Gymnasts Gymnastics blog

[HopefulGymnast]

Again, not sure where to post this but...

If anybody is interested, I am writing a blog about my gymnastics journey: https://somegymnasticsblog.wordpress.com/
I've been told it reads really well / is fun to read. I'm not a US gymnast, so the details may be a bit less relatable, but it may be interesting to read about a different type of training. (the training a lot less structured and more chaotic, I expect).

The next post will be in an about an hour from now as well.

I thought this may be a nice way to feel more connected to other gymnasts.

Just a slight comment: I do talk very openly about stuff like my eating disorder past and lingering issues. It's not a huge theme, but it comes up sometimes when relevant. Nothing graphic, just things like "I have trouble taking it slow at gymnastics because of these and these fears I still have".

If anybody feels like reading it, I'd love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions.
PS. I've been writing the blog for a bit now, but sharing it like this is kinda scary, idk why.

 

[HopefulGymnast]

(Also, forgot to say this but if this should be somewhere else, please do let me know. Wasn't sure if it was gymnasts forum or WAG)

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Hey, remember us talking about blogs? Well, turns out, I did make one a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to work on it for a while, but I'm trying to write stuff after each practice so I can put it in (not consistent though cuz I have so much stuff to do and don't always feel like writing).

I'll probably share it once I edit a little more, probably in a couple weeks which gives me the winter break to work on it.

 

[HopefulGymnast]

Hey, remember us talking about blogs? Well, turns out, I did make one a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to work on it for a while, but I'm trying to write stuff after each practice so I can put it in (not consistent though cuz I have so much stuff to do and don't always feel like writing).

I'll probably share it once I edit a little more, probably in a couple weeks which gives me the winter break to work on it.

Hey,

Feel free to share whenever you like.
I've not been writing a lot because it felt like a bit much, and i think people were only looking at it when I wrote on chalkbucket about it.
Also, I've missed a bunch of training due to back injury, and just when I was ready to go twice a week again I got sick with covid. I've been sick literally all of december now, but slowly getting better.

Unfortunately I'm missing a high level christmas comp (I'd do bars) I'd wanted to do, but lets hope for next year. For now I'm focussing on the next comp in april.

Good luck with your blog. I may write in mine again if something good happens again, or something funny.

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Hey,

Feel free to share whenever you like.
I've not been writing a lot because it felt like a bit much, and i think people were only looking at it when I wrote on chalkbucket about it.

Hm understandable. I just check it out whenever i open chalkbucket (b/c that's how i get to the link haha). I'm only writing mine because what if a few years down the road, I can't do gymnastics anymore? At least I'll be able to kinda relive my practices. Or just have good memories

Also, I've missed a bunch of training due to back injury, and just when I was ready to go twice a week again I got sick with covid. I've been sick literally all of december now, but slowly getting better.

Aww sending warm wishes! Hope everything gets better soon!

Unfortunately I'm missing a high level christmas comp (I'd do bars) I'd wanted to do, but lets hope for next year. For now I'm focussing on the next comp in april.

It's okayy, you'll do amazing in april!

Good luck with your blog. I may write in mine again if something good happens again, or something funny.

Thank you! I'll keep an eye out for a new post

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Heyy! Hows it going? Haven't seen any posts on your blog lately...are you gonna continue writing?

 

[HopefulGymnast]

Hey. I kind of stopped writing there for a bit. It felt like a bit much, and I felt like it wasn't really being read.
I'm having a tough time right now at home, but I'm finally starting to do gymnastics twice a week again a few times.

As for gymnastics, I think I'm gonna write a big update so I hope you dont mind that its a long text:

I want to do back tucks into the pit from a mat in the pit, so I can't hit the mat if my tuck goes straight up. I've done it once and it went great, but I keep forgetting now.
I've started doing front tucks on floor. I land them super deep though, but I do hop upright very quickly. I think the issue is I have trouble jumping high on floor, I'm fine on the black trampoline track. I think part of the issue is my shins hurt when I jump too hard. It's an issue I've dealt with for a long time, but the doctors dont know whats causing it. I think it makes me scared to punch off the floor too hard.

I'm working on connecting my front handspring to my front tuck on the trampoline track. In theory both my front tuck and my handspring should be good enough, but I need to figure out the connection. Right now I tend to bend my knees rather than rebound when I want to do the front tuck, which I dont do if I just do a rebound jump.

