Time after time I have seen my gymnasts come into our gymnastics academy wearing a brand new leotard.  There is just one problem, it doesn’t look like a new gymnastics leotard. I see many new leotards that are super faded, have rhinestones missing and colors that bled together. This is very disappointing when a parent spends their hard earned money on a new gymnastics leotard and it gets ruined after one wash. To ensure sure this doesn’t happen to you and your new gymnastics leotard you need to follow the washing instructions on the tag. One problem is many gymnast say the tag is itchy so their parents cut it out. This means mom and dad no longer have the washing instructions and this usually leads to a disaster leotard. If this happens you should follow theses washing guidelines….

• Make sure you wash it with a very mild liquid detergent. Usually Woolite or baby detergent (baby magic, dreft, baby all) work the best.
• Always was the gymnastics leotard in cold water. Using hot water will make the colors bleed more
• It is always best to wash gymnastics leos by hand. If you decided not to wash them by hand you need to wash them in a gentle cycle with like items. This will eliminate pulls, snags, and bleeding from other clothes.
• Turn your gymnastics leotard inside out when you wash it. This will help the special finish on your leo to last much longer.
• When it comes to drying a gymnastics leotard it always best to hang dry it. If needed you can throw the gymnastics leo in the dryer for a bit on super low heat.

Follow these instructions and you will have a gymnastics leotard that will not lose its color or shine and will look brand new all the time.

Many parents hesitate when it comes to buying a new girls gymnastics leotard on a regular basis. Young children grow like weeds and parents are worried they will spend an unnecessary amount of money for a gymnastics leotard that their gymnast will grow out of the next week. This is why many parents shop for cheap leotards or discount leotards.

As long as you don’t mind buying a used leo then you have many choices when it comes to finding cheap gymnastics leotards. eBay is always a great place to get discount leotards. eBay sells both new and used gymnastics leos, but the used ones are usually cheaper. You can sometimes buy a used gymnastics leotard on eBay for as little as a few dollars! Another great place to buy leos at a discount price is at resale shops or Goodwill. They will almost always be used, but they are priced very cheap. Just wash them well and you’re set. I see a lot of cheap gymnastics leotards at garage sales. This may be hard to find but if you like to go to garage sales just keep your eye out for them. Check your local gym to see if they have a corkboard; if so, see if they will let you post a “wanted” add on it. If they do, make sure you explain exactly what you’re looking for, include the size and a contact number. Check out Amazon, they usually have good deals on new and used girls gymnastics leotards. Craigslist is another great place to look. Type in the search, “gymnastics leotard” usually you will get a few adds that will show up. Check them out and see if they are what you are looking for. If not, put a wanted add up on Craigslist. This will surly help you find cheap leotards for sale.

These are all great ways to find cheap leotards or discounted leotards. There is no sense spending a ton of money on something your child will grow out of in a few months. You can also run a Google search by typing something along the lines of: cheap leotards for sale or discount leotards for sale. You may find good sales on a new leo at a gymnastics leotard store. Good luck!

Gymnastics shorts are just like bike shorts (AKA mini bike shorts) but much shorter and usually much cuter; they usually come in a verity of colors. They also come in two types of material: lyrca and velvet. Gymnastics shorts are even decorative; they sometimes have rhinestones down the side or across the booty. These mini bike shorts may be cute and comfy BUT there are both positive and negative effects when it comes to wearing them.

First, I will start with the positives. Many girls who wear shorts feel like they need them; wearing them can give them more confidence and make them feel more comfortable with their body. The shorts keep the gymnastics leo in place which helps prevent wedgie picking.

Now for the negatives, shorts are NOT technically part of the gymnastics attire. When working out, the gymnastics shorts tend to twist from side to side. This causes the gymnast to have to stop what they are doing and fix them every time they twist (which is A LOT). Many gymnasts tend to hide behind their shorts. They can’t do gymnastics without them (so they believe). They rely on their mini bike shorts way too much and get very uncomfortable if they are made to take them off. But worst of all, once they are off the wedgie picking doesn’t stop. Without shorts their gymnastics leotards “ride up” even more. For this reason you may think shorts are great because they stop this problem but this IS NOT THE CASE! At gymnastics meets or gymnastics competitions your gymnast CANNOT wear shorts. Since they are NOT use to this, they may forget and pick their wedgies in their routines which will cause them to get a 0.05 deduction for each and every time they do it. This can add up and cost them their placement for an award!

I do not believe gymnastics shorts benefit a gymnast in any way. When my gymnasts ask me about wearing shorts I ask in return, “do you wear shorts over your swim suit when you go swimming”? Of course the answer is always “NO!” Then I tell them, “There is no reason to wear them here either.”

Keep in mind, you should practice the way you compete; this means No gymnastics shorts; at least not for those that participate in gymnastics competitions or gymnastics meets. They can be more harmful then helpful! If you have a correct fitting gymnastics leotard you shouldn’t have problems with picking wedgies anyway.

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!

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!

