The Summer Training Camp

Ch. 1

"Lets go ladies! 10 more push-ups! Do not give up or all of you start over!! Keep your form!" Coach Kim hollers to all of us figure skaters and gymnasts toward the end of our upper body workout. My arms are burning and my hips start to drop from the fatigue of 45 push-ups.
"Lilly keep your hips up! You're almost done!" Coach Kim tells me.
"5....4....3....2....1....0, ok we are done with the upper body workout! We will just stretch and then you all are done for today! Find a partner..."
"Lilly?" My friend Trish asks me.
"Partners?" I reply, "I'll get the blocks."
For stretching we usually have partners to push us farther in the stretch and sometime to distract us from the painful stretch. Also we use blocks or mats to put our leg on the get an over stretch. Mostly for splits.
"Ok runners lunge first, right leg in front." Coach Kim calls out as she sets the timer for 30 seconds.
After, we switch legs to do both sides.
"Now one person sit and reach for your toes and your partner need to push on your back to get your nose to your knees." Coach Kim tells everyone.
Trish stretches first and I stand over her and push on her back until she says stop, then after a few seconds I push just a little more. Figure skaters and gymnasts need to be very flexible to get certain elements and to be at the top you need to nail the harder tricks and spins that require a lot of flexibility and make them look good. That is why we push each other in stretching. That is also where the saying "no pain no gain" becomes true. No pain during stretching means that you won't get any more flexible. But don't worry coach Kim knows not to go too far to pull muscles or hurt ourselves. Figure skaters and gymnasts fear injuries the most...
"Splits, have your partner push your hips to the floor so there is no gap, remember if you can do that put your foot on the block." Coach Kim says
Trish can do the splits easily so she puts a foam block under her heel. There is a small gap between the floor and her hips so I push her hips down lightly.
"Ok ok ok Lilly that's enough," Trish tells me
"Here Lilly let me stretch Trish," Coach Kim comes to us and takes over,"Trish you have to push yourself if you want to get better, I know how easy the splits are for you even with the block. It's not that much farther til you touch the ground." Coach Kim standing up straddles Trish and pushes her hips to the ground and I just watch. Nothing changes in Trish's face, this was easy for her.
"Lilly get in front of Trish and lift her front leg higher off the block..." Coach Kim instructs me to do so.
I slowly lift her leg up into a deeper over split. Her right leg is in front. Slowly I can see the pain come into her face from the stretch. It's not a bad pain it is a good stretching pain.
"Keep going until I say stop." coach Kim says
I keep lifting her leg a few inches more. It is now about 9 in from the ground where a normal split would be.
"Ok hold it right where it is Lilly, 15 more seconds."
I can see the pain on Trish's face.
"Almost done you can do it!" I encourage
"Time, slowly let go of your positions, and Trish I wasn't to see you keep pushing yourself. Making higher standards for yourself and not settling." Coach Kim tells Trish
"Ladies if your always staying in your comfort zone you won't keep improving. Yes stretching and working out hurts but don't you want to be better? Be better than your competition? I want to see everyone in this room keep improving and pushing themselves! ok next partner!" Coach Kim explains.
I put my leg on the block because splits are easy for me.
"Trish I want you to sit on Lilly's hips since they are almost down but also grab around her and pull her leg up at the same time." Coach Kim instructs
"Ok tell me when Lilly." Trish replies
She pulls my leg up until I feel the pain of the stretch but I don't say anything until it is so bad I almost can't stand it.
"Good, stop." I say through gritted teeth.
"Good Lilly, ok everyone shake it out and I will see you all tomorrow!" Coach Kim calls out.