Training Videos: Rear Crosses

Another post where I'm going to post my "raw unedited training session", of Perri and I working on rear crosses.   I am super glad I pursued this.   In Perri's beginnings, she was not a candidate for rear crosses!    She had no confidence and I could always be ahead of her, and Perri would never dare ever be ahead of me.  I  feel very foolish that I never actually worked on the mechanics of this with her, but in her early days, it likely would have shut her down.   But! We are doing it now and I'm proud of her - because while she is iffy with her motivation at the start....we both warm into the training session as we go along.

And I can still get front and blind crosses in a lot with Perri.   But sometimes I love to do a rear cross, and even if I never did another rear cross at a trial - practicing them builds Perri's confidence.   It builds my confidence.   Working on any skill together accomplishes this for us and we need that as a team.  I won't say I'm not embarrassed by the training in the video - I am worlds behind perfect.   I hate how I am bending over too much or not in the correct position or sporadic, but video'ing gives me this information.   I see from video that Perri has a weak side - turning to the right.  If we only post what we are the most proud of, then how does that help us?

At one point, I was struggling with my position so I brought Molly out to see if this was "Perri weirdness" or if it was me being unclear.   I just love this "blooper" clip of Molly.   Hey!  Hey!!!!! Hey! Don't run into that poodle!   HEY! Come back with my toy! (and don't judge me, it was only 8" and she wanted to play.)  

This last video clip is the fruits of our labor of the evening.   The "social media worthy" video to post.   Good energy from both of us, and Perri highly motivated and showing the beginnings of a decent rear cross understanding.   This is what we like to share with others, not the first clip I showed.   But, the first clip is the trenches...it is a team learning and moving forwards and adjusting to one another.   It is what could be criticized, it is painfully imperfect.

I am happy with our ending video - of Perri learning to turn to the right better rather than spin back towards me.   We will continue to work on this.   I am finding it to be empowering to work on basic concepts like this with Perri and it is helping me to enjoy her and where we are as a team.