Q&A for How to Teach Yourself Gymnastics

Watch gymnastics videos on YouTube. You can learn how to do gymnastics techniques and watch a skilled gymnast perform them. Many videos are taught by professionals or accomplished gymnasts.

Everyone learns gymnastics on their own time. It might take some people a long time to learn the basics, while others can pick up on them very quickly. It depends on how much you are willing to train and how dedicated you are to practicing and advancing. Stick with it and you'll be able to learn.

Begin an intensive stretching regimen. Stretch consistently 3-5 days a week, taking a couple days off to give your muscles, tendons and ligaments a break. During these sessions, try to stretch all of the body's major muscle groups, including the legs, torso, arms, neck and back. Try to go a little further in your stretch each time (stopping when it becomes uncomfortable) until you start to see progress.

For sure! There is no age limit in gymnastics. Many gyms now offer classes for older gymnasts too, if you want extra help.

You say you're 12, that's a good age to figure out what you really want to do and commit yourself to it. If you want to do gymnastics, start soon. It definitely won't be as easy to catch up, but it's possible. My friend made her first team at 14, but she had to work really hard for it. Keep practicing and believe in yourself.

Just stretch and you will become more flexible. Try doing a bridge with your legs straight will help with back flexibility. All you have to do is believe in yourself and laugh when you fall and you will start to feel more comfortable with falling.

Stretch for at least 10 minutes a day. Do lunges, backwards lunges, over-splits, and just your normal splits. All this can help improve your splits significantly.

Kneel down first. Extend your dominant leg in front of you and straighten the other leg behind you. Then, move your hips to the ground, while making sure your legs are in a straight line. It will hurt at first, but the more you practice, the lower you will be able to go, and the less it will hurt.

The muscles in your arms, legs, and back are all critical.

Take a look at this Wikihow article, which can answer a lot of the questions you may have: http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Front-Walkover

Any stretch is a good stretch. You should be able to feel your muscles stretching, but be careful. You don't want to pull a muscle. If it hurts, stop.

It is a good idea to have someone spot you for the first couple of times when learning something new.

Try practicing your handstand against a wall, or have someone help you hold your legs up. If you can't do a handstand against a wall, learn how to do a handstand roll-down. It is when you do a handstand and then forward roll out of it. This way, if you kick up too hard, you'll be able to roll out of it.

The only thing you're doing wrong is letting yourself get discouraged. Stay positive and be confident. Practice 3-4 times a week so that you make regular progress without getting burnt out. You may have to conquer your fear a little to commit to learning new skills, but you can do it. Focus on proper technique and watch video demonstrations of the techniques you're trying to learn. Keep training!

Find someone! Grab a friend, family member or classmate and give them a rundown on what they should do to help. Chances are, you'll be able to find a willing assistant just about anywhere if you look hard enough. If that fails, you may have to skip certain skills that you can't perform without the aid of a spotter and move on to others that you feel comfortable learning on your own. Safety should always come first.

The cartwheel, though one of the most basic skills in gymnastics, is a pretty complex maneuver that requires some breaking down. Take a look at this article for in-depth advice on how to do a cartwheel: http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Cartwheel

Once you get limbered up, have a look at how to do a proper back walkover here: http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Back-Walkover

Yes, but to train properly, you will need to go to a gym for gymnasts.

Round offs are a progression of basic cartwheels and are used as a lead up to more complex skills and tumbling passes. You'll find a detailed explanation of the round off technique here: http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Round-Off-in-Gymnastics

Doing a flip on a concrete floor could lead to serious injuries. I do not recommend doing a flip on this type of flooring. You might want to consider entering a gym where you have less of a chance of getting hurt, since they have properly padded floors for doing flips.

Yes; you can! It may be a little harder to get as flexible as some who have started a little younger, but that doesn't mean you won't get as good. You may just need to work harder to achieve greatness.

First you should be able to do a backbend. Then start kicking over off of something tall. You can also get a family member or friend to kick your leg over, and then you should be able to do it yourself. Remember to only try a skill if you feel comfortable doing it.

Practice every day, and try kicking to a handstand against a wall. If you are not comfortable with doing that, place your hands on the floor, kick one leg up, and have the other leg slightly lifting off the ground.

Yes, don't let your weight or body shape get in the way of your dream. Go for it!

There is no right age! Children can begin learning basic gymnastics skills as young as 4 to 5 years, and adults can get their start in the sport at any age, provided they have the necessary strength, coordination and flexibility. Gymnastics is a discipline that offers a multitude of physical benefits and can be practiced and enjoyed by anyone.

Yes, they can. You just have to believe in yourself! Practice regularly, but mainly, do not overexert yourself, as that can result in serious and sometimes life long injuries.

You'll need to find your center of balance. It will also require a lot of arm, stomach, and leg strength to keep yourself upright, so make sure you've properly exercised your muscles.

Get an experienced spotter to show you and help you practice it safely.

No. You can't get super flexible in one day. It should take a little while.

Start against a wall with your head tucked in. Start moving farther and farther away from the wall, and squeeze your whole body for balance.