that he never complains when he is in pain. GRR. He also says that everything gymnasts do is easy and doesn't understand why I am so tired after practice. Its very aggrivating!
 
Many people think gym is easy. I get asked why I do a "girly sport" sometimes from guys. I do take lots of pleasure in knowing that most of these guys would be dead if they tried tumbling or doing one of our practices. When they see I'm actually really strong and in shape and hear that I get to hang out with cute gym girls all the time, they shut up pretty quickly. If they don't, I tell Mr. Tough Guy to arm wrestle one of the team girls. They won't underestimate anymore after that and in fact they might even cry and will likely get made fun of by their guy friends for getting beat by a girl. serves them right!
 
I think people under estimate gymnasts but mostly cheerleaders, especially all star cheerleaders, as wannabe gymnasts or gymnasts who couldn't make it in gymnastics. Heck, I was one of them. I used to think cheerleaders couldn't hold a candle to gymnasts, but of course I was a proud Elite gymnast. Lets see a cheerleader flip on a 4 inch beam, or fly from the high bar to the low bar. But let's see a gymnast have 3 other girls throw you 20 feet in the air and hope they catch you. I don't think it really hit me how difficult and how much athleticism is involved in cheerleading until my cousin got into it and we were talking about it for a while and she encouraged me to try what she does, she was a back spot and two of her friends were spotters, so they taught me the basic flying skills and stunts, and it was harder than it seems, just standing was hard, never mind trying to pull a heel stretch or a scale. Stunting is just one part of it, putting everything together into a 2 and a half minute routine isn't easy stuff.

I think because gymnastics is looked at as a feminine sport, a pretty sport, people tend to overlook the serious work that goes into it. Gymnastics is graceful, it's poise, it's strength and it's making everything you do flow. It's not get in the ground and eat dirt, it's not a good fight sport. I mean look at football, it's manly, right? getting in each others faces, being thrown to the ground, running full force into other people or having others being thrown on top of you. It's an aggressive sport. Gymnastics isn't aggressive. So guys especially in cheer and gymnastics are look at as less of a man because the sport is looked at as a society as a feminine sport. However, gymnastics does get recognition, more se than Cheerleading. There are those who don't consider cheerleading a sport. Well All-Star cheerleading anyways.
 
the simple way to prove the usefulness of gymnastics involves pullup/pushup/dip/HSPU/leglift contests or something like an L-sit or something even basic like a muscle-up or long hang pullover.
 
@gymfan4ever95:
If your ex-boyfriend ever makes fun of you again, sugest him to try one of your practices or to do a back handspring double full, if gymnastics is so easy.:cool:

@NYgymfan:
When I read your post on 'funny things gym people said' I thought you were just a fan and not a gymnast. It's really hard being a male gymnast, 'cause there's always someone calling us girls or worse. I always say they could never do what I do and would never be friends so close as I am with people, specially the 'cute gym girls'.:)

@dancesterx3:
I can imagine how difficult it is to be a cheerleader in this 'football/soccer' world, since I now how hard it is to be a gymnast.
I do acrobatics, wich is both looked alike with cheerleading and artistic gymnastics.
I don't see football as a manly sport, but as an animalesc, wild sport (no offense to football players or animals, but I really hate football with all my strenght :p).
Anyway, I think gymnasts and cheerleaders should always support each others. :rolleyes:


Keep posting!!!!!
 
My dd was getting bugged about gymnastics being a sissy sport by a couple of the "hockey stars" at her school.A few weeks later in gym class they had a segment on strength and conditioning.After she easily beat them at almost every event,from rope climb to man-makers,and many more,they both walked up to her and said one word,,,,WOW
 
I usually find that people are in awe upon finding out that I do gymnastics, until they ask what I "can do". Usually it goes like:

Them: "Ohh cool! So can you do the splits?"
Me: "Yep"
Them: "Whoaaa... can you do like, Olympic stuff then?"
Me: "Haha, no"
Them: "Oh..." *visibly and audibly disappointed*

And there's the end of the conversation about gymnastics :rolleyes:

It's like, any respect is gone as soon as they hear that you can't do something! That's what bugs me. With sports like basketball or hockey, it's like as soon as you know the rules then you're not that far apart from the Olympic level (I know that's not totally true, but you know what I mean). Compared with gymnastics, where the gap between beginner and Olympic is massive!

Maybe that's where they get lost in sporting-translation :p
 
The other day i was talking to a friend about how my brother does gym too, and my friend said "Tell your brother to do a real sport"
So, of course, I just asked him if HE could to a double flip or 115 push ups in a row... I think he got the point :)

The problem is that because we have such a focus on perfection, we make EVERYTHING look easy. Even though people are all like WOW when they see it on TV, it comes as a shock so they don't really think...gee, I wonder how much work that took to get there.
Very unfortunatly for the many male gymnasts who get dissed for doing a 'girls sport'
 
My dd has done all-star cheerleading, gymnastics and ballet and I would have to say all three require different types of athleticism and training. I totally agree that all-star cheerleading isn't respected as a sport despite the amount of athleticism, timing, synchronization and aggressiveness that goes into it. Ballet is such a beautiful and delicate art---they make it look so effortless. But you would not believe the amount or effort, strength and sweat that goes into it. I was backstage helping out with Dani's Nutcracker and I saw one of the lead dancers come off after a solo. She was panting and breathing so hard--like she just ran a 10 mile race!! That moment really made me realize how "athletic" ballet is.
 
She was panting and breathing so hard--like she just ran a 10 mile race!! That moment really made me realize how "athletic" ballet is.

Yeah, and they do it like there's nothing going on and they're just really confortable and distressed. 8|
 
i totally understand. i do gymnastics and used to cheerlead. my boyfriend is a college hockey player. in hs him and his friends never took our cheer squad or gym team seriously. once they saw beyond our leos and hair they def. started to respect us more. it's part of what makes me and my bfs relationship so strong since we both understand the dedication and discipline you need for sports.
 
Bri,

Haven't seen you post in a long time. How was college this year? Have you been able to practice with the gym team? Your courage and dedication have stuck with me and I have been hoping you've had a great year.

Please post an update about your situation.
 

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