Jun/090
Overbalancing in the Forearm Stand
This question comes from Fady.
“Hi Logan, hope you’re doing fine, actually I’m facing some overbalancing problems when trying to make elbow stand I find myself falling to a bridge no matter how hard I pressed with my fingers or trying stretching my legs and back.
“Actually I’m good at HS against wall, also balance good on frog stand and can save underbalanced HS pretty well (when I’m against wall), also I think I have a flexible back (I can make wrestler bridge and make my chin touch the floor)
“But I think I’m facing overbalancing problems, do you think that this could be due to my back strength lagging my flexibility? plz advice?”
My guess is that because of your great flexibility your legs and feet hang too far over in the forearm stand. This is what causes you to overbalance and land in a bridge.
Here’s two things you can do to correct this issue. First off, attempt to straighten your back. Don’t allow your legs to extend to far past. Instead try to reach up and stay tall.
The other thing to try is to do the forearm stand in front of a wall just like you would a handstand. By using the wall just as much as possible you can work your balancing and, of course, it’ll stop you from overbalancing.
Working these two methods you should be able find the balance.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
P.S. For more tips on the forearm stand be sure to check out the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.
Jun/090
Tuck Planche Training
“Hey, I’ve been working on my planche and I went from the frogstand to the tuck planche and I’m kinda stuck there, so anything you got to help would be appreciated.”
Mike
Without seeing a picture or video I can’t tell exactly how your tuck planche is looking. But most people when they first do the move, its challenge enough just to raise the body off of the ground with straight arms.
But once that becomes easy the next objective is start moving towards a real planche position. Of course, this needs to be done in small steps. The first one is to keep your back straight.
Then you need to raise your hips. You want to get them on level with your shoulders. And this involves leaning forward to where the shoulders pass over the hands.
This is a great progression to follow to work on the planche. Combined with a few other planche training moves you’ll eventually get there.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
P.S. For more on training the planche be sure to check out The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing.
Jun/090
How to do the Frogstand Press
There’s a new article up on the site. This one covers how to do the Frogstand Press and it has a video too.
Go check it out now.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Jun/090
Damien Walters
Meet Damien Walters, one of the very best acrobats in the world. Combining tricking, parkour, trampolining, free running, and all manner of acrobatics along with a big dose of creativity.
This guy knows how to practice and get good.
If you want to get started tumbling like Damien can you got lots of practice ahead of you. But let me recommend something to set you in the right direction – Tumbling Illustrated and the Parkour Tutorial DVD.
Jun/090
How to do a One Hand Handstand Against Wall
“How to do a one hand hand-stand? I can do a two handed hand-stand on the wall(to keep balance) but when I lift one hand away I fall, any tips?”
Sisi
The first time I did a one handed handstand against the wall I used a corner where to walls meet. This makes it easier to balance as you can press into the sides.
The one hand handstand even with a wall takes a strong core plus coordination. Make it easier by spreading the legs out wide. Make it harder by keeping them together.
And another tip is to not lift your hand instantly off of the ground. Instead as you shift more and more of your weight onto the one hand start using the other less.
So there you have three tips on doing the one hand handstand against the wall.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Jun/090
Kicking Up into a Handstand Problems
“Okay, so I have been trying for about 3 weeks to learn how to do a handstand. I often psych myself out and end up stopping. And then when I [sometimes] go to kick up, one leg will stay down then when I go to pull it up it bends and I loose my balance. Any help?”
Shelby
“As I go into a handstand I get one of my legs right up but cant seem to bring the other leg up far enough and then drop back down any advice???”
Ami
Its sounds like there are some troubles kicking-up into the handstand position. The first thing I’d say to do is to get out of the open and go to a wall.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The freestanding handstand is too difficult to jump right into. You should practice several easier skills before going at it. Check out the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.
If you can kick up against the wall without problems all you have to do is recreate it out in the open. Fine tune your kick-up so that you kick hard enough to get both legs up but not so hard that you go over.
And it you want more you can check out this recent video on kicking up into a handstand against the wall
And this one on kicking up into a handstand out in the open
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
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