Battling Injury - Cara Kennedy

Cara Kennedy

Scottish International Gymnast

Cara trains with City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club and was part of Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014. She's currently competing as part of Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Australia. Here she gives us a quick snapshot of her love for gymnastics. 

 I had so much energy as a child and my parents thought gymnastics would be a good way for me to burn it off. I started at a recreational class when I was 4. After being there for two years they recommended I trial at my current club, the City of Glasgow GC, and I've been there ever since.

I love that there's nothing quite like gymnastics. I love the feeling of being able to fly and the reward of doing something for the first time or achieving something that's taken a lot of training.

The adrenaline of a competition gets me through the pain of injury. Usually when it comes to the competition routine your pain is numbed for the 1min 30secs because you are focusing so much on the routine. Although I have never competed through pain that hasn't gone through a physio's advice first.

Injuries are the worst thing an athlete can face but you are stronger than you think and you will get back to full fitness before you know it. Also talk to the people around you, tell them what's going through your mind, get any doubts you have off your chest and you'll immediately feel better.

Gymnastics is a completely unique sport that very few people in the world can do to an elite level so when you feel like you're stuck and not getting anywhere remember it's a marathon not a sprint.

Being a gymnast is far from normal but I think of myself as a teenager first and have a great network of family and friends who I spend all my free time with.

 @carakennedyx