Sho Nakamori: 'My long term goal is the 2012 Olympics. That hasn't changed at all'

2007 U.S. World team member Sho Nakamori (center, standing), poses with members of the Japanese men's team during the afterparty at the 2009 Toyota Cup. Photo courtesy ShoNakamori.com.

Six months after tearing his ACL at July's Japan Cup, 2007 World team alternate Sho Nakamori is working his way back into competitive form.

After a stellar junior career that included a pair of J.O. National titles, Nakamori broke through in the senior division in 2007, placing third all-around at the U.S. Championships and being named alternate to the World team.

Though he finished ninth at the 2008 U.S. Championships, Nakamori did not accumulate enough points to compete at the Olympic Trials. Before tearing his ACL in 2009, he placed third at the Winter Cup in Las Vegas and helped Stanford win its first NCAA team title in 14 years.

Nakamori, 24, capped off his double major in International Relations and Japanese Studies at Stanford by spending the past three months in Japan, where studied and trained at Tokyo's Juntendo University, the same school where 2004 Olympic team gold medalists Hiroyuki Tomita and Takehiro Kashima trained and now coach. He keeps a regularly updated blog on his website, ShoNakamori.com, chronicling the journey toward his ultimate goal: a place on the 2012 Olympic team.

Nakamori returned to the U.S. this week and plans to begin training in California under new coach Zhang Jinjing, a member of China's men's team at the 1996 Olympic Games. In this interview with Examiner.com, he talked frankly about the opportunities presented by his ACL injury, what he learned from the Japanese men's team and the difficulties of being an elite gymnast searching for sponsorship.

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Examiner.com: First, the obvious: How's your ACL rehab going? Can you give us an update?

S.N.: It's coming along. I just hit the six month mark since getting it repaired. I'm doing more gymnastics related things in the gym like pommel horse, rings, pbars, high bar. Tumbling and vaulting will come soon!

Examiner.com: What's been the most difficult thing about having this injury? Have you had an injury as serious before?

S.N.: I've had several serious injuries like breaking my femur and tearing my bicep tendon in my left shoulder. That said, I think I've been able to cope with this injury fairly well. It has been frustrating to sit out for all this time though but I've been trying to make the best out of this situation.

Examiner.com: What was your initial reaction to tearing your ACL? You said afterward in your blog that it was an "opportunity in disguise." After months of rehab, do you still feel that way? Do you feel that you've improved anywhere?

S.N.: It was disappointing. 2009 was a great year, especially after winning NCAAs as a team (our first time in 14 years), however, I realized that every athlete goes through some type of obstacle. I decided to use this recovery time to train my upper body and also to train my mind. Plus being out in Japan and observing the training of the Japanese guys over the last three months has helped me learn a lot.

Sho Nakamori, 2009 Winter Cup Finals, High Bar:

Examiner.com: Why did you choose to study abroad in Japan?

S.N.: I chose Japan for several reasons. First of all, my family is from Japan so I've been there a lot. Second of all, they are good at gymnastics and I've always had a lot of connection with the Japanese gymnasts and coaches. Put these two together and it's a no-brainer!

Examiner.com: In Japan, did you train with a Japanese team? If so, what did you learn from them? Is their training style different from that of the U.S.?

S.N.: I trained at a university. Their style is very different. It seems like we do more numbers in the U.S. However, the Japanese guys take a lot of time to think and make every turn count. They also seem to coach each other rather than the coaches telling them 1-10. I think it's a good system because it make them think more, and also helps them develop a technique that best works for each person. Plus this system makes them more accountable.

Examiner.com: From your blog it seems like you've been able to do a lot of cool things while in Japan. What will you remember most about your time there?

S.N.: My time in the gym. My teammates there were absolutely amazing. All very friendly and respectful. I'll also remember hanging out with them outside of the gym.

Examiner.com: What does the Japanese men's team do for fun outside the gym?

S.N.: Nothing too crazy. Just going out to eat, talking, shopping every once in a while.

Examiner.com: Can you describe a typical "day in the life" of Sho Nakamori in Japan?

S.N.: Same as it was in the states but with a little extra effort with transportation. First, I'd wake up, eat breakfast, and get ready for the day. Then I'd take the bus to the train station, take the train, and take another bus ride from the station to the university. At the university, I took classes during the day and trained in the afternoon. After all that, I'd come home, prepare dinner, eat, take a bath, then sleep!

Sho Nakamori, 2009 Stanford vs. Japanese Collegiate All-Stars, Floor Exercise:

Examiner.com: What are your goals in gymnastics right now?

S.N.: Right now I'm taking it day by day. I'm trying to get all of my skills back prior to being hurt. From then we will decide when I will compete next. My long term goal is the 2012 Olympics. That hasn't changed at all.

Examiner.com: What are you able to do in the gym as of now?

S.N.: I'm able to do pretty much everything except tumble, vault, and dismounts. My training sessions nowadays involve doing a lot of basics and conditioning to get my body back to doing real gymnastics again.

Examiner.com: Do you have close friendships with members of the Japanese team?

S.N.: Many. I know everyone on the national team but I'm especially close to [2008 Olympic team member] Koki Sakamoto.

Examiner.com: When do you think we'll next see you in competition?

S.N.: I don't want to say exactly when but we're hoping real soon!

Examiner.com: At the 2009 U.S. Championships, your former Stanford teammate David Sender wore "ShoNakamori.com" prominently displayed on his uniform. Can you tell us what that was about?

S.N.: ShoNakamori.com is blog about my life and my journey to 2012. After committing to training until 2012, I wanted to do something that I felt was interesting outside of the gym. I really wanted people to know about the daily life of a gymnast (athlete) trying to make it to the Olympics.

Examiner.com: On your site, you list a number of sponsors. Is it difficult for an elite men's gymnast to make ends meet if he's not on the National Team?

S.N.: It's tough for an elite gymnast to make ends meet. There is some funding if an athlete is on the national team. And even though I work part-time on top of that, it's definitely not enough to live comfortably and train. Therefore, I decided to actively try and find a sponsor to help me fund my road to my dream.

Examiner.com: What is your part-time job?

S.N.: I'm a private subject tutor. I mainly teach Japanese to Americans or English to Japanese people. I've been doing this for the last five years or so.

Examiner.com: What are your career goals after gymnastics?

S.N.: I'd like to get involved in something related to business with Japan. My degrees from Stanford are International Relations and Japanese Studies, plus I speak Japanese fluently. Therefore, if I could do something that links the United States and Japan, that'll be awesome.

Examiner.com: How does it feel to know you're done with college?

S.N.: Great! Stanford was tough. Juggling schoolwork and gym was not easy but I'm glad to be done!

Examiner.com: Who are the gymnasts or other athletes whom you admire/look up to?

S.N.: I look up to Hiroyuki Tomita a lot. His motto of always striving to do "beautiful gymnastics" is something that I've always admired. I think this is important, especially nowadays when the rules changed dramatically, and has started to emphasize difficulty more than anything. At the end of the day, this sport is still called "Artistic Gymnastics."

Sho Nakamori, 2009 Winter Cup Finals, Pommel Horse: