tips to refine handstand entry

dear handstand passionates,

i need some help to improve my kick-up entry.

As you can notice in the picture below my rear leg is not straight while going up and this creates some imbalances when i get in the final handstand (front leg seems performing fine to me...).

is just a matter of squizing more the legs and glutes muscles while kicking up or something else is involved? 

 

A side question - open the angle between the two legs is a front split stretching work?

 

Thanks

One thing I have noticed is that kick up technique varies a lot from person to person. I have noticed that Coach Sommer's student, Allan, brings up his rear leg with a bent knee. Others prefer straight, some start from sprinter stance, some from stand, just plently of variation.

I would say some active front split flexibility helps for coming up into the handstand under full control (instead of kicking like a donkey). I like to leave the rear leg on the ground until the leading leg is completely in place, and then bring up the rear leg slow (not like press HS slow but about a 2 second movement). While the rear leg is coming up I enter PPT which helps to keep the hips in extension. Yes, this technique requires some active flexibility...but It wasn't until I adopted this technique that I no longer failed the entry.

I think you should learn to keep the leading leg tracking directly above, the second still looks like you are throwing the leg towards the side. And I am not sure the final picture shows you in an actual balanced HS but you can see you are ending up with the hips laterally shifted with loose legs and all.

I think the general pointers most people will agree with is:
- Keep shoulders stacked above the wrist, it's monster hard to correct everything when your shoulders are not stacked from the very start
- Kick up under control, generating a shit-ton of power to fly into the position won't work consistently
- PPT as soon as possible, so that the glutes are able to keep the legs extended, else your loose legs will flail back down

Also, don't forget; your fingers are there for a reason! Don't just kick up and then start trying to balance. As soon as the leg leaves the ground, the hand are play an active role in putting you in HS!

You're over emphasising your left leg (leg that goes up first), and as a consequence, it's twisting you out of position on the way up.

 

Bend your right knee more as you step in, so as you straighten it you can use it to help push you into position.