Grown-Ups, Get Ready to Tumble!

Ever watch your child during a gymnastics class or watch professional gymnasts on T.V. and think, "That looks like fun" Well it is! Yes, it may have been awhile since you did gymnastics, or maybe you never did, but don't let anyone tell you that you are too tall, too old or too weak to participate in the sport of gymnastics.

If you are an adult and think you are "too old" to start...think again. Across the United States, adults are rediscovering their youth by running, jumping and tumbling their way through gymnastics classes geared towards grown-ups.

Now you can join the fun too with a challenging tumbling class at USA Sports in Gilroy. Established in 2006 by Melinda and Mark Lawrence, USA Sports is dedicated to providing a way for families to stay in motion—that means they offer classes for kids and adults.

Its adult female tumbling class is designed for students who never did gymnastics before and for those who are coming back from their gymnastics retirement (and everything in between). This class is tailored to individuals that are looking to develop their floor skills only. The class focus’s on connecting skills together to create moving tumbling passes while incorporating conditioning exercises to help with one’s overall fitness. In addition to adult classes, the gym provides gymnastics for toddlers, kids and teens as well as a parent’s night out and birthday party packages.

Now don’t get me wrong, you are most likely too old to become an Olympic competitor in the sport of gymnastics. But it’s never too late to gain the benefits from practicing this sport—no matter how young or old you are.

A gymnastics workout builds strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, balance, courage and is beneficial for beginners and experts alike. You can expect to burn 300-400 calories per hour while conditioning your whole body. Regular practice of gymnastics will improve performance in any other sport, as well as improve overall fitness and functional strength to a level that most people never attain.

Medical professionals are finally coming to realize and publicly acknowledge the long-term benefits to resistance training—specifically in the sport of gymnastics. Studies have shown that resistance training improves joint health, maintains muscular development and improves cardiovascular fitness.  A gymnastics workout is resistance training at its best.

All in all, gymnastics is fun. Learning how to tumble, flip, swing, and come as close to self powered flight as possible is a blast. So next time you are sitting in a gymnastics center watching your kids do back-hand-springs and somersaults, consider changing up your workout routine, and join the fun.

USA Sports also has a location in Hollister which boasts an assortment of gymnastics classes, a rock climbing wall, gym fitness, glee club, children’s choir and dance classes.

For more information on tumbling classes for women go to USA Sports, or contact the Gilroy Parks and Recreation Department.