Nya Reed’s first workout as a member of UCLA’s gymnastics team almost became her last.
Back in the gym after taking a year off from competition following a career that brought her six All America honors at the University of Florida, Reed began to question what she had signed up for as a Bruin. The athletes were assigned to do a conditioning-focused drill that entails completing three sets of moves within seven minutes and 20 seconds. It came with intense peer pressure: If one athlete can’t complete the round, everyone has to continue.
It didn’t take long before Reed was gasping for air.