Behind the Scenes: Designing Gymnastics Leotards for Competitive Excellence
Gymnastics is unique in the world of sports for a plethora of reasons. It combines a number of athletic disciplines in one activity, you can participate no matter the weather or season, and the attire worn during competition can affect your overall performance. Your competition leotard can help you leave a lasting impression on the judges, and the more comfortably it fits you, the more your confidence will shine through on the beam. Sometimes, it can be hard to find that just right leotard, though. Thankfully, there are services that allow you to customize a leotard to your needs.
Keep reading to learn what key design details make a leotard competition-ready.
The First Steps Before Buying a New Leotard
When shopping for new gymnastics leotards, there are a few considerations to think about before checking out. Buying a competition leotard just for yourself is easy enough, but if you’re shopping for a team, you’ll need to take the time to discuss with everyone what’s most important to them about the look and feel. You may need to sacrifice some details you love to make sure everyone feels comfortable in their leotard. A well-designed leotard can unify a team and encourage bonding.
Additionally, shopping for a competition leotard involves some more forethought than practice and training leotards. Does your floor exercise have a theme that a well-designed leotard would emphasize? This can help your performance leave a lasting impression on the judges, making you more memorable. Thinking ahead to the purpose of the leotard will help you find the perfect style.
Designing a Custom Leotard
The best leotards for gymnastics are those that are long-lasting, comfortable, made of high-quality materials, and customized to your exact needs and wants. If you have the budget to spend on a tailor-made leotard, it’s well worth the additional cost. However, it’s helpful to experiment with different stock styles and designs to get a good idea of what you like. That way, you’re more likely to be satisfied with the choices you make for your custom leotard.
Size
Size is the most important consideration for a new gymnastics leotard. You’ll never want to wear it if it doesn’t fit just right. There are a few ways to determine your size. The easiest method is to try on a few different leotards, whether you try on some stock leos at a local store or ask to try on some of your teammates’ leotards. You can also go for a fitting; local shops should offer these, or there are often brands at competitions that offer this service. If you can’t get in for a professional fitting or don’t have access to other leotards from the brand you’re shopping at, take your own measurements and compare them to the brand’s size chart.
Remember: the torso measurement is the most important consideration for leotard size. When in doubt, size up instead of down!
Fabrics
After the size of the leotard, it’s important to choose the best fabric for you. You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of color, comfort, stretch, and durability. For example, glitter fabrics look the best at competitions but, depending on where you buy them from, could not be very durable. Materials like velour and lycra stand out less but feel better on your skin and last longer. Also, some colors are only available in certain fabrics, so if you have your heart set on a particular color, that may decide the fabric for you.
Sleeve Length
Long or three-quarter sleeves are more commonly chosen for competitions, but there are positives and negatives to all sleeve options. Long sleeves are warmer, protect your underarms, and leave more room for designs to stand out. However, you’re less likely to overheat with short sleeves, there’s no risk of issues with leather straps or loops, and you don’t have to deal with annoyingly tight fabric under your arms.
Design
Lastly, consider the design of the leotard. If you don’t know where to start, check out some of the popular styles from recent championships for inspiration. There are so many choices to make, from clean lines to curls, symmetrical vs. asymmetrical, and elaborate or simple. You can pick styles that are trending right now, like mesh cutouts, or opt for more evergreen design choices. With the right brand, the limits are only your imagination!
Show Off Your Personality
Gymnastics leotards have evolved over the years, but at the end of the day, comfort and fit are still the most important factors. If you take proper care of your leotard, it will last you years, so take your time during the design process. A tailor-made leotard is a unique opportunity to share more of yourself with the judges. Customizing a gymnastics leotard is fun and exciting. We can’t wait to see you shine at competitions!
