So I'm 20 years old and I'm interested into rhythmic gymnastics, is it too late to start it? I want to do such splits like these pictures... Would it be easy to do it at home? Or should I go to gymnastics club? Would they accept a girl in her twenties? PS: I never tried it before and never tried any other sport but my body is already in a good shape.
Yes it's never too late to start
No I don't think you can do that
I don't know
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Is it too late to start rhythmic gymnastics when I'm 20?
I want to encourage you to try it! It is possible, I achieved it and here is my story: I got a first taste of gymnastics when I was 6 or 7... I went to 3 or 4 practices and even though I was good and made some friends, I was always too playful, I didn't take it seriously, and teacher complained about it to my mom so I had to stop. It didn't effect me at all... :/ Then when I was 14 I started watching American All star Cheerleading, which is strange considering I'm from Balkan, Eastern Europe, but I was so inspired by it. I also somehow discovered dance moms videos on youtube and popular dances such as "Dance precisions Run the world". Discovering Victoria's secret fashion shows a few months before inspired me to start working out, and I really enjoyed working out, so these dance and cheer videos inspired me to incorporate some gymnastics in here too. I know I will never be a "flyer" or a "tumbler" or a competitive dancer, but I knew I could do some of these poses if I try and stay consistent. So I did it in my room, sometimes I didn't even stretch or workout before jumping on my bed and doing splits. "Splits". My inner thighs were totally not touching the bed, but I did it and counted to one minute, and then I went on with my day, and I did this aroung 2-7 times a day definitely. Some days I did none if I was busy. In 2 to 3 month I was able to splits, "scorpion" pose but not as professionally and straight as online pictures, the pose in your second picture of a little girl in red, but I had to hold my foot there, I couldn't just kick the air and hold my leg in place there, I needed to support it with my hand... If you find fun in it and if you are determined you will achieve this in a few months. You will feel very proud and special. In high school (By the time I was 15 I could do all this and make it look somewhat effortless and professional) I was like that special flexible girl, there is always one or two of those in P. E classes but in hs I was the only one! It made me feel great about myself, and I encouraged my friends to try, because I'm far from a professionally trained gymnast, but they didn't have the passion and patience for it... Since you do, I encourage you to try it once again! No matter that you are 20, I was 14 but I had the same doubt "Is it late, pointless to start now?" and it wasn't late :D
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Asker
+1 y
Wow amazing story, thanks a lot wait can I do splits by myself without joining any training club? or is it a big risk to do that? I try sometimes and I feel like I can't reach the floor I don't know why! Is it safe to try it by myself? I want to push myself to do it but I'm scared that something happens when I do so
Yes Yes, there is no risk. It's normal that your thighs can't touch the floor/bed yet. It's that awkward stage that lasts about a month (if you push yourself everyday for like 1 minute once or twice a day) where you have to hold yourself up on your hands while doing splits because it hurts. Your inner thigh muscles are still not used to being stretched in this way. You will get thought that and then in the 2nd month, you will have your inner thighs almost completely on the floor/bed but your you know crotch won't touch it until 3rd month. In 3rd month you will have the complete split without having to support yourself with hands. Give or take a few weeks, since everybody's body is different. That is how it was for me. You don't have to join a training club. Try to see it this way- Squats seem like an exercise everyone can do, but begginers can only do 10 or 20, only after about 2 to 3 months will they be able to do 50-100. And you don't need a gym or professional trainer to accomplish it, just strong will! Body needs to slowly adjust to new positions/movements and you can adjust it by yourself in a comfort of your home! If you don't do it on a bed spread a thick blanket on a ground, it's important to be comfortable, and not hurt yourself
Babe it really is just up to you. I'm a state champion gymnast (not rythmic) but I reckon if you wanted to start off, start at home. Learn your basics and stuff. Try your splits etc. Always make sure in your splits to push a bit further everytime. Stretch. Make sure your shoulders face forward and your back foot is on the ground completely (top of the foot). Watch videos for some gymnastics basics. One of the reasons it's hard to commit to gym as an older young person, is because of the baggage. Girls get boobs and a butt and it weighs them down sometimes. That being said, as long as you have passion, nothing can stop you. After learning the basics, go and train at a gymnasium.
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Asker
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You sure it's not big risk to try splits by myself?
Well mhm it depends. The only real trick to splits is just tryna get that flexibility. You probably won't injure yourself (lets pray) but it may be sore straight after. I stopped training around a year ago and just a few weeks ago I tried breaking into my splits again. It kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilled but that's what splits do. Just play with the odds. Make sure someone is there with you and make sure you go down slowly. Do it on soft floor or grass even because that doesn't kill as bad as tiles or timber (trust me man it kills). With splits it's important to practice daily. For our gym warmups we do it before sessions and after so we kinda get into that routine. Hold it for around 30 seconds at least and as you feel more and more comfortable, go longer and deeper. Make sure you have the right technique. If you know anyone who is a gymnast they could potentially help you but there are a loooooooad of videos online that I've used to somewhat (with mixed results) get a better split. Just as long as there is someone there you should be fine. Don't push tooooo hard but push hard enough to know that you're going beyond your limit. That's your prime zone.
