Walk Before You Can Run

Running With The Bulls

2011-05-03T15:10:00.004+01:00

I just have to write this. I don't know why but for some reason I need this blog. It has to do with sharing, it had to do with documenting, it has to do with sharing the stuff that I am finding out that makes my life remarkable because I want you to feel remarkable too :) There, said it, that feels better.

Now I have been toing and froing about this blog for ages, I wanted to have a blog but I wasn't sure if the name of the blog suited me anymore 'Walk Before You Can Run'? I started to think 'what's wrong with just running now'? And that it was change feels like, when you change, when you take hold of the horns of the bull - you are running. So perhaps there is a built in irony in this statement, as I find now, as I again work towards my dreams of being a dancer, I must learn to walk again. But I must not be defeated that I am walking again, because as I just said, when you really start to walk, it feels like you are running.

Chaînés* (pronounced sheh nays)

These are currently the baine of my existance :) No, not really, I am getting better at them, but there is a learning curve. I am given these exercises in class and I just expect I can do them, even though I have probably done less than a hundred in my life, whilst the other dancers have probably done many, many thousands.

So there is a lesson there, but the point is, I want to be able to do them, more than want, I must and will do them. And so to do that, I have to start practicing them! It sounds simple, but I find often we can have a problem and continually face pain when it comes up but not do anything about it.

This is me and chaines at the moment. Class will come and I experience the rather humiliating circumstance of walking or fumbling and falling and turning in weird directions down the room and getting very dizzy. The next class will come and I haven't done any practice and although I might make slight improvements over time, the experience is still less than ideal and I experience the humiliation again.

I love the process of learning and I love feeling myself get better and I LOVE the challenge, but I just want to be able to nail the exercise and experience the joy of that, and not just the learning :)

And so I come back to 'Walk Before You Can Run' - in order to improve, I must go back to the basics, study the technique and then practice, practice, practice until it's automatic. So this is my lesson again, to 'Walk Before You Can Run', but this time I know, when you truly walk, if feels like you are running.

*Click here for a full glossary of ballet terms.

Recognising Your Gremlins

2010-08-24T04:05:00.001+01:00

Recognise your gremlins so that when they arise you can ignore them. Gremlins can include - doubts, laziness, lack of energy. Once you have recognised them for what they are, you can push through them and change your state immediately. This morning I woke with some doubts and a sort of 'what's the point' mentality - GREMLINS - course of action, ignore and continue! They evaporate pretty quickly!

You can also look at this from a time management perspective and ask yourself - is this particular doubt taking away from valuable time that could be spent enjoying myself and creating, or getting the benefits from a great workout, or hanging out with some cool people? Doubt can often come from the fear of making mistakes - but today I realised, perhaps the greatest mistake of all is the fear of making them! Persevere and trust yourself and the universe that what is meant to be will be and you will play your part in it!

Not Sure What To Do? Start With Something.

2010-08-22T09:32:00.004+01:00

As mentioned in my last post, I recently had to modify this years major goal which was competing in SYTYCD Australia 2011. After this, I found myself uncertain of how to proceed, what my new goals should be, and how to get back in to the swing of things.

I was concerned I didn't have a vision - but the other day I started writing down a few little things I knew I did want and from there, well the flood gates opened, new and old dreams resurfaced and I found the energy and motivation to start moving in that direction again.

So if you are wondering - 'What do I want to do?' or even thinking 'I don't know what I want!' - just start with some little things and I guarantee this will give you motivation to keep going.

Change Is Good

2010-07-31T20:15:00.001+01:00

Dear People,

After a long absence from blog writing I return with the following news, it's hard to say non dramatically, but 'So You Think You Can Dance Australia ' has been cancelled for 2011 (see story here). So that has changed my course somewhat, but truth be told I was not ready for the competion. As some of you know I left Australia in January to train in the UK but a serious of events and experiences caused me to mainly be involved in non dance related work ie I was working but not dancing or training. It was a difficult year but it is time to re-assess, re-envisage and create my future anew. Stories like the video above help to put things in perspective. Continued love and strength to you all and I look forward to returning to my source of strength and love and sharing it with you all.

