Handstand 'ah ha' moments

That's a great idea.

Paradox said:

This might sound a bit silly, but my biggest "ah ha" handstand moment was realizing that as soon as my hands touch down to the ground, my first priority before anything should be getting my legs up into the correct position. Every time I go into a handstand, the only thing running through my mind at first is "get your legs up, get your legs up, get your legs up!!!"

Too often in the beginning of my handstand journey, I would just rely on momentum to carry my legs into position. If it wasn't enough, I fell back and if it was too much I fell forwards. So my big secret is use your STRENGTH to carry your legs into position and make this the first priority. When I figured this out, it took me from seldom 1 second handstands to occasional 2-3 seconds to frequent 3-4 seconds within just two days.

This. Now I see the kick to handstand more as an momentum-assisted press handstand, if you get the idea.

I'm in the problem with the kick up, is, probably the thing that is taking me apart from my goal of free HS haha...

Really, i'm having some troubles with kicking up...

But i know there's only one thing to improve that: Practise =)

Good tread!

Great information =)

I just had 2 AH HA! moments today with handstands. First was to keep your legs stiff and straight up! I always let them go loose so they would be ready to catch me if I fell but now I am just going to keep them stiff and straight and be better with my reflexes when I fall. The second was when I was in the handstand I retracted my shoulder blades a bit and I guess this is what everyone talks about when saying you should have open shoulders because it all of a sudden took away a hell of a lot of effort for me to stay there. The only problem with number 2 is I forgot the first thing as soon as I focused on the open shoulders soo it was easy to hold but wobbly where as when I focus on the first thing it is solid but requires far more strength. If only I could focus on both things at once..... I think I will go practice them some more now.... =D

ausswe said:

I just had 2 AH HA! moments today with handstands. First was to keep your legs stiff and straight up! I always let them go loose so they would be ready to catch me if I fell but now I am just going to keep them stiff and straight and be better with my reflexes when I fall. The second was when I was in the handstand I retracted my shoulder blades a bit and I guess this is what everyone talks about when saying you should have open shoulders because it all of a sudden took away a hell of a lot of effort for me to stay there. The only problem with number 2 is I forgot the first thing as soon as I focused on the open shoulders soo it was easy to hold but wobbly where as when I focus on the first thing it is solid but requires far more strength. If only I could focus on both things at once..... I think I will go practice them some more now.... =D

Retract your shoulder blades? Do you mean that you are still protracted but not as much as before? It's good handstand form to maintain a slight protraction.

I was always under the impression shoulders should be pretty neutral if you protract them wouldn't that pull them out of alignment with the hips? Anyway not sure how retracted they are but I pulled them back a bit from where they were and the second I did that I felt really solid. When they were protracted I felt less stable and was leaning forward a bit.