I think it's too late, if you want to go professional, but in terms of just learning basic about it, like doing a split, then I definitely don't think it's too late for that, I mean I taught myself how to do a split after I turned 21, a while after I joined a gym and you can teach yourself to become more flexible and join clubs, I'm sure.
Years ago, I were in an English class and we all had to do presentations and I remember one girl, who was 16 or 17 at the time and she did hers about gymnastics and she did say that when you start, you have to do so very young, like at the age of 5, because your career is basically over by the time you're 15 and that it was too late even for her.
You may have to learn really quickly, if you want to go professional, but based on what I heard in that presentation, I'd say it's too late.
itll definitely be weird. i used to do rhythmic gymnastics and you're gonna start off training with the 5 and 6 year olds. i started at like 8 and even then it felt weird always being the oldest one. also one thing you need to remember is it is a massive time comittment. once you start itll only be a few hours a week, but if you actually want to be good and flexible you'll need to dedicate 20-25 hours a week, and thats not counting all of the work that your expected to do at home. you have to train everyday otherwise you will see no progress and there will be no point. so if you have a busy life with work or whatnot, i wouldn't recommend it.
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Asker
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Nah I don't have busy life right now that's why I find this as a good chance to learn it
No. You can start at any age, but as you get older it gets tougher.. I still can't do splits and stuff. Just be careful and have a conference all with a teacher so they can evaluate your skill and body because it's important. Especially if your a virgin, you have to be careful. Telling you by experience.
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Asker
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So I can't do it by myself? And yes I'm a virgin actually does it affect on the virginity?
It can. When I was in dance, that is the first thing my teacher talked about and she worked as a dancer in a major dancing company for over 20 years. So doing it by yourself without proper training can cause problems. You ever see that video controversy about the girl who broke her pelvis I think because they all pushed on her too hard and she was crying and screaming that she couldn't walk, breathe, etc, and ended up at the hospital? That's what happens. Some girls break their hymen this way. There is a proper way to do it. The one you gave MHO is correct in some ways. But as a virgin and you now being a little older, the hymen begins to get weaker as you get older. So you have to be careful.
If you're not ready or prepared to potentially break it, don't risk it. Because trust me, I found out some of my classmates that did this way say it HURT. But this was before they went to her class. You have to do stretches carefully little by little every day. Don't FORCE IT, whatever you do. You can end up with a slight tear, and it can heal. But again, as you age, it gets weaker. So it can hurt. Since I've always been slightly flexible as a child, I wasn't too scared and never tore it this way. But push a little too far with anything straining activity, and you can have a small tear that will heal, or have a speck of blood or two. But trust me, it can and will sting. That's why I said, you can start at any age. But it gets tougher as you get older. Your better off doing basics that doesn't count doing splits until you understand basic headcounts first and other moves. Start with some dance basics like ballet, which you will learn eventually. Once you improve with that, then look at gymnastic basics that don't include splits, backflips, etc. You have to build into it and certain techniques require another person or more. Besides looking into safety equipment which you have to invest out of pocket.
For fun? No, go ahead. You can do whatever makes you happy. To be seriously competitive? Yes it's way too late. Most serious gymnasts take up the sport when they're children, and some are as young as toddlers. Plus they have personal coaches, nutritionists, doctors, etcetera. Also most of them are super petite. These are all factors that would preclude you from being a serious competitive gymnast. However just for fun? Sure go ahead.
yeah just for fun because I'm interested in it, not taking it as a job for sure and lol I didn't realize that I clicked anonymous except after posting it and I felt like I'm stupid by that
It's way too late for you to be a competitive gymnast, but you can almost certainly get to the point where you can do a split like that. I could when I was 20 after a couple of years of taking dance classes for fun.
For gymnastics training start at age 4 for achieving a good flexibility and training So it's not like you can not in your 20s it's just really tough and you have to join a proper training class if you seriously want to do it So it's not possible just make your mind and be prepare for tough training and you will get good results.
it's not too late to start but I don't think they'd take you, they have an obsession with little girls for some reason
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Anonymous
(30-35)
+1 y
If you just want to do the activity for fun then go for it. It's one of those sports where younger people are going to have insane advantages, as long as your intent isn't to be competitive then it's fine. It's just that adults will tend to injure easier compared to kids, so be mindful.
I'm trying to take up skating at 28, so I feel like I'm in the same boat.
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