Olympic gymnastics observation

[Mermanaid]

Can those girls not get leotards that fit over their bottom?! Every one I have seen has a wedgie. Surely it would be uncomfortable?!

[trales]

Have you seen the water polo suits. It makes the gym outfits look ridiculously low cut.

[maylips]

How about the beach volleyball!?! Or worse...the divers! I can't believe how uncomfortable those look...and what that feels like once they enter the water. :nodno:

[Melaine]

I've been thinking this too. There was one shot the other day when the camera got a full-on shot of a diver who literally looked like she was wearing a thong because her suit was riding up so badly. I was so embarrassed for her!

[wellyes]

Their bottoms look awful, and why are they so shiny and sparkly? The costumes are just ridiculous.
I do like how they show off how ripped Gabby Douglas's arms are.

My observation is that gymnastics aren't that fun to watch anymore. I'm sure what they're doing is amazing. But it is not entertaining the way it used to be, when the focus was more on performance. Now they just try to do the hardest things they can possibly do, because wobbling when trying to do something difficult gives you more points than gracefully completing something not as difficult. The balance beam in particular was painful to watch.

[american_mama]

Have you seen the water polo suits. It makes the gym outfits look ridiculously low cut.


Huh? Men's or women's water polo? Men's water polo suits are just small speedos, right? i don't know what the women polo players wear and now I am really curious. Are you saying the polo suits are skimpy or full-coverage compared to the gymnastics leotards?

[Tinochka]

My observation is that gymnastics aren't that fun to watch anymore. I'm sure what they're doing is amazing. But it is not entertaining the way it used to be, when the focus was more on performance. Now they just try to do the hardest things they can possibly do, because wobbling when trying to do something difficult gives you more points than gracefully completing something not as difficult. The balance beam in particular was painful to watch.

I have to agree with this statement. It’s not fun to watch figure skating ever, because there are no choreography, artistry, performance scored, just pure technic;).

[boogiemomz]

My observation is that gymnastics aren't that fun to watch anymore. I'm sure what they're doing is amazing. But it is not entertaining the way it used to be, when the focus was more on performance. Now they just try to do the hardest things they can possibly do, because wobbling when trying to do something difficult gives you more points than gracefully completing something not as difficult. The balance beam in particular was painful to watch.

So true! During last night's coverage, they aired a promo with little statements from Nastia Liukin, Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comanic (sp?), and one or two other former gold medalists, and I looked up some of their routines on youtube. They are absolute perfection, flawless, beautiful. And I was so struck that you almost never see that anymore, and when you do, the scoring system is SO technical and nit picky now that they inevitably find something to deduct points for. I told DH we will probably never see a perfect score in gymnastics again, and I really think that's a shame. Yes, it's highly technical and there are automatic deductions for all sorts of things, but at some point, can't you just acknowledge and appreciate when a routine is artfully and perfectly executed? (Again, like we almost never see any more.) I know the current scoring system is supposed to make it more fair and objective, but it seems to have gone too far in that direction. I mean, Kayla Maroney's vault in the team competition? Where did they find 0.3 to deduct?!? Looks like it's a thing of the past to see these girls do their art flawlessly and then see that perfect score on the board.

[trales]

You would think with all the developments in materials and uniforms, they could make something that fits. The women's water polo uniforms are so far up their butt, it must be super painful.

[AngB]

So true! During last night's coverage, they aired a promo with little statements from Nastia Liukin, Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comanic (sp?), and one or two other former gold medalists, and I looked up some of their routines on youtube. They are absolute perfection, flawless, beautiful. And I was so struck that you almost never see that anymore, and when you do, the scoring system is SO technical and nit picky now that they inevitably find something to deduct points for. I told DH we will probably never see a perfect score in gymnastics again, and I really think that's a shame. Yes, it's highly technical and there are automatic deductions for all sorts of things, but at some point, can't you just acknowledge and appreciate when a routine is artfully and perfectly executed? (Again, like we almost never see any more.) I know the current scoring system is supposed to make it more fair and objective, but it seems to have gone too far in that direction. I mean, Kayla Maroney's vault in the team competition? Where did they find 0.3 to deduct?!? Looks like it's a thing of the past to see these girls do their art flawlessly and then see that perfect score on the board.

I hate the new scoring system.

[ilfaith]

Even with their new scoring system, which nitpicks their scores down to a thousandth of a point, they still need to resort to a tie breaker rather than award two bronze medals for identical scores.

[indigo99]

I've wondered about the outfits. Could it have something to do with physiology? They need to be able to bend a lot. I thought that maybe they have such high leg holes so that they don't just start low and ride up. If you bend at the waist a lot then the top tends to roll down too.

