Handstand Challenge

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  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Thanks, all!
    Nice practice, @rodmelching !

    13 Jun – 5 minutes wrist exercises, 1 minute headstand bending one knee then the other

    Still recovering from Sunday and being cautious.

    I'm finding that being on all fours and putting my weight on my hands feels like it'll really help. I rock from side to side so one arm and different parts of the hands gets strengthened. I also put as much weight on the fingers as I can, and sometimes hold my forward weight with the base of my palms lifted. I also put my hands pointing outward or turned backwards. So many different parts of the wrist and hands can feel it.
  • Tallawah_
    Tallawah_ Posts: 2,470 Member
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    I'm in! I've been meaning to get back into this...can only hold for a few secoonds at the moment... :smile:
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    I thinkI wrists is probably one of the trickiest bits to master with handstands. I learnt a neat trick in handstand to help with sore wrists. Basically you do a squat but you tuck your wrists into your knee pits and squeeze your forearms/wrists and it gives a lot of relief.

    Excellent handstand for class for me tonight which made me happy. My teacher says that i am a natural at the straddle press handstand so I need to focus on that one which is an exciting goal to work towards

    And I bought a cool new handstand t-shirt :) (apologies to friends for the double up pic)

    nodaqos3al69.jpg
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    @TiisTitanium that is an awesome shirt
  • Tallawah_
    Tallawah_ Posts: 2,470 Member
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    mbaker566 wrote: »
    @TiisTitanium that is an awesome shirt

    Hear hear!!! :lol:
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Handstand practice
    01 Jun – 5 minutes wall drills
    02 Jun – 5 minutes wall drills
    03 Jun – 4 minutes wall drills + 1 minute of Crow poses
    04 Jun – 5 minutes wrist/arm/shoulder exercises
    05 Jun - 5 minutes - headstand, Crow, wrist strengthening
    06 Jun – 5 minutes – Crow, planks, Firefly, wrist strengthening
    07 Jun – 5 minutes wrist exercises, 38 second headstand
    08 Jun – 5 minutes wrist exercises, 1 minute headstand
    09 Jun – 5 minutes wrist exercises, 40 second headstand
    10 Jun – 5 minutes wrist exercises, 39 second headstand – then a 50 km run
    11 Jun - 5 minutes wrist exercises
    12 Jun - 5 minutes wrist exercises, headstand, and planking
    13 Jun – 5 minutes wrist exercises, 1 minute headstand
    14 Jun – 5 minutes inc planking, 5 second handstand

    Exercises today included downward dog with my fingertips holding my forward weight.

    Also did my first handstand practice since before my 50 km run, and held a handstand for 5 seconds.
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    deviette wrote: »
    Hi all, been stalking this thread and decided to actually join in! I used to be so good at handstands when I did gymnastics as a kid, but since spraining my wrist, I don't find them as easy anymore. Time to work back to them :smile:

    Hello @deviette Can't wait to hear about your progress :smiley:

    @Contrary_MaryM - cuteness overload

  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    lol. i went to do crow and my brain said tripod. and smacked my head on the carpet.
    i'm fine.
    i tried some kick ups and some straddle ups with middling success

    i don't think i like headstands. my neck is not a fan
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    That is SO adorable @ContraryMaryMary.

    @mbaker566 - how about the kind where your hands are clasped behind your head? I don't know what it's called. but it allows you take more weight off of your head and you push through the forearms.

    I did handstand practice today after lifting. Facing wall holds, straddle practice against the wall and kick up practice. I've found I have a little more control kicking up with my non-dominant leg because I don't kick up as hard.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    from the forearms? yup, neck isn't happy. i used to be able to tripod for a long time. i'll need to keep working on it since i want to be able to do scorpions and such
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    I had to Google tripod headstands. LOL, that's what I've always done. :blush: I should practice the forearm ones more often for general arm balance practice, but the tripod ones help me with handstands.

    15 Jun – 5 minutes handstand wall drills inc 6 second handstand

    I think I was doing "kick ups", if that's when you start with your hands already on the ground.

    I feel like I've definitely improved already thanks to this challenge! You guys are so great.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Today's handstand practice.

    https://youtu.be/UXFQZTWeZ_A
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    @Orphia - looking good. If you can, try and think about squeezing your legs together. It helps keep everything tight and upright and easier to stay vertical in the air longer.

    By the time I got around to handstand practice it had been a busy day of exercise and I was tired and I couldn't get rid of my wonky lean which a characteristic of me being too tired and relying on my stronger side.

    pdn5gd0b1uoo.jpg

    I am tempted to try an do practice earlier in the day tomorrow when i haven't been doing aerial related stuff - maybe as a post yoga activity as that way I am warmed up and sort of flexy (well as flexy as I get).
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    edited June 2018
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    9 second handstand!!! (16 second video) Yay me!

    https://youtu.be/G97ZoMJ7KeE

    I watched a video yesterday and it said to hold core, butt, etc tight, like balancing a spoon upright on your hand. You can't balance a sock upright.

    You were right, TT, that's what I needed to do.
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,656 Member
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    Orphia wrote: »
    I watched a video yesterday and it said to hold core, butt, etc tight, like balancing a spoon upright on your hand. You can't balance a sock upright.

    That would be the video I watched that told me to put the weight under my knuckles. Still working on that as it requires more flexibility in the wrists than resting on the heels of the hands.

    Yoga yesterday which was full of handstand prep stuff - wrist work and kick up work, but no actual handstands. Got some great warm up ideas from it which will be put into use!
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    Glad it helped @Orphia

    The handstand prep work is just as useful as handstand practice itself. Well that is what we spend most of the time doing in the handstand classes I attend. Most of it is about working on correct body shape and strengthening areas so when you get in the air it is easier.

    Just a quick practice today as Sunday is one of my busy exercise days so just spent time working on hollowback rather than simple stands as I like to see if my back flexibility is improving (which is seems to be - hooray)
  • Tallawah_
    Tallawah_ Posts: 2,470 Member
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    Today's effort....I know it's not pretty! :grimace:

    6f8hjvdctj5n.jpg
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    On my phone and typing is annoying.

    Did a few good holds today.

    https://youtu.be/aw0Vmm7xiNc

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