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Hi Tracy – happy Monday! Getting in some video time before Mother Nature is active again and give us a deluge of rain tomorrow.
I worked on the Exit Line Connection (both sides), trying the FX, BX, Spin and Spin Combo. Although I was not always holding the toy across my body, I think I managed to have the toy at least in the correct hand and maintained decent connection.
You can be the judge, here ya go:
Ok great, I hate to be behind!!! Glad we are “getting” this stuff and showing promise already. Funny, when you’ve done agility for SO many years and someone (you) presents an concept that has been shown and talked about along the way, but not to the extent and with the explanation you give, it’s HUGE!!! Love the lightbulb moments when they happen!!!!
So we will wait for this storm to pass and then work on the exit line connection. The arena where I train during the week has a nice turf, so maybe on Monday I can work indoors if it is still wet and soggy here! Footing is always just a little different on indoor turf than grass (Karma and I both love the grass best)!!!
Hope the storm moves out of your area………….where do you live??????
Sandy & Karma
Hi Tracy – So since it was only the one position you asked us to re-do, we managed to get one more video showing both sides (just for position 3) and we did it correctly this time even with the cone! Let me know if this looks better!
I have to tell you….running with my arm down, using my new sprint mechanics has my quad’s a little tight…lol!
Thanks Tracy for the feedback, appreciate your thoughtful insight! Oops, I thought we did do all 3 required positions on each side…….even with the jump, half way between the jump and cone and close to the cone, didn’t realize it had to be “even” with the cone. I will try to re-do this on each side.
We are heading out for some tracking practice before the bad weather comes, so not sure I will have a chance to get more video and yikes, I feel like I am already falling behind even though I thought we got an early start!!!!!
Good morning Tracy – happy Friday!!!!
So I managed to get another round of video on Regular Connection after your feedback. And I worked on really running, pumping my arms instead of running with my dog side arm out at my side. Wow, what a difference, so much better I think! Easier to maintain my connection and turn my shoulders towards Karma’s line.
With my arm held out, I now realize I was fighting my own body to keep my connection on Karma with my shoulders rotated appropriately……magic!!!! It’s the little things right, lol! No wonder my neck was getting stiff trying to keep connection!!!
Anyway see what you think, here are 2 short clips, dog on right and dog on left. The only “blooper” is that with dog on left, my first run (where we start even with the jump), I walked out of the camera as we got situated, but you can still easily see as soon as I release her we come into view…….didn’t think it mattered enough to make her run again!
So I have been thinking about your feedback when you said:
“One thing to experiment with: you might not need to have your arm up when you are running – it might be easier to jump pump your arms like a sprinter, or use a low arm – both of those options will still allow you to show great connection and you can run faster when using less arm. She is a speedster so we want to try for any advantage to stay ahead of her”
About the arms, I can hear instructors saying something like “you dropped your arm and that is why Karma came in/missed the jump” as an example. Or if I was sending and thought she was “going” but then dropped my arm and it pulls her off her path.
I know it’s hard for you to say without actually seeing an example, but could it be that dropping my arm was NOT the reason for the refusal or missing an obstacle but simply the quality of the connection???? I have always been told that the arm(s) support the rest of the cue so my arm(s) is ALWAYS out. I have been told to “keep my arm lower”, but never to run without any arm support, maybe this is my problem!!! (one of many, lol)!
So this is a HUGE change of thought for me to run with my arm(s) not what I THOUGHT was “supporting” the cue……..am I making any sense????? Please set me straight!!!
Thanks Tracy for the feedback, I appreciate it! I see what you mean, comparing the connection on both sides. I have to say, since I am not such a “youngster”, ha ha, my next is stiffer (in general), when I am looking over my left shoulder which you noticed in the “dog on left” video. I used to do alot more stretching than I have lately, so this is a good reminder to focus some on ME in 2024 and not just on our team training! I have gotten out of the habit of monthly chiropractic which did help my neck stiffness!
I will get more video tomorrow (today is Karma’s swim day)……….maybe I will just work on walking the sequences with my “virtual dog” and then bring her back tomorrow for video. Then I need to get crackin’ on the next task, the exit line connection! Will let you know if I have any questions about those diagrams once I watch the demo video! This is great!!!
So Tracy – here are our first attempts at the “Regular Collection” Exercise, 2 short videos showing the 3 positions/dog on right and 3 positions/dog on left.
Let us know your thoughts!!!! I felt very connected to Karma and saw no “head checking” on her part, but I REALLY had to think about watching her the entire time……….I know I am used to making the connection at first, and then looking where I am going, so this definitely FELT different but good!!!!
Ha, Ha, I thought you were OVER caffeinated since you answered faster than it just too me to set up the sequence, thx for getting right back, I am heading out for our first sequence….Karma says finally, get off the computer and play with me!!!!
Oh silly me, as soon as I sent you the question about the picture, our picture showed up and must have been from another group that uses the same platform (google account?) and my avitar was already created so it shows up!
Sandy & Karma
