How to get my parents to let me do gymnastics?

Selena: How to get my parents to let me do gymnastics?
I am 11 and want to start gymnastics. But I am already in dance, so my parents won’t let me do gymnastics. I REALLY want to do gymnastics. How can I convince them to let me take gymnastics? And please don’t say quit dance or pay for it yourself. Because i don’t want to quit dance and I don’t have the money for gymnastics. It is a really expensive sport. Not that we can’t afford it. Also they keep telling me gymnastics is a sport where you have to start young at. Is that true?

Answers and Views:

Answer by jessica p
sacrafice,
hun i know how you feel cause im 12 and ive been a gymanst/dancer(all kinds basically),volley ball player, softball player, basket ball, and cheerleader.
i am now a uca all american cheerleader, captian of my team, and a level 5 national senior. (p.s. im m12)

you have to find the sport you like and stick with it.
depending on the gym most gyms let you do the first class for free.
see if you like it if not you might want to stick to dance if you love it,
sacrifice dance for gymnastics.
if you love the sport that what you have to do.

Answer by Elexis
Talk to your parents about it.
(btw, you don’t have to start young, especially since your only 11)
Tell them that it has good benefits, like it helps your flexibility for dance.
And like what Jessica said, you might have to sacrifice.
Cause gymnastics does have dance in it every now and then.
Is there a certain reason why they won’t let you try out?
Let me know, i can help.
[email protected]

Answer by IceRain
If your parents will only let you do one sport then I guess you need make a decision about which one you want to do more.

You don’t have to start gymnastics young. You have to start young if you want to be in the Olympics or anything like that. But you can start learning gymnastics at any age.

Heres an idea:
Go to https://www.youtube.com/ and search for “free runners” or “free running” or “parkour”. Find some really cool free running videos and explain to your parents that these people started out in gymnastics. And if you parents want you to be able to do stuff like these people, then they’d better sign you up for gymnastics lessons.

Here are some videos:

Answer by Clumzy60
Ok this is tough. Gymnastics is one of the most expensive out there. If you really want to do gymnastics, start taking lots of responsibilities around the house. Do much chores than you are supposed to. Suprise them by doing extra work anywhere. Then when they are really happy and proud of you, ask them if you can start. They will then ask you if you really really really want to do it. If you say yes, they will probably also say yes.

Answer by gymnastics/soccerfreak
You can devote more of your time to gymnastics and do dance for fun.????And it really doesn’t matter what age you do gymnastics , but If you want to be in the Nationals and stuff…you SHOULD start when you are like 5 or 6…
Sorry =[
Hope this helps!!!

Answer by Alexandra L
You may not want to take my advice because I am only 10. But I am a level 5 competitive district gymnast. (If you don’t know what I do check out a youtube video.)

Gymnastics is an expensive sport. I made a compromise when I was very little. I now do double the chores I use to just to do the sport. They were all for it.

I can relate to you about being little. It is a whole lot easier when your little because your not as scared. But its not to late! Your still young wouldn’t want to pay for it myself either.

I hope this works. I live in KY so if you need any gymnastics tips or directions email me at [email protected]

Answer by Jamie
You must start young to do gymnastics….its the same with most sports, if your 11 and are just starting, then you’ll be much younger than the other people your age who started younger. My friend is 11 and can do a back tuck on the ground.

Answer by ripriles
Ok, first off. No 11 is not too old to start gymnastics, particularly because you are a dancer. Most competitive gymnasts do start somewhere between 4-7 years of age and yes by the time they are 11 they are usually at least level 5-7 competitive gymnasts. For those going to the olympics by 11 they will already be at least level 10 training 28-30 hours a week.

But, lots of people don’t start gymnastics until they are older. Often teenagers and adults and they still become excellent gymnasts, so 11 is certainly not too old. Also dancers tend to progress much much faster when they start gymnastics. A lot of the work you do on beam and floor will be dance and you will already be excellent at it. Also your dance will have given you strength, flexibility and coordination. So you should progress very quickly.

