Being a Left Handed Rhythmic Gymnast

So many celebrities like Anna Kendrick and Jennifer Lawrence are left-handed. But rhythmic gymnasts?

Stumbling across a left-handed rhythmic gymnast is like stumbling across a giant rainbow four-leaf clover. The chances of stumbling across it ranges from zero to five percent. Leaning more towards the zero for the giant rainbow four-leaf clover.

Yet I'm a left-handed rhythmic gymnast!

The only Olympic rhythmic gymnast I currently know of that's left handed is a Canadian woman who was a part of the Canadian group at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Left-handed rhythmic gymnast's have a major disadvantage in rhythmic gymnastics unless they have magical coordination with their right hand. Why? Because of apparatuses, that's why.

And I can't even catch a ribbon with my left hand let alone my right hand!

- Colour Fluff

Bridges in Pandicorn Pyjamas

Well, hasn't it been a while (or just nine days)?

I apologise (but I also don't) because it may only be the third week of school but my teachers are already giving out assessments to study for.

And I also ran out of things to talk about that are rhythmic gymnastics-related.

I have a cousin who's less than a year older than me that doesn't do dance, cheer or gymnastics. Yet she's so naturally flexible in her back and therefore my "backspiration" right now.

When it comes to my flexibility I'm a mixture of being naturally flexible and the fact that I excessively stretch every day (or every two to four days).

I've also started working on my back flexibility by doing bridges and I can even do a half backbend on to the couch *I applaud myself*.

Do you like the amateur bokeh effect I did on this photo with Ribbet?

- Colour Fluff

Handstands and Cartwheels (and why I can't do them)

As a dancer, being able to do a handstand or a cartwheel just wasn't necessary whatsoever.

But when I started doing RG, it became the centre of everything. In a previous post, I've mentioned a girl I do rhythmic with who can do an aerial cartwheel.

Meanwhile my handstands look like this:

I have now realised that I need to straighten my legs when doing a handstand or cartwheel.

I used to be able to do a proper handstand and cartwheel. But we're talking six years ago and about a seven year old Colour Fluff.

It was also with my left side, not my right side.

- Colour Fluff

Arched Feet

I've only known that arching your feet is a thing for less than a week now. I have practiced arching my feet in front of my friends at school and usually they ask if I'm breaking my feet or, the more common question, "Does that hurt?"

Yes, it does hurt.

Practicing arching your feet is the reason why Anna Rizatdinova can do this. And back flexibility. That too.

But it doesn't hurt in a I-think-I'm-about-to-break-my-feet way. It hurts in a this-reminds-me-of-doing-the-splits way.

The exercise I am talking about of course is a standing version of this:

- Colour Fluff

My Athletic Background

Unfortunately I relate a lot to Danielle Prince (an Australian rhythmic gymnast) with the fact that I started rhythmic gymnastics extremely late.

Like Danielle Prince, I had a background in dance before starting RG. I started dance when I was only three years old in 2006 and did a weekly jazz class for that whole year.

Then I didn't do dance for the next six years.

I tend to exaggerate my dance background by saying that I've done dance since I was three (while I technically haven't).

Five years later when I was eight I did martial arts for a third of the year before abruptly showing no interest in it anymore.

The next year however, I started doing dance again (still a weekly jazz class) at the age of nine.

The year after that at the age of ten, I did my weekly jazz class with a weekly hip hop class. I only did the hip hop class for three quarters of the year but still got the trophy at the end of the year for participation in grading.

2014 was an even better year for dance when I got into an invitation-only cabaret class (while also still doing my weekly jazz class).

The next year, I had gotten into a competitive jazz class after successfully auditioning the year before (but I only did that class for half the year and didn't do any competitions). I was also still doing the cabaret class and jazz class.

However in September, I realised that subconsciously I had wanted to do rhythmic gymnastics for a couple years now (I just had no idea what it was). So I abruptly quit dance and started a rhythmic gymnastics class.

A rhythmic gymnastics class with kids that are mostly between the ages of eight and ten. Which is a little embarrassing for a thirteen year old to be put in, but I still haven't gotten the hang of apparatuses yet.

And I couldn't even do a cartwheel. Which was also a little embarrassing because there was a nine year old girl who could do an aerial cartwheel.

- Colour Fluff