Lots of Love,

Robin :) xxx

Influence Yourself

2010-04-20T17:30:00.000+01:00

Very Important. Choose what will influence you based on your preferences. Read things you are interested in (this includes blogs and websites etc), go places where you will be inspired, meet people with the same goals/interests/values/standards as you. Move in the direction of that which you love and which inspires you, otherwise there is the chance that you will just follow what is around you. Make standards of what you want to influence you. Inside you know what you want.

Time Spent - Practise Until It's Automatic

2010-03-24T13:34:00.007+00:00

New Found Respect for Mike Tyson as a phenomenal athlete.

"Spring training, then, is about planning and practicing until it's automatic. That preparation is essential for success in any venture".
- Harvey Mackay (Businessman)
This quote made me think of Tyson in these videos and how you could see all the training just become activated when he got in the ring. I also experienced this in last years SYTYCD when I got into the choreograohy round and we rehearsed like crazy the sequence hundreds of times over and over without stopping so that when it came to do the routine it was automatic. This is something that I will apply to next years routine because, as Jason said, after I lost my place in my own choreography, that shouldn't be happening to a dancer at my level, it should just be automatic so that is definately something to learn from.

Surrey Sports Faaaark!!!!! (aka Surrey Sports Park)

2010-03-24T09:54:00.000+00:00

Went for induction at the brand new Surrey Sports Park on Monday.

50 Metre Swimming Pool

Climbing Wall

New Runny Stuff!!!

Weights Area

Big Weights

*One* of the basketball courts!!!

Splashy sploshy pool!!!

Big Dance Studio #1

Big Dance Studio #2

Starbucks looking over the climbing wall AND basketball court - SICK!!!

Work/Sickness/Good Food Pics - Getting A Job!!!!

2010-03-12T21:31:00.012+00:00

Evolution of the pointy lipped dinosaur.

I've been quite busy lately with a new job that has involved night shifts in a warehouse. Getting a job quickly became my priority when I moved to England as all the things I wanted to do relied on having money - classes, rent, self development, eating etc :) I applied for over 50 jobs in 2 months and this is the one that came through, working with a temp agency.

I've only been at it a week and i'm sure there's many things I still have to learn from the job, but at the moment I work at night (usually 10pm - 6:30am) and sleep during the day and there is no time to do anything else.

My body is sore when I wake up and my hands are all cut and dry.

[Edit: Added this a few days after writing this post]

I've also been sick for about two weeks (gettin better though) and got dry lips with a pimple underneath from the cream i've been putting on them - so felt a bit cracky when I woke up today (see above) hehe!!

I love the work in that it's really physical and I can just throw myself in there with music blasting etc but i'm aware that I don't have time for dancing etc. Anyway, i'll give it a bit more time and see what happens - it's good to have some work and to be getting some cash!

The warehouse where i'm working.

I started looking into food a bit more seriously recently as my body was craving some of the good stuff. I was very happy therefore when I came across 'A Very Busy Mind' - an awesome blog by Cassie about food, fitness and life in general, very funny and with pretty pictures!! She's also been sick lately too and so it has been funny to read some of her musings on this haha.

In homage to her blog, I took my current limited food supply this evening to create this meal!

Eggs A La Green Avocado Sunrays with salt, pepper and paprika drizzled in olive oil!

Close Up!!!

And for historical purposes, this is what I could afford at the local store tonight!

Milk for coffee, an orange for medicine!!!

Cassie was also talking about finding work and, as I have recently/am going through this, I thought I would share the following:

I bought it the other day and started reading it - he seems like a nice man and there are plenty of persuasive videos on his book here!

Alrighty, until next time, be strong and power on!!! Peace and love, Robin :) xxx

Creating A Food Schedule

2010-03-06T20:29:00.007+00:00

I Love Blueberries!!!

Longevity, energy, health and enjoyment - that'sa the fooda I wanna eatta!!!

In developing my eating/food schedule, I started by writing a list of the foods I liked eating, then curiosity lead me to explore foods which contribute to longevity, energy, health and taste good too! I merged the two lists and then creativity took over as I began to realise the benefits of eating food with color, nutrients and texture!

My schedule follows the exercise and intensity levels of my week - by mid week, i'm ready for a big steak as i'm in the middle of a heavy training schedule and need my energy and force, Friday night however I might go out and don't want a big curry in my stomach etc.

