Tag: Gymnastics grip

Over a decade ago, it was revealed that U.S. Olympians were carrying bears filled with honey to the London Olympics. The immediate assumption was for a quick energy boost, but the truth is often much stickier. While honey can provide athletic fuel, gymnasts primarily use honey as a gripping agent to improve their hold on apparatus like the parallel and horizontal bars, mixing it with chalk for extra traction.

Did you know that some gymnasts apply honey to their hands before a routine, while others consume it for energy? The intriguing practice of **why are the gymnasts eating honey?** is tied to both fueling intense physical demands and a traditional technique for enhancing grip on the apparatus.