If you don’t want to read all of this (it’s kind of long) you have to at least watch the videos. I promise they will make you smile…and probably laugh a little (lot) too!
Last night was my first gymnastics class since I was 13 years old, which basically means I’ve been wanting to take another class for 24 years. That is not an exaggeration. The funny thing is that I weigh the same now as I did then (which hasn’t happened since) and surprisingly I still have the same strengths I had then…and the same weaknesses.
I learned about the classes two weeks ago but the first one wasn’t until tonight. I have been counting down the days! When today finally came I was SO excited, then I realized the class wasn’t until 8:30pm!
LONGEST. DAY. EVAR!
By the time 7:30 came around it was storming like crazy and I was so worried they were going to cancel class. Then it struck me that with all of my excitement I could have been setting myself up for sever disappointment. Like what if it was lame or I was awful or…any number of things?!?!
Long story short, GYMNASTICS WAS FAWESOME! It was even better than I expected. It far surpassed my hopes!
I did cartwheels and roundoffs and the splits and somersaults (which I did NOT think I could do!) and I even did backwards somersaults and handstands and dive-rolls and the very first stage of learning a back handspring– my lifelong dream.
Then at the end of class my friend Joy and I decided it would be a great idea to jump in the foam pit. She followed through on the idea flawlessly, I on the other hand, well…
It was like box jumps all over again! PS: I did not realize she was recording this whole thing.
As a kid I LOVED gymnastics. My favorite movie was Nadia. I went to Mary Lou Retton Gymnastics Academy for about 2 months when I was six, Sunrise Gymnastics Summer Camp when I was 10 and one other place for another month or two when I was 13. I NEVER wanted to quit. EVER. But my room was always a mess and my grades were bad and well, basically I was grounded from the time I was 7 until I was 15– it’s a long running joke in my family these days but that’ a blog for another time.
As a kid I would spend HOURS doing cartwheels and round offs and front handsprings and splits and handstands, over and over and over again, inside, outside, with friends, alone– whenever and wherever I could. I had the whole Nadia/Teadore routine from the movie memorized and I’d teach it to any friend who was willing to learn and do it with me. I LOVED gymnastics. I was naturally limber, naturally short…and naturally overweight, but that didn’t stop me and it’s not stopping me now!
I. AM. DOING. MOTHER. FREAKING. GYM. FREAKING. NASTICS!
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
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Oh Andrea, these are wonderful!
Ok, since you gave us permission to laugh: I’ve watched the back handspring/run-over-by-the-roller 3 times and laughed so hard my dog is going nuts.
But the foam pit. Tears and tears. A bunch of us from my box played dodgeball at a trampoline place, and afterwards they let us jump into the foam pit. I couldn’t do it. I was just too afraid. Where does this fear come from? It’s my old fat-girl brain, thinking I can’t do things or the fear that I couldn’t get out. Totally unreasonable. I resolved that if we go again, I WILL jump into the foam pit. I’ll probably have to get somebody to hold my hand and jump in with me, but I will do it.
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing with us. I’m so grateful to have found your site.
Yeah, I still don’t know what I was afraid of. It’s definitely my former self and fear of jumping that’s the issue. I wasn’t afraid of getting out, I know that was going to be hard, I was more worried about jarring a knee and the feeling of free-fall even though it would have only been for a split second. Such a mental battle. Silly, but so real. Ugh!
This is awesome! As an ex-gymnast I LOVED these videos! And it makes me wonder how i would react if trying to do back handsprings nowadays! You rocked it lady! And yes, I did but out loud. And watching you in the pit, is it bad that I was waiting for your friend to push you in? I totally would have done the same! xoxo
I was glad she pushed me! I’d totally expect the same from you! 🙂
You are just a big goof! Not only was I laughing but I cried. You are awesome amazing! Yes and when I meet you I will give you a big bear hug!!!! Cause crazies do that.
I hope this hug happens SOON!