Still struggling with your handstand entry? Check out these important tips????????‍♂️

Still struggling with your handstand entry? Check out these important tips????????‍♂️

Intro

Once you’ve spent adequate time working on the foundations as it relates to handstands (i.e mobility, core & mid back strength, body positioning, learning how to be stacked & improve body awareness), it’s then time to start practicing your entry into handstand.

This is the skill that separates the prepared from the unprepared, the confident from the unconfident and strong from the weak!

It’s very important you spend the time filling in the gaps and working on the basics before kicking straight into the end product. Don’t forget that the entry is one the last stages of your handstand journey).

How you enter the handstand is integral to your success in mastering the skill

Based on my coaching experience with adults (which stems from the gymnastics strength classes, workshops & personal training i offer) the single leg kick to handstand is the one exercise that always reveals so much about a person in terms of what preparation they’ve worked on prior and what their experience is. The entry to handstand is challenging and needs to be respected!

When mastering the handstand there are so many things to think about (technique related) and work on (mobility, strength & drills) that help you significantly on your journey to mastering the handstand.

On top of that, you then need to control various emotions like remaining calm, being patient and staying confident with what your body is doing in space!

This can all be very overwhelming and hence what makes the handstand such an amazing skill to learn because it truly is a journey to learning what your body is truly capable of doing! It also requires very little equipment and can be done at home!

Key cues to think about when kicking to handstand against the wall

  • Start your handstand like you’d finish (i.e when standing on your feet and about to step kick) . If you start with your arms bent & wider than shoulder width, body loose, chest out and a little lunge (all the wrong things), then you’re simply setting yourself up for failure! Adopt good form from the moment you think of stepping.
  • Learn to lunge!! When it comes to handstands, many people forget how to do a nice long lunge and actually bend the front leg. Instead their lunge stance is very narrow and the front leg straight!
  • The pendulum analogy? As your arms lower to the floor your leg should simultaneously be kicking up towards the handstand so your body remains in a nice straight line as demonstrated in the video.
  • Push through the floor with your hands! Once your hands do touch the floor you need to immediately think of push your feet to the roof so you’re nice and tall. This controls your speed and slows you down so you can get nice and stacked!
  • One leg at a time! There is no rush at all to get both legs up into a handstand hold! Just one at a time! Make sure to split the legs and only bring the other leg together once you feel balanced and controlled once you hit the handstand position after your entry.

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