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What is the Perfect Handstand?

There are two new articles up. But first a question from Larry in Hawaii.

“I am a little confused on the perfect handstand? which from what Ive read leads up to the one-handed handstand…Is it maintaining a perfectly straight body shown on page 92 or is it what is pictured on page 78 of “the true art and science of hand balancing” in fig.4 showing correct body position?? My goal is to balance on one hand. I have drawn out the diagram pictured on 16 of ‘how to do a one handed handstand’…hands seem kinda close…but above all what kind of body position am I striving for??”

Are you confused too? The first article answers this question in detail. If you‘ve ever thought you had to have a straight bodied handstand to do a one hand handstand the answer might surprise you.

Either way thought there are a few drills revisited that can help you alter your position.

Check it out: The Perfect Handstand

The second article is actually a small download. This one is for beginners.

The Ten Biggest Mistakes People Make When Learning the Handstand

And a small housekeeping note. The first Secrets of the Handstand Quickstart Guide packages will be mailed out tomorrow. If you want yours to go out with them order today.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. If you’re having any trouble with the download just go to Hand Balancing Articles page and you’ll see it there.

Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days
Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days on Amazon
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How to Kick-up into a Handstand

The kick-up is one of the most important skills you have to learn if you want to do a handstand, next to balancing with your hands and keeping your body tight.The question is, how consistent is your kick-up?I didn’t figure this out right away when I started, but if you can kick up the exact same each time then getting into and holding a handstand is easy.

If your kick-up is all over the place, then there’s no wonder why you have a hard time getting into a hand balance.

Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups
Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups on Amazon

Of course, there are several different ways to kick-up. I cover all the basic ways for the beginner and even more advanced variation in the April issue of the newsletter.

My favorite regular kick-up I learned from Bob Jones in The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing. That one is shown here.

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usTC0oXqXtI]

There are a bunch of fine details that make a kick-up work. I am not gonna lie and say that I never miss a single one, but after concentrating on this for some time I no longer hit only one handstand out of ten like I use to.

If you’re having trouble with yours, start practicing. Better yet get the newsletter and learn all about how to get it done, the best method of practicing, and how far you can take it.

I wish it was ready to go right now, but I’m just putting the finishing touches and final edits on it before it the newsletter and DVD’s go to press.

In the mean time, I hope you enjoy these video clips.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. You can learn more about Bob Jones’ 4-step method of kicking-up into a handstand here.

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Leading up to any Handstand Stunt

Seemed to have raised some interest with my last email. So I’ve decided to go into a little more depth on the subject.

To sum up what I said last time: The best way to learn the handstand, one hand handstand, or any stunt is not to do the move itself, in the beginning, but work on lead-up stunts.

Obviously at a certain point you will need to work on the skill itself in order to master it but you shouldn’t start there.

If you look at a weightlifting move like the deadlift, let’s say you have a goal to lift 500 lbs. You wouldn’t start out trying to lift this weight because most likely you could not even budge it. No, you start with what you can do and move up in weight from there.

If your goal is to do a move like the one hand handstand you can’t just start with a lighter weight. Most bodyweight exercises don’t work this way. Just going for the move is like trying to deadlift 500 lbs. when your max is 300. Not gonna happen.

An easier version of the move is essentially the same thing as a lighter weight. When you are good with one move you move on to a harder variation, just like adding weight.

Failing to do this is why so many people never reach their goal. They just try the move over and over seeing little or no progress.

One move for the one hand handstand is to place your other arm on a raised box or chair and use it to help balance.

For the normal handstand you have moves like the headstand and frogstand. But there are many more for these moves and others.

That’s the genius in how Professor Orlick taught his students. Each move leads in to the next. For the best methods of mastering any hand balancing move check out the Hand Balancing Mastery Course.

If you learn this lesson well, you can apply to many other forms of exercise.By training in this manner you can and will progress much faster. I guarantee it.

Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days
Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days on Amazon

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Right now you can do no better than to get what has been affectionately referred to as the “Hand Balancing Bible“.

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One Handed Handstand

Got another question regarding the one handed handstand.

Hi . i have kinda a problem using one arm handbalancing because i have been practicing on it since long time and i believe i have a good strength in my shoulders yet i cant hold it more than 5 sec but i can hold it for one 1 min if lay against the wall ( same thing goes 2 the left hand ) so my question is what do i have to do to hold it as much as i can ??( is there any particular training should i attempt ? ) (if ya want, i can take a photo of my self while doing it )
Best Regards.

Actually what I am about to tell you applies to the regular handstand as well.

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Being able to hold a one arm handstand against a wall is great, especially for a minute long, but this isn’t going to transfer to a free hand balance.

