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 Artistic / Getty Photos
April 19, 2024
We love celebrating ladies on high of their recreation. 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 carry them pleasure.
Like many individuals, I used to be first launched to Gabby Douglas over a decade in the past, in the course of the 2012 Summer season Olympics in London. That summer time, the nation turned enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took dwelling the workforce 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 girl to turn out to be the Olympic particular person all-around champion and the primary U.S. gymnast to win gold in each the person all-around and workforce 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 once I instructed her about our small, largely one-sided connection. I instructed her it was most likely simply her pure glow.
I used to be thrilled to have the ability to test in together 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 goals.
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 an enormous competitors?
Gabby Douglas: Truthfully, I maintain my routines fairly easy. That is been my routine for a very long time now—I do not do rather a lot. I needn’t 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, hearken to music on the best way, and get within the mindset of “OK—let’s do that.”
mbg: What meals assist you 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 an enormous competitors? I imply I am unable to think about making an attempt to go to sleep earlier than one thing as huge because the Olympics!
Douglas: To be trustworthy, on the finish of the day, my physique is simply so drained. Gymnastics may be very laborious. For instance, just lately 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 an additional.
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?
Douglas: I do numerous icing. I additionally do rather a lot with my toes. I actually grind and pound my toes 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 toes very, very easy on the beam. The chalk will dry pores and skin out, so I really like utilizing a extremely 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 toes. You see a lot of our toes in gymnastics, so actually foot care is so vital.
mbg: Being an expert gymnast comes with a lot strain. 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 usually mother and father 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.”
Generally we [professional gymnasts] want we might return and begin that journey once more, when it’s joyous and pleased. Once you become old is whenever you begin considering, 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 seek out alternative 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 laborious. It is vital to seek out alternative ways to maintain it enjoyable.
So usually mother and father 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 extremely nice perception. It’s important to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger ladies who need to take their sport extra significantly—what recommendation do you may have for them, as somebody who turned an expert athlete?
Douglas: Do not quit. Irrespective of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t quit.
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 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 am right here for you. So simply assembly people 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 maintain going and ensure I go away every part on a excessive observe.
Like, even for those who did not 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 realize you set your all into one thing. For me, I need to be certain that I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.
