Meet Taylor McClendon | Private Gymnastics Coach & Clinician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor McClendon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, how do you think about risk?

I think the concept of risk ‘taking’ and ‘living life’ fall hand-in-hand. In more ways than one, the definition of what it means to ‘take risks’ can inevitably define what you do and make of the life you live. From my personal experience, risk taking came with varying degrees of financial vulnerability, societal pressures, emotional angst and the list went on and on. I left college with a Technical degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Iowa in 2012. Upon moving to Atlanta, I began working as a licensed engineer for a Residential/Commercial design Firm full-time while coaching gymnastics at a local gymnastics gym part-time for fun. Deep down, there was always a part of me that knew that KNEW gymnastics was my true passion but engineering was a ‘real job’., so I was told and believed.

Over the years, grappling with this inner-struggle stirred a multitude of emotions begging the answer to the question, “Is the money I make worth sacrificing the joy I’m being denied?” In digging my way through, I began to toy the idea of taking a risk with my quality of life. In the Summer of 2019, I made the abrupt and final decision to leave my corporate job and pursue coaching as a full-time career. Two years later, I have had the privilege of working both in-person and virtually with hundreds of athletes across 20+ states and 15 countries world-wide in my private lessons, clinics & camps. To sum it up, ‘My Misery birthed my Ministry’…allowing me to walk in my truth and live in my light. However had I never taken that leap of faith and risked virtually everything, I would have never found myself in the position I am in today.

My advice: take the risk and do what you love, because you’ll always end up loving what you do.

What should our readers know about your business?

Gymgineering LLC strives to teach athletes, coaches & even parents just that – to both physically and internally visualize the complexities of Gymnastics through the lens of an engineer’s approach. Gymnastics involves some of the most intricate of skills & concepts. In training my athletes both in-person & virtually, I train them to understand and focus on the ‘cause and effect’ relationships of the sport, i.e. what forces you put INTO the skill is the result you get OUT of the skill.

Born out of the solitary confinement of Quarantine, my social media platforms began to receive requests in March 2020 from parents and coaches alike for offers of any virtual workouts & clinics, something that was unheard of in the gymnastics world. Eight weeks later, I had roughly 20-30 kids in 3 to 4 classes per day from all over the country spanning all US Time Zones & five continents, sometimes simultaneously. While coordination and planning were exhausting at times, it paled in comparison to the pure joy and positivity that was fostered out of one of the darkest times in modern world history. To this day, I continue to work virtually with a number of my online students and have had the opportunity of meeting many in-person for private workouts.

Gymgineering LLC isn’t just about teaching athletes how to DO gymnastics, but training them to THINK and be more self-sufficient in their workouts. It is the goal through my work to get athletes to think like a Coach – to be able to [over-time] become proficient at self-diagnosing the causes & effects of each turn they take. In doing so, the intended result is that they become not only physically stronger, but a smarter and more independent athlete.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I am a born & raised Georgian AND Atlantan and have seen just about every single corner of this fantastic city that I call home! The weeks events would look a little like this:

Breakfast at great spots like West Egg Cafe in West Midtown, Egg Harbor in Buckhead or Brunch at Folk Art in the Highlands. Outdoor Activities like hiking/biking the East/West Palisades Trails, people-watching at Piedmont Park or the new West Side Park or one of my all-time favorites, walking up & down the Beltline! Lunch spots that are supreme go-to’s for me are Tuk-Tuk in Buckhead, Sushi One in Lindbergh, Guac Y Margys on the Beltline or Las Delicias de mi Abuela on Buford Hwy. At least one day we would have to go to the College Football Hall of Fame, the unreal GA Aquarium, the Civil Rights Museum, Stone Mountain Park or Top Golf. I have a dog, so to give our legs and bodies some rest, taking her to the Brookhaven Dog Park or Fetch Dog park to burn some energy while we sit and have some drinks. For Dinner, Two Urban Licks on the Beltline as well as Nina & Rafi or Legend Seafood Downtown for amazing seafood. And of course we gotta turn up, so going down to Edgewood for their amazing bar hopping and selection of music & people-watching.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I have to start this out by giving a HUGE thanks & love to my Mom, Theresa Bailey. She has always been a leader and representative of ‘doing what you love’ and has always been my biggest cheerleader. She made the ULTIMATE sacrifices for me growing up to even do gymnastics and I am forever grateful for them. In making that hard decision to leave Engineering in the summer of 2019, she was right there by my side encouraging me, advising me and pushing me to attack it with 110% confidence and certainty. Love you Mom!

Secondly, I’d like to thank my Dad, Perry B. McClendon Sr. While he was a bit worried about the career transition, from the beginning he had confidence in my work ethic and determination. I will never forget something he told me when I first began this new venture, “…well, it won’t be easy and you’ll have to work very hard…but ever since you’ve been a little boy you have always been the same hard-worker and never given me or you Mom any room to doubt you, so if someone can do it, it’s you”. Love you Dad!

Thirdly, my Aunt (Second Mom), Renita Santos. My Civil Engineering Mentor from the very beginning and best friend to my Mother, she has been the most solid of rocks in guiding me, being there for me and assisting me with anything and everything I needed, both in engineering and now as a Coach. Thank you Auntie for the support, sacrifices and giving me that analytical foundation from engineering that I so heavily depend on for my coaching. Love you Auntie!

Website: www.thegymgineer.com

Instagram: @the_gymgineer

Facebook: Coach Taylor (@thegymgineer)