35 male and 32 female gymnasts participated in this study to evaluate Epstein's theory of the inhibition of an- xiety.Variables considered were level of experience, level of success and time until competition.20 males and 20 fe- males completed adjective checklists (ACL) and had their pulse rates recorded by hand one week, the day before, the day of, just before and after a meet.30 males and 30 fe- males rated their approach and avoidance tendencies retro- spectively immediately after the meet.Results on the ap- proach and avoidance questionnaires indicated that approach increases, and avoidance first increases, then decreases, as a function of time until the meet.Experience did not signi- ficantly affect ratings of either approach or avoidance.Ss of low success reported greater absolute levels of fear and anxiety on the ACL measures than Ss of high success.Ss of high success demonstrated steeper gradients of fear and an- xiety than Ss of low success.This latter finding was con- tradictory to Epstein's theory.It was suggested that gym- nastics unlike the parachuting studied by Epstein is not a highly stressful, life or death, situation, and therefore the development of an inhibition of anxiety occurs very early or not at all for the gymnast.