This morning was one of those mornings when you just know you are on fire. I had almost eight hours sleep and woke up and went to LA Fitness to train for 100 minutes before going to train with coach so my body would be nice and warmed up. From the moment I went down there everything started clicking. My back was open and flexible and the toe was healed enough not to reduce the kickovers very much. I nailed them all, Slinkies, Upslinkies, Back Walkovers, Front Limber kickovers. Everything I asked my back to do it responded in excellence. By the time I went to train with coach I was ready for a huge day.

When we arrived I asked coach if I could do my Level 4 Floor Routine. I was going to be doing it last week but my foot stopped me. I worked on back flexibility and felt great and was doing the techiques. I then warmed  up Forward splits, Round Off-Back Handspring and the other dance moves for the routine and then returned to get the back as open as possible. I said to coach give me five attempts to do it. First and second failed and then he gave me some additional coaching and I made it. I MADE IT. It was ugly but I made it.

Now I have to tell you I have been working on this technique for almost two full years. It has been incredible hard work. Bridges, Bridges, Bridges. I have had to resculpt my entire back muscle structure. Open up my entire spine to be able to do these back bending techniques. Two years ago if I had stood there with my arms up and lent backwards onto my hands, I would have fallen on my backside and been red in the face. I now do this the equivalent of 45-60 times a morning as part of my back conditioning. Slinkies were a dream a year ago. Now they are a given. Standups were a dream a year ago. Now they are a given. Back Walkoves are close to becoming automatic.

Next is Back Walkovers on the beam and then nailing the confidence for Standing Back Handsprings so I can begin to plan for Back Handsprings on the beam which is my next beam beam feat. That is where you stand on the beam and throw yourself backwards and land on the beam with your hands and then push yourself into standing position. Do you think I’m scared? I am but I know coach will get me there safely and I cannot wait to start that journey. To me the back techniques on the beam is where the real beam work begins!!

I also got to work on Giants with coach today. Did not get all the way over but am on the way. We will be doing more tomorrow and Friday to get the feel of it in my body. I will be over before we finish this week. I love it. Giants again are the next big step in bars and are part of Level 7 which is optionals. So excited.

So may things are working right now. I went to see Doc who worked on my back more and dug deep into my shoulder to reduce the crunching I feel every morning. She got in deep with her elbow. I love it because I know the more she breaks up the knots the better I do the next day. I also got to see Dr Aiello who is the Doctor who did the procedure on my knee and I am scheduled to go in on Friday after training with coach to have the procedure done again.  My knee has been in excellent form for the last seven months which makes such a difference allowing me to do so much more. I cannot wait to see the results from this procedure.

Because I achieved Level 4 Floor, it also means I now qualify for Level 4 All Around because I can do Level 4 on all Apparatus. The picture above shows me with my new trophies to add to my collection. Next is Level 5 Floor which only has three techniques stopping me; Front Handsprings, Back Extension Roll and Back Walkovers. Back Walkover is almost automatic now, we are close on Front Handsprings and I just need to work out my my arm bends to nail Back Extension Roll. Once I get this I get Level 5 Floor and Level 5 All-Around and then I am on Level 6 on everything. This is such an amazing journey.

I am off to do knee strengthening at LA Fitness before I get to have two hours with my massage therapist to do Thai stretch massage and get deep into the all the tissues. I work hard but I love it. Go Heroes!!