I had my final session with coach before heading over to the UK to do some more work with experts over there in the area of flexiblity. Coach showed me the Stag Handstand and wants me to start work on various different positions including this one so I can have a lot more control. It is exciting and a very different feeling. Here is an example of Svetlana doing it on the beam.

I had a very rough day at the gym. Physically I am in excellent form. Emotionally I was a wreck with a whole lot of other things gong on behind the scenes. Upheaval with schedules, travel, Robby getting into a second car accident only months after recovering and news my grandfather passed away in Bulgaria. I apologized to coach afterwards.

I had an ineffective morning at LA Fitness although I did do three perfect combos to show what shape my body is in. When I arrived with coach he said how are you Bobbie. I said “Physically Great. Emotionall Horrible”. We taked for a while and then began tumbling. I tumbled well enough and got to Back Tucks and did five good ones and one that was very high but just not consistent. We then did some Standing Back Handsprings and that was not working well.

Next we went to Front Handsprings. I had never made one yet by myself and after coach spotting me I made a number in row and got greater and greater clarity. Finally coach says OK Bobbie you can do it by yourself now. Well I ran did the Handspring and landed on my butt eight times in a row. I then did one where I was close. The challenge with Front  Handsprings is that you go into a perfect handstand and then have to block (push) up and drive the feet through an arch into the ground ground as close to your hands as possible and stay looking at the ceiling. Of that arch is too big you sit. If you don’t extend through the handstand you sit. If you do not drive the feet you sit. If you do not block off the ground you sit. If you look forward You sit. The only way to do it succssfully is to do it all together and make sure you end up looking straight up. Which means you need to have total faith.

This is the technique where I have hurt my knee seven times and there is fear when I do it and I look to where I am planting my feet to make sure they are ok. Challenge is if I look. I sit. I gave myself five more attempts to do it and on the third I went for it. I made it and ended up standing. It was a VERY long journey to get to this point and not physical. My body has been able to get there for a long time but mentally. Hell. I made it and promptly burst into tears. That is when my amazing coach said “Metaphor for life Bobbie. Look Up and Trust”. The tears just kept pouring out and pouring out and pouring out.

We then went to bars and we ended up stopping that early and I called the class forty minutes early. Rare for me indeed. I was just not making progress and it was sad. Overalll in hindsight I made great progress and need to acknowledge that success and know there is plenty more in store. Coach when you read this. I love you and you are incredible and my Hero. Go Heroes!!