best class ever

I had the most fantastic class last night. I just want to document it. It started like any other intermediate class. Killer warmup. I'm trying to increase my reps on everything along with the teacher, but I just can't do as many as she says to do. That's OK. I'm still increasing.

Then toe hangs. These are just stagnant. They don't feel like they're improving. My teacher said not to get discouraged, they're not required for advancement, she hates them too.

Review of scorpion back balance to the top. I had a moment where I thought, I should get up on the higher hoop to work this one. But I didn't. I stayed with the low hoop simply because it's easier to mount. And I'm lazy.

Onto bird's nest from a single tab. I know how to do this. But the big hoop wasn't lowered this time. On Sunday, I was panicky trying this. I stumbled into ball and actually fell back down into straight arm hang. Because the hoop was so high, I needed to momentum back to seated rather than just let go and drop down. Then I got back into ball and did the pose, with the teacher holding onto the hoop for me. I didn't attempt a second one.

Except last night, ball went fairly well, and I did both sides of bird's nest, with the teacher holding on. We were meant to do 2x each side. So when it was my turn again, the teacher started to get up to come over to help. I told her I wanted to try on my own. And I did it! Breakthrough! I mounted, got into ball, did the pose, even stretched a bit further into the backbend. My face was staring down at the floor...it's a long way down...but I did it!

Next up was bird's nest from double tab. Lately, when I invert to ball from the top, I've been banging my left ankle bone. It's not pleasant. But not last night.

Final pose was leg block splits. This was one of the last things my former teacher taught me back when I was private track. I hated them because I kept hitting my shins on the bar. Sunday was no different. It was getting annoying how everytime I attempted it, I hit my shins.

Not last night! I did 3 each side and not once did I hit my shins. Now I need to work on a better descent. Only once could I come back to full seated properly. Something to work on.

As I was checking out, I said to my teacher, "I feel like I did really good tonight." I almost never have that feeling. The teachers always say, generically, good job, but this time, I believed it. She replied, "you seemed to break through some walls tonight." Let's hope that continues...

Scary Thing!

It is October, after all.

Intermediate lyra classes are going....great! Some of it is very tough. I still can't do some things. But overall, I'm proud of myself for sticking with it, this time.

There have even been a few new moves for me, that I never learned in my years in private track. This one in particular scared me. I usually go to class twice a week, so I tried this on Sunday. On a low hoop. But it was a bit too small for the move. 35" diameter is just too small for my body.

I knew last night, I was going to have to attempt this on the bigger 38" hoop that was mounted much higher. The air is different up there, the same move is much more scary.

But I did it! This is from my second attempt. My first attempt, I was super terrified, heart pounding. I think the teacher kept her hand on the hoop the whole time to stabilize it for me. The second time, it was less so, which gave me confidence. I just need to keep working on it.