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Others desiredadding something new to their workout routineand chose this fun option.

So, I registered for a Wednesday night class atCirque de Volin Raleigh, North Carolina.

Afterward, we had time to practice whichever skill(s) we were interested in improving.

woman sweating in the gym

gymnastics instructor atCirque de Volin Raleigh, North Carolina

Once I embraced this mindset, I was able to enjoy the class more.

I stressed less about looking incompetent and focused more on trying to get betterand even feeling excited about that.

The other participants helped me with this, too.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

I spoke to them after the class about what they appreciated about these tumbling and acrobatics lessons.

Spoiler alert: They had similar thoughts as I did.

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Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

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Im enjoying just seeing how far I can take it.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

gymnastics instructor atCirque de Volin Raleigh, North Carolina

While not all of the participants had a gymnastics background as a child, some did.

Id rather do this than go to the gym, Robertson adds.

Its a lot more fun for me.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

(I certainly dont disagree!)

The mental health benefits may be stronger in this kind of environment than at the gym, too.

This is more of a social thing, so I think its really good for mental health, personally.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

But the benefits of gymnasticsespecially compared to a gym workoutdont end there.

The good news is, finding a doable class may not be as difficult as youd think.

There you have it!

2020 Oct 15;11:577522. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577522.

PMID: 33178079; PMCID: PMC7593334.

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