Handstand Entrance: Bunny Hop Drill vs. The Single Leg Kick to Handstand

Handstand Entrance: Bunny Hop Drill vs. The Single Leg Kick to Handstand

In previous blog articles I’ve talked about why the handstand entrance is so important and how it ultimately sets you up for success or failure when doing free standing handstands.

Context:

As humans, we’ve evolved to move on our feet as we were created to exist on this planet as hunters and gatherers. Hence being able to run on our legs and throw something with our arms is what we genetically know best and are comfortable with!

So when it comes to ‘getting’ up side down into a handstand, it’s only through natural instincts that we seem to rely more on our legs to do the work and not our arms (again i’m referring to the entry to handstand here). Many people are able to get up to the wall to do a handstand but there’s always a big question mark on the ‘HOW’.

Bunny hop vs the Single Leg Kick to handstand

Over the last 10+ years of teaching adults gymnastics as well as running several handstand classes on a weekly basis, you very quickly come to realise what people struggle with and what they lack confidence in as it pertains to handstands.

Trying to be efficient with the entrance to handstand is certainly the biggest hurdle for many participants. For some it might be a lack of strength or sufficient mobility, and for many others it comes down to technique via coaching and practice which ultimately helps you with confidence!!!

Don’t let all your good handstand specific strength training (done against the wall and on the floor) go to waste when you kick up to handstand. Because don’t forget – how you enter the handstand (away from the wall that is) will reflect your handstand efficiency and success in holding it.

This is where the bunny hop drill really comes in handy (and we break this right down in my upcoming 6 Week Online Handstand Course). The bunny hop teaches you to lean and push through the floor (using only your arms and a little jump) whilst keeping both feet together. This drill always throws a spanner in the works for many people, because the natural instinct to kick up with one leg keeps getting in the way! Your brain simply doesn’t trust your body and hence you keep breaking shape to bail out of the skill prematurely.

Keep practicing this move against the wall and make sure you can nail it! The 2 feet entrance really helps you understand how to control your handstand and slow things down (by using the correct part of your body). So when you go back to the single leg kick to handstand, there won’t be any need to rush your handstands – which will begin to become more consistent.

This means more time upside down and less time trying to kick up to the handstand (in order to hold it) – that’s the end goal for the handstand journey (don’t forget!!).

Check out the tutorial video which provides you with a sneak peak into my ‘6 Week Online Handstand Course’ , which i’ll be launching within the next 7 days – VERY EXCITING!! I have just uploaded over 120 videos and spent a-lot of time breaking drills and skills down further (in order to assist you all).

6 Week Online Handstand Course – Less than 7 Days Now

Make sure to register your interest so you can keep up to date with the launch and get the special 25% launch discount!

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