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Science of Head Balancing Coming Soon

By admin on July 20, 2011 in Head Balancing

I want everyone here to thank Rick Schwarz.

He sent me a copy of a book I’ve been long looking for. The Science of Head Balancing by Professor Paulinetti and Bob Jones.

Head Balance Back when I found that original copy of The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing by Paulinetti and Jones, I also saw that they had a book on head balancing. At the time I wasn’t that interested in it, just in learning handstands, so I passed on it. Unfortunately since that time I’ve look for it everywhere I could but to no avail.

But then out of the blue Rick sent me a xeroxed copy of it. It’s much, much shorter then the hand balancing book and unfortunately the picture quality is quite poor. However the information is great.

And you know what? I’m going to put it up on the site for FREE. No strings attached. I just need to retype the work and scan the pictures in.

There are three sections:

The Science of Head Balancing
Head to Head Balancing
The Head Balancing Trapeze

Most people will be interested in just the first part but I’ll put up all three.

Good Luck and Good Head Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. To get you started here is the foreward by Bob Jones

*********************

Forward

The First Two Chapters of this works, on solo and head-to-head balancing, were published by Professor Paulinetti in 1929; that edition is now exhausted (April, 1943) and in reprinting it I am presuming upon myself to add a few words in a place or two, and to supplant his original line drawing illustrations (made from photographs which I took under his supervision) with those actual photographs in figures 12-13-14-15 and to pose for illustrations for the first ten positions (four of which are additions to the original course). Again, thanks to the increased interest in the art, I am adding a chapter on head balancing trapeze as taught me by the great master some fifteen years ago. Under his guidance this was the easiest feet I ever learned, and I trust that you, too, may find it likewise not difficult.

The Professor has answered his last curtain call, but his masterful accomplishments will ever keep his memory aline and his name honored by us of the balancing clan. It is to the memory of the man personally and his spirit of friendly and sympathetic helpfulness that this revised edition is respectfully and lovingly dedicated.

Robert L. Jones
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
April 18, 1943

Comments { 4 }

Get Your Backflip Now

By admin on July 13, 2011 in Tumbling

Do you want to get your backflip now? Then watch this video.

Get Your Backflip Now

The backflip has always been one of my favorite acrobatic moves in the world. To be able to jump up and rotate completely over. It is dangerous but when you can do it, it shows awesome power.

But the truth is it’s not all that hard to do.

Finally someone has come up with a step by step system to get there. And it requires no one to spot you and no equipment either!

This is the program I wish I had come up with.

If you’ve ever dreamed of doing a backflip these videos will help you get there.

Good Luck and Good Backflipping,
Logan Christopher

P.S. I have to say some of the bonus videos are awesome too. They’ll give several ideas on the next step to proceed to once you have your backflip down.

Comments { 6 }

5 Craziest Gymnastic Moves

By admin on July 11, 2011 in Bars, Tumbling

I saw this video of the 5 Craziest Gymnastic Moves and felt it had to be shared here. You most likely have never seen these moves (and possibly never even heard of them) unless you’re in the profession.

#5 – 1.5 Twisting Kovacs on the Gymnastic High Bar

#4 – Triple Twisting Double Backflip on the Floor

#3 – Full Twisting Triple Backflip off the High Bar

#2 – Triple Backflip from the Parallel Bars

How to do the One Hand Handstand by Professor Orlick

#1 – The Tkachev Salto

Now you may not agree that these are the craziest moves EVER but they’re certainly up there and a blast to watch.

If you have any other crazy videos to share post a link below. And if you can do any of these skills (or even come close) tell us about it.

Comments { 4 }

Back Handspring Race

By admin on July 6, 2011 in Uncategorized

I saw this back hand spring video recently over at Strength Rules and thought it was well worth sharing.

I get dizzy just watching this!

I’ve never thought about doing multiple back hand springs in a race format. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever done more than three in a row. If you’re going to try this make sure you have plenty of space and can go straight. Also build up to it.

Comments { 2 }

Strength and Skill

By admin on May 15, 2011 in Presses & Pushup

The more strength and skill you have the better you’ll be in hand balancing and acrobatics.

You may be saying ‘DUH’ but this works on multiple levels.

Obviously you’ll require more strength in order to do high strength movements like the planche, iron cross and more.

Among various moves some are more strength oriented like those above and others are more skill oriented like the handstand and more so the one arm handstand.

Still all require some degree of both strength and skill.

Yes you need strength in order to do a handstand. Its not much if you get into a proper body position but it is still present. And if you hold a handstand for a minute or two you’ll start to feel those muscles burning.

Even though it doesn’t require much strength, practicing the skills can take strength and endurance.

