Hello and welcome to my new blog. It all feels very weird because of the terrible coronavirus. Here’s what I’ve been doing since my last competition, Miss Quatro, four weeks ago. I had one week back in the gym and now I’ve had three weeks at home in lockdown.

Monday 16th March 2020, 4.30-8.30pm It was normal training in the gym but we had to do hand washing! We heard tonight that all the gymnastics competitions have been cancelled because of coronavirus. 😔 The British Championships was going to be in Liverpool 16-19 April and I was going to be competing, but it has been cancelled this year. It’s really sad as I was ready with my skills and routines (I’ve been working hard all year towards this big comp) and I have a new leotard that I’ve designed to wear!

Now that the English and British Championships are cancelled it also means that we can’t try to get in the England and Great Britain squads. Last year I was selected for the GB Performance Pathway Squad and England Squad.

Guess what I did in the gym tonight! My first Jaeger on my own! Yay!

Tuesday 4 – 8.30pm We had to be dropped off at the back door to the gym, and no adults were allowed into the building. We all had to wash our hands before doing gym and after. It felt so strange with no one watching us in the gym. There was no atmosphere and I didn’t like it very much. I felt a bit insecure but guess what I did today! My shoot on bars into stalder.

Weds off

Thurs 5-9pm

Fri 10am – 5pm. There was a strange feeling in the gym today. Falcons set up a fundraising page to help save our gym. If it has to close because of COVID-19 then it might not be able to survive. The gym means everything to me.

This is the link

https://www.gofundme.com/f/lets-save-falcons-gymnastic-academy

The government made an announcement tonight. All gyms have to close because of coronavirus and social distancing. Our Falcons GYM CLOSED at 8.30pm tonight.

The First Week of Isolation

We now have to social distance due to the coronavirus. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to our country on Monday 23 March to say that we must all be in lockdown and that we must stay at home and only go out to exercise once a day. It’s going to be so strange to not be able to go to gym and see my friends. I am normally at Falcons gym 25 hours every week training, and now I have zero hours at the gym, which is very sad and frustrating. I will just have to try to keep very fit and strong and do lots of fitness and conditioning. I am going to go running, cycling, make up dances, keep as busy as I can with other things too like all my online school work and cooking and art. We are also building a garage so I will be working my muscles lifting large bricks!

The weather is lovely and sunny which is really nice.

Most days in the morning I wake up and I am ready for a run at 8:30. I go on the run with my mum and my sister. If we don’t go for a run in the morning at the end of the afternoon the whole family goes out on a cycle ride. (They are fun!)

I have been doing conditioning challenges, some are funny.

I have been building with Dad but also doing gymnastics! 😂  Here’s a video of my straddle lever to handstand. This is quite a cool video! 😎 I was quite scared! 

During this week I have felt different. One because I can’t do any gymnastics so all I have been doing is school work and conditioning. Two because I have felt that my day goes on for hours and hours, it is like the day never ends. My days are usually so busy with school and gym and I know where I have to go and be every minute of the day from 8am until 9pm. I kind of like having some time off because normally I NEVER have any time because I am always doing gym but I have started to get a bit bored. I will just have to keep myself as busy as I can.

I am really surprised at how much time I have every day and as well I never know what day it is. It is really weird. 

My elderly grandparents seem to be coping just fine, we have been video calling each other and been on the phone to each other. I wish I could see them but it is just nice to know that all of the elderly people in my family are coping just fine. 

It has been annoying that I can’t do my proper gym but I do have a trampoline and an air track where I can do some cool tricks and have lots of fun.

I have lots and lots of conditioning for me to do every day except Sunday, and I do it with my squad friends. We video call each other and do our conditioning together because it is boring doing it on your own. (We talk a lot whilst we do it). The conditioning takes hours to do and is hard work.

Here’s a video of me doing ten straddle lever to handstands without coming down, with Dad and batman slippers. Haha.

I have been dancing with my sister.

If we have three months out of gym I think it might take us nearly a year to properly get back our skills, maybe it will be less time but it will take some time. When I had my accident and my head injury I was in recovery for three months but I couldn’t go upside down or do any gym in that time, only a little bit of conditioning. I thought it would be a year before I could do my skills well again, but I did actually compete at the next higher level a year later, which was not expected, so I did really well – I also got good marks. So maybe it will be easier this time? I don’t know. At least I can do lots and lots of fitness and conditioning skills, and use my trampoline in the garden, my Airtrack, weights, and floor beam to keep up my strength, stamina, flexibility and a few skills. I feel lucky to have a large garden and a space in the house to be able to do workouts. Dad’s also going to build me a chin up bar in the garden!

Week 2 in isolation at home

It just feels so weird. I wish I could do proper gym. I think I could do this for three weeks but I want to go back then. I miss seeing everyone and I miss going places.

For a few days it was nice, but I want to do things again. I was ready for the English Championships and the British Championships with all my skills and routines and now they are cancelled this year.

I am still going to go running and cycling to get out of the house for my exercise.

Every day I’ll do my conditioning and challenges.

Tuesday – we built a chin up, leg lift bar and lower bar in our garden today!

Another crazy challenge, how many leotards I can put on in 60s.

Friday 3 April – it is my Mum’s birthday today. We were going to be in London so I could compete as a second year Espoir at the English Championships. It is such a shame.

Last year I did really well and came 6th AA and won a BRONZE medal on bars. Here is my bars from last year.

I am going to keep eating really healthily. We had a veg box and fruit box delivered to our home. It looks amazing.

I learnt 30 seconds of the dance from GB Senior, Ellie Downie’s floor routine as a challenge today. I really love the music and her floor.

Week 3 in isolation at home

I am really really missing doing gymnastics skills now, especially my jaeger. I want to be a real gymnast again.

Oh well, I just have to keep positive and keep my body working! We will all get through this. It is so very sad about all the deaths around the world from coronavirus. I hope the numbers get lower and lower.

This week I have been doing many hours every day of conditioning, playing cricket and badminton in the garden, cycling, running, dancing, trampolining and completing challenges. Sometimes I feel tired, but I try to make myself do things even if I don’t feel like it. I know that I need to.

Here’s my handstand shoulder taps in 30s!

It’s so nice to see my gym friends on video calling everyday. We are helping each other and working through our conditioning together.

I spelt my name, FELICITY, using my body and my family’s bodies too! I think it was quite good.

Here are some of my flexibility poses this week. I wanted to go travelling by getting in a suitcase!

 

I have a new core routine to do. It is so hard. Fitness with Fizz! 😂

Sunday 12 April – It’s Easter! Happy Easter everybody. I am going to eat some chocolate today! Yay! 😋

We went on a very hilly bike ride today.

Thank you for reading my blog. Stay safe and well, happy and positive. ☺

Fliss xxx

Hello again. Here’s my new blog about my gymnastics over the last six weeks. I’ve been training really hard and working on my competition routines.

My idol Simone Biles has a new vault! It’s the same as mine 😂 but she does a DOUBLE pike not a single pike! 😂
https://www.wthr.com/article/watch-simone-biles-will-blow-your-mind-new-vault

Sunday 9 Feb
It was South West Squad 10am-4pm. It was a really windy day. We met Kelly at 7.30am to drive us to Bristol Hawks gym for training. It’s a gym on three different levels. I saw Claudia Fragapane training!
Oh my days it was so stormy at Bristol. It was Storm Ciara.
I had a good first session and did 3 clean bar routines and 2 circuits and 1 floor routine and did some half ons on vault, then in second session I had beam and extras. The vault run wasn’t long enough for me to do my normal vault. We got home safely through the rain and wind of the storm and got back at 6pm. There was a yummy roast beef dinner and cookies waiting for me. 😋

Mon 4.30-8.30pm. It was still really windy and stormy.

