Month: December 2014

I was late to Barwis yesterday.  I called Conner and told him that I was still coming but was running late.  Connor met me outside and helped me transfer and pushed me inside.  Mike was at the squat machines by the Keiser machine and I realized that I had never been over there.  Mike was cleaning up.  There was chalkdust all over the floor and I asked him what happened over here.  He told me, “squats.”  Then he pointed to the piles of white dust and told me it was chalk.  I was reminded of my only story involving chalk.  I told Mike.  I told him, “I used chalk once.  (Helps grip the bar). I got it all over me, Adam, and Chris (an intern).  Then Adam told me that I can’t use it anymore.”  I smiled at the memory and Mike told me to go to the blue table.  (Garret was on the white one).

Mike helped me onto the table and told me that he was going to take my shoes off and that he was still getting a baseline for me.  I laid on my back as he began stretching me.  I asked him how I felt and he told me that it was better than Monday.  He was pleased with how much range of motion I was getting and I was too.  I could slowly feel my legs beginning to relax.  He told me to scoot to the edge and he were going to do hypers.  I knew how to do this!  First position.  He was going to push my shoulders down like Phil used to.  But it wasn’t like Phil used to.  Mike explained how we were going to do it (I explained the ballet positions to him anyway because I ALWAYS needed to start in first position with Phil).  Mike was impressed with my hypers.  I guess being Phil’s personal bop bag all those times helped!

We ended with me sitting at the edge of the table and having to put my foot (with my knee straight) on Mike’s knee with his help of course!  We started with my left leg.  (Mike knows all about my “poop leg” and told me that was why we were starting with my left.).  The right leg (or “poop leg”) DID resist but Mike got it under control.  Mike told me that it was “Awesome!” I could feel the awesomeness too!

I feel really good about the torch being handed over to Mike.  He really knows his stuff and is passionate about his role as trainer at Barwis for all the young athletes and for me too!  He reinforced my belief that Barwis IS the place I NEED to be!  But as I pulled away, tears still streamed out of my eyes.  I miss Phil.  (I mean Adam) but it IS awesome that I am in good hands!!!

I arrived to Barwis early.  I was okay on my way there but things got a little difficult for me when I turned the corner to get to the back of the training center where I park.  I didn’t see Phil’s car or Eric’s car.  The lot looked empty and it made me sad.  I told myself to, “not think about it and just do it.”  I have heard that phrase from my Mom A LOT.  I transferred to my chair and wheeled up to the door.  The ramp proved to be just a little steep for me and I was having some difficulty.  Sophie saw my feet and came to my rescue.  She pointed out the “new guy” (Mike) to me and told me that he was quiet.  I saw Megan and she said the same thing.  Hearing this from 2 different people made me nervous.  I didn’t know what to expect.

I saw him working with the high school group talking about weight-lifting form and he seemed right at home.  I wondered how he would feel working with me.  When my time came, he came over and shook my hand and told me to head over to the plyo boxes.  He was reading a write-up that Phil had provided.  I wonder what it said.  I made it a point to only refer to him as Adam so Mike would know who I was talking about.  He read the paper and made some apologies that he was rusty.

It was not evident to me that he was “rusty” at all and his stretching was very familiar to me.  As for the quiet part, that wasn’t evident to me either.  We talked about all kinds of stuff.  Maybe it was because I ramble when I’m nervous but we kept the convo up.  I made sure to tell him that I know the word, “proprioreceptors” and told him about the online test that I failed.  I told him that I called Adam, “Phil” (in case I slip up) and he asked why.   At the end of my time, he told me that we would do hypers.  He had stretched me on the white table this whole time and had me lay on my stomach with my legs dangling over the side.  I have done this before with Jesse and Adam.  Jesse had me do this as Adam held my hands the first time that I worked with Adam.  Mike had me raise my legs.  I did (not very far) and he asked, “Is that all you got?”  I answered, “That’s all I got.”  I decided that I like Mike because that is something I say often.  “That’s all I got.”  It made me smile that he used the same wording so naturally to ask if that was all that I had.

Connor took me out to my car.  He NEVER has done this before!  I wonder if Adam told him to do this.  I got into my car by myself.  As I write this, my butt hurts today so I feel safe in Mike’s care.  I knew I liked him.