Why do female gymnasts always look like that?

[LovelyBitOfHam]

I’m sure you know what I mean.

Hair tied back in a big scrunchie - the kind of scrunchie you last wore when you were 9 years old.

Glittery make up.

Plaits, braids and hair clips.

I understand a lot of sports have a uniform but ultimately, if you take a track and field athlete, a swimmer and a tennis player just before they perform, you wouldn’t really be able to tell which sport they play just by looking at them. But you can identify the gymnasts from a mile away.

It isn’t just at Olympic level either. Even the little girls in weekend gymnastic clubs have the same sort of style.

Is it some kind of male gaze thing? Or is there a “type” of girl who grows up wanting to be a gymnast? I’ve always associated gymnasts with the sort of girls who didn’t really grow up, but I’ve now realised just how wrong that is.

I think what they can do is incredible, and Simone Biles is great. But there’s something about the “look” of gymnastics that’s always bothered me, and I can’t put my finger on what it is. Anyone else?

Because they see the older girls doing it and they choose to copy. But it is by no means all of them.

I’m sure I wouldn’t want my hair getting in the way if I was doing triple flip spin things and would definitely slick it all back.

The look doesn’t bother me, I think they’re incredible and super human and I’m there to watch the performance rather than critique their looks

I think they possibly have had quite sheltered lives because their focus has been gymnastics and not style and trends. So they have just copied the older gymnasts without much thought or care.

What is a 'type' of girl? The type that is an incredible athlete?

We've already had this thread.

I did gymnastics and wouldn't say it was a thing. It's more that you have to start from like 2 years old or you are already behind. And it's such a solo thing that it can spike a lot of jealousy- why wouldn't you be jealous of someone who can do such cool stuff. I couldn't lol so didn't last long.

Here you go OP have a read

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5130046-olympic-gymnastics-humiliates-and-infantilises-grown-adult-women?page=1

Wtf??

What a bizarre take.

They need their hair off their face. They don't want it flapping over their face and getting in the way.

I don't suppose they dress like that all the time. My dd does gymnstics and loves nothing more than to choose a new sparkly leotard. As a child I didn't do gym but the sparkly leotards always appealed to me. Why shouldn't they wear a matching scrunchie? Again, I doubt you'll find them down at weatherspoons with a scrunchie in.

Ugh not this thread again??? Why do you care what way their hair is...they are amazing athletes stop worrying about their hair.

Why do figure skaters wear flamboyant outfits? Because it is the nature of the sport. They are judged on technique and artistry (performance). Costumes are part of the performative nature of the sport. By your logic, actors should go on stage wearing trackies or PJs.

Starts at grass roots level. Croydon facelift, sex doll make up and sequins.

Having to quote because there are so many things to unpick in your post.

Hair: out of the way, completely out of the way so as not to interfere with what you are trying to do. Make it pretty and pleasing to yourself. No problem surely.

Leotards - which you didn't actually mention - but really part of the sport's uniform so that you can show off lines. The more glittery the better IMO. If "male gaze" is a problem, it's a them problem.

Make up: gymnastics is about the overall aesthetic and some of the Olympic gymnasts hardly wore any. Some went full on. It's about the athlete making herself feel at her best so she is free to perform.

God not another thread about this

I always thought that the make up helped the judges see their facial expressions which they look for on the floor? Similar to dancers or actors on stage. Obviously their hair needs to be away from their face for safety. It’s just like a costume or a work uniform I guess.

As a young gymnast, hair was a huge issue. Wherever you put a bobble or clip, it interfered with what you were doing, like creating lumps when you were trying to roll on the beam. Loose hair was even worse - dangerous in fact. It could get trapped in equipment or tangled up when someone was catching you. Your choice is close-cropped or some clever, tight arrangement of soft scrunchies and clips. Not a problem for other athletes. Make up? Not sure. That's a more recent thing.

DS does gymnastics, he has medium/long hair, he has it up for gym and needs clips for the front, he chose frog ones because he likes frogs and quote "because they're jumpy" . Surely it's the same for the female gymnasts, they need their hair right out of the way and choose something they like to do that

I know the hair in a bun style is in the rules. As for the glitter and other stuff..no idea.

I was a competitive gymnast.

With hair the absolute priority is that it must not get in the way. Not even a little. Not even a single strand. It is distracting and a distracted gymnast is a dead / paralysed gymnast. Gymnastics is a dangerous sport and you need to keep yourself safe.

In many other sports (eg running) you are generally travelling and so air resistance will keep your hair out of your face. So tying hair back does not need to be anywhere near as exact.

In my day practically everyone had a fringe and a ponytail as that was the best way to manage hair safely. Luckily hairspray etc is a lot better now so people do have more choice.

Having a really pretty leotard helps with the performance aspect of the sport. I was shy and generally saw myself as an athlete not a performer. In training I would generally wear a fairly plain leotard and focus on learning the skills.

And then I would go to competition and put on my competition leotard and it would be like I was someone else. I would become a performer. I would connect with the crowd and my shyness would evaporate.

And then afterwards I would get changed into a tracksuit and take my hair out and hide behind it and my mum would chat to the parents of the girls that I had been competing against for years whilst I would try and work up the courage to say “bye” to them.

Is the "sex doll" make up in the room with us?

I don't understand why you're deliberately using a provocative metaphor for a slicked back hair style. But it says a lot about you. Hair has to be neat, tidy and pulled back, you're literally marked down for it not being so. The more dramatic the less likely you're going to be penalised and have to redo it throughout the day.

Sequins are fun for some people. It's not a requirement and so fucking what if women god forbid like sparkly things.

Whaaatttt??? 😂

I’ve always associated gymnasts with the sort of girls who didn’t really grow up, but I’ve now realised just how wrong that is.

There’s something about the “look” of gymnastics that’s always bothered me, and I can’t put my finger on what it is.

This issue is very much a problem that sits with you, and not with gymnastics.

Yes, that is what I assumed too. It is a sport with a strong element of the art of performance.

My DD did high level gymnastics and how you look is all part of the sport.
Hair is like that because that’s how you are told to wear it and it gets least in the way.
Leotards are like that because they show off the body and movements which is what scores points- tiny fractions of body movements would all count. How a leg is positioned, the twist of the torso, the hand and fingers, shoulder blades- heck probably even butt cheek!
You are hardly going to see that in a baggy tshirt.
You don’t want material on legs- skin needs to grip for many moves.
Its all glitter and sequins because it just looks more catching to the eye than a plan black leotard and identifies you and your team!

Fascinated by why you see this as something to comment about and why it bothers you. I'd suggest you want to reflect on why it isn't to your taste - because that seems to be what is about. And your examples of field athlete, swimmer and tennis player looking the same is just bizarre. Just before the starting whistle, how often do you say to yourself is that a swimmer or is that a tennis player?