My favorite thing about Georges St. Pierre's UFC 129 title defense against Jake Shields wasn't the fight inside the Octagon. It was the videos of GSP incorporating gymnastics into his training regimen. As the video above shows, gymnastics will remain a vital part of GSP's preparations for Nick Diaz at UFC 137. (As an aside, the video is hosted by Summer Sanders, 1992 Summer Olympics gold medalist, though I'll always remember her for her time as a Nickelodeon personality.)
Transcription of Georges's comments:
"The gymnasts are the best athletes in the world, so when you do gymnastics, it makes you more athletic. And you're able to repeat every movement of every sport.
"I'm glad I've started gymnastics. I discovered it at the age of 29 years old. My only regret is I wish I [started it] earlier.
"I don't know what people think about gymnastics. Some people, you know, make fun of it, but, really, when you do gymnastics you find out it's so hard. This is the hardest sport I've done in my life.
"Gymnastics is going to make my career more long because it's a good [on the] therapeutic point of view. It stretches my body. It gives me more range of motion, better coordination, and better athleticism."
Note: I'm unsure of the phrase "therapeutic point of view." Georges has that heavy accent, after all."I'm glad I've started gymnastics. I discovered it at the age of 29 years old. My only regret is I wish I [started it] earlier.
"I don't know what people think about gymnastics. Some people, you know, make fun of it, but, really, when you do gymnastics you find out it's so hard. This is the hardest sport I've done in my life.
"Gymnastics is going to make my career more long because it's a good [on the] therapeutic point of view. It stretches my body. It gives me more range of motion, better coordination, and better athleticism."
