Friday, November 21, 2014

Charlotte's Adventure in Tumbling

I think this week is a good time to do an update on Charlotte's tumbling skills -- which is more for my record than for anyone to actually read. :)

This week she finally, finally did her back handspring without anyone close enough to jump in and help. She has been doing them for months without having anyone truly spotting her, but she demanded that her coach be there "just in case." She was fearless last spring, but sometime this summer, fear of getting hurt set in and she became very cautious. Which is not a bad thing. But, she had the skill to do back handsprings on her own, she just lacked the confidence. And, thanks to a coach that never gave up, she finally got there.

At the end of class on Tuesday, she let one of the coaches stand next to her, instead of squatting by her and that was a BIG DEAL. Then we had a private lesson on Thursday and she went into the lesson saying that she wanted Mr. Joe to squat by her, but not touch her. And, then she hopped out on that trampoline and did a back handspring like she'd been doing them by herself forever. :)

She was hooked. Joe took video. I took video. He moved farther and farther away until we were across the room and she was over there doing back handsprings one after another. It was amazing. I never thought I'd see this day get here. She has had such a mental hangup for months and has struggled with knowing she could do this herself and being scared to try. It has broken my heart to watch her fight this internal battle and know that she had to figure it out on her own. We have tried encouraging, begging and bribing, but, in true Charlotte form, she did it all in her own time. And, I have  a pretty good feeling she'll never look back.

And, thanks to months of extra practice they are pretty close to perfect, especially for a 4 year old. Joe even told her today that she can do them anytime on a trampoline. That's how good they look. :)

I am so so thankful that she has such a wonderful coach. He has been amazing patient with her and she had learned so much this year! She started regular lessons just 11 months ago (January 2014) and I am amazed at what she can do. And the trust she has for him is just amazing. She will try anything if he'll be there to spot her.

She can do a front handspring (on the trampoline). She can do a front walkover -- on the trampoline always and occasionally on her mat at home (when she's practicing it a lot). She can do a good handstand and is learning to walk on her hands. She can do a roundoff back handspring on the floor and tumble track with just a little spot. She can do a back handspring on the tumble track with a little spot and the floor with a little spot. These are skill that she should have in the next few months by herself. She is starting back tucks (although she has a looooong way to go on this -- but she LOVES them!). She can do backbends and kick back over and does these all the time at home. She is super flexible.

She may not always love to tumble as much as she does not -- although it's hard to imagine that she will ever tire of it. She would take lessons every day if I'd let her. :) And, the look on her face when she gets a new skill is probably why she may never quit.

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