Episode #24: Gina Pongetti: "Heart Before Medals" Preparing Olympic and World Champion Gymnasts Artwork

Tumbling Along With Betsy

Tumble Along With Betsy! Betsy McNally Laouar is a personal fitness trainer, nutritionist, professional body builder, gymnastics coach and best selling author of two books, Binges and Balance Beams and Gymnachef. She works exclusively with gymnasts, coaches, and families within the gymnastics community to teach about balance in nutrition and fitness through her world renown traveling Betsy Bootcamps. For so long, the gymnastics world has been centered on extreme nutrition and fitness practices. Betsy uses her experiences to connect lessons from both her life and other coaches, athletes, parents, experts and specialists to change the culture of the gymnastics community. Through education we can help to develop better understanding of what our athletes need. Betsy is also the mother of a nonverbal autistic child and will cover topics of mental wellness, positive body image and how the gymnastics community can come together. She's just trying to "figure it all out" and wants you to tumble along with her!

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Tumbling Along With Betsy

Episode #24: Gina Pongetti: "Heart Before Medals" Preparing Olympic and World Champion Gymnasts

September 20, 2021 • Betsy • Season 2 • Episode 24

In this episode I interview world renown physical therapist Gina Pongetti, who has traveled the world aiding and training Olympic, World Champion and competitive gymnasts at every age and ability.

We discuss everything from her recent stint at the Olympics and the “twisties," to more topics such as athlete awareness, wellness, and more controversial topics such as the history of abuse in our sport, nutrition, eating disorders, injuries, advocating for athletes and most importantly the relationships and communication between and amongst coaches, athletes and parents.

There are some PG 13 moments in the episode and we touch lightly in a constructive way on some of the abuses in our sport and how we as clinicians can provide better solutions and services to our athletes and coaches. Gina is a world of knowledge, experience, insight and an amazing advocate for our gymnasts! Thank you Gina!

You can find out more about Gina and her crew of 60 plus clinicians at Website www.medgym.net

Read articles and works with Gina;

The Layer of Fear: https://www.insidegymnastics.com/news-features/thelayeroffear72721-2-2/

The Physics of Simone:

https://www.insidegymnastics.com/news-features/thephysicsofsimone/

Simone Twisties: https://www.medgym.net/thetwistiesexplained-simone-biles-womensartisticgymnastics/

The Tolls of Being an Elite Gymnast https://www.nbcolympics.com/videos/physical-and-mental-tolls-being-best