In this episode, Winston welcomes guest Hamish Carter, a seasoned gymnast with a rich background in both British and American gymnastics. Winston & Hamish delve into Hamish's journey from training at the City of Birmingham to competing in the NCAA system in the United States, highlighting the stark differences in training culture and competition dynamics. Hamish shares insights on the importance of team ethos in college gymnastics, the challenges of transitioning from an individual to a team-focused mindset, and the strategies for maximizing both difficulty and execution scores in routines.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Team Ethos in Gymnastics: Transitioning from individual to team-oriented training in the NCAA system highlighted the importance of team culture.

• Training Philosophy: In college gymnastics, the approach to training emphasized replicating competition conditions.

• Balancing Difficulty and Execution: As routines shift to eight skills, gymnasts must carefully balance the difficulty (D-score) and execution (E-score) of their routines.

• Personal Growth and Journey: Each gymnast's path is unique, with no defined "prime age" for peak performance. It's essential to focus on personal progress rather than comparing oneself to others.

• Learning from Experience: Reflecting on past performances, including mistakes and successes, is crucial for growth. Emphasizing a positive mindset and logical analysis of errors can help gymnasts improve without dwelling on past disappointments.

BEST MOMENTS

"The NCAA was like a different world that I didn't understand... gymnastics is an individual sport, but going to college made me realize that it's a team sport in a weird sort of dynamic."

"If I messed up a routine at the start... it's like, no, you carry on. We're judging the routine. That definitely improved my whole approach towards my gymnastics."

"There's no such thing as the prime age... people are on their own journey, and I think to focus on that... it doesn't help just because I was focusing on the external factors."

"It seems more like the whole of training, the whole of the session is based around as if it was a competition."

"The whole point of training in college for me was to try and replicate competition as much as possible in the training environment."

Host Bio:

As a member of the Senior Great Britain Squad, Winston Powell brings firsthand experience to every episode. His impressive achievements include being the Under 18 English Champion in 2023 and reaching the finals in three events at the Junior World Championships the same year: the All-Around, Parallel Bars, and Horizontal Bar finals qualifying 7th for the All-Around. With five international appearances as a GB gymnast, he has gained invaluable insights into the sport's highest levels. His passion for gymnastics, combined with his deep understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by elite athletes, makes him the perfect guide to exploring the strategies and stories behind gymnastics' success.

SOCIAL LINK

https://www.instagram.com/wpowell05/