Started by peregrine, August 13, 2012 · 3 Replies · 2,139 Views
What's the maximum length of time to hold (walled) handstands for a 5yo?
I'm concerned about the growth plates.
Right now we're doing 2-3 100count wall handstands 2-3x a week.
I played a bit with 1 arm holds for 5-10count.
My primary reason for the handstands are for shoulder stability, strength and inversion for martial arts.
100 count at a time which would be 1m40s seems a bit long for a 5yo. I'm not sure I've ever had a 5yo that could do one that long on the wall or would want to for that matter. I'm sure I've a had a few beast 5yo who maybe could do it but I rarely test them at that age for anything that long.
I'm not opposed to doing it that long, especially if they wanted to, but I wouldn't mandate it.
2-3 would be 3m+ to 5m of volume. It might be a lot to handle for a little guy to ramp up to. Maybe if they had been training for a couple of years. Still sounds like too much.
I guess it depends on what he could do for as his max time. I would need to know that before I figured out what I wanted him to hold for each set and how many and total volume.
Don't brutalize the kid, he should be having fun at that stage. This is just my American POV, especially as he is not in an elite program or the Shaolin temple.
Growth plate injuries can occur from chronic overuse. As in too much, too soon. Get my point?!
That is why I would almost prefer using something along the lines of a SteadyStateCycle for HS, especially at 5. I would probably do more than just 60s of volume. Again depends on max hold time.
One of the critical things is to have them only hold a HS at an angle they can manage. 45 degrees above horizontal, so is 30. No need for them to basically be at near vertical. Commonly you'll see them have form breaks in their core. Archy backs, which sometimes they may even complain about.
Thanks for the reply.
I actually view hs more of a static hold and movements like cartwheels and burpees more traumatizing due to the dynamic nature required and chronic impact taken by the arms...wrists, elbows, shoulders. From Yessis old books on Russian training prior to plyometrics Russian athletes were required to have a minimum level of strength like 1.5x bw barbell squat so that the cns, musculature and other were not damaged doing such intensive work. Thus my view of hs being less traumatizing on one's structure.
The 100count, is about 45sec as he is counting and counts fairly rapid. He does enjoy it, so I do have to reign his amount of gymnastics in and where he does it. ie- cartwheeling in the grocery store.
What is 3m+ in your post? is that 3 months?
He has been doing walled hs for 1yr plus 2-3x week. I have kept the number of a single rep under 120, 2-4sets of 40-120count hs.
3m+ means 3 minutes +
yeah 45s (seconds) sounds reasonable.
cartwheels aren't very traumatizing...however round-offs do have a lot of impact on the wrists.