The Shakti Gymnast

In the last week of January 2015 I quit Mission Valley Gymnastics and went to TRC South Gymnastics. At Mission Valley, my coach was telling me more things that I was doing wrong than right and I wasn't feeling that challenged. They also had a really big recreational program that got priority over the equipment, so we didn't get all of our events in each day we were there.  I really like my new gym! My coaches are really nice and positive. My team mates are really nice and always cheer for me.  I competed Level 6 earlier this year but had an injury right before state.  Now I'm training for Level 7 and will start competing in early December. Here are some pictures of my new gym:       The Beam Room Bars and Floor Area

I don't do dance, but dance leotards are a lot cheaper than gymnastics leotards. You can use dance leotards in gymnastics and my coach has been saying to all of my teammates that we should get dance leotards. So I went online to find some ballet leo's and they are so cool! They have strappy backs, camisole, tanks etc. I know that they don't have many colors on them, but the backs of the leo's are so cool that I don't even mind that they only made with 1-2 color fabrics. Here are a couple leo's that my mom recently ordered for me:        Natalie Girls Contrast Strap Tank Leotard      Danshuz Multi-Strap Back Tank Leotard I ended up only keeping the Danshuz Multi-Strap Back leo because it fit better.   Write in the comments below if you have a favorite place where you get the best prices on leos!

I am sure your coach gives you a conditioning list when you are on vacation, but if you lose your list then you can use this list:           Legs   3x100  heel raises    3x100  toe raises    3x50  mountain climbers(without jump)   3x50  sumo squats          Abs 30 hollow rocks, 30 v-ups, 30 toe touches, 30 booty lifts(all in 1 set) x2 3x1   minute hollow hold  3x1   minute arch hold  3x50  alternating v-ups          Arms 3x25 push ups, elbows in, wide and regular 3x1 minute handstand hold against wall 3x10 handstand push ups in half handstand 3x20 dips with hands on a table You can do one section of the list every day, and if the numbers are too high for you or if you don't have time to do all of the things on the list, you can cut the numbers however you'd like.

I know anyone who does bars in gymnastics HATES rips.  They are the worst! Here are some ways to heal rips quickly so you can do bars without pain.     1. Make sure the rip is clean and it always has some kind of oil on it. Some people say that petroleum jelly heals rips very quickly, but it clogs your pores and dries your skin out. It's like putting plastic over your skin. It can also seal in dirt and bacteria. I wouldn't use it. I recommend Coconut Oil if you want something inexpensive. If you want something that has more oils and butters in it, get " Booda Butter " (You can find it in health food stores). And if you want something specific for rips, you can get " Joshua Tree Skin Care Salve "  2. For pain and swelling relief, use warm tea bags. First put some pre-wrap around your hand, covering the rip.  Then place the tea bag that has been soaking in warm water over the top and wrap more pre-wrap over it.  Use herbal teas like Peppermint , C