I can’t recall my first gymnastics class – I started at the age of two. My parents and coaches fueled my participation and skill development, encouraging my passion and striving for success. By the second grade, I eagerly practiced twenty-five hours per week and competed at state-level competitions. 

As my career progressed, attending practices felt increasingly burdensome. I bickered with my parents about skipping and before high school, I dropped out due to injury, poor mental health, and a desire to prioritize my academics and social life. 

I am not alone: the culture and early specialization of gymnastics imposes significant physical, social, and mental challenges on young athletes.

The Necessity of Early Specialization

Elite gymnasts start early and aim for peak performance before adulthood. Women’s gymnastics is one of the few sports in which Olympic athletes are typically teenagers (Sands et al. 2018). This is partly because having a small physique is beneficial for performing specific flips, and starting at a young age is essential to develop muscles, techniques, and coordination skills (Temürçi et al. 2020).

To reach peak performance, gymnasts commit to extensive training programs. Early sports specialization, defined as the training in a single sport for more than eight months per year, is common in elite gymnastics (Mosher et al. 2020). Before reaching puberty, many gymnasts surpass these benchmarks and exceed the weekly practice recommendations set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Root et al. 2020). Today, nearly two hundred thousand young gymnasts participate in elite training programs, some reporting specialization as early as the age of five and training up to 36 hours per week (Root et al. 2020).

Pressure to Succeed

It’s easy to idealize elite gymnasts. In doing so, many parents believe that a head start enhances their child’s sports development and performance (Strosser 2022). This has contributed to the hypercompetitiveness and adult-driven nature of gymnastics (Vaughan et al. 2022). Coaches and their organizations also foster a demanding culture by promoting increasingly more training opportunities and competitions. Parents frequently overlook the challenges of long training hours and aggressive coaching environments (Strosser 2022). In turn, gymnasts become accustomed to these demands and often place high expectations on themselves to manage everything (Wittmann 2024).

The Toll on Young Gymnasts

Starting gymnastics early exposes athletes to unrealistic perfectionism (Frogley et al. 2018). They must have the mental toughness to perform flips and handle rejection from coaches and judges. Young athletes pursue approval from their parents and coaches, yet many gymnasts encounter damaging language that fosters feelings of inadequacy (Wittmann 2024). This perpetuates a cycle where gymnasts constantly strive for unattainable perfection and experience feelings of guilt when they fall short. 

While a head start offers competitive advantages and skill mastery, it also poses risks such as compromised personal and physical development (Brenner et al. 2019). Since gymnastics is a race against the biological clock, many young athletes endure and ignore significant injuries (Malina et al. 2013). By committing to extensive training hours, they endure social isolation and may deprioritize academics as well (Wittmann 2024). 

The intense pressure of this routine from a young age often leads to increased levels of anxiety and may hinder athletic performance and motivation (Swan et al. 2022). Considering this, it’s no wonder that gymnastics struggles with such a high dropout rate, with 35% of children quitting the sport annually (Swan et al. 2022).

A Culture of Silencing

The reputation of gymnastics as “legal child abuse” is unacceptable but unfortunately a reality. The standard of mental toughness can make it difficult for athletes to speak up and seek help, leaving them feeling vulnerable and silenced (Wittmann 2024). Coaches may use abusive tactics in an attempt to push athletes to their limits, wrongfully believing it will enhance performance (Wittmann 2024). It’s no secret that USA Gymnastics has faced scrutiny for its recent abuse scandals, as seen in cases like Larry Nassar’s (Smith and Pegoraro 2020).

Gymnasts are left to suffer alone in the face of ongoing mistreatment. Fat-shaming and verbal abuse persist as prevalent issues within the gymnastics community (Wittmann 2024). The sport’s emphasis on body image contributes to an increased risk of developing eating disorders, yet there is a lack of resources available to address these concerns (Tan et al. 2014). It’s clear that abuse isn’t a recent issue in gymnastics. It’s a part of the sport’s institutional framework.

Balancing Fun and Success

As Simone Biles has proven, age should not be an obstacle to success in gymnastics. At age 26, she has broken barriers and defied perceptions by securing her eighth national title (Wittmann 2024). Research indicates that with support from coaches and parents, post-puberty gymnasts can better exert control over their bodies, relationships, and performance (Barker-Ruchti et al. 2016).

For young athletes today, parents should prioritize their child’s enjoyment of sports rather than pressuring them to excel (Gao et al. 2024). In contrast to early sports specialization, multisport engagement contributes to sports longevity (Robinson 2022). By appropriately monitoring intensive youth training, young gymnastics can be directed towards a more balanced and holistic approach to athletic development.  

Moreover, institutional reforms are needed to ensure a healthier and more supportive environment within gymnastics. Coaches and parents must reassess their values and be aware of how gender-based discrimination and negative body image stereotypes can be intensified within the gym. No skill or trophy is more important than the well-being of young athletes. Open conversations can help to destigmatize mental health concerns within the gymnastics community (Rice et al. 2016). It’s important for children to recognize their worth beyond athletics because gymnastics is a sport, not a lifestyle.

