Just what I needed

One of the other adult skaters has been trying to get me to come to Blue's group abs class on Tuesdays.  You remember Blue, right?  My twenty-something-underwear-model former trainer?  Yeah - that Blue.  Seems he's back in town from a big photo shoot and back to showing off his ripped abs and negative body fat.  Even better (if you can call it "better") he evidently has another underwear model friend from France staying with him right now.... love the name - "Christophe".  Sounds like a men's fragrance, doesn't it.  "Blue Christophe".  :)

Am I going to put my 48-year-old body in a room with the fragrance boys and their abs?  Am I going to slit my wrists and sing christmas carols at the top of my lungs while walking on the freeway?  Same chance.

Just what I need.

Sigh.

Ok - as for the actual skating, things went really REALLY well this week.  The extra lessons with Anna are having an impact and my fundamentals are getting stronger as a result.  I'm working my butt off (figuratively, if not actually) and starting to see movement again.  For a while there, I felt like I was plateauing, but this was just the kick I needed to start making progress again.

Turns out, I'm really getting the hang of partnering - at least in the simplest dance position, "Killian".  Then, just when I was showing signs of being able to skate with someone without being a hazard to their health, Anna throws the "reverse Killian" at me this week.  Everything is the same, only different.  In Killian, she's on the right side.  In Reverse Killian, she's on the left.  Give me just a moment while I tear out my brain, turn it around, and jam it back into my skull.  Thank you.

It took me a little bit, but I think I finally started to understand it by the end of the session.

I've really been working hard on getting my body positions right - the sessions with Anna highlighted where  the problems are, and I've focused on those during my technique practice sessions.  That bore fruit during my lesson with Will today - he actually complimented my knee bend.  Yes, it's the end of the world.  Are your feet feeling a might frostbitten?

Of course, that stupid mohawk in the Swing Dance was still driving me batty.  Will figured that out today - and just like the 3-turns, I was trying too hard.  He got me to let go and just let it happen and suddenly the last of my problems dropped away.

Sometimes, all I need is for someone to get me to take a deep breath.

Just what I needed.  :)