Tues 4-8.30pm

Weds off.

Thurs 5-9pm It was a good session. I’ve got a control comp next Thursday.

Fri 10-5pm I tried some jeager preps today, but I say them like ‘geegers’ ! 😂

Sat 12-5. Uh my legs were tired today. I did some more jeagers with Kelly and Paul, and caught one with their help. ☺

Sun day off

Mon Half term, so no school!
4.30-8.30pm. A good day for me. My double tucks were good and my beam routines, and I did clean bars routines. ☺

Tues Devon Squad 10-2pm at Falcons

Weds off

Thursday 10-4pm with control comp in the morning. A clean control comp ☺
BBC Spotlight asked if they could come and film me in the gym. The reporter came at 1pm and stayed until 3.15pm, I think. I was so tired but I tried to do some skills on floor, beam and bars. I couldn’t say much though as I was really tired! My brain wasn’t working 😂 He spoke to Mum and coach Neill too.

Fri 10-5 I was tired. Guess what I did today! I caught some Jeagers with help again. ☺
I was on TV today on BBC Spotlight. Thank you Seth for filming me.

Here is a link to the film. The password is Flissgymnast

Sat 12-5pm then a sleepover in the gym! We did games, watched a DVD and had pizza and there were lots of us!
Sun off

Mon I had a very bad head ache at school, and all day. I couldn’t train so went home to bed.

Tues 4-8.30pm

Weds 4-7pm An extra day training as I was ill on Mon. It was weird being in the gym today and there were lots of people I do not usually see. It was quite nice to be with others. I think I maybe helped a few friends with some skills by showing then how to do them. ☺

Thurs 5-9pm

Fri 10-5. Another control comp in the afternoon! It was OK, I did come off beam though.

Sat. 12-5pm It was exciting today! My new leotard that I designed for the British Championships has arrived from Rocsa. It’s really sparkly and quite different to my last one. ☺ I really like it.
I went to watch the show my Mum was in at the theatre. It was amazing.

Sun. I relaxed by going swimming with my friends.

Monday 2 March 4.30-8.30pm. Ouch I fell on my shoots on bars today and landed on the bar on my chest. It hurts. I think I will have a bruise.

Tues My chest is really sore today 😔 At gym I managed some apparatus but it was really hurting on bars and I was sad 😢 . I went home.
The rest of the week’s training (Thurs, Fri, Sat) was OK, but my chest was still a bit bruised and sore.

On Sunday I needed to make my number for the Miss Quatro 2020 Witch of the West. competition on Friday. The theme is animated movies, so I decided to do mine about Aladdin. It’s going to be a lamp with the genie coming out of it and jewels on my number, 64. I bought lots of gold spray paint!

This week’s training has been routines and conditioning. Everyone is taking about the coronavirus. We are having to wash our hands all the time, and before and after gym.
Thursday 4.45-7.30pm. We ran through our routines and corrections and Kelly did my hair into plaits.

Friday 13 March.
Miss Quatro 2020 Witch of the West competition day. We drove Kelly and my friend up to Melksham early in morning. It was 2 and half hours drive. I was feeling OK and ready to do the comp. 💪
Beam was my first piece. I slipped on my warm up doing my dismount and fell on my head. My beam comp didn’t go to plan, as I then had three falls. I still scored 9.95 (even with 3 marks deducted for my falls.) Difficulty ‘D’ 4.7 Execution ‘E’ 5.25 😔
I don’t want to put my beam video on the blog. I realised afterwards that it was Friday 13th 😱 😂
Next was floor. I competed my double back and my two and half twists for the first time. My landings were good. ☺ I scored 12.8 which is good. D 4.3 E 8.5

Then it was rest before then going to vault. We only had one vault. I did my yerchenko. It went quite well. I scored 12.3. (D 3.5 E 8.8) ☺

Last was bars. I got my handstands. My score was 11.1 (D 2.9 E 8.20)

Today, I wasn’t happy about beam, but Kelly told me that I got Personal Bests (PBs) on floor, vault and bars. So I am really pleased! My execution scores were high on these three pieces. I got a gold ribbon and bronze ribbon. It was a good start to my competition season. I hadn’t done a comp for a year due to injuries.

Today I came 6th AA and came 2nd on Floor and 2nd on Bars. ☺ 👍

We stayed and cheered on my Falcons friends in their competition after mine. They did well.
I met a lady who came up to me and said that she reads my blogs and that I was brave today to keep going on the beam. It was lovely of her to speak to me. Thank you. 🤗
We drove home in the evening. It was a long day.

Saturday 12-4pm. We were all a bit tired so we could all finish an hour early. Yay! ☺

Now we don’t know what will happen over the next few months. Maybe our English and British Championships will be cancelled. That would be such a shame, as I feel ready for them and have worked so hard with Kelly to get all my routines, but we all have to think about our health and looking after each other.

Sunday off. I can relax!

Monday 4.30-8.30pm. Today while training we heard the news from British Gymnastics that national competitions have been cancelled from now until June. So, there will be no English or British Championships 😔 This is really disappointing.

Guess what I did today… I could try my new skill, and guess what I did, I caught my first Jeager on my own! Yay!☺ 🎉

Hope everyone stays safe.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me on my journey.
Fliss x

Hello again.  Here’s my new blog for 2020! 

The start of the new year was not great for me as I was ill with tonsillitis. It was really hard to try and get better and keep up a bit of training. My energy was so low and I was really tired. I was really not well 😔. I got through it though and I’m feeling much better.

In the gym we’ve set our goals for the year. 

I am 12 years old now and by the end of this decade I’ll be 22. I wonder what I might have achieved in the world of gymnastics in that time. It’s crazy! 

Sat 11 January 2020

12-5pm I had a great session. My legs were bouncy today. 🤸‍♂‍

It was the Falcons Gymnastics Academy Awards night!!! It was great to wear a dress, do my hair and make up and then spend the evening with my family and my lovely gym friends. The little ones are so cute! I danced with them. I like being friends with them too.

 

I was nominated for Hardest Worker Female, Most Promising Gymnast Female, Female Gymnast of the Year 2019 and Gymnasts Gymnast.

I won Female Gymnast of the Year 2019 and Gymnasts Gymnast. These awards are so special to me. I am so happy.

 

Sun day off

Monday 13 January. 4.30-8.30pm. Yes, I had quite a good day today!!! Three clean bars routines, my vaults were good, I did 5 clean circuits (my tumbles and leaps without the dance) and had a good beam session. A good good day. ☺ I’ll try and enjoy this feeling 😂

Tues 4-8.30pm. My legs were a bit dead today 😂 but it was OK.

I am listening to ‘Don’t stop me now’ by Queen to go to bed to now. I love it. It’s an upbeat positive feeling song for the year ahead. 👍

Weds off

Thurs 5-9pm I worked super hard. I put my double tuck into my routine on floor. ☺ I had a great session. ☺

Fri I am tired, but I trained 10-5!

Sat 12-5pm Good session.

Sun A lovely stay at home day! 😂 ☺ My new song at the moment is ‘This is real’. I think this is my motivational song for the new year. (‘I’ll be holding on, holding on’ ‘Never gonna give you up’)

Mon 20 Jan 4.30-8.30pm

Tues 4-8.30pm

Weds off

Thurs 5-9pm I had a good training day to get me ready for England Squad this weekend.

Friday. I am off to Loughborough with Dad for England Squad this weekend. I am looking forward to it. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 It’s a long 4 hours drive.

