It’s undeniably spectacular that Olympic gymnasts compete with out a lot as shedding a false eyelash or misplacing a hair in a smooth bun—however have you ever ever questioned how they dash, leap, and flip whereas avoiding main wedgies? Because it seems, the semi-permanence of their signature leotards is not any accident. A really intentional, customized design ensures the material doesn’t slip or slide.
This comes down to 2 predominant components: the match and the fabric, in keeping with Jeanne Diaz, the Director of Design at GK Elite, the unique supplier of American gymnasts’ on-mat apparel for the Olympic Video games. “A correct-fitting leotard is the simplest solution to keep away from back-side discomfort whereas competing,” Diaz tells SELF. “GK has spent a long time creating and innovating proprietary designs, patterns, and specialty materials to make sure an ideal match and efficiency for our athletes.”
She provides that “GK makes use of all kinds of materials throughout all of the Olympic designs,” however usually depends on nylon or polyester-spandex as a base. Choose leos may additionally be dressed up with mesh, jacquard mesh (which has a specialised, round weave identified for its breathability), and/or stretch satin. “Among the materials have a metallic foil on prime of the nylon/spandex base,” Diaz says, which provides off that traditional shine.
And people dazzling outfits aren’t created in a single day—the design course of truly begins about two years forward of the Olympics. Every leotard is tailor-made to a gymnast’s particular measurements, and to accommodate potential physique adjustments, GK Elite “measures and suits all nationwide staff athletes yearly,” adopted by any crucial alterations, Diaz says.
After the design is about, the leos are lower and assembled at Elite Sportswear headquarters in Studying, Pennsylvania. (And the Video games don’t mark the gamers’ first try-on. Trial wears and testing are a vital step in getting the clothes excellent.) When the Olympics lastly come round, Diaz says that GK Elite additionally sends Crew USA a couple of spare leos, “simply in case.”
Physique adhesives (affectionately known as “butt glue” by gymnasts) and particular underwear are additionally choices for anti-wedgie reinforcement, however are “not an alternative choice to a well-fitted leotard,” Diaz says. A whole lot of gymnasts aren’t about taking possibilities, although, as a result of choosing a wedgie isn’t simply uncomfortable—twiddling with the material mid-routine might doubtlessly harm their remaining rating. That’s why some athletes go the additional mile and actually adhere the fabric to their pores and skin.
“Lots of people use, like, sticky spray to your butt so your leotard doesn’t transfer,” gymnast Nastia Liukin, 2008 all-around Olympic gold medalist, instructed Folks in 2016. She was referring to a product like Tuf-Pores and skin, and known as it out for one more perk too: “We use it for our wrists earlier than we put tape on beneath our grips, as a result of we’re sweaty and it [gives] somewhat additional stick.”
All of this in all probability has you questioning what the designs appear to be for this yr’s Olympics. For the primary time, Crew USA’s leotards had been unveiled earlier than the Video games—and so they function hundreds of Swarovski crystals, in addition to pearls (“a tribute to the host metropolis of Paris”). GK provides replicas to match your favourite gymnasts, however they clearly don’t get the identical customized therapy because the official ’suits. So in the event you decide one up, simply beware that they would possibly not be as wedgie-proof.
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