The Game of Gymnastics

Episode Description

In this episode, Winston sits down with Luke Carson — former Irish international gymnast turned world-class coach — to talk about his incredible journey from self-coached athlete to Olympic coach of Rhys McClenaghan and founder of Origin Gymnastics.

Luke shares how a short training stint in England turned into a five-year obsession with elite gymnastics, leading him to transition into coaching after a string of injuries. He opens up about his decade-long plan to develop Rhys into a world and Olympic champion, how Tokyo’s heartbreak fuelled the founding of his own gym, and how he balances elite coaching, business, family and personal development.

This is one for the high-performance mindset fans, with deep dives into psychological preparation, live exhibition routines, long-term vision setting, and why volume beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

Key Takeaways


Building an Olympic Champion
Luke explains how he wrote a 10-year plan in 2014 to turn Rhys into an Olympic medallist by Paris 2024 — and how that plan came to life step by step.


Tokyo & Paris — Two Very Different Stories
He reflects on the heartbreak of the 2021 Olympic final, how it pushed him to open his own gym, and the emotional aftermath of winning gold in Paris.


Psychology and Pressure Simulation
From visualising Olympic finals to running live exhibition routines in front of 500 people, Luke shares how he prepares gymnasts mentally as well as physically.


Origin Gymnastics & Business Ambition
He talks about founding the largest gymnastics centre in Northern Ireland, balancing elite development with financial risk, and future expansion plans.


What Comes After Winning It All?
With every major title now ticked off — British, European, World, Olympic — Luke opens up about what motivates him and Rhys now, and what the next cycle might hold.

Best Moments

"There’s nothing that makes you feel more alive than walking into a stadium packed full of people — that’s living."

"I said it to his mum six months in, this boy can be world champion."

"On the flight home from Tokyo, I made the decision: I'm opening my own gym. I’m not going to feel this vulnerable again."

"Once a task has begun, never leave it until it’s done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all."

Luke’s Social Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/lukecarson89/https://www.origingymnastics.com/

My Social Links
⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wpowell05/⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@winstonpowell5

The Game of Gymnastics: Understanding The Game https://payhip.com/b/f6RjV

Host Bio
As a member of the Senior Great Britain Squad, Winston Powell brings firsthand experience to every episode. His impressive achievements include being the Under 18 English Champion in 2023 and reaching the finals in three events at the Junior World Championships the same year: the All-Around, Parallel Bars, and Horizontal Bar finals qualifying 7th for the All-Around. With five international appearances as a GB gymnast, he has gained invaluable insights into the sport's highest levels. His passion for gymnastics, combined with his deep understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by elite athletes, makes him the perfect guide to exploring the strategies and stories behind gymnastics success.

Podcast Description

In this solo episode, Winston breaks down the first three of the eight disciplines officially governed by World Gymnastics (formerly FIG):Gymnastics for All, Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG), and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG).

Whether you’re a gymnast, a coach, a parent, or a fan trying to make sense of all the apparatus, events, and scores — this is your ultimate beginner’s guide. Winston draws from personal experience and research to help you appreciate the scale and structure of the sport in a way that’s clear, engaging, and packed with insight.

What You'll Learn

Gymnastics For All (GfA)


The difference between Gymnaestrada and the World Gym for Life Challenge


Why this discipline has the highest participation in the world


How routines are judged


The role of creativity, inclusivity, and community in this discipline

Men's Artistic Gymnastics (MAG)


The six apparatus explained: Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars, and Horizontal Bar


The different types of finals: Team, All-Around, Apparatus


How difficulty, execution, and the stick bonus impact scores



Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)


The four apparatus: Vault, Uneven Bars, Beam, and Floor


What makes WAG floor and beam so unique in terms of performance and artistry


Key differences in vault scoring between men’s and women’s gymnastics

Best Moments

🗣️ “Gymnastics for All is probably the discipline with the most variety — and the biggest participation in the world.”
🗣️ “The point of gymnastics is to make the hardest things look easy.”
🗣️ “High bar is one of the hardest pieces to stick because you're going forwards into a backwards landing.”
🗣️ “The best of the best routines will always have the biggest releases.”

