What age is too old to start gymnastics?

Many people ages 12 and up ask the question, “Am I too old to start gymnastics?” Taking gymnastics classes can be both physically and mentally demanding, and while it’s typically thought of as a sport for children and teenagers, we firmly believe that it can be beneficial and fun for people of all ages.

While the Olympics gymnastic competitions tend to be comprised of teens or those in their early 20s, there are many collegiate gymnasts who are performing at their very best levels. While it may be more difficult but not impossible to compete when you begin at a later age, people of all ages start attending a gymnastics center with the intention of simply improving fitness and flexibility. It’s a disciplined sport that focuses on building balance, coordination and precision—skills that everyone at all fitness levels can benefit from.

While it can be more difficult to start at a gymnastics school later in life, it’s a sport that can be learned at any age. As a discipline, it provides an array of benefits, such as excellent flexibility training, an area that should be cultivated our entire lives. Gymnastics classes also help foster mental focus and increase strength, which will benefit your other physical activities or any sports you participate in. Plus, it promotes a healthier lifestyle overall.

There are actually some benefits to starting training at a gymnastic school at a later age. If you’re an adult, you most likely already have some sort of athletic background or experience in strength training, sports, dance, yoga or at a Pilates studio that will benefit your work at a gymnastics center. It’s a great sport to cross-train with another regimen, to boost skills and develop strength more rapidly. In addition, adults typically possess greater concentration and focus, which bolsters progression.

On a side note, while it can be more injury-prone for adults, never say never when it comes to gymnastic competitions. The older you are, the less likely you are to compete at an elite level, but there are exceptions, such as 42-year-old Tina Wise, Maryland's oldest competing gymnast, a member of First Class’ Level 9 team.

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Judging gymnastics competitions for yourself

While the intricacies of the Code of Points may be a little difficult to understand, it’s actually easy to watch gymnastic competitions and determine which gymnasts and routines are great, good and not so good. While there are many nuances and elements a professional judge looks for, you can easily make a fair assessment even if you’ve never attended a gymnastics school.

Form and Execution. No matter how difficult the routine or maneuver, a gymnast should always look like they’re in control of their movement. In a best case scenario, every skill demonstrated will appear effortless. Whether a student attends a South Bay gymnastics facility or one in another part of the country, students should learn all the intricacies of good form, from an overall tightness to the body and straight limbs to pointed toes.

Innovation. You don’t have to be a professional judge of gymnastic contests to recognize a routine’s uniqueness. A great gymnast’s routine will stand apart from those of their competitors, whether it’s through high-risk maneuvers, skills that are unique or the personal style and flair that they bring.

Height and Distance. A good gymnast will fly above the balance bar and appear to explode off the apparatus they’re performing on. While a good gymnastics school can teach the proper technique for jumps, leaps and flips, it’s up to the gymnast to practice consistently to develop their power and strength.

A Stuck Landing. A student from a local South Bay gymnastics school shared with us what s “stuck landing” is: basically, the gymnast’s feet should not move once they land. Points are typically deducted and the gymnast will look off balance when they experience a stuck landing—it will almost appear as if they are stumbling.

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Tips for doing well in gymnastic competitions

If you want to become a great gymnast and do the best you can in gymnastic competitions, there are a few things you can do to supplement the classes you take at a gymnastics school. Here are a few tips to supplement a consistent regimen of practice and preparation and help you excel at this challenging and exciting sport.

1. Identify areas for improvement. Spend time determining your weaker areas and absorbing critiques from coaches and instructors. Find out if you are strong or weak in the areas of artistic presentation, tumbling techniques or other fundamental maneuvers. Spend time honing these areas and practicing proper form and technique.

2. In addition to taking gymnastics classes in the South Bay, many students in the area enroll in gymnastics camps to spend additional time on those weaker areas. This is a great thing to do in the summertime, during winter break and even spring break. Being able to spend lengthier, more focused time receiving professional instruction at gymnastics camps will help you improve areas of weakness and significantly enhance your practice.

3. Do your homework. Watch instructional DVDs and read how-to guides so that you can learn new skills and stay on the cutting edge of new techniques.

4. A great way to improve your skills is to watch other gymnasts participate in gymnastics competitions, on television and even in other classes. You may see new routines and maneuvers that you may not have thought about tackling before.

5. Switch up your workouts. Incorporate additional training such as yoga or stretching to maintain the flexibility you need to perform well. You may also want to do cardio to improve your stamina and endurance, and resistance training to build strength and power.

Whether you participate in a South Bay gymnastics program or attend a gymnastics school in another region, the fundamentals of becoming a great gymnast are the same: education, practice and preparation; a fit, flexible and healthy body; and determination, discipline and sportsmanship.

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Keys to success in gymnastics competitions

If you look at Team USA’s performance at this year’s Olympics gymnastics competitions, you’ll note that they all exuded impeccable control, balance and strength, as well as speed in the Vault. While it may take quite awhile to make it all look as effortless as the Fierce Five did, enrolling your children in a gymnastics center will help them develop some other integral qualities that Team USA possesses.

Other important elements for students to cultivate, especially if they plan to participate in gymnastics competitions, are precision, focus, and a courageous, ambitious attitude. When competing, students will want to be as precise as possible when executing routines and particular moves. They’re typically judged with specific criteria, so any wobbling, extra steps or mistakes will count against them. This requires absolute focus and concentration—traits that will enhance every other aspect of life as well, from schoolwork and exams to dance and other sports.

