Yoga Helps McLean Live in the Moment
2/3/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 3, 2017
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's gymnast Emma McLean is having a great sophomore season and feels like yoga classes have helped her live in the moment in 2017.
After her freshman season ended, McLean decided to focus on her academics, traveling back and forth from her hometown of Clarkston, Michigan, to take calculus in the spring (May-June) semester.
In the meantime, she was healing from the season and only training bars. In an effort to keep up her fitness she started going to yoga classes with her sister. She enjoyed it so much that she started going to hot yoga classes in Ann Arbor this fall.
"I love it," said McLean. "I started doing it for the fitness aspect, but it also helps train your brain to live in the moment, and be present and mindful. I applied that mindset to my gymnastics in the fall and it has helped me a lot."
As a freshman, McLean competed on vault and floor for the Wolverines. She twice scored a 9.850 on vault and had a season-best 9.875 on floor at Nebraska. Even as a contributor on two events, McLean felt she was capable of more.
"Being a freshman last year, everything was new to me and looking back I was overwhelmed with everything that was new," said McLean.
With a year under her belt, McLean became much more comfortable. After her spring semester ended, she switched her focus to gymnastics and started to improve. She starting working on upgrading her vault to a Yurchenko 1 1/2, changed her bars routine and also worked on new floor passes.
"Going into the fall I had confidence in myself," said McLean. "I haven't competed my new vault but working on it really helped me improve my vault. The new bars routine flows better than my old one and works better with my brain."
McLean earned high praise from head coach Bev Plocki for her work during the fall and was also named to the Big Ten Gymnast to Watch list prior to the season.
"She has really improved her confidence and consistency," said Plocki. "She is more aggressive in her training. I think that comes with being more comfortable in the program and with the coaches. I think she still has more upside and potential."
McLean has lived in the moment thus far in 2017. She scored a career high on vault last weekend against Nebraska with a 9.900. She has hit 9.900 on floor in back-to-back weeks now. She has also competed bars for the first time in college, scoring a 9.850 vs. Illinois.
Even with the success through four meets in 2017, McLean still feels like she has more in her.
"I've got to bump up those 9.900s," she said jokingly. "I would like to compete my new vault and see what that can score. I also want to keep growing my confidence and know that I can hit every time I compete."
The future is bright for McLean both in gymnastics and life after Michigan. Although she came to U-M wanted to go to med school, her yoga experience has her thinking about becoming a personal trainer.
"Moving forward I can see myself having my own fitness and wellness center," said McLean. "It would have yoga and fitness classes but also incorporate nutrition and life lessons."
McLean hopes to help others live in the moment as well.
