Anyway, the big experiment is to see what kind of effect the P90X workout would have on my juggling. I have already been a part of my company’s “biggest loser” weight loss competition and finished first, so naturally my juggling skills have improved just from not having to move so much weight around! Oh, and yes, the competition was directed by a dietition, so none of us were on crazy liquid diets.

So, to begin, I have the set of 12 DVDs, my pull-up bar and my power blocks in the TV room and have completed the first 2 weeks of training. I’m very excited about this because I can feel the results right away, unlike with traditional weight lifting where I hope to see an effect on my juggling performance when my arms heal.

I’ll spare everyone a “before” picture. You all know what I look like.

At any rate, I’m in week 3 of 12 and today’s juggling practice was a win all over. 5 club double backcrosses, 9 catches back to a cascade several times. 9 ring runs in the 20’s several times. 7 clubs in the 20’s several times. A bonus 6 club fountain to backcrosses, score! Today felt great. Granted this is one of the only day’s I’ve had to postpone my morning P90X workout until the afternoon, so my arms and shoulders were fresh for juggling, but still it felt good to have some progress.

Every other morning the alarm rings at 5am, the only way I figured out how to fit it all in was to sleep less. Oh, and DVR everything because there’s no time for TV. I’m looking forward to week 4 where there’s no resistance training (rest week) and I can film some of this practice.

Until next time…

I was practicing over at the gym, trying to stay sharp before EJC starting in about 9 days.  I had already run through 4 to 9 balls and 4 to 10 rings and some headbouncing and found that I was running out of time and would not be able to give clubs a full warm up.  So, I picked up 3 and ran triple backcross throws until they felt automatic, then pickup up 5 and immediately went into triple backcrosses with 5 clubs. Now, I don’t normally count my throws, since I know what a good pattern is and isn’t, so there’s no need to split hairs and tell myself I did well because I had 2 more catches than yesterday.  I learned not to play that game with my psyche because some days you win and some days you lose. Today, however, if I had been counting I would have certainly lost count. The run started with a good 10 throws until I began to turn to the right slightly and my left hand started to throw too low. That’s when everything felt slowed down because I corrected the following throws, a little higher and more rounded across the back so as not to collide with the lower ones coming down. Then as the run continued I felt that groove where the rhythm was symmetrical and smooth and it felt like perfection.  I stayed in that space and basked in the glory for a while. It was effortless and free, like I was a witness to juggling, observing.

Funny thing is, a few moments later I noticed my brain starting to think again, then I had to stop the pattern. That’s kind of the way it goes with nirvana juggling, it only works when you’re not thinking about it, but just being there to witness it.  Another interesting sidebar, the experience only happens to me once with a new trick, then even if I run the trick better the next time, the feeling is gone.  You can only experience something new once I suppose, then its not new anymore.

It happened the first time I juggled 5 clubs with a club balanced on my forehead. Before it was always a struggle, then one time somehow the workings of my brain that control the balance and the hands truly separated, like I was suddenly 2 places at once and aware of both. There is nothing else like it on earth. Now the trick remains, with a ball bouncing on my head instead of a club even, but he experience is gone like a strange visitation from the juggling fairy.

So, its on to the next trick then… 6 club backcrosses!