Can you do any gymnastic/acrobatic stuff?

[Bullgrit]

Whenever I see pics or videos of someone doing some gymnastic, or acrobatic, or just non-lifting-a-weight strength feat, I thrill at what a body can do. I really want to be able to do a hand stand. I would love to be able to hold myself perpendicular to a poll.

I'm relatively flexible, (relative to average men in their 40s), but I can't do any of the fancy stuff. I've been doing many yoga moves for a few years now, (part of my fitness regimen), but I'm still amateur and stiff compared to the people I'm trying to follow in the videos. Heck, I still can't even bend over to touch the floor without my knees bending at least slightly.

I used to could do some interesting moves, (kicks, jumps), when I was in tae kwon do training 13+ years ago. The coolest non-fighting thing I've ever been able to do in this area was I could stand straight up from sitting crosslegged on the floor. That is, sitting with my butt on the floor and my legs crossed in front of me, ("Indian style"), and go straight up without shifting my feet. I was told it looked like I was pulled up by a sting out the top of my head.

Can you do any gymnastic/acrobatic moves? Any interesting/cool flexibility or strength?

Bullgrit

 

[Zombie_Babies]

Just your standard 20+ years of martial arts stuff.

 

[Janx]

I used to be able to jump over a waist high fence by planting my hands on the top rail and vaulting over.

Not particularly awesome, but more athletic than climbing over it.

I wouldn't even try that now, likely break my neck when a foot or leg failed to clear the fence.


And there's the standard martial arts breakfalls.

I've run across a field, tripped and forward rolled back onto my feet without breaking stride.

That is both clumsy and slick combined into one (I was in a halloween costume of some cumberness, racing to get into position to scare some students at a martial arts camp). Cultist robes suck for running.

 

[Kramodlog]

I yoga regularly.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Yes, I can roll like a medicine ball. When young, could do a lot more but age has screwed with me.

One of the crazy things you notice when you are older, jumping down from something.

 

[Tonguez]

I invented crumping - although we called it dancing really badly

But I can still do a neck bridge and use to be able to spin it a full 360, I also use to be able to do a spinning knee drop (great dance move), forward sommersault and both forward and backward rolly polly to standing position

 

[Richards]

I can sit in the lotus position - with the side of each foot resting on the opposite thigh - then tip myself up so I'm balanced on my knees, and "walk" across the floor on my knees.

It's an ability that has had absolutely no practical use that I've ever discovered, other than making me look like a bit of a goof.

Johnathan

 

[sabrinathecat]

I used to be able to put both feet behind my head. But I got old(er).
Have to settle for what I learned from gojuryu and a little aikido, but badly out of shape and practice at both.

 

[STIGMATADOR]

Can you do any gymnastic/acrobatic moves? Any interesting/cool flexibility or strength?

Nope.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Can you do any gymnastic/acrobatic moves? Any interesting/cool flexibility or strength?

Nope. When I was in a better shape with a strict training regimen I wasn't interested in fancy looking stuff with the exception of some ways to throw the ball which bordered on the artistic.

Oh, and eight years ago our daughter challenged me to do cartwheels, which I managed after some ten tries.

I'm not clumsy, but have nothing special to offer to look at.