Week Five

Buoyed up by my mid-week session I was looking forward to getting into the gym again on Friday.  I'd had a mad day sorting out stuff for the PTA school disco and had rushed from helping out there, so was pretty tired.

Still, a good session.  Only managed one or two forward rolls that I could stand up from on the airtrack, bit disappointing!  However, once again, another lesson learnt - I've refused to even try a backward roll since I've started - just utterly convinced with my "bulk" lol I wouldn't be able to do it (I see enough skinny kids who can't do one, let alone lumpy old me!!).  But to my surprise I tried one on the airtrack and I could do it!!  Yippee!  Another thing to add to the list.  Still have trouble doing them on the floor, but hopefully with lots of practice I'll be able to (the airtrack is my new best friend!!). 

Also saw Steve's sadistic side today!  He made me put weights on my ankles!!  OMG it felt like running through treacle!  So much harder to do stuff, but the idea is when you take them off you'll be able to do things better!  Not sure that worked in my case!!

Steve also is making me put this photo up....to show my "welly boots" feet!  (Something I'm always telling my son off for!!!) - It wasn't my fault though, it was the weights!  Honest!

 

Two weeks off now as I'm not around next week, and then it's half term.  I'm coaching at the club's Gym Camp during half term though - what's the betting I can't keep off the equipment then!!?!

 

Week Four

Perhaps more aptly entitled The Depressed Gymnast this week maybe!  Or perhaps a lesson in how to avoid running before you can walk!

I spent quite a lot of time this week on the airtrack doing handstands.  They're really not bad at all!  So Steve suggested trying a handspring.  Why not?  I thought, I'm doing well here, handstands are good, I'll give it a go!

The first few attempts were fine - in that I did what most kids do when trying a handspring, and just let my shoulders drop in front of my hands and ended up going into a roll.  Frustrating, but ok.  Then, trying harder to keep myself straight over my hands I went over with a thump and really jarred my back :(

I have a long-term back issue that comes from doing a Swimathon a couple of years ago.  Swimathons are great - raising money for charity and getting fitter at the same time - but only if your swimming technique is good!  My swimming technique is terrible and what started out as a good way to get fit ended up with pain, pills and physio!  And the problem has never really gone away, although generally speaking I'm a lot better these days about being aware of what might trigger it off and avoiding it.

So, perhaps unsurprisingly, handsprings (especially bad ones!) are a trigger.  I came off the airtrack and half-heartedly did some stretches and splits, but I was really upset that I had "done my back in" and left early.

For the next couple of days my back really hurt and was a constant reminder that maybe this gymnastics thing wasn't such a good idea after all.  My husband had been worried about me doing it in the first place for this very reason, and had said that if it did play havoc with my back I would have to give up.  I don't want to give up!!!  REALLY don't want to!  But I had started to think that if there wasn't much I could do without hurting my back - was there any point? 

So, I was coaching on Tuesday and although my back was a bit better, it hadn't totally recovered.  However, the lure of the airtrack was too much, and in between classes I sneaked in a few forward rolls, just to see how my back coped.  To my surprise my back felt instantly better!  The feeling didn't last, once I'd got off and stood around for a few minutes the pain came back, but it turns out rolling seems to help a little.  I had a few more goes and I even managed to attain one of my (miniscule) goals - standing up from a forward roll (doesn't sound like much, but try it - it's not quite as easy as your head thinks it will be, especially for someone my age and size!).  I couldn't do it every time, but did manage it a few times.  Instant mood lift!!  I did quite a few handstands and they didn't hurt my back either, and Coach says that as I do more and more handstands my back and my core will get stronger and perhaps one day I will rid myself of the back pain!

So there you go, the highs and lows of The Fat Gymnast!  Can't wait for Friday again now, although I have learnt my lesson and will be doing lots of rolls and handstands and NO handsprings.....not this week, anyway ;)

Week Three

Firstly, proof of the handstand!

I do have a video on my phone but haven't had the chance (guts??) to upload it yet!  Did lots of handstands this week and other bits and pieces.  There were only three of us there, so we had plenty of time to do whatever we wanted to work on.  As well as handstands, I did quite a few round-offs (have videoed that too, may put it up lol), and as I was a bit concerned that I couldn't get down into the splits as well last week, I tried that again and did better (yay!).  Did a lot of stretching, including trying to do a straddle stretch and a Y balance (please excuse the state of my feet - that's what the floor's like after three hours of small gymnasts using it!) .....

 

Mostly though I think I just annoyed everyone there asking for photos for the blog etc!  Sorry guys!

 

Might upload some video later once I've looked to see just how bad it is!

Week Two

I'm loving this already!  Things you just are convinced you won't be able to do, and you can!!  This week Steve wanted us to do some work on the bar (not a proper bar in the air lol, but a "training" bar - the same width etc as the asymmetrical bars, but only about 10cm off the ground!).  So we balance on top of it, or do handstands on it.

Balancing on top of it is one thing - handstands quite another!  I've been convinced for a long time that there's No Way my hands/wrists/arms would put up with my weight for more than a millisecond so there was no way I was trying a handstand.  After much persuasion from Steve I agreed to try a handstand on the airtrack (think big long bouncy castle! (although I'm not allowed to use the "b.c." word in the gym hall!)).  I really wasn't sure at all, but I went up....and then stayed up!!  Shocked is an understatement!  And there's something very cool about being upside down!  I did a few more and then braved the bar - first time I was nervous and put my shoulders over too much, ending up on the mat, but the second time was better and I stayed for a couple of seconds and rolled out properly.  Sadly no photos though as Steve was busy helping me stay straight.

Sneaked a quick cartwheel in in between classes though this week and Ollie took a couple of snaps...