Making a food schedule:

Assists me in making sure I eat good food necessary for my training schedule and longevity.
Saves me money as I am planning meals and not 'impulse buying' more expensive products.
Eliminates some stress by having such an important element of my lifestyle planned - ie it's already thought out and I can ensure I have all the energy I need to think and act to my full potential.

I'm also going to get a nutritionist so that they can advise me on what things I should be eating to support my training and give me maximum health and energy! (These oily things sounds good!)

Monday (Light n Healthy)

Haven't worked out as much over the weekend so not really that hungry or needing big protein hit, lighter meal which sets up good, healthy vibe for the week.

Tuesday (Getting Stuck Into It)

Body's ready to get going and starts to know what it's in for - I need something with a bit more punch that's gonna give me the lift into the week that I need.

Wednesday (Getttin Funky)

Yep, we in it, ready for a big steak and some hard work, ready to get goin!

Thursday (Celebration)

Thursday is a bit of a celebration night as the middle of the week is over, i've probably done some of my harder workouts, and i'm ready to both absorb lots of good nutrients and protein but also have some relaxation and comfort and congratulate myself by enjoying a richer meal.

Friday (Partay!)

Similar to Monday's vibe, I want something light and healthy as later on in the night there may be other unexpected meals had!

Saturday (Tradition)

The Sunday Roast of meals, something a bit more dignified and detailed and heavier. More time goes into this meal and I like to think of it as a meal that can be shared and that has had thought put into it. It's the sacred, traditional dinner, with wine, table settings and serviettes a plenty!

Sunday (Safe)

The week is done and we are ready for another one. Reasonable heaviness but not too heavy that I will be sluggish on Monday morning. Healthy, light and fruity!

I'll be putting recipes and other cool food stuff on my food page, so stay tuned!

Happy, Healthy Eating To You!!! :) xxx

Longevity

2010-03-02T15:20:00.013+00:00

I had a magnetic moment with a book in the local public library, my eyes locked on it and had instance focus - it was called 'The Parkour & Free Running Handbook'. The first few pages got me in and focussed on the physical body, anatomy and discipline. I borrowed the book and later was introduced to the concept of longevity in a physically active life.

"The physical aim of parkour is to be as functionally fit, strong and capable for as long as possible in life - to become the best version of yourself that you can - not to explode out of the blocks, have a few years energetic practise and then stop because of injury or overstraining of the body. Parkour is an art of living, a way of approaching not only your environment, but also your life".

One of the earliest practitioners of parkour, David Belle, can be seen in the video below.

I found this information very valuable - it gave me a sense of calm and an approach to training that will remain strong but incorporate a longer term vision and more defined purpose. It also influenced my search into foods that assist in longevity and reminded me of an article I read on the New York times website about a 'death defying house' where uneven floors and unconventional design and architecture promote dexterity, strength and attentiveness.

And then there is Bette Calman, the 83 year old lady still teaching and practising yoga! Go Bette!!!

Am I On Track?

2010-02-28T13:31:00.004+00:00

This was a topic I brought up with my coach in our last session. I wanted to get her feedback on whether I was on track for achieving my primary goal of winning 'So You Think You Can Dance Australia - 2011'.

Firstly, I was asked to identify the criteria that I would be judged on by the judges. As I was in the competition last year, I was able to have a pretty clear idea of what they were looking for. I also remembered some of the feedback from the judges which I would act upon such as 'dancing to your strengths' (~Matt Lee) .

Once these criteria were identified, I had to rate my competency from 0-10 in each area. It's a simple concept but very helpful in gauging where you are at, where you want to be, and then formulating a MAP on how to get there.

For the time being, i'm keeping my battle plan to myself, but I wanted to share with you a way to check whether you are on track - Identify Your Success Criteria, Gauge Yourself on Where You Are and Where You Want To Be, and then make a MAP of how to get there.

Happy Travelling!!!

"Never Tell Me What You Can't Do!"

2010-02-24T12:19:00.005+00:00

"Never tell me what you can't do!"
- My coach's coach to her during training.

After her 40th, my coach decided to shed the 40lbs she gained after having children, and took up triathlon. She completed ten marathons, six half and two full Ironman competitions, participated in the World Championships Duathlon and finished third in the National Championships Half Ironman all in the course of six years.