I'm also working on some floor choreo and some jumps and turns I'm working on: double L turn on floor, double or maaaybe tripple turn on floor, cat leap cat leap full combo, wolf jump split jump half combo (need to figure out how to keep my toes pointed in wolf, split is not great but that's because I dont actually have a split). I want to finish choreographing a routine soon that I can compete in april for 1 meet. Oh, also fun, I did a straight jump double twist yesterday. (Yes, my dance skills are way above my acro skills atm)

I've been working on a back extention roll to HS on floor, but its not quite there yet. I'm also gonna have to relearn my FHS-FHS combo for the meet, I've competed it before but haven't trained it for a while because I was working on FHS front tuck.

On bars, I'm working on improving my kips and casts, which is going sloooow... It doesn't help that I was out for a looong time with my back injury and a month in bed with covid (literally all of december). I'm starting to get my strength back to where it was. I'm working on my clear hip, which is also starting to get back to where it was pre-injrury/covid. It's below horizontal, but it's clear and it makes some height. It's going real high on strap bar though, that's improved a lot.
I've worked on my dismount (flyaway tucked atm) a bit. I want to learn a layout and/or tuck half twist. I honestly feel like I have enough air time to add a half twist after I've done the back tuck right now, haha. I've yet to try though. For the layout I'd want more speed and distance first, but for that I need a good castaway to swing from the high bar, and I somehow keep messing that up. I probably fear the low bar with my feet.
I hope to maybe learn a "caslavska" or however you spell it, it's a cast to full twist catch to swing release skill. I need either that or a castaway to glide swing half turn to kip on low bar, which is worth way less difficulty and is honestly giving me equal trouble.

Oh, and I'm trying to improve my toe shoot. I cannot keep my legs straight, no matter how hard I try. No clue why. I actually had one really bad day with them, and I injured my middle finger by smashing it against the HB from the side instead of grabbing from the top. It's going better recently, but will need a few more weeks to fully heal. I can do everything with it though, its been cleared by fysio.

On beam, I think because I've been injured so much I've gotten scared of the cartwheel. Aside from that, I'm working on tuck jump 1/2 turn straight jump 1/2 turn combo from side stand, hoping it can turn into a tuck jump 1/2 straigh jump full. I'm working on cat leap cat leap 1/2 combo, and split leap 1/2 (with limited leg separation cause I cant do a split). Also, L turn, full turn and 1 1/2 - 2 turn sometimes. My turns have good days and bad days, where i can do a 1 1/2 consistently on a good day and keep failing my 1/1 on a bad day.

I think that's kind of where I'm at, I may have missed out a lot. For now, everything is chaotic. I'm helping with a funeral at home, and it's complete and utter chaos from time to time. Yesterday I actually went to gymnastics with a headache and feeling lightheaded from everything. I expected i'd go home after 10 min feeling too lightheaded for anything, but as I practises I started feeling better again.

I may consider going back to blog a bit when the madness at home dies down again.
Thank you so much for asking by the way, it was nice writing about all this to somebody.

 

[HopefulGymnast]

Woops I posted already

I wanted to add: how are you doing? What have you been working on?
Also, my birthday is coming up but it feels very weird. We're having several birthays and the mood is very odd because there's also the funeral

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Omg wow you've been working on a lot of stufff!

Hey. I kind of stopped writing there for a bit. It felt like a bit much, and I felt like it wasn't really being read.

honestly, same. I stopped writing my stuff as well. It felt too much like a "have to do" rather than "want to do" - especially because I'm not a huge fan of writing/journaling anyways.

I'm having a tough time right now at home, but I'm finally starting to do gymnastics twice a week again a few times.

I hope things get better for you!

As for gymnastics, I think I'm gonna write a big update so I hope you dont mind that its a long text:

ofc not, its fun to read

I want to do back tucks into the pit from a mat in the pit, so I can't hit the mat if my tuck goes straight up. I've done it once and it went great, but I keep forgetting now.

omg i remember you talking about your fears of hitting your feet on the tramp (tramp into pit). Way to go for overcoming it!!

I've started doing front tucks on floor. I land them super deep though, but I do hop upright very quickly. I think the issue is I have trouble jumping high on floor, I'm fine on the black trampoline track.

haha I used to do the same. Now I can do them pretty well. Things that helped (I think):
- more plyometric stuff
- one extra step (YES IT DOES HELP). I used to do 3 steps into front tuck, now I do 4 and the difference is visible
- better take off position

I think part of the issue is my shins hurt when I jump too hard. It's an issue I've dealt with for a long time, but the doctors dont know whats causing it. I think it makes me scared to punch off the floor too hard.

Awww, I can see how that makes it hard. Hopefully its not too much pain.

I'm working on connecting my front handspring to my front tuck on the trampoline track. In theory both my front tuck and my handspring should be good enough, but I need to figure out the connection. Right now I tend to bend my knees rather than rebound when I want to do the front tuck, which I dont do if I just do a rebound jump.

