“Is 10 too old to start gymnastics?” is one of the most frequently asked questions on Google when it comes to the sport. Indeed, the traditional notion was that gymnasts start super-young and retire by 20. However, this is no longer the case, as the sport has evolved and become more democratic.
Age no bar
More people are pursuing gymnastics as a fitness alternative to reap the benefits of toning, flexibility and weight loss. You may not reach the Olympics as an adult learner, but you can still enjoy the rewards to be gained from the “mother of all sports”. (And, having said that, Olympian gymnast Oksana Chusovitina is a healthy 46.)
Who wouldn’t want to say they can do a handstand or a backflip or muscle-ups on a hanging ring?
Dija Khalid,
35
Gymnast and fitness instructor Christian Brezeanu, who lives in the UAE and is a two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist, believes it is never too late to take up the sport and says he has several clients over the age of 50 who are “studying” gymnastics.
“Age is just a number but, unfortunately, there’s still a big number of people who think gymnastics is just for children or that they are too old for it. We need to differentiate between gymnastics as a fitness and recreational activity, and gymnastics as an Olympic sport. As an activity, anybody can benefit from gymnastics, no matter how young or old they are.”
Brezeanu says the number of adults taking up gymnastics has risen in the UAE in the past five years. Various courses and camps are available for children and teens, but adults looking for a new way to tone and condition their muscles can also benefit from the activity. And if they push themselves hard enough, he believes anyone can learn cartwheels, handstands and bars manoeuvres at any age.
Flip the script
Brezeanu, who started learning gymnastics at the age of 6 in Romania and now runs Fly High Fitness gymnastics in Dubai, says most gymnastics coaches are from outside the UAE. “Gymnastics is still quite a new sport here. That’s why it is more popular with expats, and both men and women take it up in equal measure, whereas among children, girls make up a higher percentage.”
Adults pursue gymnastics for different reasons. Some may have done it in their younger years, and they want to come back because they miss it and are aware of the benefits. Some are bored with regular gym training, and need something more physically and mentally stimulating.
Some are involved in activities such as yoga, CrossFit or martial arts, and need to improve their performance, while some have always dreamt of being able to do a cartwheel, if only to share it on social media.
Fitness enthusiast Dija Khalid, 35, took up gymnastics to shake up her CrossFit routine, use different muscles in her body and, above all, for enjoyment.
“Who wouldn’t want to say they can do a handstand or a backflip or muscle-ups on a hanging ring? As an adult, that’s not something you see every day unless you’re a personal trainer or have been practising since childhood. So I’m hoping I can pursue gymnastics not to a professional level, but as a way of learning new skills while enjoying them, too,” she says.
Fear factor
It’s not all fun and games, however. The fear factor hinders many an adult, believes Loredana Niroda, 29, who started learning gymnastics at the age of 3 in her home town of Lugoj in Romania.
It’s easy to get injured ... so it is important to be patient and consistent
Elke Vinck,
founder, Aspire Gymnastics
“As adults, we are more aware of what can happen to us if we fall or do something wrong. It would be best if you prepare yourself to fall many times as this will happen over and over again until you master the art of falling without hurting yourself.
"Just remember that perseverance and an excellent coach can help you achieve things you didn’t know you were capable of, even at an older age,” says Niroda, who works as a gymnastics coach, group fitness instructor and personal trainer at Fly High Fitness.
Niroda believes if one crosses the barrier of investing enough time and energy in the sport, they will be rewarded with mobility, strength, agility and good posture, as well as having a higher level of body awareness.
The solution to hesitancy and fear among adults is consistency and determination, agrees Elke Vinck, founder of Aspire Gymnastics. She says the sport requires frequent and devoted practice, which adults sometimes miss out on because of other obligations. Most high-level gymnasts put in 30 to 40 hours of training a week.
Vinck says while adults can learn gymnastics (although it may take them longer than children to gain flexibility and strength), it is crucial they have a set goal.
“Some people specifically want to practise the rings or do bars and so on, so we guide them accordingly. For example, we train those who want to focus on flips on the trampoline.”
She pursued the sport after having five children, since they were also doing gymnastics. Focusing on flexibility, stability and balance all the time means it's not easy, says Vinck, who has noticed many adults inquire and try a couple of classes, but not everyone continues.
The key, she says, is to build up the training slowly. “It’s easy to get injured; one wrong landing and you can be out for a while. So it is important to be patient, consistent and enjoy what you’re doing. Oh, and always listen to your coach.”
Andor
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 2 (Willems 25', Shelvey 88')
Manchester City 2 (Sterling 22', De Bruyne 82')
More on animal trafficking
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Who are the Sacklers?
The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.
Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma.
It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.
Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".
The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.
Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
2.30pm: Dubai Creek Tower – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Marmara Xm, Gary Sanchez (jockey), Abdelkhir Adam (trainer)
3pm: Al Yasmeen – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: AS Hajez, Jesus Rosales, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.30pm: Al Ferdous – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Soukainah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
4pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah – Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: AF Thayer, Ray Dawson, Ernst Oertel
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup – Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: George Villiers, Antonio Fresu, Bhupat Seemar
5pm: Palma Spring – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Es Abu Mousa, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
Sukuk
An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
