Non-traditional sports ideas for former gymnasts?

[rooster222]

My dd (13) just decided to retire from competitive gymnastics. She's been doing it for 5 years and most recently spent 20 hours/week in the gym. We need to find something for her to do stat!

She's taking a 2nd crossfit class tonight but it's only twice a week for one hour. The first class she was just lukewarm about because she needs a lot of movement. She really enjoys challenging her body and she is very flexible. She does not like doing things that are scary. Nothing involving heights or conquering fears.
She mentioned acro dance but I'm having trouble finding anything nearby. We want to stay away from expensive, competitive travel sports at this point because she wants time with friends.

She plans to do school track in the spring, but we have a few months before that will start. Any ideas for other things to explore? Especially interested in things that will use her gymnastics background because she truly loves the sport.

[lemoncupcake]

I was going to suggest diving until you said no on heights.

Would she be interested in a form of dance or figure skating (roller or ice)?

[shoeless]

A few thoughts:
Bouldering. The heights are much lower than rock climbing.

Aerial Yoga
Power Yoga

There is another type of yoga that's a little more gymnasticy but I can't remember the type, hopefully someone can chime in.

Also diving, at 13 most of the diving she would be doing is the low dive. Its been a (ahem) few years but I dove in HS and it was only low dive.

[sometimesrunner]

If she loves to move, tennis would be a good option. Figure skating or Barre classes would make use of her dance and flexibility skills.

[sakura]

Some forms of martial arts would be a great transition for her. I used to practice and we had a lot of gymnast and dance cross-overs. Some styles to check out are wushu and capoeira. Some schools will cover multiple styles, others will specialize in one.

[luv2rn4fun]

Since she wants to do track in the spring, maybe do some cross country or even road running? Longer distances to build a solid base before speed work. I have been running since I was 7 and it’s a great lifetime sport...something you can do anywhere, solo, and with a group of friends.

[cricketwife]

I'd suggest tennis. It's great during a pandemic, a lifetime sport, and social. Her athleticism will probably translate pretty well.

[loira]

I was a gymnast who transitioned to show jumping, so if you've got the cash for horseback riding lessons those can be great. It requires excellent balance and rhythm and gymnastics provides the foundation for that. I was never interested in vaulting but lots of former gymnasts go that route with horses.

[abs]

Tennis sounds like something she would enjoy. Lots of movement and you need coordination.

[formerlyak]

A lot of modern dance and contemporary dance would fill her desire for movement and utilize her flexibility. As a former dancer, I always suggest looking for a studio that focuses on the art and not on competition.

[ilikedonuts]

Since diving is out because of heights, what about swimming? A YMCA team could be low commitment, but great exercise and uses some similar muscles to gymnastics. Most of my daughter’s swim friends are gymnasts or take a gymnastics/tumbling class.

My oldest daughter is a swimmer, triathlete and gymnast.

[Poppy]

My friend who was a former competitive gymnast has fallen completely for aerial. There are some heights involved, but I think you can work up to it.

[jinkies]

A friends daughter transitioned from gymnastics to cheer. She may have even been recruited to the cheer team because they wanted her athleticism? She was also doing 20 hours/week in the gym by the end of her gymnastics career and it was just too much. The cheer team that she is on is not super competitive, but it gives her a gymnastic outlet.

Some form of dance also seems like a natural transition.

[keweenawlove]

Running is an easy one to start right away at any time for minimal costs. Even if she picks up something like dance, it would be a good complement. I always like the instant feedback to measure progress which might click well for her if she likes challenging her body, granted it would be in a different way that she's used to.

I feel like there was a poster on H&F who was a former gymnast and now does triathlons.

[sent]

Two sisters who are gymnasts that I know graduated college and started a non-profit dance studio where they create shows and performances. It appears to be modern dance. I believe they were competitive gymnasts and did dance all throughout their home schooled high school years so they have backgrounds in both. Their dancers seem to be very young adults but maybe not as young as 13. But it might be nice to find something like that if you want to avoid the travel competition stuff.

[tiki]

This recent video seems relevant: www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2020/12/21/silke-sollfrank-parkour-gymnastics-life-change-women-equality-spt-intl-lon-orig.cnn

[preppy]

I was a competitive gymnast for many years. When I stopped (when I was injured senior year) I got into crossfit and did that for a number of years. Old teammates of mine got really into aerial silks or aerial yoga, others into running and one into trampoline classes. I think the key is to just find something that she likes and enjoys that keeps her active. Keep trying new things until she finds the right one! And kudos to her for quitting now, it's really hard to get out once you are in that deep and I give her a ton of credit for not wanting to go further. It takes over your life and she will be much happier in the long run for making this choice now!

[luckystar2]

My 12 year old is a gymnast. She also plays soccer. A few other girls on her gymnastics team also play soccer. I don’t really see an obvious crossover but for some reason these girls seem to like both! My daughter has been practicing a handspring throw in! If your daughter likes running then soccer could be a good addition to track.

I think the obvious sports would be diving, cheer and dance. Also i guess it may partly depend too on why your daughter is stopping gymnastics. Maybe the reasons will lend itself better to certain sports.

[keh2oblue]

Can she sing? Maybe musical theater? There is a lot of acro being done in the dance/theatre world these days.

[brooklyn]

Fencing? Agility helps!

[minniemouse]

I was a gymnast until age 17. I never did any competitive sports after, but enjoy Pilates and barre. Some of my friends got into Tae Kwon Do. They progressed pretty quickly in that sport. Maybe rowing? I always thought that looked fun.

[edwardo123]

Rowing?

[Dumbledork]

Jan 5, 2021 11:20:40 GMT -5 shoeless said:

A few thoughts:
Bouldering. The heights are much lower than rock climbing.

Aerial Yoga
Power Yoga

There is another type of yoga that's a little more gymnasticy but I can't remember the type, hopefully someone can chime in.

Also diving, at 13 most of the diving she would be doing is the low dive. Its been a (ahem) few years but I dove in HS and it was only low dive.

I was also going to suggest bouldering. Great combination of strength and flexibility and an individual performance, team support sport similar to gymnastics and swim.

My DD is scared of heights and she loved her climbing club.

[Deleted]

Me and a woman I race with are former gymnasts. We both love speedskating because it gives you that feeling of flying and raw power like gymnastics, and it's an individual team sport vs a team sport if that makes sense.

[notreal]

Synchronized swimming

[lizlemon19]

Gymnasts are great at many sports. I am guessing diving is out due to the heights.

Are there any parkour or obstacle course type places?

Track could be a good fit. Especially the field events.

I agree with aerial yoga.

What about swimming? Dance?? Martial arts?

[HitchedIn2006]

What about rhythmic gymnastics?

[erbear]

My kids take circus classes. It’s really fun!

[rt2008]

My daughter takes Ninja Warrior classes and loves them!

[madringal]

HS diving, at least in my area (Indiana), is a very low spring board diving. Like the kinds people have in their backyards. I bet she would be really good at it. And initially, learning to dive is mostly just trampoline and mat work.

If you think that would be something she would be interested in, I would email your HS S&D coach and see if there are any programs around for her to take some lessons.