WAG how many L7+ are still involved in the sport as adults?

[catie]

I was wondering how many girls who were L7+ gymnast can still do at least L7 skills at age 25+?

I am talking of all aspects of the sport - strength, flexibility and routines!

I know nobody can really tell, I am just interested in what you think

 

[GikiGirl]

Honestly, I'd say less than 1%. That would include the genetic freaks who are kind of born in shape, and those that continue to work out hard.

I'm 32 and can do harder skills and routines than I could when I graduated high schoo...which I was between level 7 and level 8 then...BUT I work out about 15-20 hours a week and do lots of stretching/pt.

 

[GikiGirl]

I'm sure more than 1% could if they were still working out a lot, is my point.

 

[catie]

I'm sure more than 1% could if they were still working out a lot, is my point.

Why do you think is that? Why is it so much harder to do the same stuff as an adult even if you work hard?

 

[GikiGirl]

No, I am saying that probably almost all 25 year olds could do what they did in high school as long as they keep fit. Like probably at least 90% of them.

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

I'm level 9 (and 15). At 25, maybe a kip, cast hs and a Bhc? On beam a few jumps, a cartwheel and a full turn? On vault probably nothing and on floor...fhs, layout and a few back handsprings and a tuck?
At 35, probably nothing

 

[gymnast-mac]

one of our coaches got to level 9 I believe... she'll tumble for us and can do front and back tuck, layout, and can do a full on tumbl trak. another got to level 7 or 8 and she does back tucks for us as well as kips and flyaways. both are between 25 and 30.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Among coaches at least, it seems fairly common for guys to continue training in some capacity after retiring from competition. For girls, not so much.

I have no idea why this is.

 

[MissLisa]

I'm 25. I quit gym at 13/14 years old in level 7 (Australia which is different to US). I barely train now and didn't walk into a gymnastics place for over 5 years. The last 6 years I have coached on and off but never trained more than about 2 hours a week if that. When I was competing I could do this:
Floor - Split change, double pirouette, jump 2.5, backward roll to handstand double turn, front sault step out round off flip double twist, round off back flip triple twist and more.
Vault - Tuck Tsuk
Beam (my worst event) - press to handstand, split change wolf jump, round off to beam, back hand spring, back sault, front sault
Bars - kip, cast to handstand, clear hip to handstand, giants, (could do fly aways but was freaked out about them), toe shoot and bunch of other things.

Now:
Floor - all the dance elements just not to full split but not far off, tumbling I can do round off flip tuck sault on a NON sprung floor. Can layout on a sprung floor (twisting I'm trying to get back)
Vault - Tsuk into a pit, otherwise roundoff/ handspring vault
Beam - Split leap (change on low beam), all the jumps, full turn, front sault dismount, cartwheel, handstand etc
Bars - kip, cast to horizontal, clear hip to 45 degrees, toe shoot, pullover, giants on strap bar etc

I can still do a bunch of things on tramp and into pits (but I don't have access to one where I live). I can still climb a rope with no legs and do a lot of the conditioning with out training it which shocked me when I first walked into a gym. I've improved since then on very little practice. I haven't really changed body shape since I stopped 10 years ago and didn't grow much (I'm 5 foot 1.5 inch or 156cm). Crazy what a body remembers to do! If I had the access to a proper gym where I could train, I probably would and I'd get I think most of my skills back fairly quickly. There would just be a few issues with flexibility and my wrist issue. I plan on continuing to maintain the skills I have now for as long as I can.

 

[sce]

At 35, probably nothing

I was nowhere near level 9 as a teen and I am older than 35 now. I can do more than nothing even though I'm way not in shape. I can still do a cartwheel, leaps and full-turn on beam. If I worked out (ie adult class once a week) I would probably be able to do some basic bar skills (ie pull-over and bhc) and tumbling (handsprings etc.) as well.

 

[PalmTree]

There are several reasons why most adults who were former gymnasts tend to lose their skills…#1 would be WORK!! When you have to get up every day and work 8 or 9 hours then come home, you don't always feel like going to the gym to work out. Things change.

