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 prime of their recreation. In our new sequence, Recreation On, we’re interviewing prime athletes about their well-being routines—masking all the pieces 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, throughout the 2012 Summer time Olympics in London. That summer time, the nation grew to become enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took house the group Gold in girls’s gymnastics for the USA.
Douglas’ star-making performances and gravity-defying energy 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 girl to develop into 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 time, 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, principally 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 along with her all these years later, find out about how she’s at the moment caring for herself and her physique, how she mentally prepares for large competitions, and what recommendation she has for younger athletes with large 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 a giant competitors?
Gabby Douglas: Truthfully, I maintain 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 strain units, which is when everybody comes over to observe you do your set. That means by the point you get to a contest, it feels second nature.
So on the day of a contest, I stand 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 make it easier 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 can not think about making an attempt to go to sleep earlier than one thing as large 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, not too long ago we went like 30 days straight of apply 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 apply, then coming again later within the day for one more.
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?
mbg: Being knowledgeable gymnast comes with a lot strain. 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 typically dad and mom 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.”
Typically we [professional gymnasts] want we might return and begin that journey once more, when it’s joyous and pleased. If you become older is whenever you begin pondering, Oh that is one thing else.
However we do attempt to maintain it enjoyable within the gymnasium with me and my teammates. We like to search out alternative 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 tougher—and gymnastics is already actually laborious. It’s essential to search out alternative ways to maintain it enjoyable.
So typically dad and mom 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’s a extremely nice perception. You need to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger girls who wish to take their sport extra significantly—what recommendation do you’ve for them, as somebody who grew to become knowledgeable athlete?
Douglas: Do not hand over. Irrespective of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t hand over.
And also you don’t must 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 group mates — what qualities make a terrific teammate? How do you present up in your teammates?
Douglas: I simply attempt to meet everybody the place they’re. Some circumstances 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 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 maintain going and ensure I go away all the pieces on a excessive notice.
Like, even in the event you didn’t make it—however you gave it your all—on the finish of the day, you might be happy with the end result as a result of you set your all into one thing. For me, I wish to be sure that I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.