Dragonfly Roll

No, it's not sushi...
Learned a new sequence at my last private lesson. I've been practicing. I have bruises all over. And it's still a little clunky. But getting there. (Also uploaded the video to blogger directly, rather than bother with uploading to youtube.)

Then because of Bloom, three of the four hoops were GONE! Over at the venue. Only the baby hoop remained. However, there's always a hoop mounted at the back of the studio, not sure why. It's HIGH! Like almost above my head! Thank goodness for my DIB straddle, or I never would have been able to get up there. It's taped, which I hate. Too much friction. So awkward. But I attempted a little sequence. (And I tried to do front balance...it's too high for no hands, I were too skert.)

And finally, Angel is coming along nicely. Another practice or two, and I may be ready to take this to the higher hoop.

Straddle Stack

Boy, last night. Something happened on the other side of the freeway, so three patrol cars decide to park in the left lane on my side and hop over the median. Reduced to two lanes. Massive traffic. Why does our side have to suffer? We're not even in the rush hour direction? I was 20 mins late for practice. Practice is at 7:15pm.

Working on my straddle stack from dismount. It's improving. I think my back is getting straighter, and I'm holding the position with no help from the hoop.

And then because practice wasn't going well, I needed a bit of pretty to make myself feel better.

Straddle

Well, that didn't last long. My teacher got to celebrate my improved straddle for all of about five seconds. Then it was, I don't want you learning bad muscle memory. Shit. So, while it's improved, I shouldn't rely on it. Back to embarrassing thuds from trying to lift with control and simple dismount practice to get into stack.

Will I ever get this?

Amazon

So...the a/c broke at the aerial studio last night. It was like a fucking sauna. Seriously, cooler outside than inside. But I'm glad I went. The whole night was a bit of a struggle, with the heat. Girls were raiding the rag bin for wiping down mats, to wipe the sweat off their faces. Silly girls who don't need to regularly bring a sweat towel. I do. I bring two, actually. I sweat that much. Everyone else knew last night what it felt like to sweat as much as I do on the reg.

I graduated Amazon to the higher hoop. Can we just 'mire this photo for a moment? I'm not sure I've ever looked stronger or more beautiful.

Then I tried it, letting go with the free hand. It's sloppy, I was solely concerned with the free hand and nothing else. Then had a bit of a struggle to get back in, had to try twice. But I wasn't skert. I knew I wasn't going to fall. (And check out my straddle in the beginning, yo)

Also tried tofu hook. When I first learned this, I learned a bailout. Because it's hard to get back up into the hoop. I needed a safe way to get to the mat if I wasn't able to get back into the hoop. Trying this last night, I wasn't as concerned with holding the pose as I was immediately trying to get back in. But I can work on polishing this up.

Acroyoga II

On Sunday, I went to acroyoga again. This time, I brought a friend. We met through lyra. And she was down for trying some acroyoga with me.

We took lots of video with my phone, so the quality is better. 

Here are some screen captures from our day. And yes, our outfits match!

Monday Mood

One of the biggest helps for my depression is running. Not steady state, fuck that noise. But running intervals. I run for 1 min/walk for 2 mins. Repeat 5x.

Today was just awful, mood-wise. And I couldn't figure out why exactly until I realized, I hadn't done a run since LAST Sunday. It was so bad, I was convinced I'd skip lyra tonight. I decided to do a run to see if it helped my mood at all. It might not, I might still skip lyra. Oh well, if I skipped, I'd still have gotten a run in.

It didn't completely turn my mood around. But it took it from, fuck this I'm not going, to, what the hell else am I going to do with my evening? Good enough. Off to lyra, I went. Tonight was that lyra workshop I cancelled, so my usual 7:30pm practice time was cancelled. I had to fight a bit of traffic for the 5:45pm session.

Am so glad I went. I know I bore this blog with vids of my straddle. But it's so much improved. I kick back, no obvious jumping, and just hover there a moment. My stack is crap, my back is all curved, so much tummy. But I can hold the position a few moments before gently cinching my knees. I'll take it...

Check out this comparison, THIS is how much I've improved!

May 6	July 17

Slight improvement with holding a lock off in overhand grip. I think I may have gotten to "one miss"...progress from "wuh."

And here's a sequence I worked on tonight. It wore me out, but I felt so strong and pretty. 2:30 minutes is quite the endurance. The student showcase at my studio requires a 3 minute program.

And seriously, look at this screen capture. If I may be conceited for a moment. My right shoulder is popping. I feel like I can see a bit of abs through my shirt. It's just an awesome pose. (yes, my shirt says, you had me at merlot)

Rest

Lyra practice last night. Maybe not the best decision. I was immediately sore and tired, from Wednesday's private lesson. But I was so eager to work on new moves and maybe get video evidence. The evidence is clumsy. Cuz I was tired. I really need to rest at least a day in between sessions.

