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Trapeze lesson #2
Aug. 28th, 2006 09:11 pmTo begin with, I got nothing done at work today because I was so excited about getting a trapeze lesson (and somewhat anxious too, having watched some videos on trapezeschool.com that make the platform look about 1000 feet above the ground). I didn't figure it would warrant a giant operatic writeup like I did after my first lesson last year, but still... I was excited.
As soon as we got back behind the nets where we could watch the water/light show and the jellybeans and the little kids who were flying, I relaxed and was happy in the crazy carnival environment. I was nervous before my first jump, but nothing like last year. I did three knee hangs (I know now that this is the name of the basic trick I described last time) just to be sure I still could do them. They were pretty much fine except that my back somersault kept sucking and landing me on my nose, so they moved on to teaching me a set split. ( set split )
I did 5 or 6 of those, making various mistakes, and then they sent a catcher up and I got caught 3 times, still doing the split! I was more than prepared for failure on this, and quite prepared to go back to a knee hang just in order to be caught, but no need! Actually, the first catch we only got with one hand, and at the far end of the swing we got the other side. After class the catcher said he'd never have done that out of lines, but if you're in lines, why not go for it? But I also found out that he had a bad grip on the hand he had -- I, on the other hand, had a killer grip on his wrist with my dominant hand. So as for him and his not going for it... if he hadn't decided to keep me, could he have shaken me off anyway? :)
Except for the moment of anxiety where he always seemed too far away and I was waiting forever for the "hup", it was great. Unlike the knee hang where you briefly have two plausible means of support, with this trick you are truly snatched out of the air, and that makes me happy.
What was really interesting about this time: ( more awareness of the ropes, and seeing other peoples' experiences. )
As soon as we got back behind the nets where we could watch the water/light show and the jellybeans and the little kids who were flying, I relaxed and was happy in the crazy carnival environment. I was nervous before my first jump, but nothing like last year. I did three knee hangs (I know now that this is the name of the basic trick I described last time) just to be sure I still could do them. They were pretty much fine except that my back somersault kept sucking and landing me on my nose, so they moved on to teaching me a set split. ( set split )
I did 5 or 6 of those, making various mistakes, and then they sent a catcher up and I got caught 3 times, still doing the split! I was more than prepared for failure on this, and quite prepared to go back to a knee hang just in order to be caught, but no need! Actually, the first catch we only got with one hand, and at the far end of the swing we got the other side. After class the catcher said he'd never have done that out of lines, but if you're in lines, why not go for it? But I also found out that he had a bad grip on the hand he had -- I, on the other hand, had a killer grip on his wrist with my dominant hand. So as for him and his not going for it... if he hadn't decided to keep me, could he have shaken me off anyway? :)
Except for the moment of anxiety where he always seemed too far away and I was waiting forever for the "hup", it was great. Unlike the knee hang where you briefly have two plausible means of support, with this trick you are truly snatched out of the air, and that makes me happy.
What was really interesting about this time: ( more awareness of the ropes, and seeing other peoples' experiences. )
