Flip, twist, spin, snap.

Every time I go climbing, me and Rich always finish off the session by doing a kind of handstand-from-sitting-position thing which is really hard to do but good fun and kind of impressive I guess.
Sometimes we also mess about doing a few back somersaults as the floor is covered with a nice thick, spongy rubber matting that, while probably not reducing the risk of severe spinal doom in the event of an accident, it at least inspires a little confidence, which is handy when you plan to throw your body backwards over your own head.

I have always said I would like to do more of that sort of thing, like gymnastics, but possibly with less spandex, so last week we went to a local adult gym class.
I turned out to be really, really good, and possibly the most relaxed and informal event that has ever dared call itself a 'class' and gotten away with it.
Basically, after some faffing around when we got there, I found the guy in charge, and he said to me, and these are his actual, exact words: "Come for the adult gym yeah? OK well the hall is yours to do what you want with (gestures to indicate fully equipped gymnastics hall) and just try not to kill yourself, OK?"
That was it, seriously.

Well, detailed and thorough induction out of the way, me and Rich cracked on with trying not to kill ourselves, which we fully managed, and in spectacular fashion I might add.

It was so much fun, and we had managed to not kill ourselves so impressively, that we went back this week too.
You know that point where confidence takes over common sense for just a brief moment, but that moment is long enough to cause some serious problems?
Like when you think you are 'chummy' enough with the bouncer at your local club to crack a bit of a piss-taking joke at him, and then you realise common sense obviously ducked for cover for a moment there when you realise the bouncer is advancing toward you with a grin (not because of your joke, which probably wasn't that funny anyway) and pulling a steel bar out of his sleeve.
You know that moment?

Well I had one of those, it occurred roughly when I was landing from a round-off to a back somersault.
My Common Sense said 'I'm just nipping out to get some milk, Confidence, I'm going to leave you in charge, don't do anything silly'
My Confidence said something along the lines of 'hur hur hur'.
I start to do another back somersault after the first one, Common Sense comes rushing back in and screams 'Nooooooooo!' but my body replies 'sorry mate, too late'

I landed on my head.