Wall Runs, Handstands, etc 2011

I've been at this for a little more than a year now and time for some refining via the Digital Coach. These clips below are of a recent day from the gym. The short wall run clip is just a sample. It was toward the end of the training day so I was a bit gassed at the time but better to show any shortcomings. Ditto for the handstands. I hadn't really, up to now, filmed myself so it was somewhat eye-opening to see my form lacking as it is. I am seriously working on straight alighnment and pushing my arms to my ears and a good hollow but I see I have a ways to go. Thanks for any input...

Wall Runs:

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Handstand (head on):

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Handstand (sideview):

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First thing I noticed right off the rip is that you were continually unlocking your elbows as a means of balancing. Don't do that. Elbows should be locked out like you are doing a ring handstand or a ring support. You are arching alot in your HS. This due to your shoulder angle not being open and your lower body not being tensed properly. When you kick up and get steady, try to bring your ears to your shoulders. This will feel like you are going to fall out of your handstand but you are actually straightening your upper body. For the lower body arching, work on pointing your toes hard so that your quads are flexed TIGHT. Also clench your butt cheeks TIGHT. Your abs should be somewhat flexed as well. This will fix the arch. Remember try to elminate any hip angle movement, strive to do all your balancing with your hands. Also acceptable to balance by opening and closing your shoulder angle (planching movement) if you can't get it stabilized with your hands, but not preferred and once you are balanced open them all the way back up. Don't bend your elbows, and try to balance on the ball and the palm of your hands, using your fingers only when you need them. Hope that helps.

Thanks Eddie, enormously helpful. Yesterday, I performed a set of wall runs and used some of your suggestions. Already could feel a difference in alignment. Previously, I had been holding my body off the wall (you can see this in the first video above where my toes are straight into the wall). This led to an overarch for sure. So yesterday I pointed my toes and clenched my butt to really straighten my body against the wall. I felt it went well and I could definately sense the alignment changes.

nb: I can't express enough my gratitude for the help given here. Since I'm the only one at my gym doing any type of GB work it's impossible to get feedback from anyone there. They just think I'm the crazy guy doing handstands...

Feet together during wallruns. Try not to shake your booty so much.

Learn to pelvic tilt. Open shoulders more up. Work on shoulder mobility if that's all you have. You may be able to flatten out your back during a handstand if you go wider than shoulder width in hand placement. It's not ideal, but it may solve problem of closed shoulders.

You are definitely a member of the banana club. I should know, i'm the president, but working hard to get out of it!

There has already been a lot of good advice, two supplementary exercise that help me with the hollow are the hollow hold and the strap maltese hold. (Thats two straps attached to the uprights of a weight lifting bench, or anything similar, hold hands in maltese position with elbows locked, hollow and lean forward as far as possible, i find this really wakes wakes up the core and back)

Of course some shoulder opening work will also help, down dog or wall dog are good shoulder openers.

I thought I would post some of my HS work on the rings. This was really the first I've video'd of myself also on the rings and pretty shocking, lol. I persist with the rings because I feel like it really helps me work on the "push". Eventually, I suppose I'll get to the open shoulders and my arms will straighten out... I should say that I look a bit wobbly but I feel like my balance isn't too bad. I can hold it with my feet inside the straps and toes pointed for a decent amount of time. Thanks again for any insight or commentary.

Frontview:

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Sideview:

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And some HS ring pushups though I laugh at how small the ROM is when it feels huge when I'm doing it:

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nb: the last video shows the obvious difference in pushing strength between my right and left side.

Two weeks on and another video. In this one you can see how close the rings are to the floor and how I use my fingers initially to prevent spin and swing. I was going for a bit of extended time so it helps to be somewhat stationary. It also easier, obviously, to kickup if the rings are closer to the floor.

During the workout I moved the rings a few inches higher and took another video. I have been practicing HS on the cubes kicking up from the floor which requires a press to HS so this has helped as I move the rings higher.

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Sideview with rings raised. A bit more effort to get into the HS and also a bit of swing/twist.

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And as an added bonus, today only: L-sit rings from the side. Mostly to amuse myself and see how my alignment is. I'm not too unhappy with what I see here, I just need more endurance...

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Great effort!

On rings (as on floor) you have to lock elbow completely, and you are moving the rings inside. You have to do the oposite rings turn out (like a support), if you cant, at least the rings should be parallel to each other. But first try to extend those elbows and you will control the handstand with the shoulder not with triceps/shoulders.

Of course everything i've told you makes the exercise a LOT harder :twisted: