Best Way To First Learn A Handstand

[Gianni Trook]

hey guys I'm curious is it better to learn your handstand with the assistance of a wall or is it better to just start unsupported? Also is it better to learn to balance your handstand with an arch when learning then try to straighten it out or just go for straight handstand right from the get go? 

[Daniel Burnham]

Moderators: Other post seems to be a duplicate so I have moved my response to this thread.

 

Assistance of a wall is better than just trying to jump into it.  It would be frustrating to do it unsupported.  I also really like spotted handstands with a partner.  Wall is important because you can work on body line and get it locked down before moving to free.

 

Perfect practice makes perfect.  If you arch when you practice it will be harder to alter the bodyline later.  You can even work the line on the floor before you move to the wall.  Its ok to have some arch when you first jump into it if you cannot help it, but this should go away.  I walk up the wall with my stomach towards is and keep a correct bodyline while just opening the shoulders as I move up.  This helps me feel the position and get into it without arching.

[Joshua Naterman]

  I walk up the wall with my stomach towards is and keep a correct bodyline while just opening the shoulders as I move up.  This helps me feel the position and get into it without arching.

 

For the record, this is a lot harder than it sounds.

 

Don't be surprised when, despite your best efforts, this does not happen perfectly... it will come with time and constant effort that is focused on being as perfect as possible for you in each moment. Never allow yourself to relax or accept an arch, always fight it.

[Mats Trane]

Work stomach against the wall alot. Build up strenght so that in the future you can work on handstands 5 days a week or more.

In my experience handstand is an every day thing. BUT work also work ALOT on wrist prehab, shoulder flexibility, hollowholds etc.

When working handstands against the wall try to "feel" your body. Video yourself alot so you can see what you are doing and correct it right away.

[Timothy Aiken]

I second what Joshua said. Walking up the wall while maintaining perfect body position gets VERY hard once you near the full handstand. Maybe this is just my 1.5 year of arched handstands and mildly tight shoulders showing, but still, that drill is hard. It is great also. After two weeks of doing it I am noticing lots of improvement. 

[emos]

The only people I've ever seen get a decent handstand by going straight to free-standing* were naturally heavily muscled, short, short-legged/long-torso'd chaps who were just meant to do handstands. They had the strength, anatomy and awareness to develop a decent line without going through a long process with the other training described above. I'd say it's worth having a go, at least, but only a few sessions - too short a time to ingrain any bad habits but long enough to find out if you've "got it". If not (and you probably haven't), forget them for quite a while until you're way stronger all over.

 

 

 

*Come to think of it, they're the only people I've seen get a decent handstand at all

[Josh Binding]

So whats the difference between front against the wall and back against the wall accept the obvious. I have been kicking up into HS's for my static position work, should I start over and do them with stomach against the wall instead.

[Daniel Burnham]

Back to wall doesn't allow you to focus on the correct body line.  You will have an arch in the back as you put your feet on the wall.  Stomach agains the wall allows you to straighten the body as you get your hands closer to the wall, which also indicates more open shoulders.  

Back to the wall can be used just to get people used to standing on their hands, which I've found adults have a very difficult time doing for the first time, but you should not try to learn the handstand in this position because of the bad body line that it creates.

[Josh Binding]

Ah ok i get it, luckily im fairly new to GB training and the HS work I have done so far has been in a door frame so I have been able to avoid the arching, or at least the pictures I have got don't look like im arching, but will switch it to belly against the wall, though I will have to walk out and in of every hold as there isn't much room to roll out at home.

[Daniel Burnham]

 I will have to walk out and in of every hold as there isn't much room to roll out at home.

I have the same problem at home.  It gets annoying, but progress will be greater.

[SebKent]

I was making no progress with handstands until I made myself do four to six belly-to-wall handstands at the beginning of every session, for as long as I could stand it, walking my hands in and out of the handstand. Only after completing those would I proceed to alternating back-to-wall with belly-to-wall handstands (if I still had any strength left). 

It was very challenging at first, but it taught me how to load the body weight on the shoulders, maintain the correct position and build some strength. Now I am feeling much more comfortably balanced, and can hold everything longer.

You will see that keeping the correct body line makes a big difference.