Two Weekends of Hooping!

Last Saturday, I gathered with my hooping buddies in Yoyogi Koen. Some people came around 1, some people a bit later. We hooped all day in the park, and it was so much fun!! Love you ladies, thanks so much for coming! We had quite a few people join us for a bit of hooping, so its a good thing there were a couple of extra hoops. Maybe I am a bit selfish, but when I have my hoop, I don't always necessarily want to lend it out to everyone that wants to try it. Generally, I do it anyway, but I am thinking I really need to get at least two extra hoops just to lend out to those who who want to give it a whirl. The next day, I met with Kristen and Yuka and hooped for a couple of hours, but my body was definitely aching from the day before and even though I was trying to give it 100%, I was working at a maximum efficiency of 75%. I did, however by a sari at the Indian festival and spent some time hooping in it. It was beautiful, but a little difficult to hoop in!
I hooped two other times later in the week, working on some behind the back passes and the eagle -rolling over the back trick-. I think my MEGAhoop down on Saturday was a bit much for me. Left my body aching for a few days! Gotta listen to when my body is telling me to sloooooow down.
Today, Kristen, Yuka and I met again and I worked pretty hard on learning some new tricks. In the morning, I was with Nikichan in Chiba, and I successfully did the eagle several times! I was so excited!! So at the park, I worked on that one a bit more. The eagle evaded me in Yoyogi, the eagles prefers to fly in Chiba I suppose. But- at least I know I can do it! The other thing I worked on at the park was one-leg hooping and jumping back in from one leg hooping. I succesfully jumped back in and continued knee hooping TWO times today, at the very end of the day!!! YAY!! I am so, so, so SOOOO happy! It took a lot of hard work, and I have a nasty bruise on my knee from making mistakes and letting the hoop get down too far. The back of my knee is also swollen, but nothing is life threating and I think I will survive.
Other hooping updates-
I think I am going to switch to a smaller hoop for awhile, lots of tricks are easier for me with the smaller hoop. My one handed isolations are getting better! Shoulder hooping is still hit and miss, on days and off days. I still get nervous if I feel like too many people are watching me. I love to perform, used to do it all the time, so I wonder why this is making me so nervous. More practicing in Yoyogi should cure me of this. I really feel my back, arm, and shoulder muscles are getting stronger making many tricks easier. I am also becoming more flexible. aLsO---- I still LOVE HOOPING! Finally, I hope Deanne is having a great time in California, but I miss her and look forward to having her back in Tokyo!