HS Work with Ankle Weights?

Is it a good idea to add ankle weights into handstand training?

To what end?

I've seen people use them for presses, flag work, and helping to get their splits down in HS.  I don't think they're necessary though

yuri marmerstein said:

To what end?

 

I've seen people use them for presses, flag work, and helping to get their splits down in HS.  I don't think they're necessary though

For everything, endurance training, presses, one hands, etc!

I'm not a big fan only because I consider hand balancing to be about getting used to your own body. 

Getting used to doing exercises with weight may make you stronger but can throw off your balance as well.

I'm not saying weights aren't effective, I just don't think they give the best bang for the buck.

The best use I know for a weight is for counterbalance for movements like the one arm press.

Just some thoughts (not having ankle weights, I cannot talk from experience here):

Adding weight to the highest point (the feet) would create a higher center of mass, thus making the balance harder.

I'd expect therefore, there is a chance that it improves the balance.

However, there are probably better ways to do that...

That's actually a two sided coin.  Adding weights to the feet raises the center of gravity, but you will also be able to feel small changes in position a lot faster since it will only take a small amount being out of position to make the HS harder to hold. 

For one arm straddle it can help a little bit with the balance since you have more weight on the sides. 

Again, from my perspective HS is about feeling your body.  Though it does make you more versatile to do your HS in different ways I do not think ankle weights are worth the gains compared to other styles of training. 

My personal opinion of course, anyone with experience in the matter is welcome to chime in. 

Hmmm....interesting subject. I once "bulked" very fast from 67 kg to 80 kg (148 lbs to 176 lbs) bodyweight in just 12 weeks. This was possible because I kept my bodyweight low artificially (not my natural bodyweight). In the meantime I had an injury that prevented me from training handstands. After the 12 weeks I tried some freestanding handstand and my balance was way off: a simple kick up was hard. It seemed as if I had to train my motor program again. After a while I got my balance again but I am still curious to know if it had to do with me not training the handstand for 12 weeks or the rapid weight change (or maybe a combination of both?).

Does anyone have similar experiences?

yuri marmerstein said:

That's actually a two sided coin.  Adding weights to the feet raises the center of gravity, but you will also be able to feel small changes in position a lot faster since it will only take a small amount being out of position to make the HS harder to hold. 

 

For one arm straddle it can help a little bit with the balance since you have more weight on the sides. 

 

Again, from my perspective HS is about feeling your body.  Though it does make you more versatile to do your HS in different ways I do not think ankle weights are worth the gains compared to other styles of training. 

My personal opinion of course, anyone with experience in the matter is welcome to chime in. 

I see what you're saying! I thought that it might be worth it to add weights so it will be even easier when I take them off, but now I dont know haha

Well it's always good to try everything once.  Especially if you ever plan on teaching handstands, it's good to learn every possible method. 

However...Think of if this way:

You get better at what you do a lot of.  Do you want to get better at handstands with weights?

yuri marmerstein said:

Well it's always good to try everything once.  Especially if you ever plan on teaching handstands, it's good to learn every possible method. 

 

However...Think of if this way:

 

You get better at what you do a lot of.  Do you want to get better at handstands with weights?

very true.... Thank you!

On the other hands, ankle weights might be able to help some peoples' pressing technique, since they will not allow you to planche. 

Either way it's just a tool.  How it is used all depends on the user.