Tag Archives | Good Luck

Da Vinci on Hand Balancing

By admin on January 28, 2009 in Uncategorized

“Study the science of art and the art of science.”
-Leonardo da Vinci

Hand balancing is an art. Hand balancing is a science. Which do you practice?

It is very helpful do break down what needs to be done with the handstand to make it as easy as possible for people to do. To understand all the principles of leverage and positioning.

But on the flip side sometimes you want to get lost in the flow of practice. Just get into a handstand and FEEL it. Not worrying about trying to hold it for longer, but enjoying the moment.

If you’ve been working in one direction play around with the other.

By treating hand balancing as an art form you’re likely to have more fun. Plus by going deep inside you’ll learn about subtle changes you should be making.

Looking at the science behind hand balancing and you’ll know the best ways to advance your skills. How to progress. What you need to work on to master any one move.

Add them together and you get the best of both worlds.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Professor Paulinetti knew this. That’s why his book was named The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing. If you want a big dose of both the art and science grab your copy now.

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How to do a Cartwheel Article

By admin on January 22, 2009 in Tumbling

This one is on How to do a Cartwheel. A simple gymnastic move that everyone should be capable of doing. Are you?

How to do the One Hand Handstand by Professor Orlick

I should of done this one a long time ago, judging by the number of questions I’ve had. But hey, better late then never right?

It has a video too. It’s from this month’s Acrobat Accelerator where I also cover one handed cartwheels, muscle control, and a variety of hand balancing moves. There’s still a few issues available. Look at the PS for more info on how to get one.

But most importantly check out that article if you need help on your cartwheels.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Get Acrobat Accelerator at no charge along with one of these products:
Secrets of the Handstand Quickstart Guide
Hand Balancing Mastery Course

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Parkour Terrain and How Much to Practice Handstands

By admin on January 20, 2009 in Handstands, Parkour

Thought I answer a couple more questions today. Lots of them have been coming in recently. While I can’t get to every one individually I’ll try to answer them in these posts.

“I always wanted to start parkour and didn’t know how to start. When I saw the dvd that your selling I thought this is an excellent starting point, but the problem is that there is no vaults, rails etc… in the place that I live in. Any suggestions?”
Ahmed

Unfortunately, Parkour does require a certain kind of terrain in order to really practice the moves. My advice is to just be on the lookout for anything you can use.

While most people practice in cities even small benches and fences can give you a few obstacles to overcome. Most places should have some walls you can climb and areas to jump off of.

The most basic moves can even be practiced with nothing like jumping and rolling.

But in the end you may have to travel a bit to get the best results.

To learn all the Parkour basics get the Parkour Tutorial DVD.

“I have training towards the goal of achieving a full range of motion handstand pushup, I am currently still doing the regular hand stands, which I have not mastered yet. How often would you advise to train handstands.”
Ashley

To keep it short, the more practice you do the better you’ll get.

Handstands are a very tough skill. Getting to the point where you can do them easily and consistently is going to take many hours of practice.

So to get best results you should practice them every single day. How much you do it is up to you. You can do one long practice or spread it out over the day.

And if you’re just beginning you may have to work up to this volume of training.

Before working on the handstand pushup you should be consistent with your handstands. And because this move can also be taxing on your muscles you may have to practice it a bit less.

I hope that helps. Later this week I’ll have another video or two to show you.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. On another topic, I’m doing a free teleseminar on hitting your training goals this Wednesday. Its more focused on strength training but will cover practicing skills as well. If you want to sign up for the Goal Teleseminar click here.

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First Attempts at Parkour

By admin on January 8, 2009 in Parkour

I was filming another project and I figured I had to give a few of these Parkour moves a shot. As you’ll see in the video, I didn’t have all that much crazy terrain to go off of. But I did manage a few different vaults.

Even that little bit was fun to do. And, after all, you have to start somewhere. You can be sure in the future I’ll be on the lookout for some spots to practice more.

The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing

After watching the Parkour Tutorial DVD all you have to do is get out there and start doing it.

Good Luck and Good Free Running,
Logan Christopher

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How to Walk on Your Hands and How Not to

By admin on December 20, 2008 in Walking & Jumping

In a previous blog post I wrote about changing positions in the handstand and how you can do that to increase your balancing skill.

Similar in many regards is walking on your hands.

Let me preface this by saying, that walking on your hands can be easier then standing still or harder and that depends entirely on how you go about it.

Stumbling around, that is catching yourself from falling by stepping with your hands, is easy to do. But it does not exhibit the control you want and it doesn’t really help you get better.

Most any fit person can manage at least a few steps in this manner. But as I’ve said before, I think its important to learn how to stand still before you begin walking.

The other side, the harder way, is through walking and staying in control the entire time.

If you think about it, all you’re doing is shifting your weight to a single hand for a moment as you take a step with the hand. And then you repeat the process.

That bit makes the move harder than just standing still. You have to constantly correct your balance with every little movement.

At the same time it should serve to work your body better at maintaining its normal position in the handstand. If you allow yourself to get into a place where you can’t balance from you haven’t kept control.

Walking on the hands in the many ways you can do it will make you a better balancer.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. In Professor Orlick’s Walking and Jumping on Your Hands you’ll find all you need to know on taking your first steps, running, dancing, leaping and much more. By far the best guide to this grouping of hand balancing skills.

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Moving Handstands

By admin on December 15, 2008 in Handstands

When you first get started with the handstand all you want to do is strive to hold it for a longer and longer time. In the beginning that may just be five seconds.

As you get better you’ll eventually reach half a minute, a full minute and even beyond that too.

But is that the best way to make progress in hand balancing? Probably not.

At a certain point to improve your game you should be go outside of the regular handstand. Instead of holding the regular position without moving, purposefully move your legs around. Arch your back more or straighten it out. Break that shoulder angle.

