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Started by Ian Legrow, December 1, 2012 · 8 Replies · 2,771 Views
I ahve been working on my one armed HS for 5 months steadily. Its a lot of fun, however sometimes i like to try new things. I am practicing contortion. So i figured today for fun i would try these. These are my first attempts at both of these. I was pretty happy with them. Not amazing, but its my first time doing either of them so i was happy with them. Let me know what ya think!
-Ian
Nice. I think you meant "Arched Handstand" for the second one.
Looks like you are working your spine in the right way, so it's not just lower back. Just need to work on overall spinal flexibility.
I never tried doing these straddle but I think straddle will make it more difficult to fully extend the spine, see how it feels with legs together.
when you go into the mexican handstand, try doing a piked straddle, open the chest and shoulders, then open the hips
In general you need to stretch your shoulders and thoracic spine a lot more for a good mexican. Feet elevated bridge will be very helpful here
Yeah, shoulders and upper back flexibility will give the Mexican its particular shape. You're doing right when you push your shoulders passed your hands, that's how you do it. In my case, I did it with a straight body on my first attempts, and I used a gymnastics bridge (like my coaches taught me to practice my bridge in gymnastics) to stretch my upper back and shoulders. In that style of bridge, the legs and arms are straight, and you try to push your shoulders passed your hands. Also, body levers and dragon flags might help you to strengthen a little bit a movement similar (but nevertheless different) to the one you use to control the Mexican HS.
It's always awesome to see your progress Ian - knowing that you started at essentially the same place that I'm starting from always gives me motivation! Keep posting these progress videos!
Thank you everyone. I am practicing contortion, so the progress will be slow. I seperated my right shoulder and never got it fixed three years ago, so that is hindering me a tiny bit. But i will definitely let y'all know how i am doing.
-Yuri what do you mean piked straddle? i can't picture that.
thanks y'all!
-Ian
He meant, while doing a Mexican, pike and straddle at the same time. You know, the difference between straddle with no angle in your hips and straddle with closed hips? That's what he means, but with back arched and shoulders as open as you can. I'm pretty sure I've also seen Yuval Ayalon practicing his doing an arched tuck handstand, and then straightening his legs in a pike while keeping his back arched.
Piked straddle: think pancake.