Saturday 25 January

I wore my England Squad leo. We met Kelly at the University and trained from 10.30am-5pm.

I had good sessions. I hope tomorrow goes well.

 

Sun

I wore the leo that is called my name, Felicity Rainbow! 🌈 😂 It’s from SJ Pro.

I had a good first gym session. I did a double twist off beam onto a mat and did two bar routines in a row.

The warm up is like doing conditioning 😂 I get so hot and sweaty as it’s hard work.

We did lots of dances, and had a dance lady teacher.

At squad I also did two double crouch spins on beam. ☺ 🎉

I shared a room with two girls I know. They are nice friends.

My hands hurt. I have so many rips. My poor hands. 😔

At this squad I did my competition skills! ☺ It was a really fab squad for me. 😍

At the end of the day Kelly drove me home.

I had yummy roast pork (and apple sauce, my favourite) and homemade cookies waiting for me at 9.30pm when I got home. 😋

Mon 27 January

I am so tired today. 😔 I had to get up and go to school. I was really tired after school. I didn’t know how I was going to do gym 😔 but I could finish an hour early. Gym 4.30-7.30pm. I actually had a brilliant session. Guess what I did! I landed three triple twists on track into pit with one mat. 🎉

 

It kind of felt weird today back in our gym on the equipment as I’d got used to the Loughborough gym! 😂

Tues I wasn’t feeling well this morning but at gym 4-8.30 I did more triple twists to land. Two bar routines, my yercheko straights on vault were more upright when I landed in the pit.

Weds off

At school I made my speaker in a small Pringles tin. It worked! I can plug it into my phone and use it to play music for me to dance to 🎶.

Thurs 5-9pm I needed to do three circuits on floor and two clean routines on floor.

We are going to Portugal in August for a gymnastics training camp. It’s really exciting. I think I’ll need to pack lots of crop tops and shorts 😂 I’m saving up my money as it’s going to cost lots of money. Maybe I could sell some leotards to raise some cash!

Fri 10-5pm.

1st session I did bars including my ktatchevs , and a bit on beam.

2nd session I had to do vault, floor, bars and beam. I did my one and half punch straight on floor in my routine.

I’m trying to work really hard and I need to keep working hard and to keep focused and positive and keep getting my routines ready for competition season. My big competitions are the English Championships 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 in London and British Championships 🇬🇧 in Liverpool in April. 💪 🤞

Thanks for reading my blog and supporting me on my gymnastics journey.

Fliss x

 

 

 

 

Hello. Welcome to my new blog. It’s been a while since I last posted anything. There have been ups and downs, but I keep on trying to work hard, and now Christmas is nearly here!!!

4 November 2019
This week I’ve had tummy pains up high in my tummy 😔. On the beam Kelly taught me my new routine ☺
I have been thinking about what to have for my own new design for my British Championships leotard! 🎨

11 Nov
My tummy is hurting.
I had an appointment to see my physio Megan again to have a massage, do some more exercises, see how my hamstring problem is, and get my new insoles for my shoes.
I also went to see the doctor. She thinks I have pulled some ab muscles up near my stomach. I need to take paracetamol and take things steady.
I had a long talk with Kelly and Mum. I think I may be worrying and not helping my tummy pain. I am not sure if I’ll get my routines and be ready in time for comps next year. It was good to talk about things.
The next day I felt a bit happier.
We have new bars and they seem slippy. 🤪

Thurs. I crashed on the new bars!!! 🤪 They were slippery. I pinged off and over the low bar. 😱 I scrapped my shins quite a lot 😔 😢 and I got scared, but I went back on after I felt better. Ouch it hurts though. My shins hurt!
Today I had a sleepover at my friend’s ☺ and we then had a couple of days off gym.

Mon 18 Nov

I was really scared and found it hard on vault. I am finding it difficult to believe at the moment, so I talked to Mum and Dad. I need to believe and find some way to be confident again.

Tues. I was scared and upset today.
But guess what I did! A double pike dismount on bars. I have some marks from my korbut flics on beam. My calves are really tight and sore so Mum massaged them. I had a better day today ☺

Weds off

Thurs 5-9pm It was a bit of a mixed session. I had a bump on beam and bars, but my free walkovers on beam were really good. I have a few scrapes on my legs again 😱 ☺ I’ll keep trying.

Fri 10am-5pm. I am tired today! I got another letter nomination for the Falcons Awards night today – The Gymnasts’ Gymnast. That’s so nice. This makes me happy. I am looking forward to the evening on 11 January.
It was an OK day.

Sat 12-5pm We have nearly finished our routine dance for the Falcons Greatest Show ☺
My vaults and bars were good today ☺
This week I’ve been listening to Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean’ before I go to sleep. 🎶 I like this.

Sun day off ☺

Monday. I had four tests at school today! 🤪 My brain hurts 😂
4-8.30pm. A really good day in the gym for me! All four pieces went well. ☺

Tues 4-8.30pm

Weds day off

Thurs. I had a day off as I have SW Squad this weekend.

Fri 10-5pm

Sat 12-5pm. We practiced our Christmas show routine at the end 😉

Sunday. SW Squad at Melksham, Wiltshire today. I got up at 6.30am and Dad took me to meet Kelly. She then took me to Wiltshire School of Gymnastics. I did my normal training and met up with friends, although a few friends were missing and one of best friends has now decided to finish gym.

We got back at 6.30pm and Dad had a tree ready for me to decorate with my sister and brother!!! I was so excited. It’s nearly Christmas!!! 🎄

Monday 2 December 4-8pm. I did my double pike over hard today! Yay.

Tues 4-8.30pm. I made it through five days of training without a break! I am pleased with myself 😂 I feel a bit tired now. I did my double pike over hard. Yay!

Mum took a screenshot of me in mid air. 😂

☺ We’ve been working on our design for my new British Championships leotard that I’ll need in April next year. It’s exciting, and it’s a secret! Shhh.

Weds off

Thurs. My training had to be cancelled at the last minute tonight. An extra night off! ☺

Fri 10am-5pm. My bars were good this morning. We were talking about my leotard design again today, and looking at the pictures of the back. Ohhh, it’s getting exciting.

Sat 12-5pm

Sun. Devon Squad 1-4.30pm at Falcons. I didn’t have to trial in the morning like my friends as I have already been selected for the squad next year. It wasn’t a good training day for me though. Things didn’t go right today 😔 . (I was feeling a bit tired and achy too.)

BUT, I was awarded this trophy…

Devon Achievement of the Year

I didn’t expect it to be me!!! (I got the cup for Gymnast of the Year last time.) It was because of my results this year. 3rd in Britain at Compulsory Level 1, 6th at English Championships, 3rd on Bars at English Championships and qualifying and competing at the British Championships. ☺ I am so pleased. Thank you Devon.

My legs are tight tonight. Mum gave me a massage to help.
Today, I had more news I was also officially told that I have been selected for the South West Squad again, for next year 2020. ☺ 🎉 I am pleased about this too.

Mon 9 Dec. I am so achy and tired today 😔 I went in to gym at 4pm as normal. I had a better day than yesterday ☺ and we finished at 8pm.

Tues 4-8.30pm. It was normal things in the gym and I then had a massage at 8pm which was really nice. I had loads of homework to do before I could get to bed though! I listened to my Michael Jackson song ‘Billy Jean’. I love this. I like ‘Smooth Criminal’ too. I also listened to ‘It must have been love’ by Roxette. This is a great song too.

