2014 Nanning World Championships

10 Signs That You're Watching Gymnastics With a Non-Gymnast

10 Signs That You're Watching Gymnastics With a Non-Gymnast

1. They ask the funniest questions. What are beam shoes made of? Why don't the women wear shorts like the men? Why bother with dance on beam? All of these

Oct 10, 2014 by Karen Psiaki
10 Signs That You're Watching Gymnastics With a Non-Gymnast
1. They ask the funniest questions. What are beam shoes made of? Why don't the women wear shorts like the men? Why bother with dance on beam? All of these are questions that might come out of the mouth of a non-gymnast during their first viewing experience.

2. They don't understand the scoring system. Even after 10 years, the scoring system still seems to trip people up. D-score, E-score, green, yellow, red triangle, huh? It's actually not that complicated, so you take the liberty of explaining it in less than five minutes -- problem solved forever.

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3. They are easily impressed. To the untrained eye, even mistakes look impressive when they're done gracefully!

4. … And yet, not so easily impressed. On the other hand, these newbies fail to grasp the difficulty of the routines. You have to remind them that the beam is, in fact, only four inches wide and that the floor is not as bouncy as a trampoline. Still, like McKayla Maroney, they are not impressed.

5. They notice things that you don't. While you've got your laser-beam focus on gymnasts' form, connections, landing positions, etc., your fellow viewers are busy watching the coaches in the background, the crowd, the judges… basically everyone except the gymnast up on the equipment! As a result, they notice the things that you miss.

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6. Their attempts to pronounce skill names are hilarious. If you want to embarrass your friends, write down the names of some of your favorite skills and ask them to read the list. Makes for a hilarious party game.

7. They're sticklers for the stick! Watching gymnastics with non-gymnasts reminds you that, like Tim Daggett always says, sticking the landings is gymnastics 101. No matter what happens during the routine, if the dismount isn't stuck, then your non-gymnast friends are left wanting.

8. They find the slow-mo replays amusing. Forget looking at the hand positions, body angles, or anything else relevant… nope, they're just watching for funny faces.

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9. They question every aspect of the sport. Why are there only four events for women, but six for men? Why are there time limits on the routines? Why do the coaches stand in during bar routines? Why this silly two-per-country rule? Why are there subjective aspects of the judging? While these questions can be annoying, they do make you sit back and reflect on the sport in a new way.

10. They make you feel like an expert. While you might not be the smartest person in the room, you definitely know much more than them when it comes to gymnastics. This is your time to shine, so soak up the glory as you show off your expertise and teach your fellow viewers a thing or two!