My coach and I were discussing how to act when experiencing an injury which reduces the amount of weight you can lift or exercises you can do. Her coach's statement encapsulates the attitude one must take:

"Never tell me what you can't do!"

So the practical application of this is that you focus on the exercises you can do, if you can't use your arms, use your legs, if you can't do strength training, do cardio training. It all needs to be done, and the gains you make in other areas will be a blessing in disguise once you return to your full capabilities and have that extra body awareness, extra technique and skills which you worked on when you had to.

Take on the champions mentality - what do you do when things try to get you down, you find a way to keep going.

Shout out to my G.P.A. Warriors 'We Don't Stop!'.

Patience

2010-02-22T23:45:00.004+00:00

Alrighty, well this is turning out to be an interesting week, I hurt my arm/shoulder/back towards the end of last week and have some sleepless nights because of it. On Saturday morning I nearly spewed it was so sore, I couldn't even take of my singlet and my hands were trembling. Ouch! So this week, classes are back on again and I have to develop an approach that will allow me to stay active and provide the best conditions for healing. So i'm thinking i'm just gonna run in the evening and not do gym too much. I talked to someone who said salt may help in recovery. But rest mainly. Got some mild pain killers (aspirin) for this evening so I can have a little uninterrupted sleep which will be good. The person I spoke to also did a little test to see if there was any nerve damage and there didn't seem to be, just a muscle sprain/tear thing which he said was good because it will repair. So i'm gonna have a hot shower and stay positive and look at what this is teaching me - in boxing tonight I had to stay calm, even though I wanted to whack the shizz out of the pads, and just focus on technique and timing - it was good and I knew that when I could box again, I would be able to do it with so much more specificity and knowledge. So that's all good. And tonight in breakdance, I just focussed on top rocking and worked on a lil routine which was cool. Time for a shower!!!

Standards

2010-02-17T22:19:00.004+00:00

When I was living in New York, I had a gym teacher who pushed me further than I had gone before - she just expected me to do a martial arts/boxing class, followed by a spin class, followed by a substantial run. Since then the concept of doing 3 back to back classes at a gym has seemed normal to me. And so I would do this at my beloved gym in Australia, and now in England I am also doing 3 classes back to back 3 nights a week. So this has become my standard. I also remember when I was training in dance at University and we trained from 8:30am - 6:00pm every day. This was also the norm. The idea of being physically active all day does not seem odd to me, in fact it is something I have been trying to make happen for a while!

So I think it is important to remember, whilst you can congratulate yourself for achieving things, still remember the level you truly wish you were at, then look at the people who have achieved that sort of level, and see what they have had to do to get there - or even if you want to keep it more personal, where, specifically, do you want to be at, and how, specifically, are you going to get there and what standards are you going to have to have to ensure you do?

I love to surround myself with people at a higher standard, if possible the highest, as I think this rubs off and influences how you carry yourself and the standards you will set for yourself.

I've been influenced in this way by teachers and now I also exercise this influence on others, that of getting the best out of them and making sure they commit to a higher standard on a regular basis in order to achieve their goals.

It also operates on the micro-scale, within a process, for example a dance class - what is the standard of your concentration? At what point are you going to give up, or are you going to keep going until you get what you have aimed for? People often have more resources than they thought, I experience it myself, and I see others, when given a specific task and a bit of encouragement, exceed what they thought they could do. Their technique gets better, their strength improves, and they develop a better habit of attacking a problem - the attitude of don't give up.

Current abilities, or perceived abilities, are not fixed, they move according to your standards and expectations and what you believe in. I encourage you to find something you want to achieve and move towards it - hold your standards high and follow through. It's great fun.

Motivators

2010-02-13T19:56:00.003+00:00

As part of my coaching I completed a questionnaire that produced a series of 'Personality Profile' reports.

One of the key insights I gained from these reports was the concept of 'Motivators'. It highlighted things I was motivated by. This concept is supported by strategies within my coaching program of defining the 'purpose' of why you want to achieve what you want to achieve. Having an earth moving 'purpose' or 'motivator' is very important in achieving goals and sustaining consistency in your actions and mental approach.

