Well, I actually did my first forward flips and my first climbs last night…but my internet was out so I couldn’t share the happy news right away!!  (Mercury is truly in retrograde…)

I flipped!!!  I CLIMBED!!!!!  OH.  MY.  GOD.

That’s all that went through my mind as I drove home last night.  I cannot believe I actually CLIMBED up the silks (my best climb was three “steps”).  IMPROVEMENT!!!

First, the flip.  I am shocked that my vertigo did not kick in today.  When I was beginning the move for the first time, I tried in on my knees, thinking that starting closer to the ground might be easier.  Turned out to be easier to do a face plant!!  So I thought that maybe I could avoid the face plant by standing and bending over to flip.  As long as I held on to the silks, I shouldn’t have a problem, right?  After the first one, I fell over because I allowed the silks to slip through my hands.  Silk burn on the right hand!  After the second one, I was nauseous.  Once I decided to go for a hat trick, I didn’t think I’d be able to get off the floor.  It was like having the spins without the pleasure of having had any alcohol first.   Hard to believe that one of things I’d wished my whole life I could do while dancing was a walkover…and now that I have (sort of) done that move while holding on to silks, the idea of doing a walkover has lost its charm.

I had to sit for a bit to regain my stomach before attempting anything else.  While I was resting, I watched Will work with Anita on climbing.  That was still something I had not at all been able to do, not even a tiny bit!  The only way I had been able to get off the ground was in a foot lock.

Notice that I used PAST TENSE!!

I became bound and determined that somehow I was going to climb.  Will also jokingly had said that if I could climb to the top of the silks, he’d buy me a pizza.  I’d heard one of the girls mention pizza (one of my weaknesses) and I was suddenly craving it.  As a joking incentive, Will said he’d order me pizza if I managed to climb to the top.  That wasn’t what got me worked up about climbing (the pizza conversation had taken place before the flipping began)…but once I managed to get off the ground, I was reminded of the promise!

I managed to take three “steps” in climbing up, and Will said that I was a couple of feet off the floor (maybe two?  or three??).    For me, that was as good as being up to the ceiling!!  I was so excited that I asked one of the girls to make a video of me climbing…but I was more tired and didn’t get as high off the ground.   But you can see that I AM actually making the climbing movements!  Ok, so I also fell at the end… but it’s a vast improvement!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151502450844910&set=vb.677749909&type=2&theater

TECHNICAL NOTE:  apparently it looks as if I cannot share the video from Facebook… bummer.   Since it isn’t my video, I can’t share, even if I am tagged.  I am leaving the link above anyway, just in case!!!

Incentive to do another video on MY phone!  🙂

Look, Ma!  No foot locks!!!!!

I cannot wait to be able to climb up and flip upside down without the vertigo!