Ballet +, Gymnastics -

I had a great dance class Monday. I was focused, I pushed myself, and I was able to focus on really dancing instead of just putting a series of moves in order to a specific beat. It helped that the combinations were fairly simple, and that seven years of training left good muscle memory, even if I haven't done any ballet in five years. I wasn't able too look at myself in the mirror very well, but from what I could tell my split leaps were at about 130--not very good. I have a lot of work to do there. But the form was good, and they were enthusiastic.

And I just didn't go to gymnastics yesterday. I don't have a good reason why. It had been a bad day, I was feeling down on myself, and I was exhausted. I didn't want to drive more (1:20 commute to work, an hour home, and I was more than done driving), I didn't want to be productive, I didn't want to face the frustration of not being able to do things I thought I should be able to do. And I was really, really tired. So when 7:30 rolled around, I didn't make myself go get ready. I wasn't out the door at 7:45. And by 8:30, I was in bed.

I'm regreting that decision now. I did need the extra sleep, but I needed the mood boost I always get from gym more. I'm still tired, but I know I'll get my workout in tonight (circuit training day!) because of that regret. I'm going to go and spend ten-fifteen minutes practicing my forms for Tae Kwon Do, too. That will wake me up more than a nap, and I'm going to need that extra energy to get through the rest of today and the ride home that's already looks like it's going to be too long.

Maybe I'll be able to convince my husband that we should check out the kiddy open gym practice on Friday.

Sunday Check In

Every Sunday I will do a check in on how I am coming with my goals.

Last week, I made my strength and cardio goals for the week.

I have not had the opportunity to work on my pull ups or hanging leg lifts. I can currently do 10 handstand push-ups against the door. When that number is up to 20, I will move to free-standing spotted handstand push-ups.

Open gym is Tuesday, so I haven't been able to work on my gymnastics goals yet.

My turnout in first position is 100 degrees, and I have 40 degrees to a perfect fifth position. My free leg hold is at 90 degrees.

My side splits are at about 170 degrees to the left and 160 degrees to the right. My center split is at about 160 degrees. I will measure my shoulder flexibility at gymnastics on Tuesday.

That's not too bad of a starting point!

New Year's Resolution

I'm not really one for New Year's Resolutions. Sometimes I'll make them, but I usually forget them within a week. These aren't really New Year's Resolutions; they're goals that I've had for a while, very generally. But we all know that general goals just floating around in your mind are not goals that are likely to be met. So here are my fitness goals, laid out and measurable.

First, I need to work on being more consistent about my exercise. Therefore, my goals are:

Cardio 4x a week, 30-60 minutes, every week
Strength training 3x a week, every week

I don't have any specific cardio goals, I just want to keep moving. I do have specific strength goals:

20 handstand push-ups
10 hanging leg lifts with good form
Be able to do a pull up

I'm most excited about finally being able to do a pull up. For whatever reason, this particular skill has always eluded me, and I really want to get it. And I have motivation to get my strength up, because I need it to meet my gymnastics goals.

Floor: Round off-back handspring-back handspring-back handspring; RO-BHS-Back tuck onto mat in the resi pit; punch front onto mat in the resi pit; front walkover
Beam: Consistent handstands, back walkover, round off
Vault: Strong front handspring vault
Bars: Squat on jump to high bar, glide kip (maybe, hopefully...)

I'm not starting from ground zero with these, but it'll be a lot of work and means I have to make good use of my very limited practice time. My goals for ballet are a little more form orientated:

Ballet: Improve turnout by 20 degrees, free hold leg at 135 degrees, hit full split on leaps, remember combinations the first time through

Last, but not least, flexibility. Like strength, I'm going to need it to make my skill goals.

Flexibility: Square hips in 10 degree oversplits, enough shoulder flexibility to keep my arms in line with my body on back walkovers