It is this that you can refer to when times get tough, to keep you going, and get you out of your head and into taking action.

Recently, I have been searching for a job in my new home town of Guildford. I'd been getting a bit despondent about the lack of progress I perceived I had been making. Firstly, my expectations may have been a bit high, I had expected to get a job in a week or two but none had been forthcoming. Nevertheless, financial obligations and just the desire to be more active during the day and have more things to do, made me determined to get a job.

But this wasn't enough. I started to feel why was it important that I have a job. As mentioned in my last post 'It Matters', I decided to amplify the significance of what I was attempting to do. My motivation became the thought of having a child, a baby girl, and having her at home waiting for me to get a job. For me this was not just a fantasy, but it seemed to be in a sense closer to the truth of the matter. If I didn't prove myself now, if I didn't get my act together now and achieve the things I wanted to do, how was I going to provide for my family in the future. This became the significance that I needed to truly motivate me and make me aware of what was actually at stake.

I went into a store shortly afterwards that had a vacancy sign on its door. I said I wanted to make contact and get more details of the position. After a brief discussion, I stated 'I will work for free until you give me the job. I am keen'. I left feeling strong and confident, emailed them my resume, and later that day received a response asking me to come back for an interview. In all of my actions in this process, my motivator was my little girl. I felt strong and focussed and I knew what I had to do.

This is the significance of having strong motivators. It is not a fantasy, but rather really looking at how your actions today will shape your tomorrow. I went out that morning hungry for a job and have now positioned myself well to succeed in this.

It Matters

2010-02-12T09:59:00.005+00:00

Strength

Every morning I wake up and do what is called my 'Hour of Power'. It starts with a laugh in bed then sit ups, pushups, and chinups. Then I go for a walk. During the first half of the walk I focus on gratitude - all the things I am grateful for every day. This is accompanied by a breathing exercise that boosts energy and concentration whilst doing a specific tapping exercise with my fingers. The second part of the walk focusses on what I want to achieve during the day and who I am. I recite these things and move towards incantations where I speak as if I have achieved the things I wanted. I return every morning strong and ready for the day.

Last week, it started becoming hard to keep up this routine - emotional reactions to my not yet having a job were making me feel despondent. I examined this, why I wasn't doing my daily routine. I started to look at what my motivators were for doing this routine and realised that I had started to think that it was no longer as important in comparison to other things.

I realised I had to change this view. This routine, this habit, matters. My revised view was that each morning that I do this, it is an epic undertaking - it is not a small set of exercises that have no effect on anything, it completely shapes my body, mind and spirit every day so that I can contribute my maximum potential to this world.

At the same time, I realised that getting into the right 'state' is a very important exercise. It matters. When you are positive and strong your productivity, energy and creativity go right up.

So the major lesson from this is that it matters - whatever you committ to doing on a regular basis in the pursuit of personal development, continue it. It matters. 1 push up a day matters, and it matters that you do it every day.

My challenge to you is that you take on this belief, that each step you take towards your goals matters. Enlarge its significance if it ever falls into doubt. It matters.

Bollywood - The Dance of The Gods!

2010-02-10T23:50:00.009+00:00

I can honestly say I don't think I have felt such joy in a dance class as I do in the Bollywood dance classes I am taking at the moment. Quite simply, it is a dance of joy. People smile and move gracefully and move to the music - I LOVE IT! So I'm very grateful to have come across this form of dance, this teacher, and the people in the class.

I've learnt 4 main hand gestures and a variety of very user friendly movements that accentuate rythyms in the music and just feel right. I also like the innate spiritual aspect to the dance, when I do some of the movements I feel respect, gratitude, contentment, peace and that unnameable sense of being in the right place. It also really feels like a dance in it's truest sense, like an art form, inspired by things of old but immediately accessible. I love seeing people smile in the class, it really is quite a profound experience each time.

Aight, that's it for this post, in the meantime 'Shut Up and Bounce'!

Sent from my iPhone

Ballet

2010-02-05T17:35:00.007+00:00

I started an Advanced Ballet class last week, not that my standard is currently that high but I know that in order to progress to an advanced standard I need to be surrounded by people at an advanced standard and receive instruction at this level so I can challenge myself. As I have got back into the routine of doing ballet, I can feel that the training I have done over the past few years has paid off and I do have some foundation, a lot of it is to do with body awareness and how to hold yourself - but again holding your body to a higher standard and demanding of it that you do all you can do to exercise control and strength is a key element in making progress.

