A Little Bit of Flying

Since the girls have been in Israel the past few weeks, I decided to take advantage of my freedom by trying out the intermediate flying class over at Circus Warehouse. While there were some growing pains, adjusting to a new rig, class dynamic and teaching style, I think that just being in the air a third day per week helped my flying, and that getting some different advice about my swing or my layout from eyes that haven't seen either before means that there are new cues that I give myself in the air. Helpful if the goal is improvement.

The first of the two weeks I was there, I was still adjusting to teaching style, the shorter cables, etc. Week 2 had me committed to throw my layouts across to catch as if I actually wanted them caught. While form might have been sacrificed more than I'd like, we managed to get the job done.

Catch one (called early to make sure I'd make it across)

And catch 2, with better timing.

While the might not be many more opportunities of another night of flying when we return from Israel, I do hope that adding one here and there means that I can diversify my trick base.

And on that note... A few weeks ago I switched from the cutway-half as the next goal-trick to take out of mechanic to the layout full. Fulls come much more naturally than the cutaway-halfs, and improvement happens more rapidly, and hence is more satisfying. But on Sunday evening following the tri, I wasn't in the mood for "real work", preferring instead to treat it practice as "family fun day" and throw my mod. Though I haven't practiced this trick in over six months, it's so embedded in my muscle memory, that it felt as though I had done it just days before. We didn't manage to catch smoothly, as Josh didn't realize quite how late a trick it was, (natural when it's one that very few people throw, and especially to a catcher who is concerned about its safety) but here is some video footage nonetheless.

Of course I had to find out about the possibility of eventually taking it out of lines. First, however, I need to meet the strength requirements - 2 sets of 10 pull-ups. I'm halfway there, and hopefully will be even closer when I get back from Israel.