kinda new to this?!

[froggythegymnast]

umm hi im kinda new but i love gymnastics well both rhythmic gymnastics and artistic but idk what one to go in im 16 and 5'2 I know how to do a round-off back handspring (with a light spot), front handspring, round-off,back walkover, front walkover,cartwheel, splits-left,right,middle,cartwheel on beam, round-off off beam, front handspring on vault. so which one would be better and do you think im old?

 

[10.0]

Being honest not mean. First off look in the adult gymnast section of the forum and you will find a video of a lady who started gymnastics at 43, she is now 50 and really good. I think there is nothing wrong with trying your best and hoping to reach your goals. But in all honesty you are 16 the age when most girls are going to the Olympics. You are at about a skill level 4 with maybe some level 5 skills. It is not unheard of for girls to skip levels and I know if you get all your level 7 skills you can petition to level 7 if not you will have to get a qualifying score and score out of 5 and 6. Most girls stay at each level for a year, many repeating a level or 2 when they get into harder skills so if you start now at level 5 and end up spending an average of 1 year at each level it will take you about 6 years to reach elite, that is if you do a level a year and have no set backs. That will make you 22 and it will be in 2017 so I guess if you really push it and skip some levels you could make the 2016 Olympics. But here is the problem, no body becomes an elite and then goes to the Olympics 2 months later, you have to be an Elite on top of your game that has a lot of competition experience to even be considered for the team. Not to say you couldn't be the first but I have never heard of a girl starting at 16 making it to the Olympics. The best I have heard was one of my coaches started when she was 10 and made it to level 10 and went to college with it. If you want to try and see how far you can go you need to buckle down hard core now, I mean joining a team, competing, going as much as possible, doing privates and giving up on your teenage life. So in short I think the Olympics at least for gymnastics is a big reach, doing gymnastics and going as far as you can, getting fit, feeling good, getting tons of self confidence, keeping yourself out of trouble, learning discipline and numerous other benefits are worth it alone! Oh and as far as rhythmic or regular gymnastics, do what you like best but for the sake of going as far as you can I would go with regular, most rhythmic gymnasts start very young as the sport is mostly extreme flexibility which needs to be taught or more like forced at a young age. From the skills you listed I bet you would be better suited to regular gymnastics. Good luck!

 

[henrik541]

I believe you should try both rythmic and artistic (maybe also acro and aerobics) and see wich one do you prefer.