Health, Fitness, Sports, and More

Karen Goeller, CSCS Pronation is the action of the foot as it roles inward upon foot contact with the ground. This action acts as a shock absorber for the foot and rest of the body. Over pronation occurs when a person's foot rolls inward and their arch flattens while performing weight bearing tasks. The foot may appear […]

I can’t believe the progress I had with one 14 year old gymnast yesterday. Gymnasts must be able to do complete splits, 180 degrees. That's a straight line from ankle to ankle. This is a split leap. It is better than the required 180 degrees a gymnast needs.  A gymnast came to me for help […]

Your Gymnast’s Life is In Her Hands. Your Gymnast Will Peel Off the Bar if She is Not Prepared. I think we will have more gymnasts peeling off the bars in the first month back than ever before. Why? Because many gymnasts have not done any strength for their grip-hands and forearms. They will likely […]

Gymnastics Coach Maggie Haney was suspended for 8 years. I had a handful of parents reach out to me after the news to say thanks for doing my part. I reported her to USA Gymnastics and SafeSport after I heard the sixth complaint in 2019. (USAG SafeSport Policy: Any adult under the jurisdiction of USA […]

I hope that you and your family are remaining healthy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if there is anything I can do for you. I'm still offering zoom calls at no charge for any athletes who have worked with me within the past year and at a very low cost for everyone […]

From a sports-science point of view, there are specific training points we must remember when we return to training. I recommend the following for our gymnasts. We should start slowly. We all want gymnasts to regain all they lost, but it will be a process. The same process as when a gymnast returns from an […]

What can a gymnast really do at home? Well, every coach will say conditioning and stretching. I agree. Maintaining strength and flexibility is very important. The skills will be there if the gymnast continues to perform general strength and sport-specific conditioning through this difficult time. Nearly all gymnasts remember most of the conditioning they do […]

Not everyone follows the keto diet. Someone asked what I eat for breakfast. I responded honestly, "oatmeal with blueberries, or honey & flax, or gogi berries, or banana…" Her response, "oats and honey are not good for keto." Ummm, not everyone follows that extreme and dangerous diet. I told her it is not a good […]

Missy's Voice is a children's book about a young singer who is tormented daily by bullies. The torment stems from jealousy. from kids at school. Missy reaches her breaking point, but eventually learns that everyone is likable and valuable. The bullies in this book learn that bad behavior is not rewarded. Author: Karen Goeller Illustrator: […]

Overuse Injuries on the Rise By Karen Goeller, CSCS I was watching Real Sports with Bryant Gumbell, https://youtu.be/AGxxBER5xJU  and was not surprised by what I heard from doctors, parents, and child-athletes. As a coach for over 40 years, I have seen many changes. The problem is fueled a few ways-Governing bodies, parents, coaches, and kids […]

Halloween. I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable day.  Please keep in mind that many gymnasts feel sick or extremely tired the following days. It can be that they eat much more candy and much less healthy food than usual. They could feel sluggish from the sugar overload, lack of nutrients such as B […]

Athlete ankle/foot pain? A whole team with Sever's? Something must change. My suggestion to the coaches with this issue… Don't make them tumble or land on hard surfaces for a month. I bet half the issues will resolve themselves. Athletes should dip their feet in a bucket of ice water for ten minutes then warm/hot […]

The Box Jump… Not for GymnasticsBy Karen Goeller, CSCS So as a gymnastics coach of 40 years and a CSCS, I’ve spent a lot of time studying injury prevention and sports science. I really specialize in conditioning gymnasts. It’s what I love to do. Anyway, there are a few conditioning exercises that the fitness industry […]

I am a Script Supervisor and Actor. I am not an acting coach, but I wish I had these tips when I first started as an actor. After watching many new actors this weekend I decided I should share. Here are a few tips… Do not look at the camera. It's hard to do in […]

Benefits of Home Gyms and Fitness Clubs… Karen Goeller, CSCS As a fitness trainer and coach for many years, I've used both. Each has benefits. The home gym is nice and private. You can workout in your pajamas, listen to your own music, and even do those crazy exercises you might not want to do […]

Ballet… I love ballet. It’s truly a beautiful art. I studied it for years as a child then again as an adult in the city. I even searched for adult ballet classes in NJ, but could not fund one. That’s how I ended up in ballroom dance. Anyway, my reason for mentioning ballet is because I […]

Bronchitis… Its day 4 and my lungs are tired. So you know what I did earlier today? I went to the farmers market and bought the ingredients to make soup. Yup, my soup usually opens my lungs up nicely. For some reason, I went through the winter without making a batch and now look what […]

Too Much Protein, Kids So I got a text yesterday from a parent, “should I start my daughter on protein shakes?” Take a guess what my two-word response was… “Absolutely NOT.” I did elaborate after that and I did send her links to articles on why you should not give kids too much protein. First […]

"How do you deal with all of the rejection?" Many people have asked me that question in the past 6+ years I've worked in the industry. Actors go to many auditions before the right role comes along. The casting directors are not necessarily harshly rejecting actors. They are just quietly choosing the right person for […]

It’s snowing out there… Are you in shoveling shape? No, really… Are you in shape for unexpected physical work? Many people are not. But when it comes time to shovel the snow, pick up the groceries, do the laundry, or pick up that little family member who wants to be held many people simply can’t […]

Bread… Yes, I DO Eat Bread! You CAN eat bread and remain healthy. That's as long as you are eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other REAL foods. Every cell in your body relies on glucose to function so you DO NEED CARBS for energy. My favorite bread is the Oat Nut, but […]

Salads… You Do Not Need Lettuce I have a thought for those of you who say you "hate salad." Did you know you can throw a few fruits and/or veggies of your choice and call it a salad? Start with a few green beans and grapes if that's all you enjoy from the produce dept. […]

No need to eat 100% healthy 100% of the time. Yes, you heard right. Karen Goeller, CSCS, the person who has been teaching people about health, fitness, and strength for over 30 years just said that! If you try to eat 80%-90% healthy, you'll likely be satisfied and remain close to your ideal weight. But […]

After seeing a photo of me holding my Lymphedema Book, someone asked me, "Is there a specific diet you follow for lymphedema?" My initial response was, "A healthy one!" Not being wise, seriously, a healthy variety of real foods. I try to eat many fruits and vegetables daily and I eat carbs and proteins. Yes, […]

Enjoy your New Year… Set goals, spend time with friends and family, and try to enjoy life in between your career efforts and hard work. I did it and you can too! The book mentioned is at www.LymphedemaBook.com.    

Forget New Year Resolutions… Make a new LIFE resolution. How are you going to change your life for the better forever? Setting and achieving smaller goals as you reach toward your ultimate goal will be more enjoyable and rewarding. Best of luck with your resolutions… K. Goeller Check out the  Fitness and Gymnastics Journals by Karen Goeller. […]