The strength is there, but it doesn’t take much strength to do this move. What it takes is balance and skill.

Using the wall will build your strength and it will help you learn the position if you do it right. What it won’t do is teach you how to balance.

This takes doing the move in the open. The problem is most people try to go straight from a two hand handstand into one by raising the arm. This is not the way and what stops many from mastering this skill.

Balancing in the one hand handstand is very difficult. You will not be able to figure it out by doing the one hand handstand itself, not in the beginning.

Just like I teach with the normal handstand there are a series of different lead-up stunts you should perfect before you move up to the one handstand.

No one covers this better than Prof. Orlick in How to do the One Hand Handstand. He outlines a step-by-step approach to reaching the one hand handstand.If you seriously want to hold a one-hand handstand you have to work up to this balance.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. If you want to see a bonehead move and some good old fashioned physical comedy check out this video I came across – https://www.break.com/index/treadmill-handstand-attempt.html. I hope this guy ain’t a student of mine.

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Tiger Bend

I was shooting some video a couple days ago doing a variety of hand balancing stunts. One of them was the Forearm Stand. Prof. Orlick also called it a Tiger Stand. From the stand you can do what is called a Tiger Bend, but we’ll start with the stand first.

This is a great trick in and of itself but its also a good way to work up to a full on handstand. Since you are resting on your entire lower arm and hand you have a bigger base with which to balance.

One you overcome the oddness factor of trying this exercise for the first time you can see the benefits. All the main points of holding a handstand are still there, like keeping tight, but you may have to arch your back a little more for this one.

Of course the ultimate goal with this exercise is to do what’s known as a Tiger Bend. An advanced exercise for sure. It involves going from the Forearm Stand up into a Handstand. With a little overbalancing and strong triceps you can get there.

Sig Klein doing a Tiger Bend

Since few of us will be able to pull that one off at the present time here are two easier ways. Do the negative movement which is dropping from a Handstand into a Forearm Stand. When you go for this don’t just fall into the position but control it as much as possible.

You can also do Tiger Bend Pushups. Get in a normal pushup position except you are resting on your forearms instead of the hands. Without any rocking motion pushup on to your hands to the top position and lower back down.

You don’t see these moves too often but that doesn’t mean they aren’t great.

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. For the super advanced hand balancer you can try to duplicate Johnny Weber’s one arm Tiger Bend. Find out how to do it in The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing. The picture above is of Sig Klein from the same book.

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Handstand Press

Another thing I’ve devoted more of my time to recently is the handstand press. While a normal handstand does not take very much strength many of the presses do.

Handstand presses can be broken down into two main groups. Those done with straight arms and those down with bent arms.

The various bent arm presses take a high degree of strength in the shoulders, triceps and also the chest in many cases.

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

Straight arm press-ups still take strength but in different areas. Also you will need flexible wrists, hamstrings, and the ability to compress your body in half. In fact the more flexibility you have the less strength you will need.

For all these reasons most people will be better at either straight arm or bent arm presses. There are many people who can do the straight arm variety but will fall on their face if they have to bend their arms.

On the other hand most stronger people can do many bent armed presses. These take tremendous arm and shoulder strength to pull off successfully as you have to hold your entire bodyweight in mid air for a length of time. But for these people the straight arm presses can be elusive.

In the end you want to be able to do both. In order to do this you must train for both.

That’s why there’s chapters on the pressing in all the main books like Hand Balancing Made Easy and The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing.

Presses are not easy, especially if you’re not of the average gymnast size. But it can be done.

If you’ve ever wondered why hand balancers are so strong this is one of the major keys. So start pressing.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. There are so many ways you can press up into a handstand. Have you mastered them all? Start where you can and work from there.

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Revitalizing Handstands

Traveling down to Los Angeles this weekend. Just a quick 6 hour drive for me.

It got me thinking about one of the uses for handstands. And that is ‘clearing the cobwebs’.

Anytime you aren’t thinking straight or feel like your brain needs to be revitalized, after a long drive for example, there is nothing better than getting inverted.

And you don’t need to be a master hand balancer in order to do it.

Just kick up into a handstand against the wall and hold for time. Once you tire of this, whether its 30 seconds or 3 minutes, drop down into a headstand and continue.

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

Even better is doing a couple of deep breathing exercises while your upside down. You’re sure to get a recharge from this. Add in some bridging and you’re golden.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. I just received an email you’re going to have to read to believe concerning the Hand Balancing Mastery Course. I’ll get it up on the web soon.

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Finger Handstand

Shaolin Fingertip Handstand

Two Finger Handstand by Shaolin Monk

Fingertip training is one of the less common forms of hand balancing today. In fact you hardly see it at all.