The Game of Gymnastics: Understanding the Gamehttps://payhip.com/b/f6RjV

Socials
Instagram – @wpowell05
TikTok – @winstonpowell5

If you found this episode helpful or learned something new, comment below with your favourite discipline or the one you're most curious about — and hit like, subscribe, or follow so you don’t miss Part 2!

🎙️ Next up: Rhythmic, Acro, Aerobic, Trampoline/Tumbling, and Parkour…

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, Winston sits down with Polly Maggs — a multiple-time British Champion, European and World Championships competitor, and the first Acro gymnast to appear on the podcast.

Polly shares her unique journey through Acrobatic Gymnastics, from teaching herself skills on the school field to competing for Great Britain on the world stage. As Winston’s girlfriend, this conversation is more relaxed than usual — but no less insightful. They explore everything from elite partnership dynamics to the emotional aftermath of retiring from elite sport.

Whether you know acro or not, you’ll leave this episode with a deeper appreciation for the artistry, trust, and risk involved — and a better understanding of why so many gymnasts struggle when it’s all over.

What Is Acro Really Like?
Polly explains the format, disciplines, and routines in Acrobatic Gymnastics, breaking it down for newcomers and clarifying common misconceptions (spoiler: it's not just "cheerleading" or "dance").

The Power of Partnership
She reflects on what makes a good acro partnership work — from aligned work ethics to emotional maturity — and shares the challenges of switching partners after six years.

Competing Through COVID
From training in a cold warehouse to performing without routines before a World Championship, Polly opens up about one of the most unconventional (and toughest) build-ups of her career.

Retirement & Identity Shift
Now retired from elite competition, Polly talks honestly about the transition out of gymnastics, the pressure to always be achieving, and learning to live without constant expectations.

Comparing Disciplines
Winston and Polly discuss the differences between Acro and Artistic — why Acro feels more like a performance, how it’s often misunderstood, and what it’s like catching someone from two stories up.

Best Moments

Polly:
🗣️ "It’s really weird. I struggled with coming out of training because you're used to doing gym six times a week for multiple hours on end — and then just going from that to nothing was a bit weird."

🗣️ "You’ve got to learn about yourself... view yourself as something other than just a gymnast."

🗣️"People always assume beam and bars. So you just tend to go, ‘Yeah... it’s just floor.’"

Winston:
🗣️"It's a shame that a lot of gymnastics disciplines are pretty underrepresented."

🗣️ "I used to just force myself to, like, don’t be nervous. If you just do it enough times, eventually you’ll get over it."

Polly's Social links

https://www.instagram.com/maggspolly/

Winston's Social Links

https://www.instagram.com/wpowell05/

The Game of Gymnastics: Understanding The Game

https://payhip.com/b/f6RjV

Host Bio

As a member of the Senior Great Britain Squad, Winston Powell brings firsthand experience to every episode. His impressive achievements include being the Under 18 English Champion in 2023 and reaching the finals in three events at the Junior World Championships the same year: the All-Around, Parallel Bars, and Horizontal Bar finals qualifying 7th for the All-Around. With five international appearances as a GB gymnast, he has gained invaluable insights into the sport's highest levels. His passion for gymnastics, combined with his deep understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by elite athletes, makes him the perfect guide to exploring the strategies and stories behind gymnastics success.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION
In this solo episode, Winston shares a personal and honest update on one of the biggest setbacks of his gymnastics career so far — a dislocated ankle that required surgery and a long road to recovery.

He walks through the days and weeks leading up to the operation, what actually happened during surgery, and how he’s approaching rehab both physically and mentally. From initial panic to long-term planning, this episode captures the emotional rollercoaster of injury — and what it really takes to keep moving forward.

Key Takeaways

Pre-Surgery Mindset
Winston opens up about the lead-up to the operation: the pain, frustration, and uncertainty, as well as the mental shift needed to accept what was coming.

What Surgery Was Like
He talks through the surgery process, how it felt to be off his feet, and the reality of being sidelined as a high-level athlete.

