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Great Progress Report

I received this unsolicited email the other day.

Trampoline Handbook
Trampoline Handbook on Amazon

I am quite tempted to write you a long letter, describing in detail the many specific things that I have gained from both your website and the HBMC, but I will spare you the specifics in favor of brevity.

I began training parkour about 2 years ago, and I followed that by joining the gymnastics club at my university. Now, though, while I still go out for parkour several times a week, my real passion is hand balancing. I LOVE standing on my hands. How can such a seemingly monotonous task be so incredibly rewarding? It is just fabulous!

I could walk on my hands fairly well (from a naive perspective), but couldn’t stand still for more than 3 seconds. Furthermore, my technique was just horrendous. Having gotten the HBMC a couple of weeks ago, I can already consistently surpass the 30 second mark with a static hold, and I am approaching the 1 minute mark. My forearms have been absolutely destroyed since the book arrived! It honestly hurts my forearms to snap my fingers 🙂 The manual not only provides me insightful details concerning technique, but it also serves as a hand balancing pep talk! I am very thankful that I made this purchase, and I sincerely regret not having done it sooner.

-Kenny Wunder

Thank you Kenny for taking action and putting in the effort.

If you want to get the Hand Balancing Mastery Course you can grab it here.

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Back Lever Flutter Kicks

Since my recent progress in the back lever I’ve been looking to make it harder. Just a couple months ago I held my first ever, legs together back lever, and now that’s pretty easy. So I’m adding some movements into the mix and I came up with this one, which I call back lever flutter kicks.

It’s much harder then the regular lying on your back version of flutter kicks that the Navy Seals made famous. Though it is tougher then a hold it’s not that too much harder to do. The reason I didn’t do it longer in the video was because I shot this after a new PR for me, of a 10 second back lever hold.

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

Of course this same movement could be done in the front lever position. Haven’t got to the full position there yet though.

I’m thinking about doing a DVD just on Lever progressions. Would you be interested in that?

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Best Bboy Video

I don’t know about you but this could be the best bboy video ever. It’s definitely the best I’ve ever seen. When most videos I watch get played through at double speed I’ve watched this one already three times including in slow-mo.

Walking and Jumping On Your HandsWalking and Jumping On Your Hands on Amazon

I’ve got nothing to offer you here if you want to do this…though I think that will have to change in the future.

But in the meantime you can learn many other equally amazing skills. Click here to grab something today.

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Clutch Flag

Been having lots of fun in my recent park workouts. Here is a video on me doing a Clutch Flag.

Clutch Flag

To be honest, I had never seen nor heard of this version of the human flag, until I read Convict Conditioning 2.

Anyone with a good level of strength should be capable of doing the clutch flag with a small amount of work. It is recommended to master this movement before you even move into the human flag (called press flag in that book). I think this is very sound advice.

The basics of it are to wedge one elbow (the lower arm) into the hip. This helps support the body. The other arm wraps around the bar and pulls back, while you lever out your body.

Because you’re wrapped around the bar, and don’t have your arms extended, the leverage of this movement is way easier. Yet you still need to control your body in this side levering movement, and you can even get use to your body wanting to turn or sway in the air.

My friend and I plan on building up the time in this movement to at least 20 seconds before we really get started on the human flag. That’s of course for both sides. I feel a little stronger on the side shown in the video (I guess I’ll call that the right side) but not too far behind with the other.

It should go without saying that to practice this move, be sure you’re on a steady bar that can support your weight and will not topple over. Sign posts, swings sets, basketball poles and much more will work.

And this move is uncomfortable in the beginning. It can hurt a little to grab the bar as you tense up completely against it. Yet after a few days working on this, while I wouldn’t call it comfortable, it is manageable at this point.

I haven’t done a full review on Convict Conditioning 2 yet, but if you’ve like to read the original Convict Conditioning review its still one of the most popular posts on my site.

The clutch flag is also a very different movement from the shoulder flag which I learned from the Tapp Brothers in their course. When I use to think of the human flag as one movement, its clear there are many routes and similar, yet easier, movements to work on.

The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing
The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing on Amazon
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The Human Flag

Have you ever wanted to do the Human Flag?

Then today is your lucky day. My friend, Thomas Tapp, and his brother have just put together a detailed course, on how to achieve this one amazing move.

I’ve been working on the human flag on and off over the past year, seeing some success. But after watching their videos last night, I’ve learned new progressions and tricks to use to make this even easier. And I’m excited to work on it more.

Click here for a video that will get you started and to order the course for less than $20.

Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days
Learn How to Back Flip in 31 Days on Amazon
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Another Great Free Running Video

Here’s another great free running video. This one has some high quality footage with good camera angles. It looks like many of these were shot for commercials and perhaps some movies too.

The action starts after about 30 seconds. Also a little more than a minute in you’ll notice stunts being done at a gymnastic center. It seems that many of the top people do much of their practice there. It makes sense. Allows you to practice harder tricks in a safer environment and one in which you can setup exactly what you need.

I especially like the feat at 1:48. Jumping and sticking in a handstand position. Also again at 2:39

Again if you want to get started learning Parkour and many of these skills yourself I recommend you check out the Parkour Crash Course put out by the Tapp brothers.

Good Luck and Good Free Running,
Logan Christopher

P.S. If you know of any great videos I should check out either enter them in the comments below or shoot me an email. Thanks!

Tumbling Illustrated
Tumbling Illustrated on Amazon
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Back Handspring Race

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

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

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.

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Getting Up Without Your Hands

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…

How to do the One Hand Handstand by Professor Orlick
ow to do the One Hand Handstand on Amazon
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Don’t Be a Motor Moron

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

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

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.

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Back in Stock

Just a quick post to let you know an order of the Hand Balancing Stands is being produced and they are back in stock. They’ll be ready to ship out by the end of next week.

Click here for full details and to get your pair now.

Tumbling Illustrated
Tumbling Illustrated on Amazon
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