Gymnastics might be the most impressive sport known to mankind.

If the sheer strength and raw power elite gymnastics have obtained through years and years of hard work and dedication aren’t enough, these athletes have complete control over every single muscle in their body.

Just look at what Under Armour had to show.

Gymnastics is a world of its own, and it’s one that only surfaces to the public’s eye once every four years.

When the summer Olympics roll around, we’re suddenly reminded of the sport that leaves us shaking our heads and wondering how in the world they do what they do.

In 2012, our whole nation fell in love with a group of girls.

Later dubbed The Fierce Five, Jordyn Wieber, Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney, Gabrielle Douglas and Aly Raisman together won Team USA gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, becoming only the second team in USA Gymnastics history to win team gold at the Olympics and the first since 1996.

They inspired a whole new generation of gymnasts.

They reminded a nation that hard work yields success.

It’s been nearly four years since we watched them perform in London, so here’s what The Fierce Five are up to now.

Jordyn Wieber

Age: 20

Hometown: DeWitt, Michigan

Career Highlights: 2012 Olympic Team gold medalist; 2012 Visa Championships all-around gold medalist; 2012 American Cup all-around champion

Where is she now? Following the whirlwind events that were the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Jordyn Wieber embarked on a 40-city victor's tour with her fellow team gold medalists. The Fierce Five were warmly welcomed by fans across the nation as they performed in for their supporters.

In fall of 2013, Wieber enrolled at UCLA to pursue a degree in psychology. Although she had given up her NCAA eligibility prior to London, Wieber couldn’t stay away from the sport she loved, and so she became the most overqualified team manager UCLA will ever know.

While the rest of the study body slept in, Wieber found herself training alone in the gym at 6 a.m. in order to prepare for Rio. By 8 a.m., her teammates were arriving and Wieber switched from competitor to manager as she filled water bottles and moved mats.

Then, in March 2015, with tears in her eyes, Jordyn Wieber told her coach that she would not be going to Rio.

Jordyn Wieber had officially retired from elite gymnastics.

In an article she wrote for “The Players’ Tribune”, Wieber expressed the difficulty in reaching her decision, but that she felt it was time.

Wieber continues to manage UCLA’s gymnastic team, giving pep talks and advice whenever needed.

Jordyn’s Words of Wisdom: “Staying humble has always been really important to me, and always being proud of what you’re representing.”

Kyla Ross

Age: 19

Hometown: Aliso Viejo, CA

Career Highlights: 2012 Olympic Team gold medalist; 2013 World Champion all-around, uneven bars and balance beam silver medalist; 2014 US balance beam champion; 2015 US balance beam bronze medalist

Where is she now? At only age 15, Kyla Ross headed to London as part of The Fierce Five. While others took a break from competing following the 2012 Olympics, Ross continued her career and was a member of the 2013 and 2014 world championship teams.

Despite her success over the last years, Ross announced on Feb. 22 that she would be retiring from elite gymnastics.

“This past year has been a little rough,” Ross told USA Gymnastics. “I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries and it hasn’t been my best year competition-wise. I tried to push through, but it was getting difficult to train. I didn’t want to go through with it if my heart wasn’t in it.”

Ross went on to say that the passion and desire she felt leading up to London 2012 just hasn’t been the same in preparing for Rio.

So she followed her heart to UCLA.

Unlike teammate Jordyn Wieber, Ross retained her NCAA eligibility and will be competing for the Bruins this fall.

Kyla’s Words of Wisdom: “The last thing you want is to end up wishing you had worked harder.”

McKayla Maroney

Age: 20

Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Career Highlights: 2012 Olympic Team gold medalist and silver medalist in vault; 2013 US vault and floor exercise gold medalist; 2013 World Championships vault gold medalist

Where is she now? Despite her stellar performance in London, McKayla Maroney is probably most remembered for her impressed look while on the podium receiving her silver medal in vault.

In 2013, Maroney turned pro and signed with Adidas. That same year, after a slew of injuries, she returned to competition at the US Secret Classic, where she took first in vault and third in floor exercise. Later in 2013, she won gold in those same events at the P&G Championships.

