Men are increasingly getting involved in movement too, as strength-based disciplines such as tumbling, the pommel horse and asymmetric bars become increasingly commonplace. The rise of Instagram might also have a hand in the sport’s growing popularity - who doesn’t want to be the super cool dude posting a sunset backflip pic, or the yogi rocking a tricky inversion? It’s one thing to have washboard abs and bulging biceps; it’s quite another to add explosive power, flexibility and precision to execute an awesome trick. Chan continues: “We see a range of abilities at Trybe, from people who’ve never done gymnastics before - or perhaps did it when they were a child - right through to experienced gymnasts who want to join a social environment to hone their skills. The progression in skill level can be quite rapid for beginners and after just a few weeks of attending classes, somersaults, cartwheels, round-offs and even back somersaults are well within reach.” The mainstream gyms have started to bring in acrobatic elements too. Pure, the dominant fitness force in Hong Kong, has embraced the trend. Pure’s PTs undergo regular movement skills training with world-class gymnastic movement coaches, including Amy Ridge, who coached gymnastics in the UK for more than 10 years; and three-time British champion, Thomas Rawlinson, who has also coached two national champions.
Photo: Pure Fitness
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Marco Ferdinandi, Regional Director of Fitness Operations at Pure says, “With gymnastic movement you get strength, flexibility, mobility, coordination, balance, core conditioning, stamina, grace, and above all, loads of fun as the movement certainly brings out your inner child! What we love most is how valuable these basic exercises and skills can be for everyone, not just high-level athletes or hardcore fitness enthusiasts.”
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