Always Moving Forward
Last Saturday, I took Fabric Fit with Instructor Olivia, which was amazing!!!! I haven’t been to the studio on a Saturday in sometime. My biceps are still reminding me a little bit about the amount of biceps curls we did. Over time, I have grown fond of my muscle soreness, it lets me know that I am getting stronger. Ask me about that on a day where I can hardly sit down, because my thighs are dying, and it may be a different story.
On Saturday, I decided to drop into pole practice. Each time I do pole, I am never sure what kind of day it will be. Will I have grip or won’t I? In my class on the previous Monday, we had been working on Superman Reachbacks. This move has always escaped me in my three years I have been at Aerial Dance. I could never get my hips to slide down the pole to be able to reach my arm back. So on that Monday, I had tried several times, but it was painful and I was so slippery my hands slid right down the pole. So I gave up on that for the day, I know many of you can relate.
My goal for Saturday’s practice was to work on my Superman Reachback. I wanted to make even the slightest improvement, because at Aerial Dance your one goal is to just be stronger than you were yesterday. Monday I hadn’t been feeling very strong, Saturday though was another story. I had lots of energy, I felt strong, and was confident I could make improvements.
Just a little FYI for you. My first ever successful Superman happened in March of this year! I couldn’t find a way that I felt comfortable to transition into Superman, until I was taught the Flatline to Superman combo! Yes, I have been doing pole for quite sometime, but I still have many nemesis moves. Thankfully I was able to cross Superman off that List.
I Got The Reach!
After several failed attempts to slide my hips down, yet again, and one very, very close attempt……. I was ready to give up on Superman Reachbacks, but thankfully Instructor Olivia was there to my rescue and I had the support of my fellow pole friends! Instructor Olivia told me to give it one more shot and she would guide me through the transition from Superman to Superman Reachback.
She had me re-grip both hands on the pole before letting my hips slide. Little did I know that because I was only holding on with one hand, my thighs were squeezing like crazy to keep me from going anywhere. Essentially making it impossible to reachback, no matter how hard I tried.
The re-grip of my hands allowed my body and mind to relax enough to be able to slide my hips down. My brain went from “If you let your hips slide down with one hand on, you will die!” to “Oh okay, we can get used to this movement.” Turns out for me the reachback was not an issue of flexibility or strength, but more of a fear of falling.
It has been months since I have had bruises on my inner thighs like I do now. It was a reminder of how much Superman can hurt when first learning the move. My bruises are not painful, but a happy reminder that I was able to cross off yet another nemesis move.
With each visit I make to the studio, even days that I don’t feel successful, I know that I am leaving there stronger than the day before. Keep working hard ladies and the progress will come!
Unitl Next Time,
Janelle