Oct/080
Yoga Arm Balances
Yesterday morning, I decided to do something a little different from my normal morning routine, which involves spending some time upside down.
I had come across this yoga video of some fairly advanced stuff including a few arm balances. So I popped it in the player and did my best to follow along.
I’d like to think I did fairly well considering I don’t actually do yoga and this was an advanced program. But there was a number of skills I could not do, mostly involving flexibility.
The lotus position, forget it. And doing it in a handstand was way beyond my level.
But I picked up some interesting moves I hadn’t done before. Not to mention the video helped me to identify a few weak points.
Try this one out. Its similar to a frogstand except both your legs are going to be to one side. So bend your elbows, put both legs to the outside of one knee and lift up onto your hands with the legs stacked on top of each other resting on the knee.
From here, drop your head to the ground and press from this side position up into a headstand.
Its just one move that stood out to me. Give it a try and see if you can do it.
The point is that you should look outside your discipline at many things similar but also far different. For hand balancing you’ve got gymnastics, capoeira, yoga, break dancing, parkour and more.
It can help you change it up and look your practice through some different eyes.
Anyone coming from a gymnastics background can learn a lot from the origins of hand balancing. That’s why getting The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing can show you tons of moves you‘ve never even thought of doing.
And maybe in the future I’ll find some more resources to further help you branch out.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Do you have your costume ready for Halloween? Just finished mine and I’m pleased with the results. I’ll try to snap a few pictures tomorrow and post them on the blog. Whether I can manage a handstand in it or not, is debatable
Oct/080
Strength, Disrespect and Fear
Going to answer a few more questions today.
“I can do a handstand for about 15 seconds now and I can also walk on my hands a bit thanks to this website but when I try to press into a handstand my arms die on me. is they any good exercises that will help me build up to a handstand press. btw this site rules lol”
Mellon
First off your welcome for the help. It really doesn’t take much strength to balance on the hands, but pressing up into a handstand is another matter. And of course, the amount of strength you need depends on the type of press you’re doing.
There are several ways to build up your strength. Really any manner of pressing. Any exercise that strengthens your arms and shoulders can be beneficial.
It’s a good idea to make sure you are strong enough before really working on the skills of doing handstand presses. If your max is somewhere around your weight you aren’t going to get much practice as you’ll be too fatigued.
“Well, I’ve been following your videos for a little while, particularly the handstand videos. The video to learn to do a handstand was what got me started and I’ve been doing them since. “Unfortunately, I don’t understand why, but I get a lot of disrespect when I do them in public places (I.E. School (High School Senior)), but I’m still sticking to them proudly. Handstands for life, thanks for ultimately opening me up to the art of them!”
Greggory
Yeah, kids can be cruel. But don’t worry about what others think. After all is said and done, they’ll likely be jealous of the skills you’ve gained from your practice.
“How can you do a handstand if your scared.”
Quade
Get over the fear. How do you get over the fear? it’s a matter of working at it step-by-step doing easier skills until you feel comfortable with the handstand.
That’s why I created the Secrets of the Handstand Quickstart Guide. To give you the lead-up stunts that will build your abilities so that you can handle the handstand.
I didn’t think of it before but these same skills are going to get you comfortable being upside down and ease your way up to the handstand.
Often times its just a matter of doing it. I was at the beach the other day and decided to do some backflips which I hadn’t done in over a month. That period of time had made me a little rusty and brought back a bit of fear in me.
What did I do? I warmed up with a few back handsprings and other drills then moved on to the back flips. No problem after that.
And if you want to find out more about these and other tumbling drills get your copy of Tumbling Illustrated.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Oct/080
Free Movement and Complete Control
Free to move and in control.
Isn’t that what hand balancing and all acrobatics is all about? Being able to move your body in any which way and having complete control.
Capable of hopping onto your hands and shifting one way or another, posting on a single hand then coming down to your feet only when you want to.
What separates the amateur from the pro is having charge of all movement and making it look easy.
I’m always on the lookout for anything that can help give me an edge and also to make life more enjoyable.
One piece of training that too many people neglect is mobility. The issue isn’t flexibility. The issue is being able to move each joint individually through a range of motion that it is SUPPOSE to be able to go through without hurting or stiffness.
This is the key to longevity. To living without aches and pains. And at the same time it will make you a better athlete more capable to handle your challenges.
Many people are familiar with some level of this training whether it was done for a warm-up back in school for physical education or some sports. Simple things like arm or ankle circles. Turning the head from side to side and the like.
But those most basic moves, if they’re done at all are not the complete picture. Too many joints are neglected. The mid-back, pelvis and individual fingers are just a few examples.
And like anything else mobility practice should be progressive. You gain better control by adding complexity to the movement.
To learn more about gaining control of your body and movement check this out.
If you have issues with your hands, shoulders or back this could be the one thing that helps you take back your body.
The newly-released book Free to Flow will guide you through the starting movements up to complex waves, diagonal infinities and clovers for each part of the body.
And it’ll give you much else. You can get this 390-page book right now for only $34.95.
Consider it an investment in your health and as a way to improve your performance whether in sports, martial arts, hand balancing, or just about anything else.
Click here to find out more about Free to Flow
Sincerely,
Logan Christopher
P.S. I don’t often make recommendations of other people’s products but when I do you know its good. Considering what this book can do for you I think it’s a steal at the current price. Click to read more about it including Sonnon’s amazing story.
Oct/080
Joe Nordquest
Joe Nordquest was a classic strongman back in the early part of last century. He was the brother of ‘The Young Sandow’ Alfred Nordquest.
Here are some of his hand balancing exploits. From Klein’s Bell in November of 1931:
Joe Nordquest performed a one hand stand and with the free hand lifted a 100 pound dumb bell off the floor and held the balance. He also has on numerous occasions done 28-30 hand stand press ups in succession on the floor.
From David Willoughby’s The Super Athletes:
He later put on some weight moving up from 168 pounds to 190. Even at this size he was capable of jumping off a 30 inch table onto the floor while staying in a handstand.
Here he is pictured pressing 388 in the shoulder bridge. This was before the bench press ever came to be. You think his success and strength in hand balancing helped him get to this level?
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Oct/080
Straight Arm Press Tips
Time to answer some of your questions again. What with the new site and new releases I’ve let some of these pile up.
Here’s two asking the same thing.
“How do you do a lever up handstand. Starting feet on floor in straddle. Used to be able to do it when I was training 10 years ago-but even then it was a struggle & a skill I lost quickly. There’s got to be a technique I’m missing. can lever down but not up from feet on floor. Wait to hear…”
Chrissie
“I would like to learn how to go into a handstand the way gymnasts usually do by leaning over the hands with legs straight until the feet lift off and the legs hang then lifting up the legs into a sort of planche then straight up. Can you do this and what would be the stages in learning it? Surprisingly, I couldn’t find any information on this on the site.”
Ross
Thanks for asking. With a bit of different language both these questions are asking about the same thing. And that is the straight arm press.
It will be easier if the legs are straddled, but once that becomes easy you can keep them together in the pike position.
This move not only takes strength in the arms, shoulders and abs but a big degree of flexibility as well. You have to get the center of you mass over your hands if you want to have any chance of succeeding. This means your shoulders will come far over your hands.
Chrissie was on to something when she said she could lower down. Work the negative, staying under control and soon you’ll be able to lift up into the handstand.
Another way is to hold a Jack-Knife handstand. When you can hold this position low pressing up into the handstand should be no problem.
Some people have no problem doing this move. Others will have to do tons of work to get it based on there body leverages. If you fall into the later group just keep at it. A bunch of negatives, holds, and isometrics will get you there faster.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
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