You see its one thing to balance standing still but another thing to keep that balance as you change your position.

So focus on not moving when you’re starting out, but after you’ve hit 30 seconds or so start moving with purpose.

When you can balance from any position you are well on your way.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. If you want tons of positions for you to practice be sure to check out Hand Balancing Made Easy by Prof. Orlick.

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Mako Sakamoto's Handstand Pushup Record

By admin on December 11, 2008 in Uncategorized

Mako Sakamoto is not likely a name you have heard. He was a US National Champ in the 1960’s and has coached many successful gymnasts, including Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar.

One day during the athletes training they decided to find out how many freestanding handstand pushups they could do on the parallel bars. Mind you that these were full range, dropping down to the shoulders, not the head, and pressing back up. Coach Sakamoto got 19 on that day.

But he continued to train for many years. Twelve more to be exact, when he was 50 years old he set a new record. 163 consecutive full range freestanding handstand pushups.

One Hundred Sixty-Three!

He is over 60 years old now and still trains every morning. Though he won’t be breaking that record he can easily do 75 handstand pushups in the same manner which is far and beyond what most people would dream of doing.

To most people who can’t do a single rep or hold a handstand, that number seems unfathomable. But with the right training and true dedication it can be done.

I learned of this amazing feat from Coach Sommers over at www.GymnasticBodies.com. Check out his site and especially the new book Building the Gymnastic Body for great gymnastic training information.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. If you want to get started on your first freestanding handstand pushups you can get it in this month’s Acrobat Accelerator.

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Freestanding Handstand Pushups

By admin on December 9, 2008 in Presses & Pushup

One of the moves that got me into hand balancing in the first place was the freestanding handstand pushup. I had built up to doing handstand pushups against the wall and I always wanted to do them balancing on my own.

Well, having the strength to press yourself up and the balance to maintain the handstand are two completely different things. And to do the free handstand pushup you need both.

I hadn’t practiced this move much, at least not in recent times. But, just over a month ago I decided to really go after it. In my training I used three different methods to work on the move. Below you can watch one of those three.

Freestanding Handstand Pushups

This clip is from the December issue of Acrobat Accelerator. On top of the three primary methods of training you’ll learn about little shifts you can do in your position to make this move much easier or harder to suit your level.

I wouldn’t say I completely mastered the move yet, but that’s just a matter of more work. Stay tuned for next time when I’ll be sharing a story of someone who has.

Plus in this month’s Acrobat Accelerator, I share a warm-up routine I’ve been using everyday before hand balancing. Plus some startling studies on stretching that may have you re-thinking what you’ve been doing.

If you’re not already a member you can get this month’s issue for free with any of the following products:

Hand Balancing Mastery Course
Secrets of the Handstand Quickstart Guide
Tumbling Course

Or just by itself here – Acrobat Accelerator

But there’s only a few copies left and when its gone its gone. If you want to master the freestanding handstand this is the one to get.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Focusing on One Skill

By admin on December 6, 2008 in Uncategorized

Recently, I haven’t had a lot of time to devote to hand balancing. What with family visiting, traveling around and all that entails.

So I had to cut down on the time I practiced hand balancing. Especially when you factor in that hand balancing is just one aspect of training I’m going after.

I know there are some that want to become world class and are willing to train hours each day. They are the ones that will get to the top. All the more power to you, if that what you’re going after.

Then there are those who just think hand balancing is fun and a challenge. Something they’d like to get better at, but its not a major thing they do.

Even in this second category, over time you can reach skills that most people would never think of doing.

The point of all this is that even with limited time and practice you can still progress.

I’ve come to the conclusion that when you do, you’re better off focusing on one or at most two different skills.

When you got plenty of time you can work on everything. But when you only spend 10 minutes a day you need to go after one thing and go after it hard.

Make it your goal and you’ll get there quickly without being distracted by all the other things you could be doing.

This same idea works behind everything, not just hand balancing. The more you focus the better results you’ll get as your energies won’t be spread too thin.

So if you’ve been working on every different possible skill, now may be the time to pick one and really go after it. What can you accomplish before the year is over?

After all, you can always change your goal later on after you‘ve hit it. And since all the skills require balancing they will carry over to the other exercises.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. Even if you focus on one skill there are multiple ways to work towards it. This Quickstart Guide will give you all the tools you need to reach the basic handstand quickly.

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Walking on Your Hands Down Stairs

By admin on November 25, 2008 in Walking & Jumping

Some years ago when I was teaching Physical Education at the Western University Medical School I decided to see just how many steps I could conquer with practice. Therefore, twice every week after I had finished all of my classes, I took a crack at the main stairs.

For a couple of weeks I stuck to one flight of stairs as a sort of warm up. Then I added a few more steps with each try, until I was doing two flights with no difficulty. Gradually I added more steps, without really pushing myself to the limit and within a month was doing three flights regularly. The fourth flight gave me a bit of trouble, but once I got beyond this I landed two more to make it six flights in two months. At the end of three months I could start at the top of the building and make it “non-stop” all the way to the bottom…eight flights in all, and began looking for bigger buildings to conquer.

***

This story comes from Professor Orlick. I don’t know about you but I think walking down six flights of stairs is quite impressive.

Walking down stairs in certainly not a stunt beginners should go after but it serves as a great challenge to work up to. Even so, just about anyone can get started walking on their hands.

In Walking and Jumping on Your Hands, Prof. Orlick goes in depth on just about every possibility there is when it comes to walking on your hands. From starting with baby steps to running, dancing, jumping and more.

And if you think going down stairs is hard, just try going up. But this is broken down to a brain-dead simple process anyone can follow.

Of all of Orlick’s books I think this one is my favorite.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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