Weds day off

Thursday 5-9pm. I worked really hard on floor today and tried things without spot. (Double tucks but didn’t land them right. )

Fri 10am-4.30pm. I had a great first session! I got a point for my ktatchevs with spot from Kelly. That means that I have 25 points now and get a prize. 🎉 ☺ I did lots of things! I got a really nice prize.

Sat 12-5 pm training (I did some yercheko straights to pit with spot on vault) then we had a dress rehearsal for our Falcons The Greatest Show from 3-5pm. The little ones’ dance is sooo cute. 😍 I hope I stay on the beam tomorrow 🤞 I think I will.

Sunday 15 December. Show day! We had to get to the gym at 2.30pm for a rehearsal then the show started at 5pm. It was fun, and I am happy as I stayed on the beam. We all did really well. ☺ The little ones were so cute. ( It reminded me of the last time we did a show in the gym. It was the opening ceremony of our new gym and I was 5 years old! I did a cartwheel 😂 and was the youngest one performing.)

Monday 4-8pm. I did two clean routines on bars. ☺

Tues 17 December 4-8.30pm It’s Kelly’s birthday!

It’s almost Christmas 🤶 I love Christmas! I am sooo excited.
I am feeling positive for the year ahead. ☺

Thank you for reading and supporting me on my way.

Fliss x

Hello again. Welcome to my next blog. It’s been nearly a month since my last blog and I’ve had another GB Performance Pathway Squad 🇬🇧and I’ve been learning some new skills in the gym. ☺  

Thursday 10 October

This week, I have been worried and scared about bars but I did my 3 bar routines on my own!!! One routine was clean.

Wow! Alice Kinsella was amazing at the World Championships all around. She is 12th in the world!

Fri 10am-5pm

I am happy. I did 3 clean bar routines and I managed to get over my worry and fear.

My ktatchevs with spot were good today and I had a good session in the gym. Mike and Neil coached me for most of training today as Kelly was away at a comp. I was like one of the boys. 😂 💪  

Sat 12 October 12-5pm

It was another good day in the gym for me. In the evening I went to watch my Mum’s dance show. 💃

Sunday. Day off. I had a nice lie in and watched the recorded World gymnastics on TV. ☺ After that I also watched some of the apparatus finals that were on today. Wow! Simone Biles! She is so amazing, especially her floor. I was clapping so much at the TV 😂 !!!

Mon 14 Oct 4-8pm

A wonderful day in the gym today. ☺

I did 3 bar routines and I did them quickly. I did good double tucks on track into pit on two mats and I even stuck one, yay! My 3 x halves of my beam routine were good.

I was looking at some old photos of me and my gym friends. This is one of me many years ago.

This is me and my gym friends doing the Quatro Cup exactly 3 years ago! We were an Olympic ring each and became the team winners for Falcons.

Tues 4-8.30pm. I did my bars dismount to two mats tonight and then had lots of homework to do after training! As usual I put Sudacrem and socks on my hands when I went to bed. This is part of my night time routine!

Thurs 5-9pm

Fri 18 October 2019

I had a day off gym, and travelled to Cardiff with my Mum to get ready for GB Performance Pathway Squad this weekend🇬🇧. It was a good journey. Normally we go to Lilleshall National Sports Centre, but that gym is closed as they are refurbishing it, so they changed the squad location to Cardiff at the Welsh Institute of Sport. Cardiff is much closer to Devon! 😂

 

 

 

 

We had tea in the hotel restaurant and oh my days they had a Christmas tree up! It’s only 18th OCTOBER! I love Christmas but that’s early 😂 (Kelly will like it. 😂)

There is always homework to do! I missed a topic maths test today at school so my teacher sent it to my Mum by email. I wanted to do it when I got into the hotel, so I used any paper I could find.

 

I saw some of my friends arrive at the hotel too.

We went out of my room to go to the vending machine to get some dippers for my cup of tea, and we saw the National Dance Coach, Daniella, walking in the hotel corridor and I smiled at her. She smiled at me, and recognised me too.

Sat 19 October – GB Performance Pathway training 10.30am-5pm

I saw lots of friends and some coaches at breakfast. ☺

Mum and I drove to the Welsh Institute of Sport (Sport Wales National Centre). It was hard to park! We met Kelly and then had to wait for the Welsh girls to finish training in the gym before we could all go in. I saw another friend there too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a big rhythmic gymnastics competition going on in one of the other spaces. There was a lot of hairspray smells, ribbons and balls 😂.

 

I have just finished my first day. I had an okay day, my vaults were really good and Kelly was happy with them. I can’t wait to know who is in my room with me. 💕

There were a few girls missing from squad as they were either ill or have stopped gym completely.

I shared a room with my two really lovely friends. It was brilliant to see them again.

Sunday 20 October 9am – 5pm

Another day of GB Performance Pathway Squad. We had a roast lunch today, which was lovely. My vaults were good.

Such a funny thing happened on the way home. Kelly and I stopped at Bristol services and walked in and saw my two Falcons squad gym friends. No way! They had been to Bristol for the day!

Mon 21 Oct

I wasn’t feeling that great today so I asked Kelly if I could train less today. I just did 2-5pm and survived.

Tuesday

Devon Squad at Plymouth today. Dad and I left at 7.30am.

It was a good session 10-2pm. We then went to IKEA! Yay!

Weds day off!

Thursday 1-8pm. I did so much in the gym today. ☺ It was really exciting.

On bars I am starting to learn to do shaps. We did it with only one bar  Kelly and Paul helped me. I got a point. Paul did too. ☺

 

 

 

 

 

On bars I also did my three routines and did my dismount over pit and nearly landed some to mats.

On beam I put a cat leap before my free cartwheel flic and straight away they improved.

Fri 9-4pm. It felt much too early! 😂 It was a good day. I did my cat leap free cartwheel flic combination on high beam. ☺

Sat 9-12pm. We had to train early today as it was the Halloween comp in the gym starting at 1pm. I tried a new vault today.

I then got dressed into my outfit and Halloween makeup and helped at the comp with my sister and my friends.

Sun day off and swimming and lunch with my school friends ☺

Mon 4-8pm.

Guess what I did today! Round off two and half twists. 👍

 

 

 

 

I feel happy today.

When I got home there was some post for me. It was a letter from Falcons saying I had been nominated by the coaches for three Falcons Awards…

Female Gymnast of the year, Female Most Promising Gymnast of the year and Hardest Worker – Female.

I am really really happy to be nominated. The awards night is in January. I hope we can go.

Tues 4-8.30pm I nearly landed to mats my double Arabian. On vault I did a tsuk to two mats and got a point (this is a new vault for me).

Weds off.

Thurs 5-9pm Halloween! We did a few games first.

Then we did some tricks 😂 I wore my red (blood) England leotard and did a flic mount of beam and my round off 2.5 twists on track. ☺

Fri 10-5pm A good session. I did three clean bars routines over hard. ☺ I bought myself a small Galaxy bar as a reward to myself 😉.

Sat 12-5pm.

I am feeling positive and starting to think ahead to next year and the comps and skills I might be competing. ♥

Thanks for reading and supporting me on my gymnastics journey to be the best I can be. 

Fliss x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi. Here’s my new blog. I’ve been at England Squad and I’ve been really improving in the gym but I’ve also been finding a few things really hard.
Fri 13 September, 10-5pm
I was tired today. My tkatchevs on bars were a bit dodgy.

Sat 14 September

My hamstring seems to be getting better. I did my free walkover back on high beam again! Yay! I think things are improving.

Sun. My day off and arghh our wifi is down at home!

