Why do I keep coming back to the gym after dealing with so many injuries? This article gets into that very question.
This is the continuing saga of me breaking myself. Again.
The first major foot injury from the gym starts here.
This time, I completely tore my Achilles tendon at the gym. I was landing a roundoff back handspring on the TumblTrak and POP.
Despite my best efforts to prevent injury, it happened. It’s the risk of doing gymnastics.
Apparently, I’m in good company. This year, two elite gymnasts, Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello, both ruptured their Achilles tendons at Olympic trials. Here’s an article all about that.
Like Skye and Kayla, despite all of the careful training I had done to tumble safely, the injury just happened. It is devastating. I am upset, angry, frustrated, disappointed; all of the tough emotions all in one. There’s also a guilt factor for me that I’m not quite ready to delve into.
Why take the risk?
There’s something that looms large in the back of my mind. Behind the well-wishes of my non-gymnastics friends is often this thought: Why is someone over 50 even doing gymnastics? Why take that risk?
The snarky answer is, Because I can. But I don’t like to be snarky when people are legitimately concerned for my well-being.
I know that it’s hard to understand. People have certain levels of acceptable risk that they take. Most can’t fathom doing the stuff that I do. But, there are hundreds of thousands of us out there.
There are two Facebook groups I’m a part of: Just Like Fine Wine…Adult Gymnastics Group and Society of Ancient Gymnasts. Both combined have over 20,000 members. There’s a Gymnasts Over 60 group with over 8,000 members. This summer, The Atlantic did an article all about us called The ‘Grandma Gymnast’ Is Here to Stay. I’m proud to say that I was one of the subjects in the article.
All of that to say, I’m in good company. Adults can and do participate in gymnastics. Yes, we have to be more careful, for lots of obvious reasons. But, instead of letting the fear prevent us from trying, we benefit from learning how to manage the risks.
Mitigating risk
In general, I am a pretty risk-averse human. I don’t smoke or take drugs. I have a glass or two of wine once in a while. I don’t sky dive. I don’t gamble or play the stock market. I live a careful, mindful, healthy life that I intend to maintain for many more decades. Every time I try something new, it is planned and well-thought out so that I minimize any danger factor.
So what makes this risk acceptable? Why would I keep coming back after I’ve sustained so many injuries?
I think the answer is multi-faceted. My gymnastics training has given me so much more than it has taken away.
This is why.
Gymnastics challenges me in ways that nothing else does.
Physically, mentally and emotionally. How many 50+ people can gain the ability to do a round-off – back handspring -back tuck on a trampoline? Or making micro-improvements in handstand technique? The impressiveness is not lost on me, and I love living up to those challenges.
Lifting weights and straight cardio is fine, but it doesn’t fill that sense of accomplishment I crave. Gymnastics combines every type of fitness in one sport. It’s fluid, the skill combination possibilities are endless, and it feeds my creative spirit.
I attended my first gymnastics camp this summer. At 52. (I’m in the bottom center of this pic.
Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought I’d do a 12-hour roadtrip with my gym rat buddies and do a three-day gymnastics camp. But I did. And I had the time of my life.
It has improved my physical structure.
In my efforts to prevent further injury, I have focused lots of effort on gymnastics fundamentals. I’m always going back to the basics to make sure my form and structure is in good shape. Aside from this week’s freak accident, this has proved successful.
My nagging shoulder injuries have healed nicely. I’m lifting heavier weight. My handstands look better. I’m maintaining my mobility, which is the first thing to go when you get older. I feel like a stronger, wiser version of my younger self.
It helps my mental health.
Save for the occasional injury, I have never left the gym in a bad mood. No matter what stress is happening in my life, the gym has always been a warm embrace. I can go in tired and come out revived. I can doubt myself, then prove just how capable I am. I can help someone else figure out something they’re stuck on. It always provides the serotonin/oxytocin boost that I crave. Even accomplishing the little things make me super happy.
It provides a community that I love.
Adult gymnasts and fitness buffs are an incredibly inspiring and resilient group.
