As the world falls down...

I'm a little obsessed with this song. So I choreographed something on lyra with it. Sorry, not sorry.

Look at me!

Practiced today. Here are the highlights...

Spinning Groove

My lyra training has improved immensely. And I am here for it! This sequence looked so hard, especially with a baby spin. But it felt awesome!

Also starting to fall in love with hammock/sling. More so, falling in love with how it looks and feels. 

Spin Therapy

My life is dark right now. I lost my beloved baby boy, Wilson. My job is threatening to take away my working from home. And I'm lonely. 

But sometimes, spinning clears my head.

Lyra Magic

Lyra class last night. Haven't been in awhile, been practicing at home, instead. Learned some fun new shapes and transitions. We're back to masking in public, which sucks. But yesterday was the first fall-ish feeling day, so it wasn't too hot! Yay, fall!

And here's a screenshot. Kinda blurry but arty. 

 

Twisted

A twist on a classic

Choreography

New choreography class. I've never pushed myself to sequence for so long, I usually get tired and stop. This class has been just the thing. The song is cool. The sequence is cool. Hard but cool. This is week 3, so we'll finish up next week, but I'm just so proud.

Strong AF

My first thought was, my tits look amazing. Then I noticed my shoulders and upper chest. Strong AF! 

No Hands

My new superpower...

Ass

Just having so much fun with my lyra at home. I've been working on my favorite moves but with spinning. I'm comfortable spinning. But the force makes me question my strength and grip, so I'm easing myself into it.

This is just a badass move. Bootylicious!

Pullover!

Pullover success! With minimal jumping. This was the 4th one I did today; I was afraid once the camera started rolling, I wouldn't be able to do it. But yayness!

Quarantine Training

More fun with home training. And I figured out how to take better videos. Well, slightly better...

Chest Stand

Not really a chest stand. My chest isn't helping, at all. This is all grip. And I can only hold it for about 2-3 seconds. But it looks super cool!

Straddles & Shapes

My straddles have improved. I've started exhaling as I lift my legs. I'm jumping like almost not at all. I can't stack, may never be able to stack, but I'm getting better.

And shapes!

Home Rig

Mark this day in history, y'all. My new house is done. My rig is mounted. I had oh, so much fun today. But due to being grounded for a freaking month, my strength was nowhere near what it used to be. I can't wait until my studio re-opens. But until then, at least I can now practice at home.

Unit 4

Lyra Intermediate 1 has a new unit, full of dynamic movement and momentum and a little bit of spinning. Never enough spinning. Not a lot of poses to take pictures of, more video of transitions and motion. But flag is always fun. And this little transition from man in the moon was super fun. I'm bruised on the backs of my arms somehow from this same move on Sunday, so I brought a shirt last night for protection. The fabric got a little in the way when I tried to drop, so it's not as quick as I was hoping. But still fun!

Post Holiday Blues

Yea, I know, I haven't been posting. I'm still frustrated with my lack of progress. I'm still sad during class when I see students thinner than me, stronger than me, less sweatier than me.

And my studio was closed for 9 days over the holidays. 9 days! Their first day back (it was a Thursday), I did double classes, then another class on Friday. That...might not have been the wisest choice. Sunday was one of the worst aerial days I've ever had, and it could be somewhat related to being hella sore.

But before the holidays, I was feeling good. I did double classes on Sunday and Monday. Despite being so bruised and unable to do certain moves, I was pleased with my stamina for that many classes.

Clothesline

This move used to terrify me on silks. There are two versions, one with the silks split and then one with a single pole. I've never let go on either. Especially not with a single pole.

But then I learned clothesline on lyra in intermediate classes. And man, I fell in love with this move. My teacher says lyra is just my spirit apparatus. It's true. But the confidence I had from lyra translated yesterday to silks. And just look at me!

Nemesis no longer

So much to be proud of. Last week was a rough week. I did so well, but this one move wasn't happening. And of course, I was fixated on that rather than all the things I was doing well. All last week, I could not get this move. Inside out splits. All unit, I knew it would be trouble. I've learned it before in private track. And it failed just as badly back then, too. I was the only student both classes last week that couldn't get it. It was difficult not to cry. But I don't like to cry in front of people.

Sunday kicks off a new week but still review of inside out splits. My first round was as expected...big fat nope. Then the students started learning a new exit from that move. I figured I would just try one more time to get the basic move, and I got it! It wasn't pretty, but I got it. So I wasn't ready for that new exit, I just focused on the move. This was on a 38" single tab, though.

Then class last night, after the review of the move, I figured I might be ready for the new exit. My first try went OK, teacher spotting and holding the hoop in place. My second try did not go well. I fell too fast through the skin the cats and landed on my knee in the hoop. But hey, I'm learning. I watched a few better students and saw that they tucked their booty back to center themselves under the hoop for stability before descending into skin the cats. I think that might've been my problem. I wasn't centered; my booty was too heavy and pulled me down.

So it's weighing on my mind that if I can only do this move on a single tab, I'll need to do the whole advancement sequence on a single tab. I don't like some of the moves on single. I don't want to have to learn them. I tried flamenco arabesque on the low single tab we were using in class. Nope. nope nope nope.

I then decide to try inside out splits on the 35" double tab hoop, the famous low hoop (it's always low). I didn't have much hope. I need a bigger hoop to fit. I was trying to drive my hands to flip the hoop back a bit, but it became an effort in comedy as the hoop would be in the right position for a moment, but as soon as I moved my foot to fit, the hoop would fall back. Rinse and repeat a few times. So I re-gripped my hands, slid my top leg as far over as I could, and really tried to hold the hoop back, and I got my foot in. At this point, I was used to inside out splits on a single tab so my top foot was flailing a bit, searching for the strap that wasn't there, when I remembered it's on the other side in a double tab. Then I tucked my booty and slowly descended via skin the cats. It was great!

I just wish I'd gotten it on video. When I'm really focused and concentrating, I don't like to bother with video.

Here's the only picture I've gotten of it, from Sunday, on the big single tab.

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...