Monday 16 September.
I’ve earned 25 points in the gym, so I got a prize! I waited until Monday to get it and got a unicorn mug. That will be my morning cup of tea mug ☺ 🦄

4-8pm. Guess what I did today! I went on the floor and did straight front straight front, round off flic full, round off flic double twists, round off 1.5 twist. ☺ I tried straight front straight front fulls but didn’t land them 😂 On bars I can do my double arabian (I know that’s what it’s called now!)
Tuesday 17th Sept

4-8.30pm I had a great session today. I did round off flic 1.5 twist punch straight front on track 👍 I nearly did 3 clean bars routines in a row. My vaults were good. I did on T trainer yerchenko straight through to my back. ☺

Weds day off

Thursday 5-9pm

A volunteer from Dad’s work made me an amazing knitted phone case, of a gymnast, just for me! It was very kind.

Fri 20 September.

Mum and I drove to Loughborough. It was a sunny day but the traffic was terrible and there were lots of accidents and roadworks. It took hours to get there (210 miles) .

I did my homework in the car AND in the hotel. This is my life. This is the life of a gymnast.

I wanted to go into the hotel gym again.

I like watching on Youtube this video of 4 years ago. It was the Devon Levels, level 5. All my friends and me. We look so tiny! Look how far I’ve come. I wonder what I’ll have achieved in 4 more years. 🤔 ☺

Saturday 21 September.

England Squad weekend at Loughborough University. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

After breakfast, and making a packed lunch for me to take, I had to go into the hotel gym again!!! 😉.

It was so busy at the University. There was an open day so lots of people were looking around.

I went to the gym. Kelly was there. I joined the other girls on the mats and said bye to Mum.

I had an okay first session. My bars were a bit dodgy but beam, vault and ballet were good. I was not just the only one who was not doing the control comp today, there were two groups who were not and two that were. I haven’t got my routines ready yet to do a control comp yet. I am still building back up from my hamstring problem. The control comp was for an international selection.

I had a good day today and at the hotel I was put in a room with three other girls. Hopefully it will all go well tomorrow and I’ll have a great good day tomorrow!

Sunday 22 Sept

Hello, I had a good first session and did some good shoots on bars and good leaps on beam. Hope that second session goes well.

I was messaging mum at break time. She was at Falcons with Bella helping out at a comp. I wanted to know how my friends were doing and wished them good luck and asked for Mum to send me photos and the scores. She did. I felt like I was there at Falcons, not 220 miles away! They did really well. Some of my friends from other clubs were there too.

At Squad we did a jazz dance and street dance style today.

After lunch my bars dismount and my beam free cartwheel flics were good. It was great fun. I had a really good day today. ☺
I made some really great friends at camp. ☺ 😍 We are going to message each other.

Kelly drove me home after training finished at 5pm. It was a long drive. We got back about 9.30pm. I was sooo hungry and had some homemade lasagne waiting for me. ☺ Kelly took some home too. I showed my family my new England Squad tracksuit, T shirt and red England leo. ☺

I then had to do more homework before I could go to bed. 😱 I was really tired.

Monday 23 September

I didn’t want to wake up at 7am. I was so tired today. 😢 I had to get up and go to school but it was hard. I just wanted to sleep.

I had a headache all day at school. I went to gym but I wasn’t feeling great and was so tired.
4pm. I did my running and an hour in the gym but my head was hurting so Kelly sent me home. I got home and went straight to bed and didn’t wake up until 8.30pm! I didn’t know if it was night or day. I felt better, ate some food and did more homework before going back to bed 🛏
I think I need a good night’s sleep then I’ll be better.

Tues 4-8.30pm

My vaults were good today. I also did on track my double tucks to a mat in the pit ☺ My tumbling went well too.

Weds off

Thurs 5-9pm. I did shoots on my own tonight on bars ☺ 🎉
Fri 10-5pm

On bars I kind of did my dismount double arabians on my own. My floor wasn’t that great in first session, I just didn’t have bouncy legs. 😂 My second session was good.

Then I met my friends after gym for tea ☺ Yay.

Sat 12-5 we worked on a bit of our Greatest Showman routine for the gym Christmas show 😉 It’s all really secret.

I was able to go on a sleepover with my friends tonight, which was so nice.

Sun day off. My calf is a bit sore today and tight from when I hit it on my tkatchevs. My Mum gave me a massage and it helped.

Mon 30 Sept

A good day.

I did round off one and half punch straight full and three double tucks to mat in the pit.

Tues

I went back to see my physio today. Things are getting much much better. I have some upgraded exercises to do now, and she gave me a massage.

I then went to school and had to have a HPV vaccination. I was scared, as I don’t like needles, but I was brave and had it done. After they had done it, I felt really unwell. I felt sick and dizzy and faint. The nurses had to call my Mum to take me home to rest. I did not feel well and it was a reaction to the injection. I couldn’t train today.

Weds day off

Thurs 5-9pm. I think it was a bit of a frustrating day today, but I did try.

I listened to mine and Bella’s favourite tune. Dance monkey. Bella and I have made up dances to this. ☺

Fri 10-5pm

I can’t wait to watch the gymnastics, World Championships, that start really soon! I hope our GB teams do really well in Germany. 🤞 Good luck. 💪
Sat 12-5pm

I heard that our girls in Germany did brilliantly! We’ve qualified for the Olympics next year as a team, made the World Championship team finals, Ellie and Becky have made apparatus finals and my friend Alice Kinsella is in the all around final. That’s brilliant. Go girls, go Alice. I sent Alice a message.

Sunday. Ahhh a nice day to relax.
Monday 7 October 4-8pm. It was a difficult day for me in the gym. 😔 I am scared of something I need to do on bars. I just have to find a way to help me get over it, bit by bit. Mum, Dad and I had a chat.

(My favourite madeline cakes help make me feel better. ☺)
Tuesday 4-8.30pm. I was really worried and scared about bars. I talked about it in the gym and we worked out how to help me in my session. I did seven bars routines with spot. I was happy with myself.

The women’s team did brilliantly at the World Gymnastics competition today! They came 6th in the world! 👏 🎉

I can’t wait to find out how the men do and watch the women’s apparatus finals. Hope I can be part of a team one day.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me.

Fliss x

Hello. It has been a busy summer of holiday fun and gym training!

At the end of July, just before I went to America on holiday with my family I was working on a few things. This is the new upgrade that I was trying to do…shoots on bars ☺

 

 

Mon 12 August. My first gym training back after my amazing two week holiday (best holiday ever!!! ) I am excited to be back. I think it might hurt though 😂 . I have been doing stretches and conditioning while I have been in America and we’ve been really active, walking lots and lots and swimming every day. My body looks tanned ☺
Gym 3-8pm.I did more than I thought I would be able to in the gym today! I did some real skills too. ☺

I had to take my earrings out because it’s the rules at gym. I can’t tape them anymore as I’ve had them more than 6 weeks. Tonight I couldn’t get them back in after doing long hours of gym. I was so sad. 😔 I think I have to accept that I just can’t keep my ears pierced if I want to do serious gym. 😢 I don’t know, maybe my body heals quickly? Maybe that is a good thing? I am sad but I can’t go through pain to get them back in everyday. I have decided that I can’t wear earrings again. I hope I can have them pierced again later in my life, and wear earrings again one day.

Tues 13 August
I am aching all over. I can barely walk!
Gym 2-8pm. I had to do really hard conditioning.

Weds 14 August day off
It’s the USA championships. Simone Biles has made history. It is incredible. I was watching it at 1am when I couldn’t sleep. She did a double double beam dismount. On floor she did a triple double, wow!