The GenX and Millenial sets are smashing former expectations and limitations. We are all in the same space, trying to push our own boundaries. We support, encourage, and cheer each other’s process and progress. We give a little push, hold each other’s hands, and give each other permission to step back when necessary. We validate each other’s efforts and desire to keep trying new things. I love being a part of this growing community.
It is a regular demonstration of my increasing capability.
I like to surprise myself by learning things I’d never imagine I’d be able to accomplish. It’s the best feeling of pride, to push myself past a fear, doing something I never thought would be possible. This old dog learns new tricks everyday. This year, I finally made that round-off-back handspring-back tuck combination on the trampoline. I was afraid for the longest time, but through consistent (persistent) training, I managed to break through the fear.
I can re-define “normal.”
I refuse to stay in an age-ist box. This half of my life is reserved for exploring more about myself. I manage my aging body by taking good care of it. I have improved my nutrition and built more strength. I did this all while dealing with the chaos of perimenopause.
Every day, I am exploring my limits on my own terms. When I have a setback, I can make my way back on my own time, in my own way. When I am in the driver’s seat, I can decide what works for me. It doesn’t have to align with someone else’s definition of “normal” or “acceptable.”
I’m living out a childhood dream.
My efforts at the gym honor my inner child who watched the Olympics and wanted to flip. For the last 17 years, this dream has been playing out. Every flip I land, cartwheel I complete, and back hip circle that gets around feeds my inner wannabe Olympian. That’s hard to give up.
It has given me a fun personae.
On October 19, 2022, I started my YouTube channel called The Geriatric Gymnast. It was born out of the hashtag I was using as a joke, given my elderly status as a flipper. I thought it was cute, and so all of my social media posts have been tagged with it.
This year, I even when as far as personalizing one of my new leotards with the moniker.
Someday, I’ll make t-shirts or something. I’ll have to heal my Achilles tendon first.
My journey inspires other people to expand their comfort zones.
Of course, that wasn’t the initial impetus for pursuing adult gymnastics. I just wanted the euphoria of jumping on a trampoline. But, it’s nice to see that others are watching and being inspired to try new things. I get messages all the time from people who are watching and getting the courage to take bigger leaps.
It helps me to be a better teacher.
I can connect to people’s fears and performance anxieties because I feel them too. I can almost anticipate them, just by looking at someone’s face. I’ve made that face.
I’ve become a master at breaking down technique. I can easily explain what muscles make things work. I can determine what pre-skills to focus on that will help lead them to success. I can do it for dance, gymnastics or any other movement concept.
The list goes on and on. But I think this gives you a good idea of why I keep coming back to the gym, despite the inherent risk.
So yes, it really sucks to suffer an injury from this activity. It sucks that it required surgery to fix and will take a ridiculous amount of time to recover. It sucks to put extra stress and responsibility on other people to help me through it. It sucks that this will affect my job. All of these things suck.
But for me, this is just another setback, one of many I’ve experienced in my life.
Maybe I won’t be getting back on the TumblTrak anytime soon. Maybe not ever, I don’t know. But I will get back in the gym and continue strengthening and mobilizing my aging body. I will find the things I can do as I heal. This is an injury, not a life-sentence. I have a long road to recovery, but I’ve done if before and I came back much stronger.
This time will be no different.
These are my recent musings about managing this Achilles tendon injury:
Sometimes You Break Yourself…Again
Pre-op Hell and Surgery Heaven
Navigating Post-Surgery: Tips for First Day Recovery
Stacey's Headspace 
😘
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stacey:
I completely understand why flipping at the gym is so important to
you. I could never do what you do at the gym because of my vertigo. I’m
an exercise nut, and no matter what injury or medical problem I may have
doesn’t stop me from continuing working out.
I know you have a long road to recovery but there is no doubt in my
mind that you will fully recover. I don’t know what you’re planning to
do about auditions, if you are going forward. Whenever I’m there for
rehearsal or at school for forensics, I will drive you home. If I can
help in other ways, let me know.
Iris
LikeLiked by 1 person