AcroYogi / AcroBat

This Sunday we had another Jedi Kula class with Todd at Jai Shanti. A good diversity of players. We started off with simple and deep therapeutics, then moved to some forward flying, advanced to forward flying bow, and just as I was starting to think: "Oh, this is all such basics!" Todd threw us into some serious full inversions, including both candlestick and some other thing which required SERIOUS abdominal / core pushes along with real arm strength for both the base and the flyer. In fact, in this class, I began to realise the limits of my body, and where some old old injuries came out.

Playing with PC was very fun. She has a joyous and confident and ambitious energy to her that is fun to be around.

It was funny enough how the class began. Late to show and just in time was Vincent(?), a classically trained acrobat and dancer who had actually spent several years in the Circus... like, as a real job! He gave me some very detailed tips about how to place my hands and how to work grips that really allowed me to get into the advanced work.

In the end it was Trish and Vincent and I pushing the limits of our bodies with an inversion. As I tried for the second time, I could feel my muscles beginning to literally pop in both my triceps and legs, like I was going to pull one. That scared me a little. Nothing would suck like pulling a muscle while upside down 4 feet off the ground. Nonetheless, I was determined to hit the pose, so after stretching and breathing and jumping jacks for a few minutes, rejoined the fray... and damn if I didn't HIT IT! BAM!

Once I was up and in layout, it was all about balance and less about strength... hooray!

We also began to learn about "wrist love" in addition to the core practice of "leg love." Good stuff all around.

I realised leaving (in a very high state) that we had really begun the transition from AcroYoga into Acrobatics. Great stuff. And I now know where I need to build strength (arms and core). Boom! :)