If you want to do to the olympics or even get a college scholarship then yes you left it too late. But if you want to learn some awesome skills, and become a successful gymnastics competitor then you can do it with no problem.

Gymnastics is not an expensive sport at the recreational level. Dance is generally much more expensive than gymnastics. Gym only becomes expensive when you start competing and start having to train many many hours a week and go in expensive competitions. When you start you will be in beginners classes and it will only be once a week and won’t cost a lot.

If you want to convince your parents talk to them about letting you have a try at gymnastics. Ask them if say for a term you could do it once a week as well as your dance just to see if you like it. That way at the end of that term you will know if you want to stick to dance or do gymnastics. They may think thats fair and let you do it. And then you never know, at the end of the term they may decide that it wasn’t so bad and you can do both.

If you want to get to a higher level of gymnastics though you will struggle with dance. I don’t know how often you dance but I am assuming at your age you are at the dance studio 3-4 days a week. The problem is that to compete in gymnastics you will need to be in the gym just as many days. On average it is – Level 4 – 9-12 hours a week. Level 5 12-16 hours a week. Level 6 – 14-18 hours a week. Level 7 16-20 hours a week. level 8 – 18-24 hours a week. Level 9 – 20-26 hours a week. level 10 – 22-30 hours a week. Elite 25-40 hours a week. Basically this kind of schedule does not work with a busy competitive dance schedule.

Answer by sam.pike7
I know what ya mean, Im 11 also & i convnced my mom to sign me up 🙂 U should tell her you’ll do more chores or something, tell her the upsides of gymasntics, (it makes someone more confident, boosts self esteem, u get major strong, & it makes u MEANTALY tough) You could also tell her that since you r into dance that you’d be good at it,because gymasntics has (at least floor has) ALOT to do with dance & grace. So if u toook up both of them u’d get better @ dance & you’d be good at gymasntics!! Thats what i did, ecxept I did gymasntics then i quit for for yrs then came back 2 it & said that since i had expieriance already i’d already be good. Oh & tell her this, ITS FUN!!!!

Oh & you dont have to start young, alot of ppl beleive that but you dont, you’d just be better faster if u started young but if u started now you’d just get better slower, but you’d still get better!!! good luck

Answer by Shawn
yeah i had to start young

Answer by Trackstarr <3 ;]
Girl i know how u feel.
Same here.
Its so much money and i cant afford it
…

Answer by mom2gymbrat
You are not old to start gymnastics. But, I think that also depends on how competitive a person you are. If you are planning on competing in gymnastics, you might end up in a group of little girls and in competition you might be the only girl in your age group and level to compete.

But, that aside, I still don’t think any of those things should stop you from doing what you want to do. 🙂 When my daughter competed level 3, there was a teenage girl in her class that competed level 3. I just thought “good for you” because she was doing what she enjoyed. I thought it was awesome how she didn’t care that she was with a bunch of little kids… because she was doing what she wanted to do.

Also, you could explain to your parents that gymnastics could actually improve your dance skills. You will increase your strength, body awareness, flexibility, and balance. I really think that gymnastics and dance compliment each other wonderfully. Even taking a gymnastics class for a short while could help you improve with dance. Perhaps you could approach your parents that way.

What if you started out with one class a week. Then what you learn you can practice at home (the safe things). 🙂 Gymnastics doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you find the right program for you. The problem is there aren’t enough affordable opportunities out there. But, there might be in your area. You could contact your school district and ask if there is a local place that teaches gymnastics that perhaps the school cheerleaders go to. Or even your local recreation center. Some dance studios do teach a gymnastics class as well. Maybe your dance studio doesn’t, but there might be another one that does. If there are enough girls at your dance studio that want to take a gymnastics class, maybe your dance studio would consider putting a class together and bringing in a gymnastics coach to teach the class. It’s worth a try!

In any case, if you start out with a place near your home, once a week, it can help you determine how much you like gymnastics and it will also help your parents realize how much you want to do gymnastics. Then you can go from there.

Good luck to you with your endeavor!!