Field Guide Proposal

For my field guide project I have chosen to research Gymnastics centers in Eugene that offer adult classes. Everyone sees the amazing gymnasts in the olympics, but what happens to them? Do they continue performing in other venues, become teachers, or move on to something completely different? I know that the injury rate is high and that your body can age out quickly. Gymnastics is a beautiful art form that I have always been completely inspired by. It is pure amazing what the human can do with their body. After I saw the mesmerizing and inspiring Cirque du Soleil perform a few years back, and again this year, I told myself I would take classes to learn to do what they do in their show. I didn’t want to just say how amazing they are, I wanted to do be the acrobat. There is a lot of fear going into something as scary as gymnastics, but if you want to, you just have to. It is possible for someone at any age to learn!

Gymnastics was introduced in early Greek civilization and consisted of running, jumping, swimming, throwing, wrestling, and weight lifting. Greeks in the ancient time values physical fitness and both men and women took park in gymnastics. Modern Gymnastics flourished in the 1700’s when Friedrich Ludwig Jahn of Germany, who is considered “father of modern gymnastics.” developed the side bar, the horizontal bar, the parallel bars, the balance beam, and jumping events.

Being new to Eugene I wanted to pick something that I am interested in learning, and for many years I have wanted to take gymnastics classes. I didn’t think it was possible at age 26, but I have found out that I am wrong. I am very strong and flexible, but beginning at this age is tough. I believe that I can inspire others around me by doing this. Show them that you are never to old to begin gymnastics! Gymnast’s call their gymnastics centers “gyms.” So far I have found 3 gyms in town that offer adult classes, and have already taken a couple classes and started asking questions. In my little experience so far I have found that this sport is VERY difficult, and strenuous on the body. Injuries seem like they are very easy to happen. I am interested in researching the type of people that take these classes in terms of their prior experience, and their reasoning for wanting to get involved in a sport primarily dominated by children. Why they didn’t take lessons as a child?

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I have read eight great reasons that adults should partake in gymnastics.

1) You will get very strong

2) It is impressive to show your friends

3) Your flexibility will increase greatly

4) You will become more coordinated.

5) It will help you over come fear

6) It helps you learn to fall without hurting yourself.

7) You will learn to laugh at yourself

8) It will bring out your inner child.

Men and women both do different events in gymnastics. For instance men do rings, and women do not. Women do the beam, and men do not. I am curious to how this came about. I think part of the reason has to do with the different body strengths, but I look forward to researching how certain gymnastics activities became so one sex dominant. In addition, I want to find out the percentage of men, and women that partake in gymnastics. Why is one higher then the other.

I also want to research the form of advertisements and promotional deals that they offer. I plan on talking to the management or instructors at the gyms. After that I will contact the gyms that do not offer adult classes and inquire their reasoning for it. I have already had misleading info on a website for a class I was trying to attend. In today’s society accurate website marketing is so important. I would like to feel out the atmospheres at the different gyms. Do some take it more serious then others? Are adults only there for a fun activity? Or do some take it more serious then others. I am sure there is some that have never taken a class, like myself, and other people who have had years of lessons, and are getting back into it after a hiatus.

Reading the biographies of the instructors, I have found most to have been involved in gymnastics their whole life, and used to perform, and went to college on a gymnastics scholarships. A lot of gymnasts go on to perform in the circus. Most of the gyms around town offer circus trapeze classes. I believe this is not only smart, but very practical. It gives the students more job opportunities in the future. I have a background in dance, and this seems similar the the dancers world. After performing for a few years, both dancers and gymnasts become teachers of their trade.

Below are photos of myself and the gyms I have visited thus far:

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