Execution (Off Balance 2)

He scoffed. "Please. You do not feel bad."

I shrugged. I really didn't.

"Place one hand on the beam and the other out to the side." Kova moved to stand on the opposite side of me, behind my shoulders. "You are going to swing your leg forward, back, and then forward."

I sighed and did the motions as he spoke. I knew by familiarity with how slowly he enunciated the words that he wanted me to complete them. So I did. I just wished there wasn't this awkward tension between us now.

"No, do not bend it. Here, give me your leg." I lifted my leg behind me. Using one hand, he held my calf and raised my leg, his other hand gripped my shoulder closest to the beam, and draped his forearm across my clavicle to press my chest back toward my leg behind me.

"The key is to lay your shoulders back, relax them"—he shook me a bit to loosen me up—"because we want your shoulders to meet your hamstring. No, do not bend it. Just lift it for now." He glanced down. "Relevé. Yes, perfect. Gymnasts have a bad habit of dropping the knee to the side. It is ugly and looks like a dog pee

ing. We do not ever want that. We want grace and beauty. Effortless, elegant gymnastics. Now, bend." I bent my knee and spotted my toes. My foot was so close it could touch my forehead. "This. Feel your body? Feel the position you are in? How it is like a ring? This is where we want you. It will make a world of difference points wise with your ring leap and sheep jump. If your head is up and not relaxed, you will get a tenth of a deduction. We want your head almost touching your foot. In order to get to this, we will work on your swing, then bending of the knee. Once we get your ring kick mastered, it will help tremendously."

Kova slowly let go of my leg and I dropped it to the side. I glanced at him. "We are doing both sides, correct?"

"Of course."

I nodded and then started up, just kicking front to back without bending my knee. I knew this was to prep for my jumps and leaps. If I could stick the skills beautifully, any balance check I made could counteract it.

Because let's face it, I knew a balance check or two would happen.

With every kick, Kova guided me. He sped me up and slowed me down. He made sure I was precise and performed to the best of my ability. He corrected my arms and hands, making sure they were back and inverted, not out. He took time out to stretch my shoulders too, made them a little more elastic and said he'd do it before each practice as well. He had me practice the jumps on the floor using a piece of white tape as my balance beam.

And the entire time his brows stayed pinched together and his forehead creased with lines. I knew he was trying not to think of his phone call.

"Move on to sheep jumps."

I nodded. A sheep jump required me to keep my bent knees glued together as I jumped and arched my back, making sure my toes just about tapped my forehead. And of course, a relaxed head. I needed to create a circle with my body.

After I completed ten, Kova scowled in disgust, and said, "Your knees are coming apart. Put some chalk between your thighs."

He picked up a bright yellow stretchy tension band while I powdered the inside of my legs to keep them dry. He had me step into the thick elastic and pulled it up to my knees. The band was used to help retain position for numerous skills and drills. Right now it served to keep my legs together.

Kova looked at me and nodded, then dropped his eyes to watch my legs.

"Jump," he ordered.

In mid-flight, I could tell I tried to separate my knees by the pull in my outer thighs. It was unintentional and I had no idea I was even doing it.

"You felt that, did you not?" Kova demanded, his eyes hard.

"I did."

"Now you know. Your head is relaxed nicely, but we want your legs tight and closed. Let us do another ten."

After ten, he said, "Ten more."

When I finished, I was breathing heavily, but I made sure not to show any kind of sluggishness.

"Up on beam and do them."

Since I had the band around my knees still, Kova stepped behind me to help me mount the apparatus. He placed his hands on my hips to hoist me up. Swiveling to the front, I moved into the jump. In air, my heart dropped into my stomach. I was nervous that if I shook I wouldn't be able to catch myself because of the tension band around my legs.

"Again. And relax your head."

Steadying my nerves, I focused on something to spot. Then I jumped and placed my arms out to brace myself.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked in displeasure.