mbg Magnificence Director
mbg Magnificence Director
Alexandra Engler is the wonder director at mindbodygreen and host of the wonder 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 Photographs
April 19, 2024
We love celebrating ladies on high of their sport. In our new collection, Recreation On, we’re interviewing high athletes about their well-being routines—overlaying every part from diet that makes them really feel robust to the moments that deliver 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 turned enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took house the crew gold in ladies’s gymnastics for the USA.
Douglas’ star-making performances and gravity-defying energy 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 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 crew competitions on the identical Olympics.
I used to be an intern at Sports activities Illustrated that summer time 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, principally one-sided connection. I advised her it was most likely simply her pure glow.
I used to be thrilled to have the ability to examine in along with her all these years later, study how she’s at the moment caring for herself and her physique, how she mentally prepares for giant competitions, and what recommendation she has for younger athletes with huge 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: Truthfully, 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 health club main as much as [competitions]. For instance, we do stress units, which is when everybody comes over to observe 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 provide help 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 attempting to go to sleep earlier than one thing as huge because the Olympics!
Douglas: To be sincere, on the finish of the day, my physique is simply so drained. Gymnastics may be very arduous. For instance, just lately we went like 30 days straight of follow 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 follow, then coming again later within the day for one more.
So our our bodies are drained—we actually do want the remaining.
mbg POV
mbg: Gymnastics is notoriously arduous 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 really like utilizing Dr. Scholl’s Callus Remover Digital Foot File, which eliminates all of the hardness and dryness. I really like having my ft very, very clean on the beam. The chalk will dry pores and skin out, so I really like utilizing a very hydrating foot cream, like Dr. Scholl’s Dry Cracked Foot Restore Extremely-Hydrating Foot Cream as a result of it supplies 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 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 typically dad and mom 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.”
Typically we [professional gymnasts] want we may return and begin that journey once more, when it’s joyous and joyful. Whenever you become old is once you begin pondering, Oh that is one thing else.
However we do attempt to hold it enjoyable within the health club with me and my teammates. We like to search out other ways to snort 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 arduous. It is necessary to search out other 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 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 important to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger ladies who wish to take their sport extra severely—what recommendation do you will have for them, as somebody who turned knowledgeable athlete?
Douglas: Do not surrender. Regardless of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t surrender.
And you do not have to take it to the skilled degree, 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 a fantastic teammate? How do you present up to your teammates?
Douglas: I simply attempt to meet everybody the place they’re. Some instances which means not pushing somebody too arduous—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 of us the place they’re.
I used to be at all times 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 at all times taught to by no means finish on a nasty day. So I at all times attempt to hold going and ensure I depart every part on a excessive notice.
Like, even when you did not make it—however you gave it your all—on the finish of the day, you will be happy with the end result as a result of you already know you set your all into one thing. For me, I wish to be certain I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.
