Friday, June 13, 2008

Gymnastics, then and now

Sometimes I really miss gymnastics. I don't really miss the 20-hour-a-week workouts, the long traveling to competitions every weekend, the blistered hands, the pressure from coaches and judges, the injuries... But I do miss having something that I was so fiercely proud of, something that I was so dedicated to that I didn't even flinch at the intense physical challenges it required. Yeah, me -- physically active.

So, I watched the US Gymnastics Championships today. No matter how long it's been since I've stretched or done a cartwheel, I still love watching gymnastics (not that rhythmic shit where they dance around with ribbons, but the real stuff). But I still can't believe how so much about it has changed! Here are just a few differences I notice between my competition days and the gymnastics we see today...


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THEN: The vault was nothing more than a rectangular horse with two metal poles supporting it. Not the safest-looking apparatus.










NOW: The vault is padded, angled and redesigned to prevent injuries.









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THEN:
A perfect score was 10.0.








NOW:
I don't even understand this ridic scoring process. They can get 15 now...? And all-around scores are in the triple digits?





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THEN:
Dominique Moceanu

















NOW:
Shawn Johnson






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THEN: Warm-up uniforms were crinkly, baggy, way-too-big windbreaker-type outfits that looked like they came from Stein Mart. One on Long Island.








NOW: Warm-up uniforms are fitted, sleek tracksuits that look like some Nike-Juicy hybrid, albeit a slightly shiny one.





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THEN:
Tim Daggett and Elfi Schelgel doing commentary.










NOW: Tim Daggett and Elfi Schlegel doing commentary. (Some things never change.)

3 comments:

TKTC said...

I completely forgot you were a gymnast! I can still get sucked into watching these competitions (alright, cheer too) when I'm bumming around somewhere with cable.

Anonymous said...

The clubs always tend to have those suits that come from the from the leo manufacturers while the US team tends to have the track suit type of leo.

Dylan Glynn said...

your blog is god damn hilarious.

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