Very frustraded!

I can't seem to do a COMPLETE handstand pushup! My legs always seem to fall forward towards my front (face) and it usually happens durning the desent of the move. I can usually go about an inch from touching my face/head to the floor, but can't really push back up without my legs falling. Does this have to do with core, or more specifically lower back strength, or am I lacking something else? Is there a certain way to tense my body/lower back area so this wont happen? Any clips/advice/articles that can be thrown my way? Thanks for listening.

Daniel

Are you doing these freestanding or stomach to wall?

freestanding, i've tried them against the wall, but it doesnt' seem like anything changes.

perhaps you should pactice a shoulder stand(bottom of HSPU). you can do it with rings, parallels, chairs, stack of books....

Is this from a handstand on the floor?

Do u mean the same thing happens (u fall forward) when doing them against the wall? If this is the case then ur not ready to do them freestanding, it should be easy against the wall (do them stomach to wall) before u are going to achieve one freestanding.

Other then that how good is ur hs? U should have a minimum of a thirty sec hold in good allignment every time before ur going to have much success with a free standing hespu. Once you can do that it's not too difficult. You want ur body to be on an angle during a free hespu not completely vertical. Ur head will go forwards of ur hands and ur feet a little behind, and try to keep the body straight. Keep your abs tensed and butt tight to make sure u stay straight.

Well, it helps if your HS has your legs vertical and stays that way.

Have you tried pressing up to a HS from a HeadStand and then lowering back to HS? You need to maintain control of your core and legs in a HS/HSPU.

My legs do fall towards the wall when i try to keep straight. I've been TRYING to do them freestanding for the past few months, but I suppose I don't have too good of core/leg control. Any thoughts, or should i just go back to the wall? I don't feel i'm getting as good of a workout against the wall then with freestanding, even though im not doing too much freestanding.

It sounds like you have a balancing problem (if I assume that you actually have the strength).

If your feet come down during any part of the HS pushup, lean forward more. This may sound all too logical and stuff, but actually pay attention to it. Granted you only have a balance problem, this will solve it. You may wonder why this has to be said explicitly, but that's because you probably do not feel perfectly where you body needs to go when you go down and push back up. When pushing up, you may tend to push up diagonal instead of vertical. Leaning forward more may also help here.

The funny thing is that in many cases where there is a balance problem, it feels like there is a strength problem. Incorrect biomechanics can lead to strength requirements that are impossible to meet

Thanks for all the responses. What do you mean lean forward? Is there a vid that can be posted?

Actually, it sounds like you are just not strong enough.. If you can't do it against the wall you need more strength..

http://drillsandskills.com/article/19 Bottom of the article. You can either pike your hips or lean your body diagonally.

Again mastering the ability to go from HS to Headstand to Handstand or Headstand to Handstand to Headstand is crucial to the freestanding HSPU.

Thanks guys. I'll be practicing this more often.