The beginning of November finds Ian Makowske ahead of schedule in competition preparation for Season Two of Team Mikey’s Way. “I feel good- I’m healthy, and I’ve already done two weeks of full routines; this time last year I was just starting halves, so it feels great to not only be adding difficulty, but also increasing endurance and feeling like I’m going to have some of the confidence that I was missing last season. At this point, it’s just great to get those numbers in and know that come January, I’m going to be both excited to put my TMW uniform back on, and ready to make it look good!”

Following the completion of the Olympics, and the end of the quadrennium, FIG rules have changed slightly, forcing Makowske to make some changes in his routines. “There were definitely some changes; I had to learn a new pass on floor because we can now only do one roll-out skill. FIG also changed the number of ‘stoop’ skills you are allowed to compete on high bar, so I had to make another change. But it’s just part of the challenge of this sport… Last year was a building year, it had some successes and some disappointments, but more than anything else it was a great learning experience. I feel that much more confident going into this season; I know I’ll be physically fit enough to compete at the level I want to, and I know that just as importantly I’ll be mentally ready. To a certain extent, both of these were missing a bit last year.”

As of November, Ian Makowske will compete at the Windy City Invitational in Chicago, IL, the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, NV, the Houston National Invitational, in Houston, TX., and the National Qualifier in Colorado Springs, CO. Makowske looks to qualify for the 2013 Visa Championships in his home state of Connecticut.

Team Mikey’s Way’s new fundraising initiative “Help Ian Home to Hartford” will kick off shortly with an exciting announcement! Check out Makowske’s new high bar routine here.

Follow Ian Makowske- Team Mikey’s Way on Twitter @ianmakowske, and on Facebook here.

Thanks for your support, and Always Be Uplifting!