Whether your children’s gymnastics center prepares students for competitions or performances, most coaches agree that the three most fundamental attributes for enjoying success as any type of gymnast are flexibility, strength and attitude. While students may be able to work on the first two at gymnastics camps or in classes, attitude is something the parent needs to help with. A stellar attitude is made up of a positive outlook and good sportsmanship, coupled with perseverance, determination and discipline.

Most coaches from gymnastics camps and schools agree that to become a good, or even an elite gymnast, students also need to develop good balance, coordination, agility and cardiovascular endurance. These are traits necessary for everyday life, especially any sports, dance or other physical activities students participate in. The trait that will transcend every aspect of life, however, is what we mentioned above: attitude!

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What gymnastics classes can take away from the 2012 Olympics

The 2012 Olympics were amazing, and offered a lot of great examples for students of gymnastics classes to learn from, beyond the fact that the “Fierce Five” dominated the competitions overall. The athletes who competed this year are excellent role models and a perfect example of what we want our children to garner from participating in gymnastic competitions.

In addition to the fact that every member of the US team proved they can successfully do the Amanar vault—something very few, if any others, can claim to do—our team as well as team members from other countries displayed leadership and sportsmanship at its best this year. In addition to helping its students develop power, strength and flexibility, a good gymnastics school strives to teach the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork and having respect for others.

For instance, Aliya Mustafina exemplified incredible sportsmanship at the Olympics this year, defying any stereotypes about Russian gymnasts that were constructed in previous years. Instead of crying when she lost the gold in the all around, she celebrated her bronze medal with vigor. She spoke highly in regards to her competitors, stating that the Americans deserved their win. Aliya acted with class and remained positive throughout the all of the gymnastic competitions, setting a stellar example for students of any gymnastics school in any part of the world.

Aly Raisman’s behavior and leadership was also exemplary at the 2012 Olympics. She came home with two gold medals and one bronze, but she deserves an award for remaining a positive leader through thick and thin. She was there for her teammates whenever they needed her, and showed a lot of class when she put her gold around her coach's neck. So sweet and thoughtful, and full of sportsmanship—Aly proved to be another great model for students in gymnastics classes across the world.

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How gymnastics classes can make you a star

Gymnastics classes offer a wide range of both social and physical benefits for children—but they can also make your child a star! Olympic gold medal winner Gabby Douglas is the perfect example. Whether your child is in one of our Torrance gymnastics programs or dabbling in a class at school, the discipline they learn will help them excel at any sport or physical activity they try.

Gabby began training in gymnastic classes at the age of six in her hometown of Virginia Beach. By age eight, she was participating in gymnastic competitions and won her first title at the 2004 Virginia State Championships.

From there, Gabby’s participation in gymnastic competitions increased and she soon realized that she needed to get better coaching, prompting a move to Iowa to work with Liang Chow, the former coach or Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson. Her dedication to the sport was unrivalled among her peers, and in 2011 she participated on the U.S. team at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy, where they won the gold medal. She also was a part of the U.S. team at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, where they also won the gold. Gabby won the gold at the 2012 U.S. National Championships in uneven bars, a silver medal in the all-around, and bronze in floor. This was a strong foreshadowing of her future at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

At the Summer Olympics this year, Gabby was a part of the U.S. team that won the gold medal, but went on to win the gold medal in the individual all-around. She is the first African-American woman to win the event and the first American to win the Gold for the team and individual all-around at the same Olympics.

As Gabby’s career demonstrates, gymnastics classes provide more than just strength and flexibility training, it teaches them focus, dedication and discipline, as well as belief in striving to achieve your dreams. When you sign your child up for one of our Torrance gymnastics classes, you’re really signing them up to develop tools that will help them reach all their goals in life.

What to wear to gymnastic classes

You’ve found the perfect gymnastics center for your children and they’re so excited to get started—so now what? It’s time to make sure that they have the proper clothing that will keep them safe and free to perform all the activities required during class.

Some facilities have strict clothing policies for their students, so make sure you check with the gymnastics school you’ve chosen to see what their specific rules and guidelines are. Whether it’s a Torrance gymnastics school your child will be attending or another in the Los Angeles area, all gymnastic classes include a lot of stretching and some rigorous physical movements, so you need to ensure that they wear something sturdy yet comfortable that won’t hinder their range of motion. If a child is wearing something uncomfortable or restricting, they won’t be able to perform all the movements and could even injure themselves trying.

One of the most typical apparel items that girls wear to gymnastics classes is a leotard. While it covers the upper body, it still leaves the arms and legs free so that their movement is unrestricted. Often times, boys will wear a t-shirt and athletic shorts or sweat pants. Whether your child is attending a Torrance gymnastics school or any other in the area, they will most likely restrict children from wearing anything with zippers, snaps or other embellishments that could get caught during a movement. In addition, it’s best to make sure the clothes are not too baggy, as the instructors need to see the movement and the student’s muscles to ensure their form is correct.

Another requirement by almost every gymnastics center is that girls pull long hair back and away from their faces so it doesn’t get caught on anything and so that it stays out of their eyes. In addition, jewelry and socks should not be worn to a gymnastics school.

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