Saturday 30 May 2015

Silky Strength


I'm really pleased with this photo. It's a still from the video below, my second attempt at what is a relatively simple routine. My first attempt was a disaster: it was as though my brain and body weren't talking and, in the process of their falling out, had both forgotten how to do any of the moves. You can see a little of that lack of co-ordination as I start, and I reached this point and was still suffering a lack of self-faith. Rather than giving up on myself like I might have a year ago, I found that little strand of steel I've earned through working hard here and having a job I love. I grabbed it, pulled it and pulled my body long, putting extension along my arm and out through my hand, through my back, through the point of my toe and (less successful) through my upper leg.

It wasn't a completely magical cure - I still made a bit of a hash of transitions that I know I can do more neatly - but I felt my confidence and pleasure return. Then, when I watched the video back and grabbed this shot, I felt pretty damn fantastic.

The other part of the video I want to comment on is the cross-leg release (approx 45-53s). This is a move I've not done for many, many months. It's one of the first moves I learnt, but my hypermobile knees meant I couldn't do it without holding the top foot - and sometimes not even then (my top knee slips sideways which is uncomfortable, disconcerting, icky to watch and hard to get out from). I think you can just about hear my teacher (the lovely Emily) telling me to hold my foot, but I knew I was in a good position and I've been working hard to build up those muscles so I was sure I could do it and delighted to be right.

There's a lot of work to do to tidy this up still - that drop at the end and getting into it in particular I have done much better before - but the more I watch the video the more I find to be pleased with.

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