Rose-Kaying Woo is a Canadian elite artistic gymnast who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She also represented Canada at the 2014 Pacific Rim Championships where she helped the Canadian team win a silver medal.
As a junior gymnast, Woo competed at the 2014 Pan American Championships, winning team gold, silvers on uneven bars and balance beam, and bronzes on floor and in the all-around. At the Pacific Rim Championships that year, she was third on floor, and part of the silver-winning junior team. In 2015, she won the International Gymnix Junior Cup all-around and got gold on floor and beam. At the Jesolo Trophy in Italy, she won the junior all-around and picked up bronzes on bars and beam, as well as winning team gold.
Woo became a senior in 2016. She was selected for Canada’s 2016 Rio Olympics team alongside Ellie Black, Shallon Olsen, Isabela Onyshko and Brittany Rogers. In September 2021, Woo and her sister Victoria-Kayen launched Elegant Woo’s, a gymnastics leotard brand.
Achievements: Medal record representing Canada
Pan American Championships
Bronze medal- Third place 2022 Rio de Janeiro Team
Pacific Rim Championships
Silver medal – Second place 2014 Richmond Team
Bronze medal – Third place 2014 Richmond Floor Exercise
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Rose Woo is an exceptionally talented Canadian artistic gymnast, winner of Bronze medal at the 2022 Pan American Championships, here she talks about her fitness routine, her diet, and her success story.
Namita Nayyar:
You were born in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada. When did you start training for gymnastics? You as a junior gymnast, at an age of 14 years, competed at the 2014 Pan American Championships, winning team gold, silvers on uneven bars and balance beam, and bronzes on floor and in the all-around. This later propelled your career to the height where for you became the elite female gymnast from Canada. Tell us more about your professional journey of exceptional hard work, tenacity, and endurance?
Rose Woo:
I started gymnastics at the age of 3 years old doing mother toddler classes. Being a professional athlete is certainly not easy. Every one of us sacrifices so much to achieve our goals. We need to miss out on a lot of social events with friends and family. Training on weekends, prioritizing rest instead of a night out. This is our life, but we would not want it any other way. Our sport is our passion and all the sacrifices we take are always worth it.
Namita Nayyar:
It is a dream for a gymnast to participate in the Pacific Rim Championships. In the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics competition for the 2014 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships that was held on 9th April, to 12th April 2014 at the Richmond Olympic Oval. You won a Bronze medal in Floor Exercise individual event. Tell us more about this spectacular achievement of yours?
Rose Woo:
I remember this competition and how young I was. I remember being one of the last girls to go on floor and watching the scores before I went on the floor and I knew that if I hit my routine I would be able to win a medal. So, I went and did a great routine and won a medal. It was a great experience and a great memory that sill stay with me forever.
Namita Nayyar:
In 2015, you won the International Gymnix Junior Cup all-around and got gold medals on floor and beam. How this acted as a catalyst in your metriotic rise as a Canadian leading artistic gymnast player?
Rose Woo:
The 2015 was the year before the Olympics so this was a great win in the sense that it put me in a good position as an Espoir for the Olympic Games in 2016.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Rose Woo:
Apart from gymnastics I do a combination of workouts like Pilates, strength and conditioning and eccentric’s. All these workouts help me be a better gymnast and help me with injury prevention.
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2025 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
How do you train your abs? One secret to your toned body.
Rose Woo:
I don’t really have a secret. I feel like abs are made in the kitchen to be honest. If you eat healthy foods your stomach will look flat. Although I do train my core a lot. I do a lot of Pilates, leg lifts, plank holds. We use our core a lot in gymnastics.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Rose Woo:
I wouldn’t say I follow a strict diet because I eat intuitively. If I want to eat something I don’t restrict myself, I just eat it. But I am careful of portion control. You can eat anything you want in a moderate portion. Although, I do eat healthy whole foods. I eat to fuel my body to feel it’s best. Food is very important for recovery. Our muscles need food to recover from our workouts.
Namita Nayyar:
Five foods you absolutely love and five you keep to a minimum.
Rose Woo:
- I’m not such of a foodie. But I love whole foods. Food that nourishes my body, although I have a major sweet tooth.
- Five foods that I love: watermelon, coconut cult, dried mangoes, matcha, dumplings.
- Five foods that I keep a minimum: candy, chocolate, ice cream, pasta, and pizza.
Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Share with us your hair care and skincare routine.
Rose Woo:
I am obsessed with skincare and hair care. For me, as a woman I think it’s very important to take care of yourself.
My skincare routine consists of regular facials at a professional clinic. I cleanse my skin twice a day, exfoliate twice a week with a combination of hydrating face masks and detox face masks. I feel like hydration is key the more your skin is hydrated the glowier and healthier it will look. Protecting your skin barrier is very important. Some of my favorite brands and products are from Dermalogica, hydro peptide and Sonya Dakar. Dermalogica daily microfoliant exfoliator, intensive moisture balance moisturizer, multivitamin power recovery mask. Hydro peptide purifying cleanser. Sonya Dakar omega oil, flash facial and volcano face mask.