Lets say you’re working on the one arm handstand. Maybe you get ten minutes of practice in before your shoulders are fatigued and you can’t get any more quality work in.

Let’s say you’re trying to do a bent arm press. It takes strength plus skill. If your strength is lacking how good are you going to get at the skill of that movement?

Freestanding handstand pushups? Going to be very hard to work the balance of the movement if two handstand pushups against the wall is all you can manage.

So more strength makes doing the moves easier but also allows you to get more quality practice in. If you’re fatigued then its hard to do fine motor movements.

That’s why building a foundation of strength is important. And when you’re just focusing on this foundational strength you want to minimize the skill necessary.

I have a video that talks more about this and the four bodyweight exercises that work best for the whole body.

All you have to do is go here and signup to watch it immediately.

And soon I’ll have even more to help you get stronger and thus more skilled.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. If you’ve already signed up the next video on the Do’s and Don’ts of Technique is set to come out tomorrow. But if you haven’t go here now.

Comments { 3 }

Motor Moron Flow

By admin on May 12, 2011 in Tumbling

The final video in the motor moron series.

This combines some of the concepts from the previous videos on getting up without your hands and rolling around. Building on top of these basics you can develop more difficult skills.

Try doing a random flow like this. Great for a warmup if needed and for getting the body moving.

Comments { 3 }

Rolling in 8 Directions

By admin on May 11, 2011 in Parkour, Tumbling

Another part of the Motor Moron series.

There was some confusion about how to go about rolling in 8 directions. This video should clear that up.

Basically there are 3 types of rolls here. Straight forward (and backwards) somersaults. Diagonal rolls commonly done in martial arts and parkour. And then the sideways roll. All are pretty easy to do and can be done with a little practice.

All these basics can be expanded upon for further body awareness, control and skill. I recommend you check out Tumbling Illustrated for more details.

Comments { 0 }

Getting Up Without Your Hands

By admin on May 9, 2011 in Uncategorized

This is a follow up to my post on Don’t Be a Motor Moron.

I received a few questions so I filmed some videos to answer them.

This is basic stuff but for some people it may be exactly what they need to do in their training.

More on rolling in 8 directions coming soon…

The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing

Comments { 0 }

Don’t Be a Motor Moron

By admin on May 4, 2011 in Uncategorized

Motor: Involving or relating to movements of the muscles

Moron: A stupid person

Motor Moron: Someone who doesn’t have the basic strength and coordination to handle their own body

The people that visit this site certainly aren’t your average people. Not everyone wants to be able to stand on one hand or doing crazy acrobatics.

But the truth is everybody should be able to do the most basic skills. And its sad that so many people cannot. Even many people who are considered strong or in shape sometimes have the movement skills of an infant.

So in this article I want to talk about the skills that EVERYONE should have. No two ways about it, short of paralysis. Everybody should be able to do the following things without much if any effort.

And I’ll go so far as to say that if you can’t do the following you don’t deserve to have the miraculous machine that is the human body. (And the sad truth is it probably won’t be too long before you lose it.)

Walk
Run
Sprint
Jump
Get up from the ground without using your hands
Squat down and be able to stay there
Roll in all 8 directions

Roll in 8 Directions

If you can’t do the above then you need to work on them. These are basic human movement patterns everyone should be capable of.

To get slightly more complicated (but still sticking with things everyone should be capable of) we can add the following.

Pushups
Pullup/Chinnup
Swim
Headstand
Gymnastic Bridge
Wrestlers Bridge
Move each joint individually

This is a basic list. But can you do everything on it? And can you do everything on it easily without effort?

But I’m surely missing some things. Add your comments below if you have suggestions and I‘ll add to the list.

From there we can start to get into more advanced movement patterns along with acrobatic skills. I’ll save that for another time.

I’m sure to hear the excuses come out of the woodworks from many people on this one. To give every reason why they can’t do these things. But save it. Instead just work on gaining the ability to do these movements if you don’t have it. Even if you need coaching on these skills, get it.

And for those of you that may laugh at this list because you are so far beyond it, there are probably people in your life that you could nudge in the right direction to get them to move better.

Comments { 21 }

French Hand Balancer Video

By admin on April 25, 2011 in Handstands, Presses & Pushup

Here is a great video I saw recently of an excellent hand balancer from France. It shows a wide variety of amazing hand balancing skills.

Hand balancing stands are used in about the first half of the video. Then a few other tools are used throughout as well. One of my favorites is jumping off of the table in a handstand. And it ends with some tumbling movements as well.

Just by studying this you can find something you can add into your routine, even if you’re not as advanced the basics of moving the body around while in a handstand is great for just about everybody.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Hand Balancing Stands are back in stock here. Get your pair while they’re still available.

Comments { 1 }

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