DIB straddle is back. I'm kicking up here, not jumping, which (to me) looks better. And I hover for just a moment and then can gently put my legs into the hoop. It's not quite voluntary, I can't hold this position for more than a moment nor can I shove up into stack. BUT if I can get this consistent, I'll at least have an option for mounting the high hoop without hurting my ankles. I really hate attempting straddle when I'm going to crash into the hoop. THIS, I can live with. For now.

Here's Amazon, much improved. With a transition to front lion. A few more tries, and I might be brave enough to try this in the medium hoop, maybe even incorporate it into sequence.

And here's Angel. Clumsy. My legs were pretty banged up and tender. This will take some time in the low hoop. This is why I practice in the low hoop. I was also practicing that transition from seated directly into single hip hang, and I fell a couple times. But no big deal because I'm like a foot off the ground. The low hoop is for safety where I can push myself. I ♥ the low hoop

Lyra Love

Ahhhhhhhh, best lesson ever!

Originally, my teacher and I were booked for 11am, then she emailed me last week if I could reschedule to noon...sure, no problem. But I didn't remember that noon is practice time. Two people showed up. It was quite crowded. I wish I had caught that before and rescheduled. But it still turned out lovely.

We worked on a harder transition to single hip hang. The transition I know is from seated, to inside mermaid, to hip hang, to leg block, to single hip hang. She taught me a harder transition, direct from inside mermaid into single hip hang. She spotted me a lot. But it felt amazing.

We moved over to the higher hoop with it, but I couldn't do my side mount. So I tried a straddle. And maybe I was imagining it, but it felt ever so slightly closer and controlled. I mean, I still had to cheat it (DIB). But there was like a mini-second where I just hovered there, not quite up in position, my butt was too low, but not falling back down either. And then my legs were able to sort of gently fall against the hoop to cheat. But it wasn't this like violent kick back, legs crash back against the hoop to cheat (I have knocked my ankle many times against the hoop, it hurts). And so we were about to move on, but then she got this look and said, I want to see that straddle again.

This transition is something I can work on with the low hoop until I feel comfortable by myself on the higher hoop. Without her spotting, it might just be mental, the higher hoop is too high for now.

We worked on Amazon. I've been trying to nail this and can do it but can't get back UP into the hoop. She taught me another way to get back up, using a bit of momentum (which she wants to focus on more overall, as it's key to lyra, using momentum to transition) to swing the outside leg up, right into front lion. Beautiful transition. Yay, I was able to do it! But what I was really proud of was every other time I've practiced amazon (locking one arm, dropping out), I drop out fast. But when I was doing it today, I was so slow and controlled down.

Then we worked on angel again, which is like outside mermaid that gave me those bruises, but with a lower grip, so it's harder, and you're sort of balancing on your shins rather than your quads. I haven't been able to do it from the transition she taught me (dragonfly into side "fetal" position into angel), hurts too much so far. She taught me as if I were simply doing outside mermaid, except my grip is lower to the side, and I settle my body lower. I was able to do it right away. It felt so pretty. And I felt so strong. Didn’t get any pics, tho.

Wow, the praise she was giving me. She said she's never seen someone first time be able to get into angel with straight legs. She said I'm very good at keeping my entire body engaged throughout my moves, straight legs, pointed toes, erect spine. I nearly teared up, she was praising me so much. I were verklempt.

Took a small break for some water, she was taking notes on her laptop. I came back and sat down with her and decided to mention how group classes have become an anxiety trigger for me. I said I was embarrassed to admit, that I was very sorry I cancelled her workshop, but that was why. My worry is there's that rule about practice time and attending class every week. I'm a rules follower. But she said that rule doesn't apply for private track. So, I'm golden! No more group classes. I'll just do my two private lessons every month and go to practice time and keep working on straddle and some of these new transitions I learned and just keep plugging away.

I also mentioned I went to silks, how I didn't love it. She asked if I was able to do lock offs and such, and I said yes, that climb was the only thing I couldn't do. I mentioned we did straddle on the knot. And she lit up. She said, we can absolutely do that together, and I'm free to do that too in my practice time if the silks are free. So at the end of our lesson, we went over and got into a knot, and she showed me some drills to do for straddle. She said she's convinced it's not lack of strength, it's not my core, it's not my lats, it's the right timing of engagement...they're just not firing when they should.

I also said, do you know what today is? Today is my 50th practice session with lyra. I track it like a nerd. Including that free beginner class back in February, it's been 50. Wheee!

