My story…

akafful
akafful Posts: 69 Member
edited October 23 in Motivation and Support
Hey guys, I’m having a hard time. It’s like everyone including their dogs can do a backflip or a handspring except me. I feel so left out. It’s like the back handspring is calling me, but my body is can’t go.

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    If you can't do it now, but want to, there are progressions online about how to develop the capability. There are strength and mobility prerequisites, realistically, so it may take patient persistence to achieve that goal.

    You say zero about your athletic history or age or anything else, so it's hard to say whether it might be a realistic goal. IMO, there are many athletic feats that could be done by people who don't think they can do them, if those people put in patient work over quite a long period of time to build up to it. I can do things now that I wouldn't have dreamed I could do at this (or any) age.
  • akafful
    akafful Posts: 69 Member
    edited October 24
    Well I’m not at the Olympic style age anymore (I mean around 18-26), but I’m certainly far from an old man. I’m able-bodied too.
  • Sparkuvu
    Sparkuvu Posts: 2,698 Member
    I'm wondering if back handspring was really just a metaphor for getting going on a healthy living plan...
  • akafful
    akafful Posts: 69 Member
    Sparkuvu wrote: »
    I'm wondering if back handspring was really just a metaphor for getting going on a healthy living plan...

    No, it’s a back handspring
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    edited October 24
    akafful wrote: »
    Well I’m not at the Olympic style age anymore (I mean around 18-26), but I’m certainly far from an old man. I’m able-bodied too.

    Quite possibly achievable, then, with a focused training plan working toward it. Probably take a while to get there if currently very unachievable, though.
    Sparkuvu wrote: »
    I'm wondering if back handspring was really just a metaphor for getting going on a healthy living plan...

    That didn't occur to me, but maybe. But I'm a fan of having some achievable but challenging physical goals, so I may be biased ;)

    ETA: Just saw OP's update, which posted while I was writing version 1 of this post.

    Go, you, @akafful : I'm cheering for you to succeed at this! If you feel up to it, maybe come back and let us know how the process is going? :flowerforyou:
  • akafful
    akafful Posts: 69 Member
    edited October 25
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Go, you, @akafful : I'm cheering for you to succeed at this! If you feel up to it, maybe come back and let us know how the process is going? :flowerforyou:

    I’ve had mixed results. One time I hit my head. It wasn’t fun in class. But I still want the consistent results. The good type of results.
  • akafful
    akafful Posts: 69 Member
    I’m also a bit frustrated because even people who are body builders can do it, while I’m just a lean muscle guy who can’t get consistently good results (more than once counts as consistently) for me.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    akafful wrote: »
    I’m also a bit frustrated because even people who are body builders can do it, while I’m just a lean muscle guy who can’t get consistently good results (more than once counts as consistently) for me.

    If you're working on it, I think the answer is "keep working". Maybe seek out different instructor(s)? (Sometimes hearing someone different give slightly different guidance can lead to insight and progress.)

    Pretty much anything worth doing that's even remotely complex or challenging is going to take some patience to master. It doesn't matter that some other people may pick it up faster.

    I was one of those "chosen last in gym class" kids. Now I'm athletically active and substantially fitter than average for my demographic. I remember one of my friends coming to my first race (rowing, boats), and saying to me afterward "annpt77 a jock? Who would've thought!" Not me, for sure. It took patient persistence.

    Best wishes!

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