Mental Gymnastics Sync to Async
Synchronous to Asynchronous using a lower back circle to enter and exit transitions. To start with I lead with my left hand and then repeat the sequence leading with my right hand. Outward, parallel right, inward and parallel left including 180° turns to the back and front.
I used transitions to switch swing styles
When I first started playing around with these ideas of Mental Gymnastics Sync to Async, I found that I had to fight my existing motor skills, namely I used transitions to switch swing styles. So for example, if I’d swing the synchronous outward heart-shaped swing for a minute then change the style to another combination like inward heart shape, or something asynchronous. Once the transition was done I would carry on with the latest combination.
Entry and Exit Transitions
I had to really focus on making the entry transition and then going straight to the exit transition, without doing anything else in-between.
Transition Method
The lower back circle creates a very effective transition that can be used for initiating and also ending a transition.
Balancing my Hands
I wanted to enter with my left hand and exit with my right. Needless to say and then reverse it on the next cycle by entering right and exiting left. A bit of Yin and Yang.
I started training each section on its own.
- Synchronised outward heart shapes to asynchronous and back
- Synchronised parallel heart shapes right to asynchronous and back
- Synchronised inward heart shapes to asynchronous and back
- Synchronised parallel heart shapes right to asynchronous and back
Once all the above was memorised I introduced 180° turns into each section. Again the turns had to be memorised into seamless execution.
The Non-stop Challenge
Finally, the challenge was to put the whole routine together into a non-stop sequence. At first, I kept breaking into multiple repeats of synchronous and asynchronous combinations, seemingly unable to focus on the challenge of making transitions in single entry and exit format.
Time for a break
My last session with multiple mistakes was a Friday, I decided to swing the gada over the weekend and have a break. On Monday I picked up where I left off on Friday and everything fell into place with no mistakes.
Mental Gymnastics
The sequence you have seen in this video is both mentally and physically demanding featuring the lower back circle, fast transitions and turns.