Gymnastics Attire
Sarah was practising her new skills, that she learnt this week on the uneven bars. She could feel the adrenaline rush and was fully aware of her body when she performed her perfectly aligned gymnastics flips. She was soaring high, when all of a sudden in the middle of her flip her knees got caught inside her long loose tee shirt. She lost control. Luckily her coach was paying close attention and threw a mat to break her fall. Thus, preventing Sarah from injuring herself...
It is important to wear appropriate attire while performing gymnastics due to several reasons such as for proper movement, to avoid injury and to make it easy for coaches to judge the gymnast’s skills.
The main costume worn by the gymnasts is called the ‘Leotard or a bodysuit’. Wearing this attire permits for swift movements and prevents injuries. As opposed to other loose outfits, the leotard is fit to wear, thereby ensuring balance and safety. Additionally the tight fit helps the coaches to effectively judge the gymnast’s body when performing gymnastics. Spotting is a common technique used by coaches to physically assist students in mastering a skill effectively. During spotting, loose clothing is seen as an obstacle and a source of injury for both the gymnast and the coach.
At the Okanagan Gymnastics Centre, the competitive gymnasts are advised to wear a leotard/bodysuit, recreational gymnasts may wear a bodysuit, tee-shirt or shorts and trampoline gymnasts are advised to wear a tight fitted shirt and tight fitted shorts. The tee-shirts are also mandated to be tight fitting to avoid stumbling on when performing gymnastic flips.
Our gymnasts are further advised to refrain from wearing any jewelry as it may get caught on gym equipment. In severe cases they have also caused injuries, where gymnasts have had their ears lobes ripped out resulting in bleeding and scars. Additionally, this is also done to ensure safety for our coaches when spotting their students. Furthermore, gymnasts with long hair are advised to tie their hair up to avoid getting it stuck in between equipment.
The body suits worn by OGC gymnasts can be found in our pro shop. The orders for our merchandise are placed with the office and delivered within two weeks. Moreover, the measurements are taken at our Centre.