Why Wear a Long Sleeve Leotard?

Posted on - 8th February 2022

When you watch any gymnastics competition, the second thing you’ll probably notice (after the high-quality routines) is that some gymnastics wear short sleeve leotards, while others wear long sleeve leotards. When you see this, you may ask yourself whether or not there is a rhyme or reason to this, or whether it’s just the gymnasts personal preference. 

In this article, we’ll be going through some of the reasons why some gymnasts wear long sleeve leotards. Our goal will be to give you an idea as to whether a long sleeve leotard is for you. 

The truth is that it’s mostly a combination of the two. While there are no solid, hard and fast rules that govern the kind of leotard design that a gymnast should wear, it is possible to use that design to make your routine a little easier and influence judge opinion during the competition. This is reason enough to consider wearing a long sleeve leotard. 

At the same time, long sleeve  leotards do have a distinctive look that many gymnasts look to replicate. As a result, if you’re looking towards professional gymnasts like Katelyn Ohashi and Gabby Douglas as role models and inspiration, you may want to consider a long sleeve leotard. 

Reason 1: Making Your Routine A Little Easier

The first reason why you may want to consider a long sleeve leotard is because it is possible to use a long sleeve routine to hide mistakes made during a routine. This is because, during certain  competitions, the judges may deduct points if the gymnast has bent their arm during a routine if the routine doesn’t warrant one. The long sleeves help you to hide any accidental arm bends, meaning that you don’t have to worry about your arm being bent during competitive events. 

Reason 2: Looking Like a Pro

The second reason why you may want to consider a long sleeve gymnastics leotard over a short sleeve one is because long sleeve leotards have long been associated with professional competition. 

For decades,  professional gymnasts have been using long sleeve leotards in competitions. Because of that, long sleeve leotards have become associated with professional competition. As a result, you may choose to wear a long sleeve leotard because you want your audiences to see you as a professional competitor. 

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