Thurs 2-8pm. I had really bad rips on my wrists. I needed lots of tape! I put lots of sudacrem on my wrists at bedtime. I think I worked hard today. I tried lots of things. Not all things were great but I tried.

Fri 10-4pm
Guess what I did today!!! A new dismount on bars! A tuck half double front. But…I have a big bump on my forehead from my knee hitting my head as I did it. Ouch!!! I think I have an egg on my head.
I did my yerchenko back on the vault run again.

Sat 12-5pm
Sun off

Mon 3-8pm A good session for me.

Tues arghh my hamstring is so so sore. It’s been a really difficult day 😢 . I couldn’t get up either 😔 I told Kelly my hamstring was sore.
Gym 2-8pm I had a massage from 7.30-8pm.

Weds off. I needed it!

Thurs 2-8pm. My hamstring was still sore but I managed to do things.

Fri. Our beach day! We only trained from 10-2, and we also went on the trampoline first too! ☺ Then we went to the beach for surfing, rounders, hotdogs and fun times with gym friends. It was a hot day. ☺ 🏖

Sat. I was tired when I woke up, but managed training 12-5pm and it was a good session.

Bank Holiday weekend. I had lots more beach time and fun with my cousins.

Sun no gym!

Bank Holiday Monday. I didn’t have time off training today! I was in the gym 3-8pm!

Tues 2-8pm. I did three bar routines over pit ☺ I managed to do my full jump on beam and practiced my round off flic mount to beam with blocks and mats. I liked this day. ☺

Weds off

Thurs 2-8pm My shoots on bars were good today ☺

Fri 10-4pm

Sat 12-4pm we finished an hour early 🎉 ☺ It was another good session.

Sun off

Mon 2 September 3-8pm. It wasn’t such a great day. 😔 Things just weren’t going quite right for me My hamstring was hurting too.

Tues 1-8pm

Weds 4 September. I went back to school today. I am now in Year 8. I was so excited to see my friends again. I didn’t have gym tonight so I could see a friend after school. ☺

Thurs 4-9pm. My first 9pm training finish! I made it! I nearly did my three bar routines in a row. I did my 10 free cartwheel flics on the low beam. This made me happy. I am getting there again.

Fri 10-5pm Yes, today I DID do my 3 clean bars routines ☺

Sat I had a day off, because I’m training on Sunday instead. It feels like a Sunday today though, with no gym😂

Sunday. South West Squad at Falcons 10am – 4pm. I’m feeling happy and excited to go, as I had to miss the last squad due to my back and leg injury. Two of my Falcons friends were invited to join us today too☺ It was a good day. I did my new bars dismount, tuck half, double front ☺

I am still trying to work hard to get myself back doing all the things I can, plus new upgrades. I did 29 upstart handstand basics on bars in a row this week!
Monday 4-8pm. Ouch, I’m going to have a bruised cheek and eye tomorrow from Kelly’s hand after a bit of a slip up by me on Bars. 😱 😂I did beam basics, and lots of vault and prep tonight. I didn’t have any time to rest. It was a good session otherwise!

We’ve got a new homework system at school now. I’m having to keep up with all my homework even more and squeeze it in whenever I can. It’s not easy, but I am trying.

Tuesday 4-8.30pm, but I had a massage from 8-8.30pm which was ouch, but good!

Weds day off. The tickets for the British Championships went on sale today! The comp is in April next year. We’re going to book as I should be there (hopefully if I’m well and fit)  competing again. 🤞🇬🇧 I’ll be a second year espoir.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me.
Fliss x

Hello. The last six weeks have been all about trying to get myself fit and my body better in time for my national squad weekends. I knew it would be a big aim and challenge, but I had to believe in myself and that it could happen, and try really hard. Here’s my blog.

June 2019
I think things are now on the way up for me in the gym. I have a good programme for my rehab, and I feel like I can move forward again.

It’s been hard outside of the gym though as my Grampy has been very very ill in hospital and my Granny also fractured her foot.

I think my injury can get better and It’s good to be in the gym more. I’ve been dancing at school lots, and cycling, and having a massage every week (to help me recover). I am going to really try to be fit enough to get to GB and England Squads in July.

It was tiring when I did my first full day of 7hrs training, but I made it! On fast track I did straight front straight front fulls. Double tucks to mat.

On Sat 22 June I had a day off as it was the Gymstars comp at Falcons all weekend and I wasn’t competing. That was a nice break!
I’ve been training Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat as normal and having physio sessions too. I am improving but I still have a tight hamstring because of neural tension. My back pain is better. I am now working towards my big skills again.

Mon 1 July It was my school dance show today. I loved it ☺

Tues 2 July 4-8.30pm It was hot at school and I was a bit tired. I wasn’t really feeling very energetic when I went into gym but I got on with my core exercises before we all started. Guess what I did today?! Roundoff flic then two and half twists on fast track ☺ twice. If I’d done it a third time I would have got a ticket to put in the summer training raffle jar, to win a leotard! – as it would have been a new skill.

Weds 4-8pm I trained today because I’d missed Mon.

Thurs 4.45-8.30pm I did some good things in the gym today. I got my giant fulls back on bars, flic tuck on beam with only one mat.
Fri, gym again 10am-5pm. It’s a busy week for me. I am feeling a bit tired and it’s still quite hot weather. I had a really good first session. I did my giant fulls again on bars, several double tucks on fast track. Flic tucks on beam.

I’m trying to get my fitness back and strength and flexibility back. My aim is to get to GB squad at Lilleshall next weekend then England Squad at Loughborough University the next weekend. I’ve got quite a bit of travelling this month!!! 😂

Sat and Sun I was so 😴 tired

Mon, 8 July. It was another hot day. I left early as I had another physio appointment with Megan. I am improving. I have more flexibility now without pain. 4-8pm gym. I did over pit on bars giant full giant blind forward top. My flic tucks were good on beam.

Tues 4-8pm then massage.

Weds. My school report came out today. It was really good and said about being really impressed by the way that I cope with the demands of my gymnastics training and having huge respect for the determined way in which I ensure that it does not interfere with my progress in school. This makes me feel very happy 😊 I’m pleased that I’ve kept up with all my work even though I don’t go to school on Fridays because of gym training. I’ve had a great first year at secondary and made loads of new friends. 😍

I’m thinking about GB Performance Pathway Squad. I think lots of the other girls will now be a bit more advanced than me, but I know I’m on my own path and still getting over my injury. I’m preparing for my camp and getting things ready.

Friday 12 July
Dad drove me up to Lilleshall. It took a long time in the traffic, but it was good to be back at the National Sports Centre.

The only sad thing is that I am missing my sister Bella’s dance show this weekend and her very special dances and duet with the teacher. I can’t wait to watch the DVD. My family say we will make it a proper night, with popcorn!

Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July – GB Performance Pathway Squad training 🇬🇧

Dad left me there with Kelly. It was my second camp of this year. I was sharing with one of friends again. ☺
The national coach asked the GB physio to see me, while I was there training. I have another exercise to do as well as my other ones now too.

I saw my friends and made new ones, they were funny.

It was hard work but I won a prize for the quickest shuttle runs. 🏃 I was given a signed photo of Ellie Downie. She’s so amazing!!!

I tried a new skill from the high to low bar called shoots. I got a few bruises on my leg. It was good though!

Kelly brought me home and we got back by 9pm.

Mon 15 July, 4-8pm training.

Tues 4-8pm, then a massage with Sam. It was a good gym session. I needed to order my England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 kit tonight. ☺

Weds day off

Thursday I was a bit late to gym as I was on a school trip away. 5.30pm – 8.30pm

Fri 19 July. Mum drove me to Loughborough, which was a long drive. Some of the motorways were closed and there were accidents and traffic It took us 5 hours. It was nice Mum and me time though.

