‘I’ve learnt not to compare myself to others’
When I first experienced gymnastics, I was seven and it was fun. Trampolining, cartwheels, forward rolls – glorified playtime, really. So, as I signed up to my nine-week challenge, which would end in a professionally judged show, and made my way to my first training session at Crossfit Shapesmiths with former champion Doug Fordyce, sparkly leotards and streaming ribbons came to mind. Turns out, that’s not what real gymnastics is about at all. Beneath the eye-catching costumes and impressive moves is strength – pure, brutal body strength. And even though I used to go spinning once a week and could blag my way through a group circuits workout, I had very little. It’s easy to see now that I was stuck doing the same things over and over simply because they were easy. It’s probably what pushed me to take on the challenge in the first place – I needed something that would physically stretch me and that I’d not had the guts to try as an adult. I’d never left my comfort zone, and now was the time to do it. That first session came as a shock – mainly because I didn’t expect to do so much running.
We started by talking about what I wanted to achieve and how gymnastics could help me reach my goals, but then I was thrown in at the deep end and told just to have a go. I basically tried every move – headstands, handstands, bridges, levers, cartwheels, forward rolls – just to see what I could do, but with no upper-body strength, I didn’t get very far. Sessions were usually 25% cardio, 50% gymnastics moves and then 25% conditioning. Starting with cardio is obviously good for warming you up, but it also helps with endurance and overall fitness. We’d do running, star jumps and tuck jumps, followed by inchworms, which also help with flexibility. Then it was working against my own body, doing a lot of pull-ups and press-ups to help improve strength. You also have to build your core to be able to hold your body straight, so we did planks and dishes, too. During the first two weeks, the novelty alone carried me. It’s like when you buy a new pair of shoes. You think, ‘Oh, I love these shoes! They hurt my feet but they look so shiny – I really like them.’ By the time week three came around, and things started to get more challenging as I was expected to hold moves for longer, I became much more critical of my progress. Sessions became punctuated with ‘I can’t do this’ – said out loud and in my head – and I think my self-doubt stemmed from thinking that the sport itself wasn’t for me. There aren’t that many black gymnasts out there, and it’s human nature to relate to people and activities in which you can recognise yourself. Sports like athletics and netball are more in line with my culture as a black woman – gymnastics isn’t something I’ve ever seen black people do. That learned way of thinking, along with the fatigue from upping my half-hearted spin classes to intense training sessions five times a week, resulted in a real mental block. At least I didn’t have to think much about my nutrition. Left to my own devices, I’m a sugar queen – think four teaspoons in a cup of tea and eating multiple chocolate bars in one go – but that way of eating was going to work against my training. Liam, the nutritionist I saw, explained that sugar essentially cancels out any exercise you do, as well as affecting energy, digestion and mood. So he put me in touch with Fresh Fitness Foods, who delivered meals tailored to my goals by using macros. I ate three every day, and they usually consisted of meat, rice and veg, coming in at 1,900 calories in total. This made my new lifestyle more manageable, and also made me aware of healthy portion sizes – and that I was used to eating far more food than I needed. I know that comparison is the thief of joy, and that someone else’s journey is not the same as yours – it’s something I always
‘It took this challenge for me to accept that progress takes time – Beyoncé wasn’t built in a day’
tell my nieces and nephews – but it’s difficult to stay true to that mindset when it comes to sport or fitness. Glancing across the Crossfit box to see other people doing moves made me feel like I should be able to do them too, so, when I couldn’t, it felt like failure. Week five was really tough. I felt exhausted and was being overly critical, thinking, ‘I should be able to do more by now,’ when, in reality, I’d only been training in gymnastics for a month. Doug and Shapesmiths trainer Lee Steggles told me I was being too hard on myself, reminding me that it was still a new skill and no one picks things up straight away. On the flip side, when you do finally nail it, it’s so rewarding. I find headstands really easy now and my form is great. It took this challenge for me to accept that progress takes time – after all, Beyoncé wasn’t built in a day. For the final event, I was asked to perform four key moves for professional gymnast Danuisa Francis, not knowing beforehand which ones they’d be. I wasn’t nervous, as I’d practised everything to death, but I was concerned about how long I’d have to hold them for. I did a headstand, lever, bridge and handstand, and was marked on each one. Afterwards, I felt so
accomplished – I never saw myself doing something like this, let alone being scored 10 for my lever and handstand. The whole process has been empowering in the sense that it’s allowed me to push past my limitations. When I started, I could barely run 100m, but now I can do 1,200m without stopping. It’s always good to try something new – changing the way you exercise can help you push past a plateau. I’ve definitely noticed that my energy levels are higher and more consistent throughout the day, and my clothes feel looser, too. I can also see improvements in my mood. Taking up a new fitness challenge was an investment, because I wanted to see results, and ultimately those results are down to me and me alone. Gymnastics is very strenuous, but I think having a focus helped me push through when training became particularly tough. It’s taught me that you can start to learn a new skill, so never limit yourself by what you see other people doing, or an absence of people like you. There’s no reason you can’t do gymnastics – or anything else for that matter.