Hello Coaches and GB community,
Can I get your critique for my HS? From your gymnastic perspective, what are my weaknesses and main points I should focus on going forward in my HS training?
I fully realize my HS is green and much refinement and strength is needed, which is one of the reasons why I landed here. I was learning HS before I started GB and yesterday I decided to check out where the hell I am.
In addition to my on-going earlier HS/PE/>iM progressions that I’m following, do you see any harm in practicing HS as a play date at my stage? I really miss the balancing aspect of doing something that feels more like the actual skill. Thank you and sorry about the lighting (and busy pants). I didn’t pull the blinds down as I wasn’t planning to officially share this.
https://youtu.be/n8S7rlwWuYE
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No need to read more, unless you want to learn more about my monkey mind.
It's been over a year since I stopped training HS (and other stuff) right before my elbow surgery. For those of you who don't know me, I started learning HS with a circus coach, rather casually and rather late in my mid 40's! I was studying static trapeze and part of my basic circus vocabulary was: front split, bridge, pancake and handstands to name a few. It’s one thing to try these skills as a 20’s-30’s something year old body and another to do it later on.
The idea of learning to be still upside down (while on the ground) was so foreign to anything else I had learned before (movement wise), that I was fascinated about the possibility of expanding my body awareness in that realm of stillness and bodily control.
What could I accomplish starting so late? I really didn't care. Age, aches and pains didn’t dissuade me. I just knew I wanted to travel that road. It seemed SO hard, SO impossible that HS and Bridge actually became appealing to me. Granted I was only a HS beginner then and I still am. I'm only 6-months old in GB years and so far, my choice has been to focus on GB to the exclusion of other sports and activities. I’m old enough to know that I can’t have/do everything. I'm doing F7, SS, HS/pHS and Tumbling, and recently attended my first Level 1 seminar with Coach Sommer.
The pull of figuring something out.
The feeling of discovery and excitement that comes from learning a new language (movement discipline) is a magnetic force that drives my life and serves me as a greater metaphor for other challenges in everyday life. It keeps me young in my thinking and my actions and it's a great addition and counter balance to my professional life in the movement/performance fields.
I don't know if any of you coaches or movement sciences professionals can relate to this: It's one thing to teach and analyze and dissect moment for a living, and a totally different thing, experientially, to learn new skills with your own body; to actually "do it."
I’m sure you’ve experienced some days where you just want to do something a little different or have a little fun, right? Well, I never do that with my training. I told myself I was going to follow this program as it's designed and I put aside many other needs. For instance, I’ve been ignoring my recurring temptation to “just try” a HS since I started GB. Instead, I've been patiently sticking to my progressions, following the program as prescribed, plus a host of extra drills for my old injuries and issues.
I know it's not illegal to play with some elements on the side (after you've complete your F training for the day) and I’m aware many people here do other sports, which is great. But for me and my current lifestyle, it is unrealistic to fantasize I could do more. My reality is that in order to maintain my focus and be able to schedule all my GB training components, I honestly don't have any more time left to do many other things!
I would be lying if I didn't say the feeling of loss has crossed my mind many times.
In terms of my HS balancing ability, I’ve feared I would be going back to square one. Even if I was only averaging 25 sec holds in sets of 5, it still took time and hard work to get there, so it’s only logical to assume that it would take me a while to build back to that. I’ve been able to rationalize that fear of loss with the argument of long-term gains. After all, there’s no point in holding something for any length of time, if it is not as structurally sound as it could be. Rationally, I already accepted that. Yet that feeling of “temporarily” HS loss – even if for a greater good – has always lingered in the background. Stopping what you love to do in the name of “re-building,” has been very real emotional pain for me since I started GB. Luckily, somewhat shadowed and somewhat under control by the feeling of excitement and possibility or starting at the beginning.
While I fully trust the GB process, I've been dying to see what it would feel like to try to balance in HS, after so long. I also wanted to test-drive what a difference my GB training is doing to my internal architecture. I was convinced that something good must come out of those grueling GB drills for HS and Foundation.
Initially, I negotiated with myself that I would evaluate my training in 6 to 12 months. I didn’t set a specific date because in the end, it didn’t really matter. I trusted my gut would know when it would be time to test my HS and compare it to where I left it. I chose the GST route because I knew that if I can continue to stick to this path, results will come – eventually and safely.
Following your gut.
It’s so interesting to me how subconscious actions align themselves. Last weekend, I purposely booked 2 hrs in my Tues training schedule, instead of the usual 1 hr for TB and separate evening time for HS. The main reason, I didn’t want to feel rushed, like I normally do sandwiching my training in between clients and the urgencies of the day. I wasn’t planning to do anything special, maybe some extra stretches. When the time came after TB, the urge for HS knocked on my door and I finally heard that little voice “it’s time to try it.”
Since I had not practiced HS for over a year (!), needless to say I was mentally prepared for a worse case scenario, if for no other reason that time had passed. I was anticipating that my beginner balancing ability would be worse, for sure, probably less hold time, more hesitation and self-doubt, etc.
As I was about to break my "no-fooling around" training rule, I decided to immortalize the moment and film my HS baseline as of 7/19/2016. If there's something I've learned about HS is that you have to see yours with your own eyes! Not "just do it." In the past, I learned more from my own video form checks than from weeks of practicing solo without camera.
I'm so happy I captured it in video because now I have visual proof of what my HS looks like – not just what I think I was doing! I can analyze it. I can share my experience with you, and hopefully get some constructive feedback. As well as learn from others’ experience in the community. If you’re so inclined, please share your HS moments of truth here.
How has your GB training transformed your HS?
I would love to hear your stories, which is why I’m sharing mine upfront. What I think is really f*ing amazing and my main reason for sharing this post is that AFTER not training an actual HS for so long, it is surprisingly still there, like time stood still!
Perhaps even better, as I was able to feel the internal scaffolding from my shoulders, ribs, core and legs – stronger and straighter than I remember it being. Unbelievable feeling. Maybe this is all in my head. I’ll have to dig out an old video and compare (which I’ll probably do this weekend).
I almost was taken aback for how good it looked vis-à-vis my darker expectations. I know it needs work, but it’s very nice to be pleasantly surprised every now and then. I took several takes in disbelief and they all look pretty much the same. In fact my hold times were increasing 10, 12, 15, 20 and culminated in what felt like the 24-forever best seconds of my life, in that moment.
Once a gain, patience brings gains. Whatever hardships you may be experiencing with your training, give yourself permission to buy some (more) time and stick with it.
I'm hoping to learn to be the same.
