Hope, pointed this video out to me. I just recently featured Rudi Macaggi doing a one hand handstand on a guitar.
But this stunt takes the danger level to an insane level.
(Obvciously Rudi is a professional and in no way should you attempt this stunt at home.)
This came into today and I thought it was worth sharing.
Hey logan i was just able to check out the amazing feat video and i have to say thanks for sharing that with all of us, i love how the monks train and the one and two finger zen are always legendary. I wanted to tell you to keep up all your hard work man! yourself and jim are great motivators and i loved the teleseminar you guys posted out awhile back. I can not do a one handed handstand pushup yet, but ive always had strong fingers and i recently not too long ago was able to do (Not Perfect Form) but a three finger planche and since i read the Feats message i wanted to share the picture with you i hope you receive it, its not the best at all man but im training and having fun hoping to promote others to exercise and keep healthy. Im alittle late on the video since you sended it but i just got to the message now. I always try my best to catch any new information that you give out.
Never stop training,
Alejandro
I just read my recent copy of the Dinosaur Files newsletter available from Brooks Kubik. Great training information though much more about lifting heavy weights than hand balancing it did have the following interesting reports I thought worthy of sharing.
These originally come from Gord Venables in the magazine Strength and Health.
Greco Mangini could support his 170-pound brother Bruno for a full minute in a single-arm hand-to-hand stand. He also could walk 50 feet while holding this brother in a single-arm hand-to-hand stand.
At the York Strength Show on November 18, 1939, John Deimar supported five barbells on one foot while balancing himself in a handstand – and for good measure, drank a glass of water while doing so. (At any other picnic, they at least would have of let him enjoy a cold beer!)
I would definitely like to have seen these in action. I don’t even know how you would go about balancing fiver barbells on a single foot!
For those very skilled and reading this, maybe you’ll try to emulate these great hand balancing feats.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
It’s a skill that has long eluded me. A straight arm press.
With my long limbs, I don’t have the leverage and flexibility to quite get the move. Bent arm presses are easy. Straight arm presses not so much. But I am making progress.
There are a number of ways you can work up to this skill. And today I’ll be discussing one which has been a big help.
The first straight arm press to work on is from a straddle. With the legs spread wide the idea is to bring them out and around as you come up into a handstand.
This skill takes strong arms, particularly the shoulders as you must support your body in a leveraged position. Plus you need the ab and core strength to raise the legs up while holding yourself in space.
As the legs start low, it makes sense that in order to make this move easier, you start off with the legs on a raised platform. From here it’s like starting in the middle of the move. The higher up you go the easier it becomes (that is until a certain point where it just becomes awkward due to the height).
As you improve you ability to raise off the ground in complete control, with no momentum, you can lower the height you start from. Eventually you’ll make it to the ground.
Follow this progression and you’ll be able to do straight arm presses from a straddle. From there you can move onto more difficult progressions.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
I got this in just a couple days ago from Steve.
Thank you. I am a 60–almost 61–year old man, 6’1″, about 185 lbs. I have lifted off and on since age 15, trying to stay in shape. During my college years I did a small amount of handstands. I taught myself to do them by kicking up against a wall. Back then I could even do what I call handstand pushups, which I have always considered a true gauge of pressing strength. I figure that if you can do say, 10 handstand pushups, kissing the ground at the bottom of each rep, then you are pretty strong. I would even try to make them a little harder by putting each hand on a gallon paint can, and lowering myself between them. After a while, I learned to walk on my hands, but it’s been many, many years since I’ve even practiced any of this stuff consistently.
They say as a person ages they lose their sense of balance, unless they work on it. So that is why I am interested in your site. I watched part of your 30 minute video and already have learned some things. I’ve been kicking up against a wall and slowly lowering myself a few inches at a time, then pressing out, to try to develop my handstand strength. I also need to work on my balance. My goals would be to do a one-minute free handstand, to do ten “floor kiss” handstand pushups, AND to walk on my hands for at least one minute without falling. Not sure if any of these are attainable for an old geezer like me. Maybe my goals are too lofty; what do you think?
Thanks for coming by Steve.
Yes, I absolutely think your goals are attainable. While it is easier for young people to learn these skills this doesn’t mean anyone older can’t do it. Professor Paulinetti practiced his hand balancing into his 70’s before passing on at 76. Granted he was already one of the best but that doesn’t mean anyone can’t practice and attain new skills at any age.
Add to the fact that you have prior experience and I see no reason why you can’t get back to what you were doing in your college days.
