Flying Trapeze: backend split finally and lucky socks

I've decided I have lucky socks.

Because whenever I wear these socks (Lululemon run socks), I have a good night at trapeze.

I took another Sunday class. And it was a small class again. We finished up 30 minutes early and got lots of turns.

I worked on my swing again. My first one up was a mess, but I had to remember what it felt like, so they were better after that one.

More work on my take-off: Tonight's lightbulb moment was Kaz telling me the motion is

Ready: Bend your knees, and bring the bar down and right.

Hep: Is 2-ish steps. Not one explode off the board motion.

1) Raise the bar to eye level
2) Hand on/Jump

You should be in a 7 at this point.

The 7 in my swing. For as new as this swing is I'll take it.
My butt is even over the board. 

I did not get that several classes ago, but tonight I got this at least once. We watched it on the tivo. I didn't get it every time (bent arms! no), but just knowing and being aware is a big step in the right direction. And yes, once again, the key is slowing things down.

Hooray! Better takeoff. And I feel like I get some serious height on my swing.

My swing is—my timing's still off. I anticipate and drop my legs too hard (it should be smooth) and I'm piking at the end of the swing instead of arching. So many things to learn!

More practice for split catch today.

I'm a little sick of this trick so it was catch it or work on something new, in my mind.

First run up, Nailed it. I had a great open/belly flop, landed flat on the net. Shain said to do it just like that. (I practiced getting this trick faster on the pullup bar a few times this week.) One more run and it was time for catches.

CATCHES
The first lady up was working on WORKING IN HANDS. What I was supposed to work on a few weeks ago, except I haven't caught anything in weeks.

It looks so fun. I want to try it! You catch your trick and then work on your swing, meaning you arch when you're to the far side of the catcher and do your swing and maybe turn around to catch the bar again. I WANT TO CATCH THE BAR.

First catch attempt: I went a split second before Rhuben said Hep. (I could tell he was going to say it.) Waiting is so hard on this trick. Ruben caught me.

I thought the trick was fine. Spain said I released one hand at a time. Oops.

Second catch attempt: I went way early on this one. Rhuben caught me anyway. He later said she shouldn't have, he was just being nice.
Shain reminded me that the first rule of trapeze is WAIT FOR THE HEP.
Sorry. It's a trick where you're just looking for the catcher. You actually have a lot of time to wait for them, once you're in position.

Third attempt (because it was a small class). I waited. And Rhuben caught my hands. He hiked me up to his wrists for a proper catch. He said he was waiting on me to go. Haha. I actually waited this time so it was a tiny bit off. But Rhuben's amazing and caught me three times.

Three for three ain't bad. So that's why I think these socks are lucky socks. (And they keep my feet warm).

And that's a wrap. We can shelve that trick for a while.

Adventures in Flying Trapeze: Split Catch

Oh how I love flying trapeze. I took a Friday night class with my friend Martha. And we happened to pick a very fun night when all of my favorite people were there.

We started reviewing whip. After a month, I mostly remembered it. I went to final too soon and opened with my legs, not arms. Oh well.

On to split catch. It took me a few times to understand the body position, but once I did I felt pretty confident in this one.

For split catch, you bring your legs up almost like a flamingo—but upside-down, since you're hanging on to the bar. One leg goes straight up to the sky with your toes pointed and with the bar on your thigh. The other leg is bent at the knee, with the foot pressing the bar into your thigh. This is tricky on the low practice trapeze. (And the next day I have bruises on my thigh where the bar goes.) And your hands have a pretty tight grip on the bar on the outside of your thighs, holding you in, but not so tight, it restricts your movement.

After a few seconds in the flamingo pose, you go to your split. This was the tricky part for me. You bring your bent knee down and kind of arch your back into a split. The key is how far you bring your butt through. It's further than you'd think and really close to the bar. You could hang upside down in a split, but the key is to bring your butt through so that the bar is on your thigh. For me, it was my left thigh.

We reviewed this really fast and then it was my turn. I figured I'd try it. I did. It was clear I needed more time on the practice bar. I did. And it clicked what I was supposed to do. From then on it was mostly smooth sailing. I felt like I got it.

On my first run through on catches, I totally had it.

Kaz said hep, and it took me a second to realize that meant go, so I missed the catch. Oh for my brain. I got it the second time.

I've watched the video too many time. My split looks good. It looks easy. It's not wonky like my off-balance whip catch.  (I totally need white tights to wear for my next class.)

The class was just a great way to spend a Friday night. A lot of my favorite people were there: my gymnastics coach, her boyfriend (who caught me at  my first class), Juli who teaches handstands, Laura from Aerofit. I knew just about everyone there: Julie who used to come to tumbling, Dave and his fun dog Huck. It was an awesome Friday night.

Be back soon, Leap!

Calluses and blisters.

Bruises.