First Competition

I had my first competition on Sunday 30th November in Birmingham Uni.  Sadly, our uni didn't win anything for the beginners, but one of my team members one 4 gold medals for advanced and 1 bronze.

Here are my vaults.  The floor wasn't filmed, thankfully, but the routine was:

Floor:
Forward roll to
Star jump
Chassé
Leap
Chassé
Cat leap
Backwards roll
Headstand - roll out
Half turn jump
Cartwheel cartweel
Full piroutte
Roundoff

There were elements that could be changed, such as the final skill, but I stuck with the roundoff.

Vault
Straddle over
Hop on straddle off vault (monkey vault in parkour)
Jump through vault

Vault 1

Vault 2

Started Again

I have started gymnastics again recently because my uni has just started a gymnastics society.  I also attended a few adult gymnastics classes beforehand, because my fitness has improved a lot this year.  I started at the beginning of October and currently train 4.5 hours a week, although there is an additional adult session that could bring it to 6 hours.  The additional session isn't with the Uni club I go to, so it is more expensive at £5 rather than £2 and £3.


Anyway, I love it! But I am pretty rubbish.  I recently took part in my first competition and I think I came last on floor, pretty certain of it.  But the vault wasn't as bad.

Straddle over vault - my next progression. (Not me)

My Backbend

This is my first (or probably fifth) attempt at a backbend. Someone sent me an email saying put a large pillow where your back will land. I used 2 large double duvets and pillows. It definately helped. It took some of the scariness out of it and it helped me improve.
Since doing it that way and getting my confidence up, I started to go as slowly as possible, really stretching through my back. The problem was I was stretching, but when I got to the point where I bend my knees, I was just falling and losing all the arch on my back. Thus landing on my head haha.
I have finished my exams now, so I am going to practice every day!
I have a few other things which I have been working on too, so I will post them soon.

This is my bridge so far

I am almost there, I can now get my arms straight and sometimes my legs straight, but when I tried the first time I fell over. My arms still aren't vertical though. I still need to keep pushing upwards and backwards in the bridge.

I wasn't quite ready in this pic, but my camera only has a timer of 10 seconds, which isn't long enough.

For the last few days too, I have been walking down the wall into the bridge, and now I can actually land in the bridge instead of just collapsing

My arm isn't straight on this one

Finally, my arms are straight. Now i just need to get them vertical!!!

My poor attempt at the splits

Well this a picture of my current flexibility to show my progress.

My Left Leg

My Right Leg

My Bridge Attempt

So this is my bridge so far, it has got better than this since then. I will have to make a new video and a video of all the exercises that I do.

Hi, I am called Kim and I am 20 years old. I am making this blog to show my progress as a gymnast. I love gymnastics but I am rubbish, however, I have decided it is now or never. I am going to acheive the things in gymnastics that I really want to do.
I have always wanted to do a backwards walkover, they seem so cool how people effortlessly bend backwards and then come up again.
From researching, I also want to be able to do a press handstand. I think it is a cool thing to do and shows what the human body can do.
Another thing I want to be able to do is a head sit. I absolutely love contortion, but I think I will start with the more basic gymnastic skills first and then progress on to the more advanced contortion moves.
I also love the back flip with the legs that follow separately too.