What you can't see is your back

Topsy Turvy was fun, fun, fun.

Silence in class while the teacher demonstrated the gravity defying poses. Awesome. Every student tried very hard to remember all the instructions the teacher narrated. No one had time to chat.

Frankly, I have not done an inversions class for months as part of me is still afraid of snapping my neck. I am exaggerating. But it is the truth that no one likes to be inverted, I have to say I can't think straight when I am in that position. Left, right, front, back? Huh!

Scorpion. A position I categorised as more challenging than the headstand, tripod headstand or handstand, Scorpion involves arching the back while the body is inverted and supported by the forearms. My back is really STIFF. This is one awkward position for me. I definitely need help in this position. I usually practise against the wall as I don't want to kill myself. Not a good time to be a hero. It's not funny when you flip over in an inverted position or collapse onto your face.

With my body weight totally supported by my forearms...elbows bent at 90 degrees, body inverted...

"Arch your back. Tighten the knees, core! Point your toes. Lift your body up."

"Don't worry I am holding you."

"Look forward! Move your shoulders backwards!"

Huh, move my shoulders backwards? That's the moment I dropped my feet to the ground. The teacher obviously wasn't very pleased with me. Yup, he had more faith in me than myself. Under his stare, I meekly uttered, "But I can't tell front and back when I am inverted?"

I swear he rolled his eye in his mind but he calmly replied, "What you can see, is front, what you can't see is your back. Now, practise."

Such a simple concept but very hard to grasp when you are inverted. Light at the end of the tunnel. Let's not start on the confusion I have on left and right when I am inverted.

About the chatting in class. I like no-nonsense teachers. During class, someone talked. The teacher turned and said firmly, " You can talk after the class."

Aha, I like his style. You can ask questions but chatting is definitely not allowed.