Bela Karolyi Quotes

Gymnastics is so complex.

I have always been a huge fan of gymnastics.

I didn't know I wanted to be a gymnast; I was just introduced to the gym. I loved the place because it looked like a hi-tech playground with mats and a lot of things I can hang from.

For a gymnast to be successful, she needs to strike a balance of everything within herself. She needs to be graceful, flexible, perform all elements, turns, maintain co-ordination - she has to have all of that. If, for example, she only has co-ordination and nothing else, she will not succeed.

The thing with gymnastics is people don't always know the events. So they'll ask me about the rings, and I'll have to say, 'Women don't do that.' Or they'll use the wrong words, like horse instead of vault. They get confused.

Gymnastics is the type of sport where you can't take something that gives you more energy. Something may be great for the vault, but then you have the bars after it and you have to be more sedate for that.

Gymnastics is my favorite Olympic sport, hands-down.

I've never been a hero at gymnastics.

I'd say I'm quite powerful so I'm not afraid of jumps or acrobatic elements. The hardest part is... get on the beam and stay there on top of it!

Gymnasts are short, stocky, muscular powerhouses.

As an Olympic champion gymnast, I have always stayed involved in my sport.

I was a gymnast when I was little, like 8, 9, 10.

The main thing about Bruce Lee is that, he was a little guy. And you know, his quickness, his aggressiveness, his explosive power, you have to be a great athlete to have all these, his body, his look, you know, all these things have to do with discipline and structure. He was able to go against the biggest guy, regardless of who he was.

I was a gymnast for years.

Floor exercise, the longest you run is two or three steps. In the vault, it's not a whole lot more than that.

In the game of football, you need to be strong, and at my position, you need to be able to put up a good fight. So I work on my upper body and lower body strength because your body's got to be able to last.

I like seeing advanced acrobatics, but I also like to see more than tumbling. It's important to combine the artistry of gymnastics with the tough skills. It's called artistic gymnastics. We should stand by the name.

Gymnastics was my way to travelling the world.

I've always had an undeniable love for gymnastics.

My first experience with gymnastics was when I was in daycare. We took a field trip to a gym, and I was hooked.

It's not like my body has changed since I've played in high school, beyond being more mature. It's not like my power has changed, either.

My mom was a high school gymnast.

A lot of people know me for my speed and my flexibility. I like to jump, but I'm not really the best jumper. I'm more of a spinner.

I was a gymnast as a little girl.

The hardest for me is rings because it is a lot more strength-oriented, while all the other events are about fluidity and flexibility. It's the one event that doesn't coincide with the fluidity, which is my strength.