I was a Level 7 gymnast (US). When I was 19, I could still do all my skills. About 6 months later I tried again and could do most skills although they kind of hurt. A couple years later and I could still throw a back handspring, maybe make a kip and basic cartwheel on beam. Now…at 26…I have a mean front hip circle, a handstand on low beam, and a front tuck on ttrack. I'm no longer able to do the other skills not only because I'm not as in shape as I was (you have to be so strong!!) but mostly because they are REALLY SCARY. Thinking of doing a back handspring just terrifies me now.

I think that if you get to a certain level, maybe 9 or 10, you're naturally strong/fearless and may have better luck maintaining skills as an adult. Also, injuries…I had to retire due to injuries and although my body doesn't hurt at all now in normal working out, if I try to tumble my knees go back to their old pain.

 

[MissLisa]

It's interesting that some lose it so quickly while others don't. Sure things hurt more than they used to but I can still do them. I can't do the repetitions that I could back then though. I'm less fearful now than I was when I was training 16+ hours a week which is weird. It may be that I've done sport psych so I know how to push the fear aside. There is some skills that I won't do unspotted such as standing tucks etc but if I trained I think I could have them back in a month or 2. I'm hoping to move next year where I think I'll attempt to go somewhere where I can have access to train again. I just love it too much, to the point of ignoring pain! Lol..

 

[gymgurl]

I am not in your category yet but will speak from observation and just put some thoughts out there. we have a bunch of coaches in your category who can still do a lot - a lot can still round off flic twist etc.

I think there are 3 factors that indicate whether or not someone will be able to do the skills they used to:
1. Muscle memory - there are some people who will step back in the gym right where they left off or those that can not do a skill for months and come back and do it just as good as they used to. There are others who give them a week of not doing a skill will 'forget' how to do it and have to build back up.

2. Fear - lets face it gymnastics is scary if you aren't 100% confident you can do the skill it will impact your ability

3. strength - gymnastics requires a lot of strength and even if your muscles know how to do it they might just not be strong enough.

Injuries also tend to take their toll after you quit so that is another factor

 

[ivyagogo]

I'm 45. I don't tumble much on the floor but I can still do back handprings and back tucks on the tumbltrak. I learned a full a few years ago, but then blew out my knee, so I don't twist anymore. I can still do a kip, front and back hip circles, squat on, long hang kips and pullovers. The only things I do on beam are turns and handstands. My back and shoulders area really bad, so I can't do walkovers. I last competed in high school in 1986.

 

[rbearclaw]

I was about a level 8-9 back in my day, although the levels were named differently. I can still do a lot of tumbling, mostly on tumble track to make it easier on my body (fulls, front one and a halves, front handspring front layout, etc), but some on floor still. Give me a pit and I can throw some fun tricks...I just did a double front tuck into the pit off tumble trak last week! I can do very little on bars (backhipcircles, giants on strap bar), and cartwheels, turns and handstands on beam. I'm 38.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

I told all my other ex-gymnast friends that we will still be cool as long as we can still do a kip on bars and a standing back tuck on floor. Two years out of gymnastics and I am still cool

One time I had a handstand contest with a 6 month pregnant lady who had been out of gymnastics for 10 years and I was a level 9 and she beat me!

 

[Aero]

I told all my other ex-gymnast friends that we will still be cool as long as we can still do a kip on bars and a standing back tuck on floor. Two years out of gymnastics and I am still cool

One time I had a handstand contest with a 6 month pregnant lady who had been out of gymnastics for 10 years and I was a level 9 and she beat me!

I totally agree with standing tucks making you cool. What's cooler to the average person than doing a standing back flip anywhere?! As for losing to a pregnant former gymnast... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Gymishome]

I met a coach that is pushing 40 and still competes level 10. Not USAG, different organizations. But still equal to USAG level 10. She's pretty cool. Let's not forget about Oksana Chusovitina????

 

[GikiGirl]

There are adult competitions organized by the AAU and adult divisions in USAIGC. Also, many adult 'fun' competitions thruout the US and the world. A lot of these competitors are doing L7+ skills. They are out there, it's just a tiny number compared to all the kids who can do it.

 

[All Chalked Up]

My coach always says that I am going to be her Oksana Chusovitina, because I never want to quit. Not that I'll ever be as incredible as her... but hey, 20+ more years of gymnastics and maybe I'll be good enough to specialize

I wish there were adult competitions in Canada!