The World of Gymnastics

Gymnastics leotards not only have a great verity of fabric, colors, patterns, cuts, and styles, but they also have many different sizes. After your gymnast picks out the perfect gymnastics leotard, all you have left to do is measure her to ensure you get the right size.

Keep in mind gymnastics leotards and dance leotards have different purposes and are made to fit different. Gymnastics leotards are made to fit much tighter. To ensure the perfect fit that all gymnasts desire, once again, make sure you measure before you buy, DO NOT GUESS WHAT SIZE!

Measuring is extremely important when purchasing a new girls gymnastics leotard. If you buy one that is to big your gymnast won’t be able to wear it due to the bagginess and improper fit. If you buy one too small they also will not be able to wear it. It will be very uncomfortable and will ride up their whole gymnastics class. To avoid wasting your money on the wrong size gymnastics leotard here are some guidelines for measuring your gymnast for the perfect fitting leotard.

The Way to Measure for a Gymnastics Leotard

1. Girth- Take your measuring tape and measure from the top of one shoulder, down the chest, between the legs, up the back to the top of the same shoulder you started at. This will give you your girth measurement.

2. Bust- Take your tape measure and wrap it around the chest at the biggest and fullest part.

3. Waist- Use your measuring tape and wrap it around the narrowest part of your torso. Make sure you do not to this over your pants or shirt (this will give a false reading)

4. Hips- Measure around the largest and widest part of your lower body, where your booty is.

All of these measurements are in inches. To get the best result make sure you do not measure over thick or baggy clothes!

Many parents wonder if one gymnastics leotard is enough or if they need more. This is a great question! The first thing to keep in mind is gymnastics leotards can get expensive. Not everyone can afford an excessive amount of leotards. Some gymnasts have one gymnastics leotard while other gymnasts have forty-five! Both of these are extremes. My general rule of thumb for the amount of leotards you should have is based on the amount of days you go to gymnastics. If you go two days a week then I think two gymnastics leotards are a perfect amount. If you go to gymnastics class six days a week then I think you should have six leotards for gymnastics. This amount should not include your team leotard. This is only the workout leotard I am talking about.

There are several reasons I think this is a good rule of thumb. First, this will keep a gymnast from wearing a sweaty, smelly, dirty leotard to class without being washed. Having a few different ones will allow parents (or gymnasts) more time to wash the previously used ones. This will cut down on washing gymnastic leotards non stop. It is also nice to have extra so you can keep a second in your gymnastics bag at all times just incase something happens and you need a back up.

Whether you can afford it or not, having many leotards for gymnastics can be a waste of money. What is the point of having this many gymnastics leotards when the only place you can wear them to is gymnastics class. You can take the money you would spend on these extra leotards and spend it on a private lesson or an extra gymnastics class. This would be MUCH more beneficial for your gymnast!