A New Routine
7/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
July 14, 2006
PITTSBURGH - In the United States, most young athletes have the opportunity to experience a wide variety of sports before exclusively pursuing and excelling at one. It was quite the opposite, though, for Pitt sophomore gymnast Anya Chayka. She has been exposed to an exceptionally different perspective on the training and dedication of young competitors. Both Chayka's disciplined upbringing as a Russian gymnast and her American training experiences have helped shape her into the collegiate competitor she is today.
"When I was in kindergarten, a gymnastics teacher came and looked for kids who had the potential to become gymnasts," Chayka said. "She then picked me out and talked to my parents about bringing me to the gym to see if I liked it."
Born and raised in Russia, Chayka began training as a gymnast in the first grade. It was mandatory for Chayka to move away from her home to begin her career as a gymnast. Training as a gymnast in Russia was more than just a sport for Chayka-it became her lifestyle.
"I had to live in the dorm when I started first grade until I came to the United States," she said. "Sometimes I came home on the weekends, but I didn't get to see my parents very much. [A typical day included] a little bit of school, more gymnastics and I never got a break."
Chayka is also aware of the differences between Russian training compared to what she's experienced here in the United States.
"Russian training is very strict, and we were expected to perform at a certain level," she said. "If the coaches were not satisfied with our performance, they would let us know about it. And even though we had set times for practices, you stayed in the gym until you were completely done with your training for the day."
Anya and her mother moved to the U.S. in 2000. Her father made it to the states a year and a half earlier for a job offer. When she arrived she began training with Hills Gymnastics, a program known for producing Olympic-caliber athletes.
Prior to the move Chayka took some English classes in Russia, but they didn't seem to help. She still couldn't understand what anyone was saying and it became very frustrating.
"I was really nervous, especially the first day I came to Hills," Chayka recalled. "The girls were trying to tell me about how to put on a leotard and everything was so new."
In the United States, gymnasts are trained in a more relaxed atmosphere. And even though Gymnasts are still required to practice for several hours at a time, training begins and finishes at a reasonable time each day. Additionally, most U.S. gymnasts don't re-locate or adjust their schooling until they are teenagers. Americans are typically known for strength and power compared to Eastern Europeans and Russians who put a great deal of emphasis on dance training.
Chayka's transition from Russian training to American training has significantly benefited her routines. Since then, Chayka has gained American training techniques that have contributed to her overall gymnastics ability. She recently capped off her rookie season with all-conference honors on the balance beam. Not only did she compete in every meet during her freshman campaign, but she was also one of two Pitt gymnasts to qualify for the balance beam event finals at the Missouri Cat Classic.
Chayka has switched her focus to the uneven bars and floor exercise for the upcoming season. "I did not compete bars this past season because I was struggling, so I'm trying to get my timing back," she said. "I'm working on new skills and just trying to get stronger so I have more endurance to actually compete in bars since it was my weakest event. I am also trying to upgrade my floor routine because it was not challenging enough for college level gymnastics."
So while participating in other sports was not exactly an option for Chayka, she seems quite content in her area of expertise. Chayka's many years of experience as a gymnast has given her the competitive advantage over most athletes her age.
As a young gymnast, Chayka's perseverance and Russian background helped her develop an elegant Russian flair, but six years ago she carried her love for gymnastics to the United States where she has perfected another style. U.S. gymnasts tend to focus their attention on strength and power training. Coming to the U.S. has helped Chayka improve and develop in this area of her training. Today, Chayka's American approach combined with her Russian style is the unique feature that sets her apart from the pack.