The Summer Training Camp

Ch.3 Lets Start

I have 3 minutes to put my stuff in my locker and get to the Main room.
No one is in the locker room... But everyone is in the Main room. Some girls are in groups talking and other are scattered around the room probably being here for the first time or not knowing anyone. We get some girls from out of town because they hear of how good this camp is. Depending if their are figure skater or gymnast they usually guest train at my rink or at the local gymnasium. When the clock in the front of the room clicks to 3:15 coach Kim walks in. She has long dark brown hair out up in a pony tail. She has a bright pink tank top on and black workout pants. Most of the girls here are in the same type of workout outfit. Tank tops and leggings or shorts. Everyone quiets down when she walks to the front.
"Hi everyone welcome to summer training camp! I am your coach, Kim. I'm sure you all have come here to get ahead in your sport and to improve yourselves. I am a certified coach in both figure skating and gymnastics. But I know you all have training before or and after in your sport so we are doing cross training and off ice training here for my figure skaters that's what we all it," Coach Kim tells us in a nice voice, "I hope to get to know all of you girls on a more personal level and I can't wait to see the progress we make. I have notebooks for you all to track your progress in, write notes about the exercises, notes about how you were feeling...ect," she states has she starts passing notebooks around. " I am almost done talking and then we will start... I want to see you all push yourselves. In your sports to be at the elite level that is what you have to do. You won't get any better by doing the same easy skills over and over. You have to try the scary, harder, more difficult skills to get better. Same goes for in here! Ok girls I can't wait to get started! first I want you to meet 5 new people!" Coach Kim tells us and we look around and the room starts to get loud with talking.
"Hi I'm Lilly and I'm a figure skater.," I tell a small, slim blond who looks about 12.

"I'm Sara! And I figure skate too! I'm from out of town!" She replies in a very happy voice.

"Nice to meet you!" I reply and find someone else.

"Hi I'm Lilly!" I tell a very fit muscular brunette who looks about the same age as me.

"Hey I'm Courtney, I am a gymnast you?"

"Figure skater, and nice to meet you!"

I meet five new people and most of them seem nice except that last 2 I met. I think their names were Jade, and Lisa. They were walking around together so I guess they were already best friends. They seemed rude. I spot a girl from my rink and walk over to her after coach Kim tells us to spread out.
"Hey Trish!" I say

" Oh hey Lilly, I didn't know you were coming this year!" She replied

We are friends, not best friends, just friends. Trish is the same level as me. We are both Novice. The past couple of years she has beat me a lot and it seems like I always train harder but somehow she is always better. But that is just how my life is. But that is a story for a different time.
"Ok we are going to start with warming up just follow me in the front, I will also call out what we are doing." Coach Kim says, "let's jog in place for one minute ladies!"

"Ok now high knees!"

The music starts playing some dubstep song that is very motivating! It's easier to workout to good music and coach Kim knows some good music!
"Jumping jacks!"
I am starting to breath heavy now. It has been 5 minutes of warmups and now we are suppose to grab weights that are easy for us to lift.
" Squat jump then bicep curl! Keep it up ladies! We are just getting started on our arms and legs!"
It starts getting hot in the Main room. I've only done 10 reps and my arms are starting to burn.
"I want proper squats and jumping as high as you can! If your arms are burning just remember that your gaining muscle!! Don't give up!"
I look around and see other girls who are still going strong and no sign of tiredness.
It feels like it's been 20 minutes of jump squats and bicep curls but it was only 1 and 1/2.
"Take a one minute break everyone."

It goes by in a flash but I finally got my breath back and the burn faded from my arms and legs.
" Everyone to this wall with your weights," Coach Kim points to the wall next to her, "Walking lunges! With your arms over your head! Go all the way until your knee almost touches the floor! Go across and back." Coach Kim instructs us to do.

I am lined up next to Trish and the other really buff girl I met, Courtney. Courtney has 15 pound weights! I only have 8. During the walking lunges Courtney was my motivation! If she could do it with 15, I could do it with 8. Yes I know she is a lot more buff than me but it worked I didn't notice how much everything was burning until we were done.
"Are you tired yet?" Trish asks me

"Very! And we're are only half way done." I say. It's been 15 minutes.

For the next 15 minutes we do various leg and arm exercises. The one I liked the most was tossing a medicine ball to another person. My arms are dead and my legs hurt.
"Wow I really need to do more of this stuff during the school year! I hurt so bad right now!" I tell Trish at the water fountain. We have finished our leg and arm workout for the day.

"I know what your mean!" Trish replies.

After our 5 minute break we all grab yoga mats and a partner for stretching.
I've always liked stretching and I do it everyday after skating practice so I'm already pretty flexible.
"Ok both of you sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you and feet touching the soles of the other persons feet. Then grab hands and one person leans forward while the other person leans back pulling on their arms so they get a deeper stretch."
" I'll lean forward first." I tell Trish whom I'm partners with.

She grabs my hand and pulls me so my hands are past my feet. It stretches behind the knees. We hold for 30 seconds.
"Switch" coach Kim calls out.

Now I pull Trish's arms. We are both very flexible. I look around the room and some girls have their stomach on their knees and some are struggling to touch their toes.
Meanwhile coach Kim walks around the room and pushing on peoples backs so their nose touches their knees to deepen their stretch more, and help corrects if people are doing it wrong.
After we have stretched arms, legs, and back, we do the splits.
"If you can do the splits almost all the way or all the way grab a yoga block to put under your front foot." Coach Kim explains.

I think every single person took a yoga block, so that means everyone can do the splits or almost do them.
"Have one person go at a time and your partner with lightly push your hips down towards the floor. Do right leg in front first."
I go first and since I can do the splits all the way I use a block. It depends the stretch and I can sure feel it. Trish pushes my hips down and they touch the floor, it helps when a partner pushes you down because they will push you farther than you would have pushed yourself. And that also means more improvement.
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