Life in a Leo

Latest Episodes:

Episode 21: How to care for your leotards Jun 08, 2018

Show notes

Every week we are in and out of the gym training our butts off. We live in our leotards and sometimes we forget how to best care for them. This week I provide some advice on how to best take care of your leotards, especially the fancy competition ones that cost tons of money. These are the things you need to do to make sure the white stays white, the beads stay in place and the fabric remains soft and comfortable for you and all the athletes that you pass the leos down to after you. If you have any questions or want more information on the products we recommend, you can email me at rebecca@leotard.com. Shout outs this week go to @gymnastabrianna and @gymnast.soof. Keep up the great work ladies! You are doing awesome things out there. Hope everyone has a great weekend, keep training hard, cleaning your leotards and don't forget to point your toes ;)

Episode 20: Interview with Erin Kirschenbaum Jun 01, 2018

Show notes

This week I got to interview one of my favorite Soul Cycle Instructors, Erin Kirschenbaum (https://www.soul-cycle.com/instructors/231/erin/). Erin grew up as a very focused ballet dancer training with the Boston Ballet. After high school, she decided she was ready to try something different and focus on school. However, Erin couldn't stay away from an athletic lifestyle and felt the need to keep her body moving. One thing led to another and eventually, Erin ended up in NYC as a Soul Cycle instructor. As you will learn in our conversation and on her soul cycle bio, her classes combine athletic intensity with lighthearted fun. She wants her riders to see themselves as fierce warriors when they attack their workout, but also be able to laugh at themselves along the way. A few shout outs this week - @Yuna.the.gymnast, @AnastasiaCardino and @Grace.with.a.freckle.face. We love hearing from you guys. Hope everyone has a great weekend and don't forget to point your toes! xo

Episode 19: Artistry May 25, 2018

Show notes

This week I discuss the three things that judges look for when evaluating artistry on floor. I break down each deduction and provide my best interpretation of the JO Code of Points. The music in the episode is Stevie Ray Vaughn's Little Wing which I reference when I talk about my floor routines. This was the music I had when I competed in college. Please take a look at our blog post on www.leotard.com this week to watch the YouTube videos of the three routines I reference for having wonderful artistry. I also think it's worth watching the profile of Alexei Ratmansky on YouTube, some Misty Copeland videos and Tiler Peck to see how they create such an amazing story with their dance, choreography, expression, and quality of movement. I think this provides some unique perspective to athletes typically focused on only gymnastics. Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend and good luck to everyone competing or TOPS testing. Keep dancing and don't forget to point your toes!

Episode 18: Interview with Hannah Kaufman May 18, 2018

Show notes

This week I interviewed our amazing summer intern, Hannah Kaufman. In addition to being our intern, Hannah is studying dance and sociology at Rutgers University. She got her start in dance doing jazz and hip-hop but quickly found a passion for ballet. As Hannah got older, her style shifted and she discovered something called Gaga. Hannah shares her experiences as a dancer, a Rebecca's Mom intern and what she hopes to achieve after she graduates college. We also would like to send a shout out to Hannah Clark at Azarian gymnastics. She is a level 9 Westerns Floor Champion!! What a huge accomplishment. Hannah, congrats and keep up the amazing work. Hope you've started learning some fun new upgrades for next season. Let us know what you think? Email me, rebecca@leotard.com with any feedback or ideas for future episodes. We can't wait to hear from you. Hope you all have a great weekend and don't forget to point your toes. xo

Episode 17: Failure May 11, 2018

Show notes

This week was another solo episode. Next week I will be back with an interview so stay tuned. The topic for this week was inspired by an experience I had when I was volunteering for an organization I feel passionately about. I was asked to work at a phone bank and it was one of the most frustrating experiences I have had. I wasn't even asking for money, but people just didn't want to hear what I had to say. This experience left me feeling rejected and frustrated. I felt like I had failed the organization. I was also inspired by the #gymnasticsfailchallenge. This viral movement has humanized all these gymnasts but also provided us with lots of comedy. I believe everyone is posting moments where they aren't hurt and able to walk away from the fail. Hope you enjoy my thoughts and take something positive away from what I share. We would love to hear from you, so please message me - rebecca@leotard.com. Good luck to everyone competing this weekend! And don't forget to point your toes :)

Episode 16: What are the requirements to start from a 10.0 May 04, 2018

Show notes

Happy Friday! In this episode, I explain how to get a level 9 or 10 routine to start from a 10.0. I felt inspired by Easterns and Westerns taking place this weekend and JO Nationals next weekend. I thought it might be helpful to the audience to better understand the requirements and nuances that go into designing a 10.0 start value routine. There are three main buckets to consider, special requirements, value parts and bonus. I hope my explanation and examples provide a bit of clarity as you cheer on your friends and family. If you have any questions, please email me, rebecca@leotard.com. Good luck to everyone competing! We hope you have a wonderful, safe and fun meet. Don't forget to point your toes

Episode 15: Interview with Emily Chan Apr 27, 2018

Show notes

This week I spoke with Emily Chan from Singapore, the youngest FIG women's artistic gymnastics judge in the world! Emily runs a YouTube channel and Instagram account called Flip Fly Tumble (@flipflytumble) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_1JiHs3Bw0GVfLqLFH7OPw where she creates video edits judging elite gymnastics routines, providing some much needed insight into how they come up with the difficulty and execution scores. Emily also creates floor music edits. In addition to her YouTube Channel, Emily has a website where she uses her graphic art talents to create some signature gymnastics t-shirts. https://www.teepublic.com/stores/flipflytumble It was great chatting with Emily and learning a little bit more about her and her love of gymnastics. Hope you enjoy the episode!

Episode 14: Interview with UC Davis Alumni Apr 20, 2018

Show notes

This is a very special episode. It's the first time I interviewed a group of people. In addition, these were three of my teammates at UC Davis. Meghan was two years ahead of me and Flora and Lynn was a year younger. We discuss our growth in the sport throughout our time in college, the camaraderie of our team and how we never fully got closer even after we graduated. We also discuss some of our most memorable moments and leotards. It was so fun talking to these ladies and learning more about how gymnastics has impacted and influenced their lives. I hope you enjoy it!

Episode 13: Interview with Taylor Goron Apr 13, 2018

Show notes

This week I wanted to bring you something a little different. I got the chance to interview my friend, Taylor Gordon. Taylor is a professional dancer. She started dancing from the time she could walk, leaving home at the age of 15 to train at the Rock School in Philadelphia. Taylor moved to NYC where she continued to perfect her craft and grow as a performer. Taylor has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, off-Broadway, on tour, and on television. To learn more about Taylor and watch some clips of her performing, check out her website, www.taylorgordononline.com. Good luck to everyone competing this weekend! Keep training hard and don't forget to point your toes!

Episode 12: Some Thoughts on Execution Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

Ever wonder why your routine scored an 8.1 and your teammate got an 8.8? Maybe it's the execution...I have been a judge for 22 years. I provide some insight into what judges are looking for on all four events. I also provide some anecdotes from my experience as a gymnast. Let us know what you think? We hope to hear from you. If you want to share your Best Things in the Gym, please email me, rebecca@leotard.com or send me a DM on Instagram, @rebeccasmomleo Hope everyone competing this weekend has a great meet. Can't wait to see all the NCAA regional competitions (Go Bruins). Keep training hard, stay positive and don't forget to point your toes.

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