Frequently asked questions

Do you have a question for me? Maybe the question was asked before. You can find an overview of the frequently asked questions here.

Childhood/General

Gymnastics give you significant muscles. Because I started very young, I have had big muscles since that age. But, before I started with gymnastics my biggest bulge was my belly.

I am still studying and with the training and the sport obligations, my days are full.

Anyone who wants to be a top athlete has to give up many things. From a very young age, I trained every day. My friends went out to play, and I usually couldn’t, because I had to go to the gym. You really need to be motivated and give 100%.

The free time I have left after school and training, I usually spend giving interviews, meeting with my sponsors, or giving demonstrations. Despite my busy schedule, I will always make time to relax. Otherwise, I would burn out. My favourite pastime is sitting on the couch in front of the television.

Medals

I often won, even when I was young. The silver medal at the horizontal bar during the European Championships in Slovenia in 2004 was my international breakthrough.

  • Listening to and making music (trumpet and guitar)
  • Cooking
  • Sailing
  • Surfing
  • Skiing and skating

Diet

Yes, I would feel tired and sluggish.

Sports drinks, like an isotonic AA Drink, fruit and granola bars.

Yes, recovery drink from AA Drink and fruit.

After 2004 I started to become more conscious about my diet.

No saturated fat (biscuits and deep-fried food).

Varied food with sufficient carbohydrates and proteins, well before training and shortly after training. Five times a day.

Training

Yes, twice a week, with dumbbells and weights.

At the moment (2014) 25 hours per week.

A cooling down is necessary to eliminate waste products and to release the tension on the muscles.

Gymnastic exercises are often explosive, so you need to properly warm up, otherwise you risk injuries.

Yes, primarily free time, because you have a tight (training) schedule.

Standard is four times two daily periods, twice one daily period and one day off per week.

Shoulder and chest muscles.

Injuries

Training helps to recover from injury and the challenge remains!

Never.

Hardly ever, I try to prevent that from happening.

Usually limbs and shoulder.

You have to listen to your body and don’t force anything. Experience teaches you that.

Those are hard decisions. It is important to know whether an injection can lead to longer-term damage. A thing like this is always decided in consultation with the medical support team.

Stop immediately, recover first, do not force anything.

Only in consultation with the attending physician.

Competitions

Before a competition I am nervous, this evokes a healthy tension, because you need to be sharp. As soon as I get to the gymnasium, I am able to concentrate and focus on my exercise.

I focus on what I have to do and think about that.

Make sure you enjoy what you are doing.

Approximately ten.

Secret

A day of windsurfing with strong winds and bright sunshine.

There is no secret, really. Just be disciplined and live like a top athlete. What is really important, is that you have to train well and often. Only then you can become the best. It is true. The further you go, the better it becomes. But you have to have the ambition to become the best. You can only reach it by training every day. Otherwise, it will not happen. But trust me, if you get this far, you don’t want to go back.

Drugs

You should never use drugs, you will wear yourself out and cheat on other athletes.

In certain cases, such a medicine can be used with a medical certificate.

Sponsoring

A lot is arranged and paid for by the KNGU. You pay for extra food, travel expenses and sport necessities. If you are an A athlete, you receive a stipend to support yourself.