quote

Someone could have all the technical skills in the world, but if they have no creativity their performance could be anybodies, and if they have no passion their performance dies.  Passion can not be taught or learnt, it lies in the heart and projects through every movement, and every word you speak.  It is a powerful thing.

Quote

A lot has changed in the last year.  I think it has made me a better person, it has made me see things differently, it has allowed me to grow as a person, it has allowed me to be more at peace with my own self.  I am learning to love and appreciate life more than i ever did before.

Strength

Sparkle

Lucky :-)

I am grateful for each day.  I have never had everything I have wanted, I didn't grow up in poverty but my mum worked 4 jobs to keep us afloat.  One day i came to realise that i didn't need everything i wanted to be happy, that happiness is dependant on my actions and the love i surround myself with.  That i wake up each day a roof over my head, food in the fridge, and am blessed with good health.

When you really stop to look at life you realise just how god damn lucky you really are.

Don't fake your 1 arm handstand pictures!!!

I screw my face up when i see a picture of someone doing a one arm handstand that is not being held.  I see it so often, the quickly lift my arm and take a photo shot.

BUT TO A TRAINED EYE IT IS CLEAR (mostly)

To the trained eye then you can tell in terms of body/arm/shoulder position and technique if the handstand is held or not, because to do a one arm handstand you know what happens when your body is not in the correct alignment (ie you fall...).

It shocks me that some people can post a picture of them walloping their hand off the floor and people still believe they are holding that thing !?!

Of course sometimes i am wrong, sometimes some people can hold the most wild shapes :-)  

The secret of becoming really bendy and really good at handstands...

There is no secret.  If you are dedicated, work hard, use good technique, don't over rush it, then you will improve.

There are also no quick fixes, it takes time.  For steady progress without plateauing or getting injured you will also need to work with correct technique, for example learning a bad shaped handstand, or just lifting your arm from the floor, is not going to progress you to a one arm handstand, you are better off stepping backwards and getting the shape right/doing the correct progressions and then the one arm handstand following these correct progressions will happen a lot lot quicker and consistently.

I currently teach acrobatics to two awesome identical twins.  When I first met them it was amazing because they were both identical in flexibility, their bridges were identical in shape and bend, their splits also looked very much the same (they both had and still have very good flexibility).  As they have got older then their flexibility is no longer the same as each others.  We only train twice a week.  One broke her ankle (skiing) and missed a chunk of lessons.  But she has done enough to maintain what she already has, the other has been working hard and consistently and her back flexibility is becoming really rather amazing. It is fascinating to watch. 

Me by Jason Lunn, these hands work hard to keep me upsidedown :-)