Rehab & Recovery Plan
Now in the early stages of recovery, Winston shares how he’s managing the physical and mental side of rehab — from staying motivated to setting realistic benchmarks.

What This Means Going Forward
With the season disrupted and goals temporarily paused, Winston talks honestly about how this injury has changed his perspective, and how he's reframing progress during this time.

Best Quotes
"An injury that I thought would take a week or two to heal… needed ankle surgery four months later."

"It's easy for me to get all caught up in it, but also at the same time, you don't know what you don't know."

"You have to remember to give yourself a bit of grace… especially when you're surrounded with people doing some amazing stuff."

My Social Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/wpowell05/https://www.tiktok.com/@winstonpowell5

The Game of Gymnastics: Understanding The Gamehttps://payhip.com/b/f6RjV

Host Bio

As a member of the Senior Great Britain Squad, Winston Powell brings firsthand experience to every episode. His impressive achievements include being the Under 18 English Champion in 2023 and reaching the finals in three events at the Junior World Championships the same year: the All-Around, Parallel Bars, and Horizontal Bar finals qualifying 7th for the All-Around. With five international appearances as a GB gymnast, he has gained invaluable insights into the sport's highest levels. His passion for gymnastics, combined with his deep understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by elite athletes, makes him the perfect guide to exploring the strategies and stories behind gymnastics success.

In this episode, Winston sits down with Dominic Cunningham, a World and European finalist, Commonwealth gold medallist, and former GB gymnast who now represents Ireland on the international stage.

Dom shares his incredible journey through elite gymnastics — from the early days of ADHD-fuelled energy, to medalling at major international competitions, narrowly missing a world medal by just 0.009, and ultimately making the bold decision to switch nationalities to keep his love for the sport alive. In his trademark honest and no-filter style, Dom opens up about injuries, comebacks, battling the system, and finding joy in gymnastics again — even as he returns to the all-around at 30 years old.

Key Takeaways

Mindset & Recovery

Dom reflects on how his mental strength carried him through a devastating knee injury in 2019, and how sheer determination helped him make two World finals later that same year.

Highs & Lows of Elite Sport

He talks openly about the emotional cost of elite competition — including missing out on medals by tiny margins, battling with selection systems, and struggling with S&C expectations that didn’t suit his style of training.

Switching to Ireland

After years with Team GB, Dom explains why switching to represent Ireland reignited his love for gymnastics, what it’s been like to compete with a new team, and how he hopes to help build a stronger Irish squad for the future.

Comeback at 30

Now back training all-around after specialising for years, Dom discusses the push for the LA 2028 Olympics, why he's still hungry to compete, and how he's adapting to the new Code of Points.

Life Beyond Competing
From his honest views on coaching and gym culture to his experiences working with younger gymnasts, Dom shares what motivates him now — and what satisfaction looks like after two decades in the sport.

Best Moments

Dominic Cunningham:"I've never been an amazing gymnast. I've just been a good gymnast who knew how to graft and enjoyed it along the way."

Winston:"Who’s more of a professional than you? You’re literally a professional gymnast."

Dominic Cunningham:"When you’re doing well, everyone wants to know you. But the minute you’re injured, you’re just alone in a room with your thoughts."

Dominic Cunningham:"I’d rather snap my leg in gymnastics than in a leg press. At least then I know it was worth it."

Dom's Social Links

https://www.instagram.com/domcunn/

My Social Links

⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wpowell05/⁠⁠⁠

https://www.tiktok.com/@winstonpowell5

The Game of Gymnastics: Understanding The Gamehttps://payhip.com/b/f6RjV

Host Bio

As a member of the Senior Great Britain Squad, Winston Powell brings firsthand experience to every episode. His impressive achievements include being the Under 18 English Champion in 2023 and reaching the finals in three events at the Junior World Championships the same year: the All-Around, Parallel Bars, and Horizontal Bar finals qualifying 7th for the All-Around. With five international appearances as a GB gymnast, he has gained invaluable insights into the sport's highest levels. His passion for gymnastics, combined with his deep understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by elite athletes, makes him the perfect guide to exploring the strategies and stories behind gymnastics success.