Today’s gymnastics leotards are a totally different story. There is such a wide selection: sparkles, studs, rhinestones, shimmers, glitter, cutouts, crisscross, velour, lycra, high cut, low cut, embroidery, flowers, hearts, flames, razor back, metallic, long sleeved, three quarter sleeved, sleeveless, etc. Variety is the keyword for gymnastic leotards of the twenty-first century!

It is very hard to pick out the perfect leotard because of the great variety but variety is what makes it so much fun! Here are a few tips that will help you and your gymnast pick out the perfect gymnastics leotard specifically for her.

• MATERIAL- Make sure you select a material that your gymnast like the feel of, especially if they have sensitive skin. Many of my gymnasts are picky and if they select the wrong material they tend not to wear it because it is, “too itchy.”

• CUT- This is usually all about your gymnast preference, do they like high cut or lower cut styles around their legs?

• SLEEVE STYLE-Do they like sleeveless, three quarter sleeves, or long sleeves. Many people choose sleeveless because it much cooler when working out and doing gymnastics.

• CUTOUTS- These are cute, little holes that are cut out on the sides or in the back of a leotard. You and your gymnast have to decide if this is appropriate for her and if she would be comfortable in it.

• STRAPS- There is many different strap types. Gymnastics leotards now have spaghetti straps, crisscrossed, racer back, etc. Make sure you select one that is comfortable for your gymnast. If she wears a bra please select one that doesn’t show her straps or any part of her bra; this is extremely tacky.

• COLOR and DESIGN- First you must decide what style, cut, material, and straps, you want. Now comes the fun part! It is now time to select the color and design that you have been longing for!

GOOD LUCK PICKING YOUR PERFECT NEW GYMNASTICS LEOTARD!

Leotards for gymnastics have come a long way. Back in the day they were extremely plain and not very colorful; now days they are super cute. They come in all different colors, styles, patterns, materials, and designs.

There are two different types of gymnastics leos: workout and competition. A workout leotard is used only at gymnastics practice. They can consist of any color, cut, or style. Workout leotards are picked out and chosen by the gymnast based on their personal preference. Competition leotards are only used at gymnastics meets or gymnastics competitions. A Competition gymnastics leotard consists of the gymnast’s team colors and is more professional looking. They cannot contain holes in the back (cutouts), have crisscrossed straps, or be high cut. They have to have at least two inch straps but are usually long sleeved. A Competition gymnastics leotard is usually decided on by the gym owner, coaches, or the whole team.

When picking out competition leotards you must keep in mind to pick something that bra straps won’t hang out of. At gymnastics meets the gymnast can get a deduction if their straps (or any undergarments) are showing.

When it comes to gymnastics here are some things you shouldn’t wear to class. Do not wear jeans. You can’t move well in jeans, plus they have buttons and zippers that will scratch and chip the gymnastics equipment. Loose baggy shirts are also a no no. They can be dangerous because the gymnast could get caught up in the loose tee-shirt while tumbling. It is also very dangerous for the coach if they are spotting gymnasts with loose clothing. My co-worker spotted a gymnast on a back handspring and her finger got twisted in the gymnast’s baggy tee shirt which broke her finger in three places.

Don’t wear socks, they make you slip. All jewelry (except stud earrings) should not be worn. Believe me; getting a hoop earring caught and ripped out is not fun! If you are allowed to wear shorts at your gym make sure they are fitted and PLEASE wear undies under them! Way too many times my teenaged gymnast forgot to (or just chose not to) wear undies, and that is not a pretty sight. Another thing young children seem to wear are tights and skirts. These both are prohibited. It is very hard for a coach to spot a gymnast who is wearing a skirt or tights; this makes it is very slippery and it gets in the way of both, the gymnast and coach. Do not leave your hair down. Not only will your hair dangle in your face and get annoying but it can also be dangerous. If your hair is down it can get yanked out by your own hands while tumbling. Or even worse I have heard of girls getting their hair stuck in the trampoline springs, ouch!! Make sure you use only a ponytail holder in your hair. If you wear clips they will break and poke you when you do skills such as backward rolls, handstand forward rolls or even dive rolls.

If you follow these few simple attire rules you will be a much safer gymnast!

One question people always wonder but are too embarrassed to ask is, “do you wear underwear under gymnastics leotards”? The answer is no, a girls gymnastics leotard is like a swim suit there is no need to wear undies as long as your leotard is fitted. When girls get older they may feel more comfortable wearing something under their leotards. That is why they make skin colored underwear that is cut the same way as a gymnastics leotard.  You can get theses special under garments from any gymnastics catalog, online gymnastics websites, or sometimes at your local gym. You may also wear a bra under your leotard as long as it is not visible, not even the straps should show.

Make sure your gymnast has their hair in a ponytail. This will keep them from having their hair fall in their face.  If their hair isn’t hanging in their face they will be able to concentrate more on what they are doing instead of continuously pushing their hair out of the way.

Another thing a gymnast needs to bring to the gym is a gym bag. This way she will have somewhere to put her clothes, shoes, socks, water, and what ever else she may need to bring (inhaler, grips, wrist supports, braces, wraps, etc.).

Gymnastics Leotard

Gymnastics Unitard