I remember years ago that the girls were constantly adjusting their suits. Is it really possible to have a suit that covers your bum and doesn't ride up when you're moving around like they do? The volleyball players seem to have more of a small boyshort instead of the high legholes like the gymnasts. I'm guessing that's their attempt at more modesty, but I'm really betting it has to do with having the most comfortable suit with the least hassle during the game.

As for the divers, I think it makes them faster, and it's easier to judge their lines when you can see their bodies.

[codex57]

It needs to be really tight, but still allow for movement. Unless it has legs, I have a hard time seeing how it could really cover better. Course, I'm not a clothing manufacturer.

At least for polo, you want it skin tight to help reduce drag. You want it as tight as possible so your opponent has less to grab. Often wear two suits actually. That can't help with the coverage issue either I imagine. In polo at least, there's so much grabbing, a wedgie is actually preferrable cuz it just means it's a little less surface area for an opponent to try and grab.

[elektra]

I feel like I have seen less wedgie adjustment than in the past actually (I had a friend tell me once that it's an official deduction if you pick your wedge during a routine!) I think those outfits are all custom-made and cut just so. And I think they want more of their legs showing to show off their long lines-kind of thing- probably same with the diving.
I was wondering why the waterpolo girls don't wear the bike-shorts type of bottoms with their suits like the swimmers do. Maybe they need a wider range of motion that what the swimmers do with just their kicks?
I was also speculating that the beach volleyball girls probably have their suits cut like that to prevent more of a wedgie- it's like if it's already up your butt a bit on purpose, then you don't have to worry about picking it out.
That type of suit is popular around here (with even more of it up your butt actually).

I wonder if the same goes for the waterpolo- just start with it up your crack so you can just leave it there and not worry about digging it out.

And this may come out the wrong way but I love seeing all the athletes bodies with as few clothes as possible. The ESPN Magazine body issue was amazing. I loved the way the shot Abby Wambauch- she looked like a golden statue and her thighs are so strong.
I admit to especially enjoying the male swimmers but I like seeing the girls too and it's not a sexual thing in that case -- more of an appreciation for the human body and all it can do.

[Giantbear]

Huh? Men's or women's water polo? Men's water polo suits are just small speedos, right? i don't know what the women polo players wear and now I am really curious. Are you saying the polo suits are skimpy or full-coverage compared to the gymnastics leotards?in the interest of equality, i think the women should wear small speedo bottoms too :thumbsup:

[Tinkerbell313]

Speedo has swimsuits that prevent wedgies. I bought one at Kohls that have soft little clear rubber strips sewn to the leg openings on the buttock sides.

They work and they are not uncomfortable...at least I haven't had any complaints from DD who otherwise complains about everything.

Now I can't speak the long term wear and tear of the strips as we just started using it several weeks ago.

Wondering if the uniforms/swimsuits are equipped with anything like that...

[TwinFoxes]

I feel like I have seen less wedgie adjustment than in the past actually...I think those outfits are all custom-made and cut just so. And I think they want more of their legs showing to show off their long lines-kind of thing- probably same with the diving.


:yeahthat: I just watched the feature on the "Magnificent 7" from the '96 Olympics. LOTS of wedgies! Every time they finished a routine they were adjusting. I think the suits now are cut higher, but they arent budging. I actually think they look flattering.

[jerigirl]

It is a deduction to pull at your gymnastics leotard during a routine. Also if the bra straps or underwear show. I heard somewhere they spray hairspray or skin adhesive on their bums to keep the leo stuck in place.

[wellyes]

It is a deduction to pull at your gymnastics leotard during a routine. Also if the bra straps or underwear show. I heard somewhere they spray hairspray or skin adhesive on their bums to keep the leo stuck in place.
They wear bras and underwear? I thought part of the point of those customized leotards was to not have to.

[GvilleGirl]

It is a deduction to pull at your gymnastics leotard during a routine. Also if the bra straps or underwear show. I heard somewhere they spray hairspray or skin adhesive on their bums to keep the leo stuck in place.

I used to "glue" my leo down. We used spray adhesive to prevent it from moving. The legs cut high to make your legs appear longer, but if it was too high they could deduct you. (Not sure if it is still true.)

[babybell]

What got me was their hair..so sloppy!

really? looks pretty slicked back to me.

[mackmama]

I wish the suits weren't so shiny. I also wish that only one gymnast competed at a time. I would think it'd be difficult to concentrate hearing the music and applause for other routines. I also wish the scoring was explained better. Personally, I also wouldn't wear makeup or jewelry while I was competing. I wouldn't want anything to possibly get into my eye or distract me.

[ilfaith]

So in addition to focusing on landing a somersault on a four inch wide plank, these girls also have to worry about having points taken away because their leotard rode up. Imagine losing out on a medal because of a wedgie.