Lexy Ramler showed an incredibly difficult new bar skill at 2017 J.O. Nationals in Indianapolis earlier this month -- a full-twisting toe-on Shaposhnikova. It was the first time she put the skill in competition, and it has has now been added to the J.O. Code of Points as "The Ramler."

She started training the impressive release after P&G Championships 2016 while she was in the process of working her VanLeeuwen (toe-on shaposh with a half twist). One day, her coach said, "just add a half," and she tried it. While she said the first attempt didn't go as smoothly as she might have hoped, it was smooth enough to make her keep trying it.

I enjoy playing with new skills and combos because it keeps me excited about the sport and keeps me always wanting more.

At J.O. Nationals, Ramler finished in a tie for seventh all-around in the Senior F age group with a big 38.275. She also won beam with a 9.8 and tied for fifth on floor with a 9.65. She is graduating from high school this spring and headed to Minnesota to begin her NCAA gymnastics career. The next time she steps onto the competition floor, she will be a Golden Gopher.

We caught up with Ramler to hear more about future goals and her incredible new skill:

FloGymnastics: How long did it take for you to learn it/master it for competition?

Ramler: It took about two weeks for me to catch my first one. After that, I trained it on and off. About two months before Nationals is when I started to really train it for competition. 

What was difficult about learning it?

The most difficult part about learning this skill was the concern of where I would end up if I didn't catch the high bar. I was never quite sure about my landing so this definitely motivated me to catch the high bar more often.

What was it like to compete it?

I was very nervous at first because I wanted to catch it so bad, but I knew that if I focused on the catch I would forget about what I needed to do at the start, which is very important. My first attempt was not successful, but I knew what my flaw was, and I fixed it on the second attempt and connected it directly into my Pak salto!

Did you know it would be named after you if you did it successfully at Nationals? How did you feel when you made it?

I did know that it would be named after me if I completed it successfully at Nationals. After I completed my routine, I was beyond excited to finally call my skill the Ramler! Having a skill named after me was definitely something that I wished on as a little girl, so to finally accomplish this dream was truly amazing!

What are your goals going forward?

My goals going forward is to have fun and play with some new combos and skills during the summer. When college season comes around, I am so excited to compete as a Golden Gopher and to help the team as much as I can. I truly can't wait to be a part of such a great group of girls! Go Gophers!

Related:
Allison Zuhlke Performs Unique New Vault At J.O. Nationals, 'The Zuhlke'