Need help with a scene in my book.

[distracted_writer]

Hi! I hope this is the right place for this. If it's not, I'm sorry.

I'm editing a book at the moment and have a scene that needs a little more filling out.

My character was a gymnast in her teens. (She's twenty-eight when the book takes place.) She still dabbles in gymnastics as a hobby, but doesn't have formal training any more. The scene starts when she gets some bad news and ends up in the gym to take her mind off it. She's kinda playing around on the beam. I need some ideas for thing that she might do on the beam.

If it helps, the scene is about ten minutes long and she's talking for part of the time, so the gymnastics only need to take 5-6 minutes.

Thank you.

 

[txgymfan]

She might still remember how to do front and back walkovers on beam. She could also be doing handstand and press handstands.
The full turn is a skill that takes a lot of practice but kids learn early so she could be pleased if she makes her full turn.

 

[distracted_writer]

Thank you!

 

[flipper's fan]

And if she's very emotional, trying to get some "angry" energy out, she might still be doing backhandsprings

 

[gymgurl]

she might be tracing the path of her old beam routine filling it with easier skills or something like that

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

So you know -- it's a very rare gym that will allow somebody that age to "dabble in gymnastics as a hobby," unless she's staff at the gym.

Not unheard of, but rare.

 

[txgymfan]

Can't adults who are former gymnasts attend open gym?

I've wondered if fomer elites sometimes go to an open gym to "play" or if they all give it up completely. Unfortunately, it sounds like most quit "cold turkey". Carly Patterson said in a interview at Texas Prime Meet that her body will not let her do gymnastics any more. Its sad when gymnasts have to deal with chronic injuries or pain starting in thier twenties.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

My gym lets any former team member who's done with their USAG career come in and work out for free! Usually when the NCAA girls are home for the holidays they come in, and some people who are dancers or just want to fool around come in. The summer after I graduate I'm going to take advantage of it...free gym time, it must be a dream!

 

[wallinbl]

My gym lets any former team member who's done with their USAG career come in and work out for free! Usually when the NCAA girls are home for the holidays they come in, and some people who are dancers or just want to fool around come in. The summer after I graduate I'm going to take advantage of it...free gym time, it must be a dream!

This happens at DD's gym as well.

 

[ccoltonn]

she can probably do like some handstands, walkovers, maybe like a cartwheel or an aerial if she remembers how. back handsprings/layouts would be good if she was like angry. then maybe like a round off back tuck dismount?
i hope i helped

 

[distracted_writer]

Thank you!

She has her own beam, so she's not using a public gym.

Can anyone suggest some passes she might do on the beam?

 

[gymnastbeth]

You don't generally do "passes" on beam, that's more floor. She could connect two back walkovers in a row, or if she used to be really good she might whip out a back walkover back handspring series.

 

[distracted_writer]

Sorry- I had a feeling that passes was wrong, but I wasn't sure what else to call it. I did ballet rather than gymnastics.

(The scene was actually suposed to be a ballet scene, but when I re-read it, it just didn't work. Gymnastics fits much better.)

 

[All Chalked Up]

Back walkover-back handspring connected to a back tuck dismount would be cool, if she was any good.

 

[distracted_writer]

She's very driven and committed to things, so I think she would have been pretty good.

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

I agree with the person who said she would kinda "go through" her old routine. That's what I would do if I went back after a long time..realistically she probably wouldn't still be able to do a flight series anymore (like a flipflop flipflop or back walkover flipflop) but back walkovers and back handsprings alone would make since. Hope this helps