Biren Patel Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Hello all,The information on this subject is scarce, so I wonder if anyone here has tips to develop the no hand headstand?From what I have seen, people like claude victoria, roilan, and willy weldens, the legs are always placed in a piked straddle. But I've no idea how to begin training for this skill. The obvious one is to go onto fingertips and remove fingers over time. Does anyone have other progressions, techniques, tips...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Chubb Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 You SLIGHTLY pike your straddle because it's easier to nullify a slight under balance with your head than it is to correct an arch. It's slight though. Also helps to have the correct shaped flat head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biren Patel Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Aha, thank you for the pike clarification!Also helps to have the correct shaped flat head.Pardon? Are you talking about maintaining a certain head position or are you saying that people with flat heads have an easier time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Kristiansen Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 It is very hard and there are loads of technique to learn if you want to get consistent at it. You want to stay piked and have the weight in front of the head and push backwards with your head to maintain balance. However there is a lot of technique to learn and many parameters to deal with which are hard to explain in text. Most circus artists use a ring made of ropes taped together to have more surface to balance on. Im no expert on headbalancing, and I havent practiced the specific technique much. I cant balance on a ring but I manage on floor a bit. Check out this guy. He is a friend of me who is finishing the same school as I did this year. Very good handbalancer and also ridiculous on his head. The best part is aroud 2.30 when he just flails around. "Gollum balance" as he calls it =) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briac Roquet Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 That's crazy. And not to mention the part where he juggles while balancing on his head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Kowalski Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 That's crazy. And not to mention the part where he juggles while balancing on his head. Yeah, that's sick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Kristiansen Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Him and another guy who was in my class both completed a rubex cube on their heads 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briac Roquet Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Could they juggle three of them and complete them too? No? I'm disappoint! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Whitley Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Here is a really old guide for headbalancing but can't say how useful it is http://www.lostartofhandbalancing.com/HeadBalancing.pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biren Patel Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Wow, hmm, I didn't know such a guide existed, swhitley. Though, yea, looks like the author just went for that straightforward fingertip approach. Thank you for the document, I have generally strayed away from that website in the past.Handbalancer, mind sharing a technique that you have heard of? Or if it is indeed too difficult to explain through text, then what would you say about the removing fingers approach...do you think it is a reasonable technique? thank you for information above! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Bearne Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I have had the most luck with the finger tip method especially with arms locked out to the side. I believe handbalancer means the nuances of saving balance can be difficult to explain, if you play you will start to discover them on your own. also i think using a ring is cheating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Davies Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 That pike was pretty ridiculous. Edit: Okay, no seriously, that guy has too much skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Davies Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Him and another guy who was in my class both completed a rubex cube on their headsI plan to complete on one handed while in a one arm handstand some day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biren Patel Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 I have had the most luck with the finger tip method especially with arms locked out to the side. I believe handbalancer means the nuances of saving balance can be difficult to explain, if you play you will start to discover them on your own. also i think using a ring is cheating For verification, do you means arms in this position? http://31.media.tumblr.com/5c2a1010557369a1a8c4bd14bcab13df/tumblr_mnpyklW77A1re9gg7o1_500.jpgAh ok, I thought he was talking about developmental techniques. But, yes, I do understand when it comes to balance there is a difference between reading about it and actually trying to do it , thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Kristiansen Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 There are loads of details and its hard to explain in text, especially since im no expert. The most important cues is to be straight on top of your head but have the weight in the front by piking. neck needs to be shrugged to lower your COM, arms as relaxed as possible so you dont move your body when you release. The position in the picture is terrible for releasing the arms. You want to only release from fingers and elbows so you do not create unnecessary movement in your torso. You balance by pressing your head backwards to counteract the weight in the front. You also balance with the legs and arms. Thing is that it is not intuitive at all and therefore you need someone to show and explain in person, especially how to press with the head. I dont consider the ring cheating, its just a different technique than on floor. The main reason you use it is to do it on a cane or a height. With the ring you can have your balance more in front and be 100% sure of not doing a forwards roll off your head. On an elevated surface that can easily mean paralysis or death. You can stay more stable as well with the ring and do stuff with your arms, legs like Dan does in that clip. it is possible on floor too but you move way more. A ring also helps to do "head to head" balance. There are veyr few in the world who performs head to head without a ring as its very hard, dangerous and will to some degree be based on the peoples head shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Davies Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 .....I'm no expert......Oh come on. Except for Coach, you have probably the least reason to be modest out of everyone on these forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Kristiansen Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I know my handstands but im not proficient on headbalancing. I know how it works but I cant in detail explain very well because I have not experienced the process of learning and mastering it. And as for modesty, there is always a reason for being humble in life. Handstands is definitely no exception since there is always a little chinese girl who is warming up with your max. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Davies Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I know my handstands but im not proficient on headbalancing. I know how it works but I cant in detail explain very well because I have not experienced the process of learning and mastering it. And as for modesty, there is always a reason for being humble in life. Handstands is definitely no exception since there is always a little chinese girl who is warming up with your max.An error occured: You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day I think I heard something similar about squats.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biren Patel Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Thank you for the information, Handbalancer, even with it out of your realm of expertise. Just one more questions , when you say the neck needs to be shrugged, did you mean to say shoulders need to be shrugged? I am having a hard time visualizing what a shrugged neck means, unless you are talking about packing the neck in or jutting it out?I suppose that it is not intuitive and I may need someone, but hah I am too far away from any good circus school for that. Maybe I'll have to seek out some of the breakdancers around here. I have talked to one who could perform it statically very well (what I thought was very well until I saw that video above!), but the couple others I have met needed to kick and spin in circles to maintain the position...Ohhh one more question! I promise, last one! I know you have a breakdance background, what is your opinion on headhollows? Such a beautiful move, something I've wanted to train for, but I can't help but think it is a little dangerous for the shoulders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Kristiansen Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 With shrugged shoulders I mean that you elevate your scapula by tension of the trapezius. arms are as relaxed as possible. You try to pull the head in a bit to it gets as aligned as it can with the spine. On floor you tend to be a bit more out though. bboys do that a lot. Headhollows isnt really bad at all. You should be able to do the qdr/chairfreeze stuff pretty well and it shouldnt be a problem for the shoulders. You need to externally rotate a fair bit for decent placement and be on the back of your head. If you fall you just roll. It is not particularly difficult 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biren Patel Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Thank you Very much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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