Hair care: I get haircuts every 2 months because my hair grows really fast and tends to get split ends. I wash my hair every other day. My favorite products are oribe and kerastase. The kerastase genesis line is incredible. Hair mask once a week. Scrub once a week.
Always use heat protectant and hair oils on your ends. I believe that investing in good products really makes a difference in your everyday self-care routine.
Namita Nayyar:
You have Michel Charron as your Coach who has been a catalyst and helped you pave the way to rise in your career with discipline and a never stopping attitude. Elaborate about his influence on your professional life?
Rose Woo:
To me, a relationship between a coach and an athlete is a very important relationship. You must make sure that both of you, the coach and the athlete are on the same page on the short term and long-term goals. He has followed me throughout my entire gymnastics career and we both learned how to work with other. He has always respected me as a human being and an athlete and respects my decisions and choices. A coach is someone that you need to trust and trust that they are there to help you towards your goals.
Namita Nayyar:
Five athletic leisure brands you love to wear.
Rose Woo:
Lululemon, Alo yoga, Sporty and rich, Adanola, Heros
Namita Nayyar:
Five travel destinations on your wish list.
Rose Woo:
Greece, Bali, Ukraine, Maldives, South Korea
Namita Nayyar:
Quote you live by.
Rose Woo:
Not a quote but a word DESIRE. Desire is everything. If you have it, then you can accomplish whatever your heart wants but without it in my opinion it is not possible.
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about a day in the life of “Rose Woo”.
Rose Woo:
I wake up at around 6:30. Drink my matcha every single day. Go to a workout either Pilates, eccentric’s or strength and conditioning. Come back home eat lunch before going to gymnastics practice from 1-6pm. Get back home eat dinner and rest at home. I go to bed at around 9:30-10pm.
Namita Nayyar:
During the Covid pandemic. Tell us more about your routine to remain fit in those challenging times?
Rose Woo:
During Covid, I was working out at home, going on a lot of long walks, and enjoying life. It was kind of weird not being able to train but was kind of nice in the sense where I was free to do whatever I wanted. It felt good for some time, but I couldn’t wait to get back on my routine.
Namita Nayyar:
In sports like gymnastics how were you able to overcome any physical or sports injury setbacks and what advice can you give to those in a similar situation.
Rose Woo:
Unfortunately for me, I have had a lot of major injuries throughout my career. Herniated discs, torn Achilles tendon, shoulder problems and more. I got my first herniated disc when I was 15 in the month of august. It was a really hard time for me since I knew the Olympics where exactly 1 year away. Summer of 2016 and it was always my dream to compete at the Olympics and I knew I was in a good position to qualify myself in the team. I was off for a minimum of 3 months of no training which was hard for me mentally especially at that age.
Moving forwards, I ended up participating at the Rio 2016 Olympics but the injuries did not stop. I think over the years I have learned to deal with setbacks and every injury that I got. I was always able to come back to the same level. So, in my mind now I know what to do to get back to my sport after an injury. It’s always hard mentally but you learn how to overcome these setbacks. You mentally come out stronger. My advice would be to take time for yourself, allow yourself to feel these emotions and try to keep yourself happy by doing things that makes you feel good.
Whether that’s going for a coffee with a friend, going on a walk, watch your favourite show, etc. it’s important to take care of yourself in those moments because that’s when you are the most vulnerable. Making sure you optimize your rehab and recovery will help speed up the process. And always never give up. If you have the desire to keep going, do it. If the desire is gone it’s ok to take a step back to reflect on what you want and take time for yourself.
Namita Nayyar:
What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and the message for its visitors?
Rose Woo:
I love how womensfitness.net supports inspirational women and athletes. Putting women forward and supporting one another is truly so special and amazing. This is why I was so thrilled when womensfitness reached out to me for this partnership.
Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding artistic gymnast girls, who all are your fans and shall like to know from you for their climb to the ladder of success in the field of artistic gymnastics?
Rose Woo:
Gymnastics is a really hard sport. My advice to all the younger gymnasts is to find the fun out of the sport. When you enjoy what you do and you are happy doing it, it is much easier to handle the hard workouts and the ups and downs of the sport. Always listen to yourself and do the sport for yourself and only yourself. Not for mom not for your dad not for your coach but really for yourself because you love it and you enjoy doing it. Desire is the key to success.
Namita Nayyar:
A message for your ardent Instagram admirers.
Rose Woo:
Be your own kind of beautiful. Be yourself and live the life that you want and don’t let anyone stop you. Life is short so make sure you live it to the fullest.
Rose Woo Social Media Presence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosewooxx/
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2025 Women Fitness