Is There Wasy to Continue Gymnastics Into Yout Adulthood
Getting Into Gymnastics As An Adult
Struggling with your why?
Gosh, this could have so many meanings, but let's focus on one that has been on my fellow gymnasts' minds as of late… Why am I doing this? Why I am choosing to train like a gymnast ? Why am I re-committing myself to a sport that demands so much from my body? Why am I spending all of this time working to either re-learn or newly learn gymnastics skills? And most importantly, what is my end goal?
We are perfectionists, and yes I am using a collective 'we' here because I know I am not alone in this. We feel like everything needs purpose and meaning and to be a part of this larger plan for our lives. Planning is good - trust me I am the queen of planning, but we also need to consider the idea of doing something just to fuel our soul. Does this mean we can't still have goals we strive to achieve and dreams we hope will happen? Absolutely not, in fact I encourage you to have goals and dreams. But rather, let's shift the purpose from whatever unattainable form of perfection we are striving for, to simply something that brings us joy.
Unadulterated, unfiltered, unending joy.
Allow me to explore exactly what I mean by this a little more. Perhaps you are a part of the adult gymnastics community because you were a former gymnast who still has a deep-rooted love for the sport, but you have no intentions of actually doing gymnastics anymore - great, this is a place for you. Perhaps you are a part of the adult gymnastics community because you are striving to be out on the competition floor again - great, this is a place for you. Perhaps you are a part of the adult gymnastics community because you have always admired the sport of gymnastics, but you never got the chance to do it as a kid so you are paving your path a little later in your life - great, this is a place for you. Perhaps you are a part of the adult gymnastics community because you have an undying love for the sport of gymnastics and you want to celebrate all of the wonderful things it gave you with fellow former gymnasts who share that same love - great, this is a place for you. If you haven't gotten my point yet, it's that no matter what your journey in adult gymnastics has looked like, looks like currently or will look like in the future… you belong here. And as a matter of fact, we love having you here and we are so excited to be sharing in this journey with you.
In order for us to truly share, I feel I should introduce myself. My name is Serena Pergola, a #TLAGTeam member, and I am overjoyed to be sharing in this journey with y'all. It is my pleasure to be bringing you content that lives right here on the Train Like a Gymnast blog and I hope it fuels your soul reading it just like it fuels my soul writing it. I was a competitive gymnast for about 15 years, competing in club gymnastics on a Junior Olympic level, as well as, in Varsity gymnastics on the State level. I unfortunately experienced what wound up being a career-ending injury when I fractured my back and I am still suffering the repercussions of that injury almost 10 years later. My gymnastics journey has been a wild one, and I will share more as we get to know each other a little better in this blog-world. My personal motivation? To empower others, by first holistically empowering myself and leading with kindness every day. I take a deep dive into my life both inside and outside the four walls of a gymnastics gym in my book, The Silver Lining: The Intersection of Sexual Assault and Anxiety Through the World of Gymnastics . My book is available on Amazon if you are wanting to hear more now, but I will share more here as we get to know each other!
Ultimately, I am fairly new to the adult gymnastics world community and I am still trying to identify what exactly this journey will bring for me, but one thing I am absolutely sure of is that I belong here too - and I am so glad we are running this marathon journey together.
P.S. Are you digging my tank and want one for yourself?
Find this tank and more apparel below…
One question that has been weighing on my heart personally is another why…
Why is it that so many gymnasts, who have retired from the sport for whatever particular reason, feel so compelled, so called, so drawn to immersing themselves back in the sport of gymnastics?
Is it the sport? Or is it our undying, unwavering, unbreakable bond with the self that we were when we were a gymnast?
Something I have always found interesting is this concept that I still fully and wholeheartedly identify as a gymnast. When asked to write short biographies and introductions into who I am as a person, be it for a podcast feature or even a professional engagement, I always mention that I am a former competitive gymnast. I feel as though it would be an incomplete portrayal of who I am without that fact. Mind you, in one breath I feel as though I have not been a gymnast for almost 7 years now and in almost that same breath I feel as though I will always be a gymnast, whether I am twisting and flipping, or not. Interesting concept, right?
I know I am not alone in this. My fellow former gymnasts out there, or even more so my current adult gymnasts out there are reading this and giggling to themselves in agreement. Why is this though? Is it the sport that is intrinsically imprinted on our souls? Or is it the identity we assume at such a young age that becomes a part of our soul in a way we will never shake, and maybe a way we never would want to shake?
What do you feel it is? Why is it that we all gather together in the Train Like a Gymnast community and we long for the days of being a gymnast? Well, rest assured, we no longer need to long. We can fully assume our gymnast souls and immerse ourselves in the training, balancing, stretching, grounding and flipping content spread all throughout this platform. And most of all, we belong here.
Share with me below what you feel the root of your intoxicating love with gymnastics is…
And then fuel that love with your favorite Train Like a Gymnast program!
Taking that step through the door opened a world of possibilities for me.
-The Silver Lining by Serena Pergola
Until next time…
Xo - Serena
In the meantime if you want to know a little more about me - connect with me on Instagram @serenapergola!
Source: https://www.trainlikeagymnast.com/blog/getting-into-gymnastics-as-an-adult