My rib is just frustrating right now. On the first of the year I was doing some kickovers off my wrong leg and I was so twisted in my spine that the torque rebroke my middle rib which had not really been a problem. Over three weeks it got a lot better and I then it appears I rebroke the lower one. My concern right now is that there is immense pain (like a break) on the rib to the back. It has never been a problem a before and now it is hurting when I turn and it hurts to cough. It is almost like I have three broken ribs at the moment. I am in Australia and was going to be competing in the Commonwealth Invitational but had to withdraw last week as I am not able to get my back fully flexible.

I am down here for fifteen days and while I am working on splits and other techniques and visiting my friend Anne-Marie Telford and helping the gymnastics camps I am jsut not getting the progress I was expecting.

Being hurt is so depressing for an athlete. We LOVE to train and not training at 100% just takes energy and is so demotivating. The good news is that I have brought my mini beam here and it is the same height as the stage in Clintons training room while I am here watching World Leader Videos I will be able to work a lot on beam handstands and beam back walkovers. I know I am going to love owning the Back Walkover skill on the beam. It is just a matter of time irregardless of the injury.

Oh well back to coaching the 7 years olds as they learn basic beam skills. Go Heroes!!

Since I finished training with coach on Friday I have been working out down the gym. I may have hurt my rib again although Doc things it may be just muscular next to that location. I am amazed by the conditioning my body has undergone in the last year. When I am injury free I automatically kickover on the first kickover of the morning and it is getting easier and easier to do. I can tell within six more months I will be able to lean back and slinky at any time of day or night.

I am heading over to Australia tomorrow to work with some specialists down there for three weeks on part of my conditioning so I am interested to see what results I will get down there. As my abs open more, my back gets stronger and more open and my shoulders continue to open I can see I will get to the point where Back Walkovers on the beam will be easy Maybe it is six months away as well, but doing these stretches every day is certainly altering my body permanently. It is also altering my posture. I have to be conscious of not slouching because the back is soooo flexible and the tendency is to lean back. Not until I look in the mirror do I realize how out of vertical alignment I am. (Front to Back).

I can now do kickovers, slinkies, front walkovers in airports too which is exciting and keeps me entertained. Soon it will be Back Walkover with the leg raised and slinkies with either foot. In a year it will be Back Walkovers on the beam and Back handsprings on the beam followed soon by Back Tucks.  

I am having one more session with coach in the morning so I look forward to the training and reporting back on my incredible results. Go Heroes!!

I was up early and off to train at LA Fitness for an hour and a half before training with coach. I was able to do a little stretching and then bridged and kicked straight over. This is now three mornings in a row that I have been able to stretch a little and then do 3/3 kickovers. Why is that important? It is telling me my body conditioning is going great and the body is getting used to doing all the stretching and is building muscle memory and is not taking so long to warm up. It also tells me that if that is where it is when I first start then I am fully warmed it is in even better shape.

I did 5/5 Uplinkies (L-2) with no double kickovers which means I am ready to start on Upslinkies (L-3) which is where I was before I hurt my rib. I also did some front limber kickovers and back walkovers before leaving to go and train with coach.

I started doing tumbling with coach. We quickly worked up to back tucks and at a certain point he said go for it Bobbie and I went for it. I did five of them and they were not pretty but I landed on my feet 4/5 times I just need to punch up more rather than going back like a back handspring. We also did work on Front Handspring directly on the floor. Again coach set me loose and while I did not make it I went hard at 8 by myself which I am proud of.

We then worked on Standing Buck Tuck which I need to eventually be able to do on beam. Again got to punch up higher. U used to be able to do this before knee challenges and committed to getting back there and making it as part of my standard warm ups.

Lots of progress on bars with Clear Hip Circles. I even suprised coach as my kips are getting stronger allowing me to do an immediate cast. Lots more work to go but I like it when I can exceed coaches expectations for the day.

We then went on to leaps and hops which I need more assistance with especially on then beam. Finally I did some Back Extension Rolls which are looking great followed by Beam Handstands which were not the best I have done and again it is about continually going at it and suddenly you get results.