At the hotel I shared a steak with Mum. Yummy. Then I had my favourite pud pud, Eton mess. Really yum!

My hotel had a gym and I couldn’t walk past the door without going in for a quick go 😂 I’d like a gym at home! 💪 😂

Sat 20 July – Sunday 21 July England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Squad training camp.

I just had to do handstand walks in the hotel corridor 😂

More gym!

After breakfast on Saturday we drove to Loughborough University and arrived at 9.30am.

We walked around the Uni a bit as we’d not been there before. I hoped they had a pit in the gym else I wouldn’t be able to do lots of things, and I needed a fast track!

Kelly was there in the gym waiting. It was a very blue/green colour! But they had a pit and a fast track! Yay! 🎉 ☺

It’s a bit different at this squad as I don’t really know many of the England Squad girls and they are all older than me, at least by one year and upwards. I’m the only first year espoir, and there are junior and senior girls here for the training. I know I’m the youngest but maybe I’m not the smallest? 😂 I tried to sit with everyone to start with and to try to make friends. I was really excited about camp. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Mum left to drive home. She said she was listening to the song, ‘I wish you well’ by Sigala and Becky and thinking of me. It’s a good dance song! I now love this song and keep playing it.

There were the USA Women’s Rugby and I think the England Women’s Rugby teams training on the astro while I was there.

I shared a room with three other girls in the hotel.
The camp went quite quick. There was a competition and I surprised myself that I could do 7 clears in a row on bars 😂
My shoots on bars with Kelly were good.

There was lots of traffic and roads were closed on the way home, but we got back by 9.30pm.

It’s good to be in England Squad as well as GB Performance Pathway Squad. ☺

I have a day off training tomorrow, I can rest. ☺ Then there are only three more training days until our BIG family holiday together…I am soooo excited.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me.
Fliss x

Hello,

It has been 8 weeks since my last blog. I have had a lot going on and it has not been a very good time. I have had injuries and pain and been worried, but I am getting better now and excited about my good news! Here’s my blog.

Weds 17 April 11am – 3pm

I did 5 more tkatchevs today. That’s 8 this week I think!

My hamstring is sore. I think I might have over stretched it. I don’t know. I’ve iced it put a hot water bottle on it and Mum has given me a massage. I must not do any leaps for a week.
Thurs. My hamstring really hurts. I will not be able to do any running. I need to take care of it and keep doing ice, heat, massage I think. Gym 1-8pm. I warmed up on the P bars by holding myself up by my arms and air cycling! I might be able to do lots of bars today. ☺

I did spins on beam, used the tee trainer on fast track, and on bars did two really cool tricks! I don’t know what they are called. 😂 I managed the whole 7 hours.

Our lovely physio said I must not run, or cartwheel or pull my leg in any way. I need to ice at different times.

Good Friday 19 April
As soon as I got up I was icing. Gym training 10 – 2pm. It was our Easter egg hunt in the gym! I only walked 😉 then iced again. I kept doing that through my gym session.

Kelly showed me a drawing that Jemma Drawing had done of me based on the British Championships photo. It’s cool.

I had Saturday and Easter Sunday off. I had fun with my family and cousins as we were caravanning and went to the beach and in the countryside. Yay ☺

Mon 10 – 2pm

Tues 4-8.30pm I went back to school after the Easter holiday. I was OK about going back. ☺ I couldn’t ice at school though! I think maybe my leg is getting a bit better? I am still not running though. I had to warm up on P bars holding myself up with my arms and cycling in the air. I tried a backward roll to handstand on the floor beam. It’s two days until my birthday 🎂!

Weds Day off. I made cakes to take to gym for all my friends tomorrow! Yum!

Thursday. It’s my birthday, and I am so excited! I am meeting my friends before school, then I’ve got school art club at lunchtime then parents evening after school! (They HAVE to say nice things about me 😂) I showed Mum the display that PE has on the wall at school.

I then got to gym at 5.30 and stayed until 8.30pm. My British Champs song ‘I am a giant’ came on when I was on Bars! 🎉

I had lots of lovely messages for my 12th birthday! It’s been a lovely day.

Fri 10 – 5pm. I am still not running and I am being careful with my hamstring. I did lots of bars today.

Sat. Kelly was really poorly today, so our training was cancelled. Get better soon! So, I had a day off…to ice my leg!

Sun Day off

Mon. My left leg was still feeling sore. 😔 4-8pm.

Tues 30 April. I went to see my physio today. I realised that my back and leg really hurts. 😔 My lower back is inflammed and sore and it’s making my leg sore and tight too. I have to stop doing gym for a week and rest it and take medication and do special exercises and Mum needs to do lots of massage on me. I know that I need to do this to get better. I think my body has been doing so much with all my comps and Squad camp and training, as I’ve been doing lots of routines, and it’ss just been used so much. It needs a rest and to get better.

We had a chat to Kelly and we are going to work together with my physio. So I didn’t go to training tonight.

I am missing being at the gym. I know that at my level of gymnastics I am going to get some injuries and sore parts of my body, so I just have to do what I need to do and then I’ll move forwards again and do great things again.

Weds. I had more medication and exercises and massage!

Thurs 2 May. I wanted to go into the gym to do my physio exercises, see Kelly and see my friends. So I did! 4.30pm until 6pm. I only did my physio exercises, nothing else, but then Kelly said to visualise my routines on each piece three times, so I sat down and closed my eyes and I went through it all in my head.

Friday 3 May – Tues 7 May

I went into the gym just to do my physio exercises and some visualisations. I had more massage and ibuprofen at home too. My back is still sore 😔 I think it hurts a bit higher up now. But I must stay positive and hope with time, rest and doing the right things it will get better. ☺

Thurs 8 May. I just did my physio exercises in the gym again. My sister Bella started back today! It felt a bit weird but nice to have her in the gym with me again. I think it’s been a year and a half since she left . She worked really hard! Mum picked us both up after a few hours.

Fri I am still doing just my exercises, going to the gym to do them and doing my visualisations and taking painkillers. I hope it gets better soon.

I had a sleepover with my friends which made me happy.

Sat I went to gym 12-2pm to just do my exercises and to be in the gym. My back is still sore 😔 and I’m also getting a few headaches in the front of my face and head. We all think that I need an X-ray or scan as there might be something more seriously wrong with my back or some damage. I really want to know what’s wrong and then we can work out a way to fix it and have a plan on my recovery. I want to be doing gymnastics but I know that I can’t at the moment. I went to Bella’s glass art party, which made me feel better.

Sun Day off and no physio exercises

Mon I couldn’t see the doctor today so went into the gym to do my exercises and see my friends 4-6pm. Kelly said that I’d make a good judge as we were both scoring my squad mates and ended up with deductions that were nearly the same!

Tues. I saw the doctor today.

Weds 15 May. It’s been exactly 2 years since my major head trauma gym accident.

Thurs. I went into gym with Bella and Jack at 5pm.

Fri I saw my physio and my doctor today. We think I do need to have an xray or scan of my back and hip. Something is going on. I might have a stress fracture in my spine. I have less physio exercises to do as my back is still sore. I just need to know what’s going on and how I can more forward and do my recovery. 🙏

Sat 18 May.
Bella’s birthday! My back is really painful. I know something is wrong and I want to know what it is. I’ll do my exercises at home today and not go into gym. I am trying to stay positive and happy.

