The morning started with being thrown in the deep end... Competition rides, straight off with no chance to warm up to the feature. How it will be like on a real competition day!
With this in mind, and Selections around the corner, I'd decided to do three rides like a competition, before breaking it down to work on individual moves. Having not really done competition rides since Brit Champs and Canada (and not having done a hole competition ride in what feels like forever), it was a bit of a shock to the system. However, it felt very productive and is one of the best ways to monitor progress leading up to competitions. Following this, it was decided to refine some of my cartwheels and split wheels, with the potential future vision of linking. As well, I continued working on McNasty's too.
In the afternoon, after looking at some video footage, the group focus was based around McNasty's. My first two rides weren't great, but after realising my timing was off, I had a breakthrough. Just by tweaking a few little things, my McNasty feels so much closer. After those first two rides, I had felt a little frustrated as it feels like I have been learning them forever. However, I realised that actually, in the last year, I have put all my focus on wave moves, and so no wonder I hadn't practised them much. Also, I guess we never really stop learning a move - whether we are refining the technique, or adapting to different features, we are continually editing how we throw each move.
This breakthrough reminded me how great the ASP programme's support network is, and that this constant sharing ideas has really helped push forward freestyle. Throughout the day, I also trying some "crazy" moves or combos - things that I wouldn't normally try, as I realise this really helps me learn and without 'just paddling' or doing silly things, most of the moves we know in freestyle just wouldn't have been created.
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