I was very pleased the other evening in a lower grade class when a teacher asked me to repeat a movement in front of the class. She said 'don't worry, it's not a bad thing'. I was quite shocked and didn't know what she was going to say, but I did the movement and she said to the rest of the class something to the effect of 'try and make it look like this!'. I was so happy and at the same time surprised!! But after this comment I had even greater pleasure in doing the movement because I had had some positive re-enforcement and acknowledgment. Bring on the pygmalion effect!!!

I really appreciate my advanced ballet teacher - she has an unconventional way of teaching, but she is SOOOO spot on. She allows you to really connect with your body awareness and FEEL things, she directs your attention to the important parts of the exercise 'relax, it's just the bar!', your anatomy, and your way of moving, so that you can really feel the correct way to move. I saw her walk past a student and with a slight upwards brush of her hand correct her posture incredibly. She did this with me as well, and I felt myself just slip into the right position. I haven't really been given specific instruction in proper port de bras and placement of the head and I will at some stage ask her for this so I can know what I am aiming to do rather that just feel like I am failing at things i'm not even sure how to do!

So that's my post on ballet - I guess my action items on this are to ask the teacher for some specific instruction and things I can practise in relation to my port de bras and positioning of the head. I don't know what training she received but I just feel it is right, the perfect combination of technical excellence with integrated body awareness and I really feel this will have powerful effects on performance and my abilities and style of dancing. I feel it lets out my character and strength and fulfils the highest technical requirements of ballet as well.

Like my coach, you can see there is no place for excuses for not doing something with correct technique or not trying something again - 'I don't have a very good plie', 'I'm dizzy' - they are not reasons to stop trying or more importantly believe that this is a fixed state, or something that shouldn't be pushed through. After my plie comment whilst being instructed during changement de pied, and her ignoring that like it was almost an unrelated topic, I watched my plie in the mirror go larger and and my knees move out a lot more correctly and fluidly - suddenly i had a plie and preparation for changement that i was almost a little proud of! So there is the power of a thought, a moment, a process and a good teacher!

In this class i also noticed all my pirouettes coming in to shape faster and with control and strength - I can feel all the core and strength training I have been doing and can now apply this when i am pulling myself up. I could feel the strength and exactitude in some of my movement and I was very excited and inspired by this. I know I can go a lot further but I am excited by this process and where I am now, it all feels very good and that I am handling it well and being grateful for what I can feel now in my dance.

Welcome...

2010-02-04T23:00:00.016+00:00

Welcome to my blog which will cover my journey from now to the 'So You Think You Can Dance Australia' auditions in October 2010.

In this blog I will post some of the strategies I am using to achieve my goals, inspirational content, and insights I gain along the way.

For starters, I have a coach for the year who I speak to every 10 days to make sure I am accountable for the goals I have set myself. I've only spoken to her a couple of times so far but already can tell what the benefits are.

Already i know, and my path was leading me here before coaching, but coaching is supporting this, that there are no excuses - if you set out on a path and decide to do something you must do it. Coaching makes this very clear - what do you want to achieve this week, with the follow up - did you do what you said you were going to do. It makes it very clear and sets up some good patterns of behaviour.

That's all for this post, life's good in my new home here in Guildford, England - I have Contemporary and Breakdance on Monday nights, Ballet on Tuesday's, Advanced Ballet and Bollywood on Wednesday's and Hip Hop on Thursday's.

Another lesson I have learnt is that you can always learn something from everyone, so even some of my earlier classes which I thought were a bit basic and unstructured, I told myself stick it out and see what you can learn here - and I did learn things that i may not have learnt any where else.

I will have to get to some more advanced and challenging classes though so that I am 'competing' at the level I will have to compete at when SYTYCD comes around again. I really loved the experience in 2009 - seeing what the level was, knowing I wasn't there yet but could be, and having enormous respect for the people who got to that level before me.

In fact, just before I left that competition, I was driving to the Gold Coast for the last round of auditions that I didn't get through and this song came on. I dedicate this to them. Keep Going People!!