How discouraging. I was hurt in an under-equipped and unqualified instructional setting in grade 6 phys ed gymnastics. From then on I was petrified of gym throughout the successive school years, each with a gymnastic unit within the phys ed program. I played hockey until I reached 18 as a fourth line bench-sitter. Overall, I was lanky and far from naturally athletic. At about the age of 18 or 19 I got into running and weight training and actually did okay at both. Then one morning fighting a flu I turned on The Sports Network and saw a bio on Nadia Comaneci (sp) and was instantly inspired. What a great outlet for my current fitness ability. That looked to me like “the next progression” and waayyy more stimulating than weights and running, which frankly could wait until my 60’s if they had to. As luck would have it, there was a local gymnastics centre AND they rather randomly advertised an upcoming adult beginner gymnastics/trampoline class. I called and they said that if I actually showed up, I would be their first such student in this new class. I dragged a 31 year old roommate along who at about the one year mark tweaked his back on trampoline when he didn’t tighten up on a couple of landings to keep the spine stable (lesson there for us all), he soon after gave it up. I carried on, eventually helped teach some kindergym classes (the same basics I had learned), which led to the club CYA’ing and paying my was into a Level 1 artistic gymnastics coaching program (taught by Cirque du Soleil’s current ‘head-coach international’ on his last course before going on to start as one of CDS’ frontline coaches), then Level 1 trampoline coaching. I filled in more and more often as a casual until the club’s head coach approached me to offer me an actual coaching job teaching Provincial and National Novice trampoline and power tumbling under his close supervision. I still marvel at that offer. I took the job, tried to do all conditioning exercises I demanded on my kids and eventually was sent to Level 2 Gymnastics and Level 2 Trampoline coaching courses. In the meantime I, at 6’2” and 190 lbw, largely self-taught a full twisting back layout on trampoline and standing back handsprings on floor at the age of 24. Meanwhile, my Provincial kids dominated the podiums at Provincial Champs. One of my Novice kids went on to be first Canadian to do a triple back in power tumbling. He and one other of my kids went on to successful stints with Cirque du Soleil (Alegria and Saltimbanco respectively). There you go. Go for it. You don’t have to do triple backs. Pick your favourite attainable skills amidst the million possible, build a couple of training aids and take it where it takes you.