Body Structure Affecting Skill Development

[jamesters]

While body structure could affect skill development in all sorts of ways, I'm particularly interested in this topic when it comes to L sit press to hand stand. I read awhile back how professional swimmers, on average, have longer arms in proportion to their overall body height than most other people. I thought about this when it comes to training for L sit press to hand stand. It's a very rare skill. What if 2 people were training for this skill, and 1 person had 2 inch longer arms than the other, all else being pretty equal, they're both strong and flexible and the same body height. I'd imagine the longer arms would work to the one person's advantage, right?

So I'm wondering, do you think with the right training, even someone with shorter than average arms could still eventually accomplish an L sit press to hand stand? I do know proper training can make a big difference. My bottom used to only barely come off the floor when I'd do a flat handed L sit. After modifying my stretching routine and doing some other exercises, my bottom is higher and I can do both L sit walks and L sit circles (pretty fast too) with flat hands.

[braindx]

Are you talking on the ground?

I'm sure there are some configurations of long legs, short torso and short arms where you wouldn't be able to get your legs through from the floor.

I'm of the opinion that MOST people if not all properly trained can do it on parallettes/parallel bars. Many obese people would probably have to drop a lot of weight and train strength + press specific work to obtain it, but it should be doable with the extra room;.

[jamesters]

Yep, on the floor, no parallettes or anything. Do you think a relatively average structured, fit individual can develop the ability to do it, preferably with pointed toes, with the right strength and flexibility training?

[braindx]

Average is relative really.

If you have good pike flexibility and can stand with straight legs and put your hands flat on the ground and have a little elbow flex room to spare you can probably do it with proper training yes.

Some people can't get down there even with perfect pike flexibility

[Aviv Lugtenaar]

I´d like to do that skill and I trained flexebility from just bairly being able to touch my toes to putting my hands flat on the floor. I did that sitting in straddle bending forward and to my knees, with legs together and bending forward and by standing and putting my hands flat on the floor. I was going to train that last with shoes on or on briks but then it was vacation etc etc.. So I need to start over, I want to be able to do this by december for competitions, preferbly v sit press to handstand.

[Jason Stein]

I have discovered through my own practices that the flat-ground L-sit press to handstand require a decent (great) amount of active hamstring flexibility coupled with hip flexor strength.

Meaning, it's not just enough to have a flat pike. You must be able to reach a flat, closed pike without the use of your arms/hands.

I'm not sure if there are any gymnastic prerequisites or standards or anything, but for the extra inch, I also pull my palms off the floor when passing the legs through.

[Blairbob]

Many people do L-press to HS on their fingers and palm ridge to get some extra clearance. Same with manna, some b-boyers do planche this way as well.