Can You Start Gymnastics at 12?

Your local gym may offer gymnastics classes for kids as young as 2 years old. Because they're attracted to tumbling and haven't yet developed a fear of falling, it's reasonable to start children out that young. It can mean early retirement if a gymnastics career starts at age 2 and is in full-swing by the time you're 8, and may lead you to wonder if it's too late to start gymnastics at 12.

Yes, You Can

Although parents start their children out in gymnastics as young as the age of 2, getting into the sport at an older age doesn't mean you won't be able to learn the moves and execute them impeccably. Beginning gymnastics at 12 years old is considered getting a late start, but Heather Gibson started at age 12 and went on to become a level nine competitive gymnast. In an interview with Tim Madigan and Tim Delaney in their 2009 book "Sports: Why People Love Them!" Gibson revealed that she did have a dance and tumbling background, but that she was 12 before she even began taking gymnastics classes.

Optimal Age

It may be possible to excel at gymnastics even if you start as late as 12 years old, but it's better to begin earlier in life if you have the opportunity and access to the facilities. Two years old may be a bit young, as children that age don't have the necessary coordination and attention span. Still, getting them into tumbling at that age can build an interest to go into gymnastics when they're a little older, such as in the 4- to 5-year-old range. This gives them a year or two for practice and skill development before competitive gymnastics start at age 6, for boys and age 4 for girls. Also, getting started before 8 years of age is considered optimal because that's when kids are at their maximum level of flexibility, according to Andrew Solway's 2013 book "Exercise: From Birth to Old Age."

How Old is Too Old?

You can begin gymnastics at almost any age you develop an interest, but you may want to stick with recreational gymnastics if you start older than 12. Starting later than 12 years old may not give you enough time to develop the skills you need to go up against people who have been at it since they were toddlers. Additionally, there are maximum ages for gymnastic competitors. In a July 2012 article "Are You Over the Hill for Olympic Sports?" in the sports section of the "Washington Post," the age range for female gymnasts was listed to be 16 to 25 years old. And according to Leslie King, a vice president for USA Gymnastics, the Olympic male gymnast age range is 17 to 26.

Size Makes a Difference

The issue that allows children to begin gymnastics at an older age is their size. A boy or girl who is muscular and with a small physique is considered to have the perfect build for gymnastics, according to Stacy M. DeBroff in her 2003 book "Sign Me Up!" Muscularity provides full-body strength necessary for explosive moves like jumps, handsprings and flips, and petite kids have the advantage of being able to execute faster rotations.