Hey, Did you know that Shawn Johnson only has practice 25 hours a week? They said it in an article posted on Gym Chat News called "Big Expenses for Small Athletes" - the direct link is http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/651554/big_expenses_for_small_athletes/index.html?source=r_health . Lots of elite are said to workout out like twice a day, 6 days a week, coming to ~40 hours a week - like a full-time job. Amy Chow though, during her comeback at the 2000 Olympic Games did say that she didn't need to practice that much - it was even less than Shawn Johnson - Amy Chow did something like a couple hours a day and maybe not even all the time, something like that, and she just got back to the Olympics scene. They were talking about it during the commentary of the 2000 Olympics.

Well, efficiency can count a lot! lol :D Some gyms do waste some time with those games u know.

Those atheletes didnt got medals at the 2000 olympics.

thats crazy! shawn is very skilled, imagine if she did practice more!

That may be a little training,buy i cant deny that for a little time,she is amazing on the uneven bars,her dismount is awesome,she does like a double/double layout...and on the balance beam,its just more that extraordinary! Im glad that her parents support her in everything!

It's not just how many hours you practice, but also the quality. Someone mentioned that Shawn gets more turns and equipment is more available to her in a period of time than the other girls because she is apparently Chow's (her coach's) only elite girl - more at: http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=437

[quote=danielfillmore]thats crazy! shawn is very skilled, imagine if she did practice more![/quote] You have to be careful about the poundings in gymnastics, over-stressing your body, and also your mind too, and burning out - it's good to do other things too and not always just focus on one thing and feel like you're missing out on other things that you would like to do. With careful planning and smart training and the good eficient training like Shawn is able to get with coach attention and good appratus availability to her you can do it - she even goes to public school. [quote]Johnson said she has focused hard on gymnastics this summer, although she has taken time to go swimming and to the movies with friends. She trains about 24 hours a week at Chow's Gymnastics in West Des Moines - and would do more if he would let her. "She is a kid who loves gymnastics," he said. "She wouldn't mind doing it 24 hours a day. But at this stage, it's not recreational. It's a job. It requires a higher level of commitment. "She not only dreams things in her head, she's smart enough to pursue it."[/quote] from the topic "US picks 2007 Pan Am Team": http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?t=942 (scroll down the page)