In March 2014, Maroney had knee surgery and was forced to miss most of the season, and in 2015 missed both the P&G Classic and world championships.

On Feb. 24, just two days after teammate Kyla Ross announced her retirement, McKayla Maroney announced that she would also be retiring from elite gymnastics.

In an interview with Gymcastic, Maroney said, “I’m just ready to put my worth and value into something else.”

Maroney has always strived to be an inspiration and wanted to show people that they can survive the pain and struggle if it’s something they love.

McKayla’s Words of Wisdom: “There’s a lot of stress out there, and to handle it, you just need o believe in yourself; always go back to the person that you know you are, and don’t let anybody tell you any different because everyone’s special and everyone’s awesome”

Gabrielle Douglas  

Age: 20

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Career Highlights: 2012 Olympic Team gold medalist and all-around gold medalist; 2015 World Championship team gold medalist and all-around silver medalist; 2015 US Secret Classic 2^nd all-around

Where is she now? Gabrielle Douglas had the momentum heading to London; she placed first at the 2012 Olympic Trials, earning the only guaranteed spot on the Olympic Team. From there, she went on to win Olympic team gold, as well as gold in the all-around. This made her the first African-American to receive the all-around title, as well as the only female gymnast in history to win gold in both team and all-around in the same Olympics.

Following the 2012 Olympics, Douglas took a much-deserved break from training. In May 2013, with her sights set on Rio 2016, Douglas returned to Des Moines, Iowa to train with coach Liang Chow. Then, just two months later, Douglas left Des Moines and went to LA to train at a local gym there.

Douglas bounced around from gym to gym, causing the gymnastic community to question if she truly wanted to return to the world of competitive gymnastics.

Lowell Taub, Douglas’ agent at CAA Sports, said, “I won’t get into any specifics, but the business terms under Chow wanted to work with Gabby moving forward toward Rio were not business terms Gabby felt were in her best interest.”

Finally, Douglas found a coach in Kittia Carpenter of Ohio.

In November 2014, Douglas and fellow Olympic teammate Aly Raisman were officially named back to the US women’s national gymnastics team, making them both eligible for international competition.

Douglas is currently a member of the women’s national team and is looking to head to Rio this summer.

Gabby’s Words of Wisdom: “Hard days are the best because that’s where champions are made.”

Aly Raisman

Age: 21

Hometown: Needham, MA

Career Highlights: 2012 Olympic Team gold medalist and floor exercise gold medalist, bronze medalist in balance beam; 2015 P&G Championships floor exercise gold medalist and all-around bronze medalist

Where is she now? Just a few weeks after returning home from London 2012, Aly Raisman told her mother that she was done.

Without training, Raisman was able to take advantage of opportunities away from gymnastics, such as competing on “Dancing With The Stars,” and being a special guest at the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel, the global Jewish sporting event.

However, several months after coming home from the Olympics, despite thoroughly enjoying her time off, Raisman wanted to come back.

But she didn’t rush back into it.

Although Raisman began training again in fall of 2013, she didn’t start competing again until spring of 2015.

Raisman’s return to competing was less than ideal for the Olympian, and after a series of mistakes and disappointing routines, she failed to qualify for the all-around. However, Raisman redeemed herself in the team finals and helped the US to a 5-point win over China and Great Britain.

Despite her success in London, Raisman is still chasing the one that got away- a podium position in the all-around at the Olympics. In 2012, Raisman tied for third but lost the tiebreaker and ended up fourth.

Like fellow Olympian Gabby Douglas, Raisman is currently a member of the women’s national team and is looking to head to Rio this summer.

Aly’s Words of Wisdom: “Stay motivated and surround yourself with people who believe in you.”

While The Fierce Five will never compete together again, it’s safe to say their legacy will forever be intact. The pain those girls endured, the pressure they withstood, and the feats they accomplished have firmly left a mark on the gymnastics world.

Although it’s disappointing we won’t get the chance to see them defend their title and fight for gold in Rio, it’s once again time for a new crop of gymnasts to step up and raise the bar just a little bit higher.

I’m confident Team USA will do just that when we watch them this summer.