Silks

I tried a new thing last night. Silks! Mixed level class, very intimidating. I basically wanted to throw up waiting for class to start.

I didn't love it. I didn't like the grip. Way too tight. I went in with such hopes, thinking this would be a good cross-train for lyra, that maybe I could work on straddle and ball without a hoop in my way (ball is so hard for me to tuck under the hoop with my thigh and booty). If I had taken silks to start, it would have totally discouraged me from ever attempting aerials. I remember how my grip strength was lacking when I started. Silks would have been so much harder for me back then.

However, it's as if the universe wants me to continue. Today, I saw the studio released a 50% off coupon for the 8 week beginner class. It doesn't start until October. But I think I might take it. It's on Tuesday nights, which won't interfere with my lyra schedule of Mon/Thu/Sat. I won't have much rest after Monday, but I'd rather be rested for lyra.

Spent almost the entire class simply working on hanging, shoulder lock off, practicing getting into basic climb, practicing getting into foot wrap, for muscle memory. But when I actually attempted to climb, nope. Granted, by the time I was working on climb, my arms had been going for about an hour. They were about done. Here's the only pose I was able to learn.

What I DID enjoy was leaning back into straddle on the knot. I might ask my lyra teacher to work on this a bit. So I can actually get a FEEL for what it's supposed to feel like.

Inspired

LOOK at this woman! So inspiring. I'm inspired. If she can do this at 59, surely I can do lyra at 190lbs. Right?

It's just gonna take awhile. A LONG while. ugh. I'm gonna need to figure out how to remind myself there's hope when I get down again. I will get down again. I need a plan in place.

Core

I went to lyra practice last night. No video. I spent the entire hour working on straddle. I did a lot of negative pullups and incline pullups and lower core work on the floor in between attempts.

I'm trying to stay positive. It's way hard. I was able to hold a shoulder lock off in overhand grip position at the L. Meaning, my chin wasn't over the bar, but I could hold the L in my elbow for a few moments.

And I also did a partial chin up (underhand grip). The hoop was slightly above my head, so it wasn't a chin up from straight arm, like with a pullup bar. And I couldn't hold my chin above the bar for ANY amount of time. But I was able to pull myself up and quickly drop back down. Without hopping/momentum.

That's progress.

And after gorging myself on videos, watching inverted straddle...they make it look so easy. Just fold up your pelvis above your head. When I try, I get about halfway and fall back down hard. My booty is so heavy, yo. So I'm hoping/thinking this is all lower core weakness. I can work on lower core. My plan is nightly, in front the TV, lower core.

I'm determined to get this. As long as my teacher says it's OK to continue going to practice time without going to group classes, I'm set. *fingers crossed*

Side Mount

I've been texting a lyra friend of mine. She's ah-mazing. And she just complimented my side mount. I feel all warm and gushy inside now. Granted, it's the only mount I can do. Which is probably why it's so fluid. She can do other inversions, so the side mount probably gets ignored.

Here we are, the pink ladies of Hungry Hungry Humans.

Lyra Crush

This woman is fabulous. Here's an interview.

I love this routine and her spunk. And her booty.

I also found a bit of her practice time. She could apparently already do a straddle. I wish I knew more of her physical background, how long it took her to invert.
(obsess much, Q? why yes, I do, thankyouverymuch)

This one is lovely, too...

And I found her blog. Some good stuff. Good reads. Added to my hoop blogs.

Talk about your joys

I saw this today...really made me think

Quit

It might be time to end my aerial career. I just can't cope anymore with group classes. I'm so tired of seeing new students sail past me. I'm tired of making myself go 3x/week and seeing very little progress. I'm tired of not being able to do one.single.inversion. Perhaps some bodies were not meant for aerials. Bodies like mine. Fat, weak, terribly inflexible.

I've cancelled the upcoming workshop I signed up for. No more group classes...well, I have one more in my account bank. It's too late to cancel private for July. So I'll cancel for August.

I gave it a solid try. I just don't want this turning toxic for me like derby.

Hungry Hungry Humans

Hungry Hungry Humans at the aerial studio last night. I was a bit dreading it. We had a practice scrimmage last week. HURT so much. Superman pose on a silks knot? Unpleasant. So we're a team of four who have never competed in this before, and we're up in the first round. We had never seen it so we had no strategy. The latter rounds had an advantage because they could watch and figure out what worked best. We didn't have such an advantage. A bit unfair, but what can you do? We came in second in our round. But only the first place moved on in the tournament. No love for second place.

Here's a bit of my round. There are penalties for touching the floor. But after watching, I discovered it could be a successful strategy to touch the floor for a push and get many more balls. Again, we didn't know this strategy because we've never played and got put in the first round. Do I sound whiney about that? DGAF.

Team Ball Busters!