References

Barker-Ruchti, N., Roslyn Kerr, Astrid Schubring, Georgia Cervin, and Myrian Nunomura. 2016. “Gymnasts Are Like Wine, They Get Better With Age: Becoming and Developing Adult Women’s Artistic Gymnasts.” Quest 69(3). Retrieved April 7, 2024. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309513351_Gymnasts_Are_Like_Wine_They_Get_Better_With_Age_Becoming_and_Developing_Adult_Women’s_Artistic_Gymnasts)

Brenner, Joel S., Michele LaBotz, Dai Sugimoto, and Andrea Stracciolini. 2019. “The Psychosocial Implications of Sport Specialization in Pediatric Athletes.” Journal of Athletic Training 54(10). Retrieved February 16, 2024 (https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/psychosocial-implications-sport-specialization/docview/2307958039/se-2?accountid=11264). 

Frogley, Megan, Emily Oliver, and Clive Palmer. 2018. “Marvel, machine or malnourished: exploring the sociology of the body in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics.” Journal of Qualitative Research in Sports Studies 12(1). Retrieved April 1, 2024. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331102025_Megan_Frogley_Emily_Oliver_and_Clive_Palmer_2018_Marvel_machine_or_malnourished_exploring_the_sociology_of_the_body_in_Women’s_Artistic_Gymnastics_Journal_of_Qualitative_Research_in_Sports_Studies_12_)

Gao, Zhendong, Chen Soon Chee, and Tao Wang. 2024. “The role of parents in the motivation of young athletes: a systematic review.” Frontiers in psychology 14. (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1291711)

Malina, Robert M., Adam D. G. Baxter-Jones, Neil Armstrong, Gaston P. Beunen, Dennis Caine, Robin M. Daly, Richard D. Lewis, Alan D. Rogol, and Keith Russell. 2013. “Role of intensive training in the growth and maturation of artistic gymnasts.” Sports medicine 43(9). Retrieved March 27, 2024.(https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0058-5)

Mosher, Alexandra., Jessica Fraser-Thomas, and Joseph Baker. 2020. “What Defines Early Specialization: A Systematic Review of Literature.” Frontiers in sports and active living 2. Retrieved March 26, 2024. (https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.596229)

Rice, Simone M., Rosemary Purcell, Stefanie De Silva, Daveena Mawren, Patrick D. McGorry, and Alexandra G. Parker. 2016. “The Mental Health of Elite Athletes: A Narrative Systematic Review.” Sports medicine 46(9). Retrieved April 13, 2024. (https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2)

Robinson, Nicola J., Stephan J. McQuilliam, and Amy Whitehead. 2022. “The current landscape of youth multi-sport training: athlete and parent insight data.” International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 17(3). Retrieved March 3, 2024. (https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211041827.) 

Root, Hayley., Ashley N. Marshall, Anna Thatcher, Alison Snyder Valier, Tamara C. Valovich McLeod, and Curtis Bay. 2019. “Sport Specialization and Fitness and Functional Task Performance Among Youth Competitive Gymnasts.” Journal of athletic training 54(10). Retrieved March 26, 2024. (https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-397-18)

Sands, William A., Steven Murray, Jenny McNeal, Cindy Slater, and Michael Stone. 2018. “Historical Changes in Height, Mass, and Age of USA Women’s olympic Gymnastics team: An Update.” Science of Gymnastics Journal 10(3). Retrieved April 1, 2024. (https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4428c9zb)

Smith, Lauren R., and Ann Pegoraro. 2020. “Media Framing of Larry Nassar and the USA Gymnastics Child Sex Abuse Scandal.” Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 29(4). (https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2019.1703233) 

Strosser, Stephen. 2022. “The Association Between Parents’ Beliefs About Youth Sport Specialization and Their Children’s Specialization Status.” Journal of Sport Behavior 45(5). Retrieved February 16, 2024. (https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A743647621/AONE?u=nysl_ce_hamilton&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=7b41cda6).

Swan, Isla, Athanasios Souglis, and Georgios Andronikos. 2022. “Investigating the reasons for dropping out by competitive artistic gymnastics.” Journal of Physical Education and Sport 22(1). Retrieved April 1, 2024. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358462243_Investigating_the_reasons_for_dropping_out_by_competitive_artistic_gymnastics)

 Tan, Jacinta, Andrew Bloodworth, Mike McNamee, and Jeanette Hewitt. 2014. “Investigating eating disorders in elite gymnasts: Conceptual, ethical and methodological issues.” European Journal of Sport Science 14(1). (https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2012.728632)

Temürçi, İsmail., Isik Bayraktar, and Özgür Nalbant. 2020. “The Early Specialization Quiring Sport of Gymnastics and Long-Term Athlete Development Programs.” The Online Journal of Recreation and Sport 9(4). Retrieved March 27, 2024. (https://doi.org/10.22282/ojrs.2020.74)

Vaughan, James, Clifford J. Mallet, Paul Potrac, Carl Woods, Mark O’Sullivan, and Keith Davids. 2022. “Social and cultural constraints on football player development in Stockholm: influencing skill, learning, and wellbeing.” Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 4. Retrieved March 3, 2024. (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.832111/full.)

Wittmann, Klaudia. 2024. “The Woman is Perfected: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Systemic Abuse in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics”.  Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society (1088-0763).Retrieved April 12, 2024. (https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:6B6B-G7J1-JDK8-0025-00000-00&context=1516831)