"Forever Athlete"

Do you find yourself downplaying yourself? I know I am guilty of this quite often. The thing is, there is no reason we should not be totally proud of our awesome accomplishments! Sure, they may seem “small” or “not as significant” as someone else’s, but you’re not here for a competition. Our journey is just that, it is ours to own and to enjoy. There is the saying, “Don’t compare your chapter 1 with someone else’s chapter 25,” but I want to add onto that a little… what if your happy ending on your life journey is not the same as someone else’s? That means even if you both are on chapter 10, those chapters are going to look quite different - and they should! So do me a huge favor and don’t compare ANY of your chapters with anyone else’s because you are writing an entirely different and beautiful story.

New Year, New Goals, New You!

The beauty of goals is that they give us structure and purpose having something to work toward. Now you might be thinking that’s great… but you have no idea where to start?! No worries, that’s where TLAG comes in!

More Than a Gymnast: Embracing What Comes Next

This clarified to me, loud and clear, what it means to be more than a gymnast. To be a human connecting through shared experiences, both good and bad. To be a human empathizing with experiences very different from my own. To be a human who has the capability to take a shared love for a sport and transform it into a trajectory that propels me further in my life.

Movement is Medicine

Oftentimes in today’s world we either moving way too fast, or way too slow. There does not seem to be a comfortable balance we can strike to make us feel grounded. Countless research suggests that stress can actually lead to a physical decrease in our immune system leaving us more vulnerable to illness. So what can we do to alleviate some of this stress?

Suicide Prevention Month

September is Suicide Prevention Month and we wanted to create a safe space and a resource for our community. If you follow our founder on Instagram, you may have seen one of her recent posts, and if not, I wanted to start off here today with that:

Personal Development and Gymnastics Retreat

At the beginning of our Park City, Utah retreat, Danielle said something that - at the time - I didn’t realize the true weight of, “All of you will have a unique connection. You all are here, doing this work and experiencing things together that no one else is. You can never fully verbalize exactly what the experience of our Train Like a Gymnast retreats are like - you just have to live it.”

Now, as the retreat comes to a close and we continue on into our next chapters of lives, all heading different directions, I realize just how true this is. With that being said, I am going to do my best to bring the experience to life here, for you all, so you can see just how much you need this…

The Infamous Love Triangle

I want to preface by saying that I am not a professional, by any means. With that being said, I am a fellow human who will speak from her heart - the part of the love triangle that I tap into most often nowadays. This is very vulnerable and hard for me to share in a lot of ways, but it simultaneously feels ‘right.’ I’m not sure why I feel compelled at this specific moment to share, but nonetheless I am listening to my heart.

Stop Making Excuses and Start Making Experiences

Today, I want to share with you why your journey matters and it all starts with this concept of “stop making excuses and start making experiences.”

The Comeback

“Life is lived IN THE MOMENT. You have prepared as best you could. If you let the fear and worry win out, you’ll miss the joy and the moment you are meant to experience. GO HAVE YOUR MOMENT.”

I shifted into competition mode, “Remember what it took to get here. Let the JOY flow.” I looked around the gym, “Take it all in. Notice the sounds, the smells, the sights… I was competing again after 33 years!!! GO HAVE YOUR MOMENT!”

And this is only just the beginning…

The Blessing in Disguise

A couple weeks ago we heard from a TLAG community member about the fruition of her love for the sport of gymnastics. Today, we continue that story which is a true culmination of normalizing adult gymnastics and shifting gymnastics culture. Well, let’s jump back in….

Falling In Love With The Sport of Gymnastics

The summer of 1983 I was just shy of my 16th birthday and in the height of my teenage years. Bobby and I had started dating and I was falling in love. The only problem was I had two loves calling on my heart and they each were pulling me in two different directions. Gymnastics was not conducive to a teenage social life and I was missing out on a lot. My gymnastics was really advancing, but I was starting to question the commitment level this demanded.

How To Get Over The Fear of Trying Something New

The thing is, I don’t actually think I can’t do them, but rather I am afraid of failing. And this very fear of failure is what keeps me from trying in the first place. Let me let you in on a little secret… If we never try, we can never succeed. But of course, we all know that already so let me go one step further… There is no such thing as trying and failing, rather by just putting ourselves out there and committing ourselves to trying, we are succeeding in the most important skill of all - learning.

Adult Gymnastics, Mental Health, Motivation, PassionSerena PergolaApril 19, 2021mental health, motivation, adult gymnastics, passionComment

Rising Together

“The most inspiring women in a female-dominated industry are those that set aside their girliness. They don’t get caught up in jealous games, they promote other women for their work, and they show their support for people that may have more talent than they do. They forget about any sort of competition among their team.” Inspiration today and every day to lift others up. After all, we are all on the same team.

How & Where Do I Start?

And just like that you started again. I knew you could… and deep down, you knew you could too. I’m so proud of you - for showing up, for putting in the work, for investing in yourself, for being YOU. And if you’re searching for some guidance on what exactly these workouts you are going to be starting again should look like - you have come to the right place. This Train Like a Gymnast website it flooded with information, resources and allies in this journey. Thanks for stopping by!

Our Complicated Relationship With Gymnastics Culture

Not to spoil the ending here, but to answer this question… of course not. I am so much more than just a gymnast, and I know that now. But the thing about gymnastics is that our relationship with the sport is so complicated. To say I am disappointed right now is an understatement. The gymnastics world has failed me, and so many others, in so many ways. But even more so than disappointed, I am heartbroken. This sport is SO incredible - I mean look at how many incredible traits is can instill in us - if handled properly and in a healthy way, this sport is unmatched. So, all to say, let’s be a part of the positive change and monumental shift to a healthy gymnastics culture. And programs like Train Like a Gymnast are a great place to start.

Adult Gymnastics, Mental Health, Motivation, PassionSerena PergolaMarch 8, 2021mental health, gymnastics, adult gymnasticsComment

How To Overcome Setbacks

Let’s talk the dreaded, the soul-crushing, the deflating, the disappointing… the inevitable, setbacks.

We dedicate ourselves to the steps, we commit ourselves to the process, we challenge ourselves to overcome and setbacks happen anyway. So what’s the point? If we know we will inevitably wind up taking steps backward at some point, why should we continue stepping forward?

Imposter Syndrome In Adult Gymnasts

Hello, again! Or welcome new friends! Either way, I am thrilled you have landed here. Let’s dive right in and explore the wide world of adult gymnastics for a bit…

Are you starting gymnastics as an adult with no experience? Wondering is 20 is too old to start gymnastics? Questioning can I become a gymnast at 30? Unsure if it is too late to become a gymnast? Or maybe, you just don’t know how to start (or re-start) gymnastics at all? Perhaps it’s one of these very questions that landed you here and rest assured, I intend to uncover some answers for you.

Adult Gymnastics, Mental Health, Passion, MotivationSerena PergolaFebruary 8, 2021 Comment

Getting Into Gymnastics As An Adult

What do you feel it is? Why is it that we all gather together on this Train Like a Gymnast website and we long for the days of being a gymnast? Well, rest assured, we no longer need to long. We can fully assume our gymnast souls and immerse ourselves in the training, balancing, stretching, grounding and flipping content spread all throughout this website.

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