Having No Limitation as the Limitation

"There are two kinds of people: those who think they can, and those who think they can't, and they're both right."
- paraphrased from Henry Ford

At Broadway Gym, each level group has a prescribed series of stretches they do, as a routine, with one of them chosen to lead. Our expectation is for them to do it, synchronized, efficiently transitioning from one stretch to the next with presentation (as if they were performing this on stage or in a competition). So there is no talking, no extra movement; focus is straight ahead. Of course, inadvertently someone will "break character", and look around at what else is going on in the gym, play with her ponytail, pick at her leotard, etc. Basically, losing focus.

Yesterday, I challenged my 5-7s (a group that is jumping from level 5 to level 7) with a sticker reward for whoever was the most focused with great presentation during stretches. Immediately, one girl said "Why not just give it to GymnastA?" (GymnastA is a model gymnast when it comes to doing this and everyone knows it. She'd be great standing and marching in a military formation). I told them why not try and "beat" GymnastA? That they were all equally capable. Two other girls said in regards to this, "But that's impossible!"

After their stretches, I led them over to the side of the gym where, on the wall, I had taped the following story:

If you put fleas in a shallow container
they jump out.
But if you put a lid on the container
for just a short time,
they hit the lid trying to escape and
learn quickly not to jump so high.
They give up their quest for freedom.
After the lid is removed, the fleas remain
imprisoned by their own self-policing.
So it is with life.
Most of us let our own fears or the impositions
of others imprison us
in a world of low expectations."
-Andrew Hsu

We talked briefly about what the message is that we can take with us from that story; about the limitations we fabricate in our own heads about what we are and aren't capable of achieving.

Last week I had begun posting little inspirational quotes and maxims around the gym at key locations. Over by beam, one of my favorites:

"Fall down seven times, get back up eight"- Japanese proverb

Girls at bars are always asking me the time. There's actually a clock on the wall nearby and above it I have a sign that reads, "The time now..." and below the clock: "...is for you to work harder! And the only easy day, was yesterday."

A favorite of mine at the bar stations hangs on the wall above the chalk tray. It reads something to the effect that, "Those who squander their time hanging out at the chalk bar become experts at procrastination. Those who spend most of their time getting up on the equipment get better at gymnastics."

I like having these in the gym. The kids are noticing.

I don't know how much of this sort of stuff sinks in, but if you fling enough out there, and often, something's bound to stick.


*Special thanks to Nadine, from whom I first heard the flea story.

Candlestick Extension Drill for Giants- Wrist Shift

A drill idea I was playing with for giants/wrist shift, handstand shaping.

The other related drill is to lay on the rainbow, grabbing a low bar facing the other way, scoop into candlestick shapes, then scoop all the way over into a push-up position on the other side, maintaining the hollow-dish shape the whole time. Laying on the rainbow in a tight arch would be perceived as the bottom of the swing with the hollow push-up as the top of the giant. Also good for working 3/4 giants.