There became a third exercise with the blue rings. The circles have started becoming a consistent tool in the workout sessions. A help in working on my ability to balance, following the landing of a jump. In the next installment of working with the blue rings. They were placed onto the turf close together. The blue circles were touching for the third blue ring exercise. Unlike, watching the previous two configurations take shape on the floor. I had a pretty good idea of the movement target with the circles set closely together. This one would feel most comparable to the motion of skiing. The movement would be a target jumping challenge I had performed prior. Like the first-round I did, this movement would remind me of exercises I had done with the small hurdles. The target jumping with the two blue rings touching would be a lateral hop. Jumping with both feet close together. In one unit, I would be making a hop from the inside of one ring to the inside of the other, and back again. Sometimes, the move of hoping laterally can start feeling like a rhythm. Bouncing from one side to the other, without ever hesitating after landing one of the jumps. The goal of the movement seems to be finding that kind of balance and timing. Where the lateral hoping turns into a continuous motion, without a stop while landing, on either side.
The first working of a later jump, that I can recall, took place with a small hurdle. The kind sitting a little more than a foot off the ground. I remember one of my previous trainers setting it on a turf floor. Looking at it and understanding what I was be asked to do, anxiety struck. It didn’t look to me, like something I would be able to perform. Making a two-footed lateral jump over the small hurdle. I recall the single hurdle being placed out, as my second or third exercise. After I had shown the ability to make forward jumps through a row of the small hurdles. The next progression was to move through the row laterally. Moving over the hurdles, using a lateral step. When the final progression showed up, using one hurdle and a lateral jump. It was the first feeling of being worried about my balance, during the movement progression. Like times before, I worried about tripping on the hurdle. Not having the ability to jump over the hurdle from the side. My concern left me cheating during the exercise. With the hurdle sitting there, I never really felt like I truly made a sideways jump. I would angle myself forward a little, attempting to bring both feet into the explosion. Trying to turn the jump into as much of a forward explosion, as possible. The move helped ease my fear of clearing the hurdle but did nothing for helping me jump laterally.
I was challenged in understanding the importance of the hurdle, in the lateral jump. Because I didn’t comprehend the importance of clearing the hurdle. It seemed to me, the most crucial aspect of working on jumping to the side, and back. Would be finding a way to execute the jump. For this reason, it seemed that doing the lateral jumping with the blue rings made the most sense. With the two blue circles sitting closely on the turf. The concern over tripping was eliminated. My mind didn’t have to worry about jumping high enough to avoid injury. Taking away an anxiety that felt unnecessary within the movement. Something else feeling important when thinking about the exercise would be the application to everyday life. When thinking of jumping laterally over the hurdle, I can’t think of a time being asked to jump laterally to one side, while clearing eighteen inches, that might apply to everyday life. However, when thinking about hopping from side to side. In the case of working between the two blue rings, sitting flatly on the floor. The applicability to life outside the gym, feels much more realistic. The motion of jumping laterally between the two blue circles felt most like skiing. Where there was, no demand placed on the height of my jump. The applicability to the challenge of being on skis felt greatest with this blue ring configuration. Causing me to place the exercise on a mental list of movements to work, when training solo.
The first two configurations of the blue rings were helpful. Most likely in ways I will not fully understand. Working on the first two movements didn’t feel as close to my actual ski movements. Meaning, those exercises were most likely working supportive muscles of skiing. The muscles that possibly aren’t directly involved with making the ski turns, getting me down the mountain. For this reason, I struggled to directly understand the relationship. Working on the lateral hopping between the two blue rings felt like a replication of skiing. The hopping brought the feeling of instability that comes about on the slopes. The thing I had going for me inside the gym was the ability to stop. I was able to jump back and forth, using my own pace. Something that doesn’t always happen when skiing down a run. The ability to stop whenever I would like, isn’t always available. I noticed something happening in my brain when hopping laterally. After a few good jumps, moving back and forth, I struggled with the ability, to keep the pattern going. My brain wanting to make the next jump, back toward the other circle, but my body hesitated. Needing to rest and find its equilibrium, before venturing into another pattern of lateral jumps. This feeling seems to happen on the mountain, as well. When I struggle with keeping up the pattern of moving from one turn into another. On the slopes, this lapse in stabilizing the turn pattern, can cause a crash. The hesitation of instability could also be holding me back from further improvement of my skiing.
All the work with the blue rings has positively helped better my stabilization. They were all variations of target jumping. Picking out spots for landing my jump or hop. In these exercises the targets for my landing were clear. The inside of each blue ring was my landing target. Whether working on the lateral jumping with a single foot, jumping in the circle formation with my feet together, or the final lateral jump on two feet. Each of the exercises helped with the improvement of stability. They all felt geared toward helping my become a better skier. Meaning the targeted outcome of working with the blue rings won’t be realized until the winter. When I will most likely have spent more time working on target jumping with the blue rings. The positivity in working with the blue rings has been the timing. We are still in the middle of July. Providing plenty of time for working on these kinds of exercises. Along with all the other things done inside the training sessions. Movements I might not be attributing to helping my ability to ski. But could be important in improving my levels of strength and stability. Much of the success in improving my ski season comes down to my own work ethic. My ability to stick with the process and understand the work done on the other side of the calendar will show up on the snow.
A Journey With Cerebral Palsy 