I just came back from my massage with Hector. He is incredible and I love getting massages with him. He does a lot of thai massage and deep tissue and spends two hours working on my body so I am looking forward to training tomorrow and seeing results. Loving Life. Go Heroes!!

I was going to be training with coach today and because I somtimes stay over in Poway with Clinton now I am half an hour drive from San Carlos LA Fitness. I woke up at 3:20am and showered and went to stretch at LA Fitness for 90 minutes before working with coach from 6:30am to 9:30am. I stretched and had a great time and kicked over on all three initial kickovers meaning my back is in great shape. I love it. I then did 5 front limber kickovers as well as 5 Upslinkies (L-2). Overall I had a solid warmup and headed over to coach.

When I arrived, coach said my new leos had arrived. I was so looking forward to them and was going to save them as a reward for my next big breakthrough. Coach said I thought you would change into one and then he said. Go change Bobbie-Sue. No excuse needed. I picked my favorite which is purple and gold. I love it. Here are the six new leotards from Alpha Factor.

Coach loves the bottom right. He said he enjoys watching his girls get new leotards. It is like getting a new screensaver on his computer. A novelty!!! Thanks Coach.

We started off doing tumbling. I had quickly went to Round Off-Back Handsprings-Back Tucks and was getting close to doing it without coach but did not quite make it. I will make it tomorrow. (It is still a little cold in the mornings while training as well!) We then worked on Front Handspring and Front Handspring Stepout. Coach has total confidence for me to do them by myself but this is a technique where I have hurt myself 7 times so I am a little cautious even though my new is strong and has not had the slightest problem. I did three by myself but landed on my but each time. At least I went for it. Same for Front Handspring Stepout. Progress. Still Progress.

I then went to bars and worked on baby giants. A couple of ugly ones but also a couple of much nicer ones. This is a lot about confidence. Also takes a toll on the body. I love doing it and again making progress.

Off to vault where are working on perfecting the Level 6 Vault. I am doing it on the Level 5 setting which is what coach wants me to flip it on. Why? Because I need that level of height to be able to do the following vaults. I can already flip it in setting one but the following includes twists and tucks and I need greater height. I can do the vault of the minitramp well but it has to come off the springboard. I did some good vaults and finished with three good ones. Sprinting full speed and than launching yourself into the air. Progress. Progress.

Finally we did some work on floor including leaps and hops followed by beam handstands. Again I am making some great progress but it is steps rather than big leaps forward but it all counts and after lots of sleep tonight it is going to be a great day tomorrow. I can feel it in my bones. Go Heroes!!

I went to train at the Poway gym near Clintons place for the first time with him. (We just finished a meeting). As soon as I entered one of the girls recognized me from a meet from when I was a junior and the other lady behind the counter was ah welcome Bobbie-Sue we all heard you were coming to join us. Jamison come on over and welcomed me and they took an updated picture and I went to stretch.

Clinton went off to play basketball and I went to stretch. I could hear the murmuring while I was walking in but I am used to that wherever I go. I only had a couple of cheer girls come over and ask for autographs but I am used to that as well. Well the first bridge I did I kicked over on which is great news about how the conditioning of my back is going.  If I can stay this flexible or more it is going to be great. There is not as much mat space as in San Carlos which is a little challenging as I need lots of workspace to do my kickovers etc. It might be easier early in the mornings where there are less people around.

I worked away and did 3/3 kickovers and then two triple slinkies followed by Front Limber Kickovers and some handstands and some split work. I was only there for a short space of time but I know I am going to be able to feel very comfortable there. One lady Jennifer came up and introduced herself. She said ‘Can you stop being so flexible!! You are maing me feel very old!!’. I said it is meant to inspire!!! I am looking forward to making lots more gym friends here as I train regularly.

I get to train with coach for the next four days and am aiming to be doing Round Off Back Handsprings Back Tucks tomorrow without coach spotting and working on Layouts on the tumble track as well. Lots to get worked on before I go to Australia and get to compete in the Crown Invitational. Many of Australias best gymnasts will be there including Lauren Michell. It will be great to spend time with her after her World Win on Floor.

Time for sleep. Big day tomorrow. Go Heroes!!