Gymnastics

[COMPLEXproductions]

Many of my friends have recommended taking a gymnastics class because they feel that I would be great, and I have always liked the idea of taking classes. However, I cannot seem to find one that isn't just for 6-12 year olds, you know? If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciated it. I live in Redwood city, so somewhere with in the bay would be good, preferably in a city with a caltrain station. I specify in case you might need the info, it doesn't have to fit the description exactly. Thank you, peace.

[lokkje]

There's an acrobatics class in SF at the SF circus center. It's a hike from caltrain, though.

I'd like to find a place to do gymnastics too :/. In the meantime, there are lots of progressions you can work on at home; lever, planche, handstand, manna/l-sit progressions will get you started down that road.

I found an awesome progression for backbends recently (bending back into a bridge): bend back against a wall and then walk your hands down, trying to get further down before touching the wall each time. Eventually you just backbend down to the floor.

[AeroSFCity]

make sure you know the difference between a gymnastics class and a tumbling class.

If you arent down with the rings,bars, beam, or doing combination tumbling then a "gymnastics" class isnt what youre looking for.

the basis of flipping starts with the solid understanding of a forward and backwards roll (over your head pizza hands by your ears)

If you just want to learn tricking or flips but are too scared to crash outside it sounds like you might just want to rent some mat time at an open gym with guys more advanced than you to help you out. (Check the UCB gym sessions... i dunno if they are still alive, AUSTIN could let you know)

[minimoose]

you gotta go to UCB or have mad connections to go to those gym sessions nowadays.

[COMPLEXproductions]

I might check out the circus center, thanks

[AeroSFCity]

Be careful. The instructor for the SF Circus Center just broke his back two weeks ago doing a backflip on stage for a show.

[COMPLEXproductions]

Oh crap. Well, I'm a bit overly cautious anyway, so being careful isn't a problem.

[minimoose]

i'd heard there was also a parkour class at the sf circus center. Is this true? and who's teachin it?

sorry if this is a little off topic, but i figured it wasn't worth it's own thread

[lethalbeef]

Aero used to teach this. He's since moved to Crossfit Marin; do they have a qualified guy teaching these days?

[AeroSFCity]

Circus center started up after Kaos and me had been teaching classes at Acrosports for like 2 years.

Acrosports is Jodie now. Very little flipping though at the jam portion (last 45min) she could help you work backhandsprings/tucks/wallflips and some handspins (shes good at those) .

I dunno much about the Circus Center classes other than the dude who was teaching broke his back and its run by the bitchy circus dudes who used to kick the parkour guys out of the top floor at acrosports (when the two schools worked together).

Yeah so im biased but thats what i know.

[2nd Chance]

Yes, there are classes at the Circus Center. I teach em! The bitchy circus dudes don't teach it anymore :P The guy who broke his back hasn't taught it for a while now, it's been me and my partner since about september. Acrosports has awesome classes too. The management as CC is... not quite as nice as the guys at acro, but they don't affect us much.

[Meatlad]

Who was the guy who broke his back? Xiaohong?

[Pharaoh]

Lol I would so go there if I lived in SF. 1 hour away :(
Minimoose - Any update on that one gym you guys go to?

[COMPLEXproductions]

Thanks, yeah. I'm sure I'm going there this summer, I have lots of shit to do in these up coming months. Good things mind you! Such as this :biggthumpup: . so thanks for the info

[2nd Chance]

Who was the guy who broke his back? Xiaohong?

No, he's far too badass to break anything. Neal did (StreetRat here). He's actually making a scarily quick recovery, already doing backflips and stuff... We convinced him to take it easy, but there ya go.

[lethalbeef]

When did Neal break his back?

[Austin]

UCB gym is only for students unfortunately

Check out local gyms and see if they have open sessions, or just talk to a coach there and explain what your priorities are.

I think gyms can greatly accelerate the development of air and body awareness but be careful not to only train inside. You won't always have padded surfaces to work with.