SUBSCRIBE| <<prev 2008-06-05 next>> Around the same time I decided to leave Loopt and start my own company, I also decided to start taking gymnastics.... and yes I'm 27 years old. I had always wanted to do gymnastics but my situation was never conducive to take it. I've played many sports in my day: varsity soccer and varsity wrestling in high school, Dux Ryu Ninjitsu, Chito Ryu Karate, rock climbing, weight training and even some boxing but I've always felt that one of my biggest strengths wasn't being taken advantage of: my flexibility, balance and high strength to weight ratio (because of the J-pouch surgery). Since I was on a kick of 'freeing' myself with starting the company and all, I decided to take a risk and try out something I should have probably done 10 years ago. A friend at Loopt tipped me off to a great gymnastics place right in Mountain View called Gold Star Gymnastics which actually had adult gymnastics classes and had a free trial class. I didn't expect much on my first day and as it turned out, I looked like a fool compared to everyone else. I gave myself a black eye doing a roll because I confused it with the roll I used to do in Ninjitsu which was slightly different. Everyone there though was very encouraging and helpful and gave me a lot of pointers. By the end of the class I had managed to thoroughly kick my own ass somehow and when I showed up to work the next day people thought I had been in some bar fight. Going against all common sense and reason, I signed up for 10 more classes. Having the history I do with near death experiences and severe illness, I had lost the vast majority of fears that most people have and believed that I could actually learn gymnastics in my late 20's. I've taken 4 classes so far now. The result? I can do handstands and almost do a handstand walk, cartwheels, roundoffs, front flips, and assisted back handsprings. I've learned that even just a moderate level of strength and flexibility is fine with tumbling; the hardest part appears to be getting over your own fears about going upside down and backwards. I'm planning on continuing to take it and see how far I can go. Gymnastics has been one of the most fun physical exercises I've engaged in! No Comments yet, be the first!
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