Gym Body Debate Part 1: Puberty

My observations and also personal thoughts on some heavily debated issues regarding the ideal gymnastics body.

The first thing I want to talk about is the ridiculous idea many people have that the onset of puberty ends or at least lessens a gymnast's chances of success. I personally was told at the age of 14 by my coach that another girl deserved to be on a higher level than me because she hadn't started puberty. Let me say that I think anyone with common sense can agree that surplus body fat and sometimes extra inches of height negatively impact performance. But a healthy gymnastics body weight can most certainly be maintained by someone past puberty with the proper training and nutrition. Granted a favorable BMI is much more easily achieved and maintained in prepubescent gymnasts, but just look at Nadia Comaneci and Svetlana Khorkina. Comaneci peaked at her first Olympics well before puberty, while Khorkina did not achieve her greatest success until much later. Two of the greatest gymnasts of all time who had their highest achievements at dramatically different stages in their physical development.

 Comaneci, age 14, All-Around Gold 1976.

Khorkina, age 25, All-Around Silver 2004.

At 25, Khorkina was obviously well past puberty during the 2004 Olympics. It's very disappointing that so many coaches senselessly give up on girls and make them feel worthless as soon as they even start to approach it. This is not to say that the typical weight gain experienced by most teens during puberty should be allowed to occur. But for a seriously training gymnast this should not even be a concern. The rigorous physical activity should be enough to keep a gymnast's BMI down while she continues to grow and build muscle. 

Another example of a very successful but very obviously post-pubescent gymnast is Alicia Sacramone. Please look at her boobs for goodness sake and then tell me that no one past puberty can succeed in gymnastics. 

Yet another example that puberty does not have to mean an end to gymnastics success is 27 year old Beth Tweddle, who has a very likely shot of making the British team for London 2012.

The 27 year old Tweddle performs her world-class uneven bars routine.

My list of very successful and capable post-pubescent modern-day gymnasts could go on. The point I want to make is that a gymnast's success is determined by how well she maintains her BMI through training and nutrition rather than by her stage of development.