Hand Balancing Made EasyHandBalancingMadeEasy_on_Amazon

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t practice it.

First some words of caution. The fingers are small and fragile. If you move into this realm too fast, you may end up breaking them, snapping tendons or any number of bad things so be careful.

Starting with a fingertip handstand is probably too much for most people. Even this most basic move must be worked up to. And fingertip pushups are the best way to do that.

Even without practicing finger balancing you hand and finger strength will improve. Just from the practice of balancing on your hands you can’t help but gain some strength in your digits.

But for true fingertip stunts you need to do them in one form or another.

If you are ready for the fingertip handstand then I suggest using a wall on your first go. Holding your bodyweight on your fingers is one thing. Balancing is another.

Not only do you have a smaller base of support but you must add pressure in order to stay balanced. This makes your fingers support your weight and then some.

Once you can hold the fingertip stand it’s a matter of progressing until you reach your goal.

That goal may be the Thumb Stand made famous by Bob Jones. Doing it on top of Indian clubs is up to you.Or maybe you want to hold an index finger stand.

In Shaolin: Wheel of Life one of the stunts performed is a handstand held on the two index fingers. He has his feet supported but it’s still one of the most impressive feats possible.

If you don’t have a copy of this video yet get one now. It’s one of the most motivational, inspirational, and awe-inspiring videos in existence.

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Which Handstand Style should you do?

Another article has been added to the site. If you have ever wondered what style of handstand you should do, whether arched or straight, this one is for you – Different Styles of Handstands.

Be sure to check it out but before you do I wanted to mention something that might be on your mind.

I have received a number of questions about the monthly newsletter that’s one of the bonuses with the Hand Balancing Mastery Course.

How to do the One Hand Handstand by Professor Orlick
ow to do the One Hand Handstand on Amazon

For one, if you have ordered a course and not received it its because the first issue has not yet shipped. But don’t worry yours will go out when its ready.

Most people are visual learners so I figured sending a monthly DVD, along with the newsletter, would be the best way to teach hand balancing and related arts.

The camera I had for the job just wasn’t going to cut it so I just got a brand new camcorder which arrived today. As soon as it stops raining I will be shooting film outside.

Depending on the learning curve and how fast I edit will determine how soon it’s finished and ready to go.

If you’re interested in getting on board, but haven’t bought the course yet, no worries because you’ll be able to sign up in other ways soon. More details to come on that when its ready.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Don’t forget about that new handstand article. Feel free to send any feedback you have.

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Handstands and Hand/Grip Positions

First off I want to remind you that the New Year’s Sale is still going. Check Hand Balancing New Year’s Sale to see how you can save 20.08% off of everything. It ends Saturday so if you’re putting it off you better do it now before you forget.For today I’ll dig into the question bag and answer another one.

When I think of how handstands are done with flat palms, I think of how pushups are also done with flat palms. Similarly, both have been done on a bar (pronated grip) or on a set of parallel bars (neutral grip). I have seen variant pushups done with a reversed grip (supinated) and indeed, I think this is the position people take for doing planches. There are also pushups done on fists, on the back of the hand instead of the palm (wrists flexed instead of extended as usual) and on fingertips. While I did hear of some shaolin master doing a supported handstand (with wall) on two fingers, I have never seen these variations addressed in any guides. Are you familiar with anything like that, attempted any of the difficult variations, or have ideas about them?
-Tyciol

This is more than one question so I will break it apart.

Handstands can be done with a variety of grips. Of course you have the standard extended wrist position. But every other way you can move your hands is a way you can do handstands.

Parallel bars do add extra dimensions, and having something to grip can help you be stronger, but similar positions can be taken on the floor if you make your hands into fist.

The supinated grip, where your fingers are pointed back the opposite way of normal, makes a handstand much harder to do. Planches could be done like this, but more often you just turn them slightly out from the normal straightforward location.

Fingertip handstands is a big subject that I will cover in some more detail soon.

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As far as do any of the books cover training for this stuff, the answer is absolutely.

In Hand Balancing Made Easy, Professor Orlick covers all of the various hand positions you can do in a handstand. In total I counted 35 exercises covering different positions for the fingers and hands.

When you master all these you can balance from just about any position. If you can do a normal handstand try turning your hands. Just a few attempts at doing a handstand with your hands backwards and you will understand the benefits. Great for flexibility too.

You can get this book alone at  or as part of the Hand Balancing Mastery Course.And in The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing, Bob Jones brings you through the progressions he used to master his famous Thumb Stand.But don’t order any of these from the page itself. Get your discount at the Hand Balancing New Year’s Sale

. The sale ends on Saturday.Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. I dug up and old picture I had forgotten about of an interesting feat my friend and I performed. You’ll get to see it next time.

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