The first rule of gymnastics is to not look out of place when you walk into the meet, I told myself as I looked out of place walking into the meet.

Sure, I watch the summer Olympics from time to time, and I’m known to even keep it on TV when the remote is far away and it comes on ESPN after a baseball game. But it’s hard to get me into a gym with normal exercise equipment, much less ones that look like torture devices from the “Saw” movies to a flabby frame like mine.

I ventured inside GymSouth on Wisconsin Avenue with a hesitance reserved for walking into church as a kid when I knew I did something bad the night before.

But this particular assignment was a weekend inside the cavernous walls of GymSouth for a meet called the Mardi Gras Classic, so the guy who only runs when he has to pee really badly spent a weekend inside a gym.

Walking inside was like entering a Lady Gaga video. Girls ran around in glitter and sequins and bright colors while music blasted from the speakers. Green, purple and gold draped from curtains around the floor while packed stands of parents watched the scene unfold.

I hung around in the back for a while before realizing that was probably not a good idea, so I made my way to the front as the competition began.

Wow.

I’ve always respected gymnasts for what they’re able to do. Anyone who’s ever tried a pull-up can attest that it’s harder than most pre-algebra problems.

These girls hopped up on the bar like it was the easiest thing they’ve ever done.

They were flipping and doing handstands and generally making me feel worthless the entire time I was there. The athleticism I saw from even the novice participants was astounding. Some of these girls were not even in the fifth grade and they were flipping on the vault or balancing on a beam that would have turned me into a human pretzel.

When it was all over on Sunday, and medals were being handed out to the winners, I couldn’t help but clap internally with every parent, relative and friend there.

These girls deserved 10 medals just for being able to go out there and do what they do.

I’d like to see somebody like Kobe Bryant or Peyton Manning put on a leotard and try it.

Then again, no I wouldn’t.

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Cory Gunkel is a reporter. He can be reached at 601-636-4545, Ext. 178 or by email at cory.gunkel@vicksburgpost.com