Is It Too Late For Me To Be Doing Gymnastics

14 too late to start gymnastics?

Never! I'm almost 15 and started this past September at the age of 14. Its an awesome sport; definitely worth trying. :) However, and I hate to say this, but your chances of competing nationally or getting a scholarship are extremely low. :| I totally know how you feel though. I'd LOVE to get to compete nationally or get a scholarship, but I know I probably won't be able to. To do either of those, you really have to start young and be in the higher levels.

I mean, you can definitely still compete, but just not nationally. Nationals are for the higher levels, which take years to reach. I mean, you can still get to about level 5 or 6 by the time you're 18 though, if you work hard. :) Or, you could look into some gyms around you and see if they offer a club team. A club team is different from USAG and allows older beginners to compete on their own level. Even better, if your high school doesn't have a team, you can compete as an individual for your school on a club team. Any way you want to go, there are still ways you can compete as an older beginner. :)

Really, all I can say is START. NOW. I wanted to started almost two years ago and didn't for a while. I really hate to think about all the skills I could have right now if I had. :| So, go on yellowpages.com and search gymnastics. Look into some gyms, and find some classes you want to take. Actually, since all the classes are wrapping up for the year, I would probably look into their summer classes and camps. These will give you a chance to get some skills down before classes start in the Fall.

Good luck, and I hope this helps! :)

Is it too late to start gymnastics?

Realistically, yes it's too late. Even for college gymnastics you're going to have to be a level 10/elite for them to even consider looking at you. Even if you are naturally good at it, it would take nearly a decade to get to elite. If you're 14 right now, you should be at least a level 7 or 8 to have at least a small chance at college level gymnastics. As for the the Olympics, it's not happening, you'd have a be a nationally ranked ranked elite right now in order for that to be a possibility.

You're not to late to take gymnastics for recreation and fun. But at this point, I don't think that international or even college gymnastics are realistic possibilities. At the school were I work, there are two girls that are both 12 years old, they are both level 7 gymnasts, they already know that international competition isn't in the cards for them, but they will have a decent shot at college scholarships if they keep progressing at their current pace. Their expectations realistic, I don't thinks yours are.

Then there's the logistics of it. Typically high level gymnasts are home schooled, so that they can put 30+ hours a week in the gym, many will have to move to where the best gyms are, and it just goes on from there.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but I don't think you're being realistic about this. I'm sure you'll get answers like "You can do it if you try really hard" but I won't BS you like that, instead I'll give you an honest, realistic answer.

Too late to go back to gymnastics?

(aswering Q's in paragraph 2)
1.your body won't be able to learn as fast, but it might not be to late. Although, all the really good gymnasts start young and keep going.
2. being short is a really big and good advantage in gymnastics, although im not trying to say fat is bad, and im not saying your fat, but having a stomach could slow you down, but i have seen heavy gymnasts, like...reallllly heavy gymnasts, and she was amazing.
3. I think that arms is most important, and stomach would be good. you also have to have strong legs. every muscle is important in gymnastics, just some are more important than others.
4.arms-pushups, chinups. legs- frog jumps, lunge walks with bar weight on shoulders, mountain climbers. stomach- v ups, sit ups, leg lifts on bar, beam situps, arch ups.
5. if by verticle jump you mean rebound, then get strong legs and when you are going up keep your chin up, spot something high on the wall, use your legs to jump really high, and absorb your fall again when you come down to stick it. dont stick your butt out on the way down you will just fall over

and yes you might go slower if you arent going to a real gym.
it is a little late to become olympic level, and if you are planning on going elite then it is definitly to late for that too. you could probably get a tuck if you worked really hard at it.

Is it too late to start gymnastics at age 20?

Anyone think it's too late for me to start gymnastics? I'm about to be 20 and I have never practiced gymnastics, however, I HAVE trained under martial arts that involve flips and stretching and stuff and did for about 3 or 4 years. At age 13, I practiced a martial art called Capoeira from Brazil until I was about 16. If you haven't heard of it, it involves a lot of acrobatics and handstands. I got good pretty quick. After that, I just practiced on my own but not as intensely. Prior to practicing Capoeira, I ran track from 3rd to 6th grade(I did nothing in 4th grade though) and was the fastest kid in my elementary school.

So that's about all of my athletic history. Right now, I can still do flips and and stuff and I'm pretty flexible. I can't quite do the splits(pretty close but not quite), but I can kick over my head. My stamina isn't as good as it use to be though. I get out of breath quicker than when I was younger, and my physical strength isn't great either. I work out every now and then, but I could do better.

By the way, I'm a male.