I'm working these on the floor too! I can do them very nicely on the tramp. I also had it for a little bit before season started but it wasn't consistent enough so I switched to front pikes for meet season and now I've lost it. I have a great front handspring on floor on its own but for some reason, i change it when I try to connect. Its so weird. Ugh.

I'm also working on some floor choreo and some jumps and turns I'm working on: double L turn on floor, double or maaaybe tripple turn on floor, cat leap cat leap full combo, wolf jump split jump half combo (need to figure out how to keep my toes pointed in wolf, split is not great but that's because I dont actually have a split). I want to finish choreographing a routine soon that I can compete in april for 1 meet. Oh, also fun, I did a straight jump double twist yesterday. (Yes, my dance skills are way above my acro skills atm)

yess love those dance skills! I also find dance skills easier than acro lol. I used to work double Ls, triple turns, cat leaps etc at my previous gym but we don't focus on them at my current gym so don't do them anymore. But it maes sense! Also choreo is so fun - good luck for your april meet!

I've been working on a back extention roll to HS on floor, but its not quite there yet. I'm also gonna have to relearn my FHS-FHS combo for the meet, I've competed it before but haven't trained it for a while because I was working on FHS front tuck.

You got this!! Back extension took me a while to get on the floor. I had a beautiful one from one panel mat but shifting it to the floor was so long.

(also i hope you don't mind me connecting everything you say to my own experiences, I don't wanna come across as self absorbed but this is literally how I connect)

On bars, I'm working on improving my kips and casts, which is going sloooow... It doesn't help that I was out for a looong time with my back injury and a month in bed with covid (literally all of december). I'm starting to get my strength back to where it was. I'm working on my clear hip, which is also starting to get back to where it was pre-injrury/covid. It's below horizontal, but it's clear and it makes some height. It's going real high on strap bar though, that's improved a lot.

Yayy, you'll get your strength back soon! It does suck getting back to the place you were though.

I've worked on my dismount (flyaway tucked atm) a bit. I want to learn a layout and/or tuck half twist. I honestly feel like I have enough air time to add a half twist after I've done the back tuck right now, haha. I've yet to try though.

ooh that sounds fun. Lemme know how it goes when you try it!

For the layout I'd want more speed and distance first, but for that I need a good castaway to swing from the high bar, and I somehow keep messing that up. I probably fear the low bar with my feet.

that makes sense!! My coach wanted me to do layouts because I have a good castaway tucked flyaway, but I'm just a little nervous of hitting my feet on the high bar in the flyaway haha but thankfully I haven't done that yet.

I hope to maybe learn a "caslavska" or however you spell it, it's a cast to full twist catch to swing release skill. I need either that or a castaway to glide swing half turn to kip on low bar, which is worth way less difficulty and is honestly giving me equal trouble.

These both sound kinda hard - I've never tried any of them before lol

Oh, and I'm trying to improve my toe shoot. I cannot keep my legs straight, no matter how hard I try. No clue why.

what does your coach say if you're asked them?

On beam, I think because I've been injured so much I've gotten scared of the cartwheel. Aside from that, I'm working on tuck jump 1/2 turn straight jump 1/2 turn combo from side stand, hoping it can turn into a tuck jump 1/2 straigh jump full. I'm working on cat leap cat leap 1/2 combo, and split leap 1/2 (with limited leg separation cause I cant do a split). Also, L turn, full turn and 1 1/2 - 2 turn sometimes. My turns have good days and bad days, where i can do a 1 1/2 consistently on a good day and keep failing my 1/1 on a bad day.

Ooh yes completely relate to bad days. Just two days ago I was doing round off tucks dismount off the beam into the pit and I did like 5 but today I could barely get my roundoff on the beam. Those dance skills are cool though!

I think that's kind of where I'm at, I may have missed out a lot. For now, everything is chaotic. I'm helping with a funeral at home, and it's complete and utter chaos from time to time.

Oh no, sorry to hear that.

Yesterday I actually went to gymnastics with a headache and feeling lightheaded from everything. I expected i'd go home after 10 min feeling too lightheaded for anything, but as I practises I started feeling better again.

For me, no matter how bad I'm feeling (mentally) or how much pain I'm in (physically), practice makes EVERYTHING so much better. I can't even express that im words. But be careful with yourself - drink and eat enough before practice!

(although who I am to comment on drinking when I don't drink enough water myself lol)

I may consider going back to blog a bit when the madness at home dies down again.
Thank you so much for asking by the way, it was nice writing about all this to somebody.

Of coursee!!

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Uh oh, I wrote my whole post of what ive been doing and my phone restarted and its all gone now. I dont feel like writing it all over again right now but I'll do it soon lol. Got some work to do rn