Have you secretly fancied that you have the potential to be a gymnast but think you missed your chance?
Now you can test your potential at a new mega sports facility, The Yard, which boasts a full-fledged gymnastics arena and which runs gymnastics classes for people of all ages and skills levels.
The facility, a stone's throw away from the Singapore Science Centre in Jurong East, features a spacious spring floor area measuring 16.5m by 14m (about half the length of a netball court), two Olympic-sized trampolines, two foam pits and equipment that include eight balance beams, nine sets of bars and two vaults with a 26m run-up.
Adult gymnastics classes take place from Monday to Wednesday, 7.30 to 9.30pm, and participants will be assessed on their skill level before starting a class. There are also gymnastics classes for children from the age of three.
Ms Rosanna Trigg, founder of the facility, a gymnastics coach and a former competitive gymnast, had noticed a growing interest in the sport among children over the past five years.
She says: "The idea that gymnastics is an elitist sport is something we want to move away from. It can either be for recreation or competition."
She adds that all the equipment at the facility are Olympic-grade or approved for competitive gymnastics by the International Federation of Gymnastics.
The 20,000 sq ft space - about one-third the size of a football field - with its high-quality equipment has caught the attention of gymnasts and instructors.
Former national gymnast and freelance gymnastics instructor Gregory Gan, 26, believes that this is one of the biggest gymnastics spaces in Singapore.
He says: "Normally, a lot of gyms don't have as many of the same type of equipment as there isn't enough space."
The Yard also has parkour and trampolining zones and a yoga studio. It offers parkour, trampolining, yoga, pilates, zumba and barre classes.
A one-month package for adults comprising four lessons in either gymnastics, trampolining or parkour starts from $119. Children's gymnastics classes start at $300 for eight sessions.
Ms Trigg says she wanted to offer more workout options for people. The British-Mexican, who pumped $1 million into the facility, says: "This is a place for adults looking for a workout that does not involve going to the gym and running on the treadmill."
The space has non-sports areas, too. Parents who are waiting for their children to finish their classes can visit the nail bar while a lounge area serves healthy light bites and drinks.
The facility opened in May and is hosting an official launch party on Sunday from 10am to 4pm, during which the public can try out the various activities for free.
Response to the facility has been encouraging, says Ms Trigg, adding that close to 100 people attend classes daily. One of them is chiropractor Audrey Choh, 28, who was at The Yard for a drop-in session.
She says: "I always thought that if you want to do gymnastics, you have to start from young. So it was good I got to try out some gymnastics moves."
•The Yard is at Bestway Centre, 10 Science Centre Road, 01-03, and opens 9am to 9pm on weekday and 9am to 2pm on Saturday. Closed on Sunday except for private bookings. For more information, go to www.theyard.com.sg
