This year, Jordan Chiles is leaning into a new gymnastics goal: She’s challenging herself to walk out of each competition with as much joy as she felt walking in—and she’s well on her way to achieving it.
After May’s US Classic—the first of three competitions critical for Team USA’s Paris selection—Chiles analyzed the self-talk and the positive thoughts that propelled her to a third-place finish, behind Simone Biles and Shilese Jones. She ended the meet with a score of 55.450, nearly a full point better than her top mark in 2023, but she wasn’t focused only on those numbers.
Instead, she tapped into how she was feeling: The 2022 World team champion and Tokyo Olympian had fun going up against the top gymnasts in the world.
“I’m doing this for myself,” Chiles tells SELF. “I don’t need to prove to anybody but myself that I have this confidence, this encouragement from a lot of people to just push forward and be who I am.”
Three years ago, a breakthrough summer leading up to the 2021 US Olympic Trials catapulted Chiles onto the coveted five-person squad at the Tokyo Games, where she contributed to Team USA’s silver medal. After the global championship, she moved to the collegiate ranks with a scholarship to UCLA, where she earned NCAA titles in uneven bars and floor during her sophomore year. Chiles had a tough 2023 season that saw her miss out on a spot at the world championships, but she’s back in contention with a renewed perspective.
While the USA Gymnastics team won’t be solidified until the end of the US Olympic Team Trials that run from June 27–30, Chiles is making a strong case for a spot on her second team. Along with her bronze finish at the US Classic, she also placed fifth in the all-around and runner-up on the uneven bars at the US Gymnastics Championships—where she channeled Beyoncé in a stunning leotard covered in Swarovski crystals—in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 2.
“I want to look back on this journey and say this chapter ended with a very good ending and there was no cliffhanger where I’m going to regret or doubt anything,” Chiles says.
After morning practice at World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas, Chiles caught up with SELF to discuss the nighttime routine that helps her recharge to tackle her consistent 34 to 36 hours of training every week. Here’s how she winds down to wake up refreshed and ready to go.
Social time is key—even from far away.
I always make time for my friends. After I eat dinner, I like to sit in my room, fire up my phone, and connect with them for 20 or 30 minutes. I’ll call my best friend on FaceTime and we’ll talk things out, whether about something that went on in her day or something I’d like to say about mine.
I’ve learned to prioritize skincare, but I keep it quick.
When I was younger, I used to just get in bed and not do anything to take care of my skin. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I need to give more attention to my skin and overall peace of mind.
