Nastia Liukin: A Fall, Not a Fail

Olympic champion Nastia Liukin joins the Lautners to discuss rebuilding yourself after success at a young age and the pressure that comes with competing at the highest level of a sport centered around perfection. Despite being gymnasts themselves, Nastia’s parents tried everything to keep her away from the sport, but her passion and talent were undeniable. Nastia talks about the effects of achieving her “life-long” dream at age 18 and the years trying to find her identity following her “retirement”. She speaks to her 2007 injury and the toll it took on her confidence, as well as falling on her face—a fall she calls the defining moment of her career, and a fall that earned her a standing ovation for the first time. Nastia also discusses her time on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, and talks about the Nastia Liukin Cup, an annual competition offering gymnasts an opportunity to be mentored and to feel proud of their accomplishments—a joy Nastia says shouldn’t be reserved for just the 5 girls on the Olympic team.  Be sure to follow Nastia @nastialiukin and check out nastialiukincup.com  Thanks to our awesome sponsor for making this episode possible:   Babbel — Go to babbel.com/thesqueeze to get up to 60% off your subscription  To email us your questions or share your story, you can reach out to [email protected].  Be sure to rate, review, and follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode! Plus, follow us on Instagram, @thesqueeze and personally @taylautner and @taylorlautner. To learn more from The Lemons Foundation, follow @lemonsbytay on Instagram and visit lemonsbytay.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.