Sunday 19 May. I started my hydrotherapy programme today ☺ 20 lengths of the swimming pool. After 2 lengths I had to have 1 minute rest then go again. I could only do front crawl or back stroke, as I’m not allowed breast stroke due to the hip movement. It was good to have a programme and be aiming towards goals again. It was a sunny day in the garden to relax afterwards. ☀

Monday 20 May. I went into gym today to do my spin bike rehab therapy. 20mins on the bike plus my three physio exercises. I think my body needs to be doing some activity as it is so used to doing lots and lots!

Tues. It’s my swimming rehab day! 20 lengths in the lanes with Dad tonight. Hopefully I’ll hear when I’ll get a MRI scan soon.

Weds day of rest.

Thurs 5-6pm in the gym to do my bike programme.

Tonight I heard some GOOD NEWS… I’ve been selected to be in the England Squad for 2019/2020 as one of the Espoirs! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🎉

Yay! I am so pleased and proud to be selected for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 . I think I am the youngest in the squad, the only first year Espoir. 🎉

Well done to all the others who go in too! I just need to get my back better. 🤞 I hope I get a MRI scan soon. I am still doing my swimming programme, bike programme, and gym visualisations on the equipment and my physio exercises.

Sat. Kelly was away at a comp today so I went into the gym at 9am to help Lauren with Kelly’s babies, the Amethyst group. It was great! At 12pm I did my spin bike programme and other physio and visualisations.

More swimming and cycling this week

Friday 31 May. After my cycling in the gym and physio exercises Dad drove me to Exeter for an MRI scan. I was so happy that I now had a scan booked. I had a few scans of my back and hip. (I remembered having one of these scans after my head injury two years ago.)

I had to stay really still. I stayed so still that I fell asleep inside it opps! 😂 I had ear phones over my ears and they played music. It was like being a baby at bedtime and having a lullaby song sung to me to get me to sleep. So I went to sleep! 😂 I won’t know my results until Tuesday. I hope we know soon if there is a fracture in my spine or not and if there is any damage or not and how I can get better and get back to gym. I am hoping.

Sat. We went swimming again today and did my lengths. I think I’m getting much better at swimming now ☺ Guess what, after swimming…
My sister and I had our ears pierced!!!! I couldn’t have it done until after my MRI as you can’t have metal in the scan machine. We are so happy!!! Now we have to put tape on our ears when we go to gym 😂 I can’t believe that I have had it done. 🤪

Sunday. I should be at South West squad training today at Falcons but I can’t because of my injury, so it is a rest day at home.

Monday 3 June 2019 gym 4-5.30 spin cycling, physio and visualisation.

Tues 4 June. More swimming.

Weds 5 June. My MRI Scan results are back. It’s good news. There is NO stress fracture. Which is very great news. They say that everything in my back and hip looks normal and there is no damage to my spine. But I am still feeling pain and I don’t understand why. I hope we can now work out how to make my pain and tightness go away. I think my lower back has to act as a shock absorber for all my tumbles and all my landings on hard. Will I always have a bit of pain? !! Now we know that I am not going to damage myself any more, I can start doing lots more fun exercise and I can carefully build my body back up…but why is it hurting? I can get back doing some gym and dancing (I really love dancing too) and running and PE. I like athletics and I am quite good at that. Maybe I’m growing and that’s hurting me too?

It was fun doing some basic gym skills again today. ☺I did giants on metal and upstarts and preps on vault for yerchenkos.

The new hall of fame board is up on the wall at Falcons! That’s really nice. I am proud to be in the GB Performance Pathway Squad for 2019 and England Squad for 2019/2020. It is such a brilliant achievement for me.

Fri. I had lots of physio today and massage, and then went to the gym. They think my back is hurting because of my nerves in my back and leg, and my nerves are making my leg tight, but we are going to get me better and I am going to do more now that I know my back doesn’t have a stress fracture. I am happy about that. With the help of everyone around me and the support of Mike, Kelly and my physio Megan we will work out my rehab programme, exercises and treatment plan and I will get back to normal and aim and try to get fit for GB and England Squad training next month. I really really hope so.

Now that I know my back doesn’t have a fracture, I can go to my brother’s aquapark party tomorrow and join in, carefully. Yay! (It’s going to be freezing!!!)

I have been listening to some older songs with Mum, and I really like Bon Jovi’s ‘Living on a Prayer’.

That’s me! ‘Woah, we’re half way there, Woah, liv’ in on a prayer, Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear, Woah livin’ on a prayer’ 😂

Thanks for supporting me and helping me.

Fliss x

Hello! Here’s my blog about the weekend.

Friday 12 April 2019

Mum and I drove up to Lilleshall in the afternoon. There was so much traffic and some incidents and fire engines so it took 5 hours. We came off the motorway and went the countryway to make it more pleasant, instead of all the traffic at Birmingham. We then suddenly arrived in the lovely grounds of Lilleshall. Most of the main buildings are old and it’s got very pretty gardens and grounds. 

We had a room at Lilleshall to stay the night, it was in a different building to where I’ve stayed before. It was really near the gym. We were told we could have tea in the dining room if we went straight away. It was cool to stay in the room with my Mum. ♥ 

I am really excited. It’s great to be back at squad. I want to try hard, learn new things, and show what I can do. I have new upgrades to show 😉 I can’t believe how much has happened since we were last here for my Compulsory Level 1 grade competition only two and half months ago (I won bronze AA 🥉!) I’ve had my Florida trip and comp, the English Championships 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and the British Championships 🇬🇧. It’s crazy 🤪 

Saturday 13 April

We had breakfast in the hall at 8.30am. We had a quick walk around. 

I then got ready. I liked this quote over our beds. 

We checked out at 9.30am and met Kelly in the carpark, as she’d driven up to Lilleshall and left Devon very early! We also met my other three SW teammates. We went over to the gym at 10.10am and started training at 10.30am. Mum said that the parents were allowed to watch for 15 mins then Mum said they went to British Gymnastics offices for a talk and video and chat, then had a tour. Mum left after that to drive all the way home. 

I was sharing a room with a friend I know from other GB squads. That was really nice. ☺ 

I had a great first day! I did 3 more tkachevs 🎉 and Kelly got this great photo of me doing my change to ring leap on the beam. 

We had tea in the dining room. I had chicken, rice and vegetables. 

I phoned home (E.T phone home 😂) before bedtime to tell my family how I’d got on and what good things I’d done today. 

Sunday 14 April 2019. 

We had to get up early! We were awake at 7am and went to breakfast at 7.30am. Then we could have 30 mins to chill before going over to the gym. I found it quite hard to be at my best in the morning. 😂 But I was much better after lunch! ☺ 

I had a fantastic experience and it’s such a great opportunity for me to learn from top National Coaches. I want to learn all I can. I really liked seeing friends that I already know and loved meeting new gymnasts and making lots of new friends. Everyone was really nice. 

The coaches we had teaching us for the weekend were great National Coaches. I find it hard to understand the dance teacher’s accent sometimes, but I try hard and somehow work out what she wants me to do. I like that she knew my name ☺ 

While we were there we were trying to find out and were able to watch some of The European Champs in our break. It was apparatus finals for GBR Alice and Claudia. They were both incredible. I can’t believe it, Alice won gold on beam! Wow, really Wow. 

We finished at 5.15pm after a full day. It was hard work but great! Kelly then drove me all the way home in her car. Thank you so much Kelly. I actually stayed awake for most of the journey this time 😂, and we got to chat. 

I can’t wait to go back to Lilleshall for the next GB Performance Pathway Squad training.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me as I keep trying to get better and better and move forwards. ☺ 

Fliss 

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