My advice would be to follow what’s laid out in the Handstand quick start video. Work on standing still in a free handstand before you start walking around. And once you hit about 30 seconds in a free handstand you can add in the hand walking practice.
Add to that a few handstand pushups, which you can find more information about that here and here, and you’ll be well on your way. What you wrote, doing the partials reps, is an excellent place to begin.
Be sure to keep me posted of your progress.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Today marks day 15 of the 30 day challenge.
On the site I’ve shared a bit about my own progress, several tips, a few videos and old pictures.
While progress was quickly made in gymnastics, getting back into the flow of things, there were some setbacks in training, due to being too sore. Still I have practiced at least a little everyday so far.
Now that I’ve return to a bit more normal training schedule and the soreness has gone away I’m spending more time each day in a handstand.
I’ve been working my handstand position. Just playing around with different ways to hold it. Changing body position, mostly working towards a straight handstand, and seeing how that affects the balance.
On top of that my main goals are the one arm handstand and the one arm half planche. Happy to report both arm coming along, although the latter is making quicker progress.
How are you doing so far?
I saw this video awhile back on GymnasticsCoaching.com. Do not try this.
Certain professional hand balancers, like Inguar Anderson, have flirted with death by doing dangerous hand balancing stunts, for professional reasons. But it is not recommended for anyone to try to do the same.
When you see this guy doing a handstand, stumbling a few steps after his kickup, and falling down trying to press back up, you know he is not a professional. So trying to do a handstand a few feet or inches from a deadly drop is not a wise choice. Every once in awhile you’ll hear about someone who did a handstand on a building or something and fell to their death.
I do not recommend doing a handstand in any situation where if you fail you would hurt or kill yourself. If you’ve confident in your skills and have been practicing a long time you can up the intensity, but avoid doing something stupid like this.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
There’s just something about old hand balancing pictures that I really enjoy. Maybe its hearkening back to a time when physical culture was simpler (…when everything was simpler.)
When you see a group of guys and gals doing some hand to hand balancing you know that they were having a blast doing that. Having fun while becoming stronger and more skilled then before.
Here are a few photo’s from Rafael Guerrero’s collection with him and two friends doing all the above at the beach.
This one came in today.
Hey Logan, I’ve only been trying to do a handstand for just under a week and with your website i am already able to hold a handstand for more than 10 seconds! (seems like forever to me) I’m going to keep on trying and maybe ill be able to do more advanced moves soon. thanks a bunch -Ryan
Excellent progress Ryan. Keep going and keep me updated on your progress.
And from a couple days ago from Samuel…
hello logan:
i have very good news!. i am practicing but is just that i’m kind of lazy for returning e-mails and leave comments on your web.. but i am getting better… i saw the video that you sent me the ”quick-start” it was GREAT!!.. i loved the video.. and i practice with the first four skills that you mentioned
1.wall handstand: this one i can do it perfectly and even more than a minute
2. frogstand: i can do it.. but is difficult to hold the position for a minute.. i wish you could give me some help with this
3.headstand: is difficult even doing it on the wall.. the head hurts me a lot every time i do this one.. i can’t even last 10 seconds
4. forearmstand: this one i’m doing it well.. on the wall.. but when i try to do it off the wall.. it results to be very difficult.. i can’t hold it even for 5 secondswish you could help me with these problems … and is very good to know that you care
I’ll start off by saying it’s hard for me to comment without more details but I’ll give it a go.
1. Great job on the handstand.
2. How far along you coming? If you’re hitting a time you can’t get past after you get there go to your feet for a second or two then get right back in the frogstand. Do this a couple times and it’ll build you endurance.
Another key point is to really work the fingertip and wrist control. Focus on that.
3. Are you doing it on a hard floor? Whatever the case, get more cushions. Put enough padding so that it doesn’t hurt. Overtime as you get use to it you’ll be able to minimize the padding you need.
4. The forearm stand can be tricky. You can try doing it with the one toe touch method I teach for the handstand except using the wall in this move. That should help.
That should help you to get started.
Alright, I’m off to practice some more myself.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Earlier today I was working with a new tool that’s fun and helpful. I’ll have more details on that in a week or two.
This is one of my favorite hand balancing videos by Entcho Keryazov from Bulgaria. Simply amazing.
I stumbled across this awhile ago, and many people have pointed it out to me, but this is the first time I’ve featured it here.
Some of my personal favorites:
I don’t know about you but I’m inspired to practice right now.
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