What do your friends think about gymnastics?

[gymnast98]

Just thinking about this because a lot of my "non gym" friends have kind of given up on my in sane obsession with gymnastics. They still think it's cool and when ever i do anything, they usually say " you just did a flippy thingy!!! ", regardless of whether it was a flip or not! A few of my friends are just like " Why do you love it so much and talk about it constantly?" And I always respond " If you don't do gymnastics, you would never understand!!" Just wondering how you'll friends or even family responds to your "obsession". kind of off topic, just wondering

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

My friends pretty much are in awe of my gymnastics skills. I've shown them videos of some of my routines...if only they could actually come to the competitions or practices and see how much better everyone else is! Most of them are not very athletic, so they're very impressed with any sort of feat of strength or flexibility or flippy thing. They also like to fondle my biceps, which is sort of disturbing.

 

[GymBee97]

Non-gymnsats will never "get It". Its not like any other sport that has a time during the year you are busy and the rest of the year you aren't doing the sport.

Gymnasts aren't the only ones fielding these questions with their friends either - We parents get the same grilling with our non gymnast family and friends too. Things like Why do you let her do so many hours? What do you mean she is there 20 hours a week every week all year long? Why can't she just miss a practice or two? You pay how much each month? All followed by that's crazy!!

All other sports that I see daughters friends do last from 6 - 12 weeks then its done for the year until that same time next year. Its hard to relate if you don't have an obsession like gymnasts do and know you must go to all year to practice to improve and do the skills safely.

 

[iJaide!!]

My non gym friends just say I should quit before I get hurt again. LOL.

 

[Flipomaniak]

Most of my friends are gym friends anyway so they understand. I only have a few friends that are not in gym. My family is ok about it, amazed by anything but even my mom doesn't understand why I don't want to miss a week...

 

[EastCoast]

" Gymnasts aren't the only ones fielding these questions with their friends either - We parents get the same grilling with our non gymnast family and friends too. Things like Why do you let her do so many hours? What do you mean she is there 20 hours a week every week all year long? Why can't she just miss a practice or two? You pay how much each month? All followed by that's crazy!! "


As a parent, I couldnt have posted this any better! I get the same thing with every conversation weekly I have with a "non-gymnastics" parent!

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

I only have 1 friend outside gymnastics, and he moved today, so now I have none. Though, he would always listen to my rants, give me advise. He truly understood how tough gymnastics is. He always would come to my meets, cheer me on. When I went to regionals, he came to watch, and bought me flowers. He occasionally came to practices. Though, he's in some other sports. Actually, I'm proud to say, I'm stronger than him. We did a pull-up competition, I won by 2. My coach let him walk across the high beam, he fell twice. lol! he was freaked out by vault and bars. So, yeah. I can also plank longer than him, which I'm also proud of

 

[All Chalked Up]

"So when is the off season?" "Ummm there isn't one" "DUDE! You mean you never stop!?" Pretty much." Mind is blown.

Do a flip!!! *does a standing tuck or BHS* Mind is blown.

Are you going to the Olympics? Definitely... Mind is blown.

*does fifty eight pushups in the fitness test* Mind is blown.

I'm gonna watch a practice or a tournment! No you aren't.... and gymnasts call it a competition. Mind is blown.

Non gymnasts just have some learning to do

 

[maryRS]

In my daughter's world it's really not that odd that she spends a lot of time there. A lot of girls from her school are swimmers, dancers and soccer players. None of those sports are truly one season, they are all doing some kind of training, playing or competing at any given time. The thing she gets a lot from boys though is that gymnastics is not a real sport. But she just finished 6th grade, so I think that is probably a common boy/girl kind of thing at that age.

Just thinking about this because a lot of my "non gym" friends have kind of given up on my in sane obsession with gymnastics. They still think it's cool and when ever i do anything, they usually say " you just did a flippy thingy!!! ", regardless of whether it was a flip or not! A few of my friends are just like " Why do you love it so much and talk about it constantly?" And I always respond " If you don't do gymnastics, you would never understand!!" Just wondering how you'll friends or even family responds to your "obsession". kind of off topic, just wondering

 

[gymnasticky]

There are other gymnasts in my grade, who are actually competitive gymnasts and are a few levels higher than me (I'm in sort of an Xcel program but we don't compete, it's just beyond the other rec levels at our gym). They train more hours than me, too, and talk about it more (because they have more to say). So whenever I contribute, people don't tend to take me seriously. It's a little bit annoying. I understand why, but I still think they should all try to get through warm-ups before judging anyone.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

There are other gymnasts in my grade, who are actually competitive gymnasts and are a few levels higher than me (I'm in sort of an Xcel program but we don't compete, it's just beyond the other rec levels at our gym). They train more hours than me, too, and talk about it more (because they have more to say). So whenever I contribute, people don't tend to take me seriously. It's a little bit annoying. I understand why, but I still think they should all try to get through warm-ups before judging anyone.

Just remember, People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us that do. - Isaac Asimov
The good news? It's mostly a maturity thing, and there's always hope they will grow out of it. You're absolutely right they should judge by your skills, not the hours or program you do.