Tag Archives | Hand Balancing

Handstand Endurance

By admin on April 29, 2010 in Handstands, One Hand

In my last post on juggling I talked about the differences between learning most skills and that of hand balancing. The biggest difference being that hand balancing takes a lot of strength and endurance.

People talk about having the proper position which places the stress along the structure of the body versus using your strength to hold yourself up. This is true.

Building endurance holding this position against the wall allows you to train more when trying to learn the balance.

But either way you will only be able to hold a handstand so long. What can you do to increase this time?

While holding a handstand out in the open is largely a matter of balance, you know once you get past a certain point fatigue starts to set in.

By working to increase the time you can hold a handstand against the wall you can increase your endurance overall. You should be able to balance and hold a freestanding handstand longer with more endurance.

But the main benefit is you’ll also have the endurance to train longer with greater effectiveness.

So even if you are working on balancing, still spending some time against the wall to improve your endurance will benefit you.

This applies to more than just the basic handstand. Why not try the same thing with the one hand handstand?

Of course, as going for long timed holds against the wall is fatiguing you’ll want to do these at the end of your practice, not at the start.

The same can be said of handstand pushups. Are you working on presses and freestanding handstand pushups? Make sure you have adequate strength to work on the skills of the movements. And to do that increase your reps and follow the progressions laid out in The Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups.

Work to increase your skills. Work to increase your endurance. Both lead towards the same goal.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Washington Trapeze

By admin on April 13, 2010 in Uncategorized

As if balancing on the head or hands isn’t hard enough. As if trapeze isn’t a difficult discipline in its own right. No, some feel the need to combine the two!

This is known as Washington trapeze, a circus discipline invented in the 1800s by Kaye Washington. In this complex aerial act, the artist must balance him or herself on the head on the trapeze bar, thanks to a small “headrest” screwed down to the bar, and then launch into a series of balancing acts on the hands or feet, according to Canadian artist Marie-Josée Lévesque whose video is below.

And this one is an award winning Washington trapeze act by Elizabeth Axt

I first heard about these acts over at Gymnastics Coaching. And on that note you can see a guest post on the history of hand balancing I wrote for them.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing (on or off a trapeze),
Logan Christopher

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Benefits of Inversions

By admin on March 31, 2010 in Handstands

This past weekend at a longevity conference I learn one more benefit of inversions.

Did you know that every species on this earth suffers from osteoarthritis? That is except for two, bats and sloths. What makes these two immune to this disease? They spend so much time hanging upside down!

The simple headstand can give you the benefits of inversion

I’m not saying headstands or hand balancing will cure arthritis, but isn’t that interesting.

By reversing the flow of gravity you do your body many benefits.

It allows the body to clear the often stagnant blood from your legs and feet. You heart needs to work hard to pump blood back up the body. Getting upside down makes this easy.

Inversion helps with not only circulation, but to increase oxygen to the brain which has obvious benefits.

Inverting can help relax the muscles, re-align the body and train your balance. In fact, being completely upside down is the only time your spinal discs get a break from the normal pull of gravity.

For more details on the benefits of inversion check out this page.

Now you don’t have to be a yogi or professional equilibrist to reap these benefits.

Doing a headstand even against the wall will give you all these benefits. You can also try hanging upside down.

But you can imagine what doing 30 minutes a day of hand balancing can do for your health.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Free Hand Balancing Teleseminar

By admin on March 4, 2010 in Uncategorized

I get tons of questions sent in everyday. I try to answer them as best I can writing these emails or posts on the blog but there’s more than I can keep up with.

So I invited Jim Bathurst, from Beast Skills, to join me live on a call and answer all your questions as best we can.

Next Wednesday night, March 10th, we’ll answer all your questions for an hour or maybe longer. In order to join us on this call you need to signup at this page.

Our goal is to hold nothing back and give you the best information we can to just help you get better at hand balancing right away.

Sign up at the following link and you can ask your questions right away. As I expect hundreds of them, there’s no way we’ll cover everything but we’ll take the best and try for the rest.

Signup for the Free Hand Balancing Teleseminar Here

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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One Arm Handstand Lead-Up Stunt

By admin on February 12, 2010 in One Hand

The One Arm Handstand

Today I’ll be giving you a tip towards working on a one arm handstand. I’ve been doing this hand balancing skill a lot lately.

Professor Orlick lists it as one of the lead-up stunts to the one arm handstand. And this one utilizes both arms. What is it? It’s the handstand done on the fists.

Now how does this help with the one arm handstand? As explained in How to do the One Hand Handstand:

Handstand on Fists

“Now, lean forward and very carefully kick your feet up into the handstand position. Do this easily and gently because your base will be even smaller than before and you won’t have the use of your fingertips to help hold you up. If you kick too hard you are liable to topple right over. At first, the weight of your body resting on your knuckles will probably hurt but just grin and bear it for soon you will get used to it. Once again be sure to stretch up as high as you can and lock-out at the elbows and shoulders and point your toes up toward the ceiling. The position is shown quite clearly to the right in No. 22. Like the others, this too is a fine lead-up stunt so keep it up until you master it.”

The reason this can help move you toward the one arm handstand is that you’ll get use to balancing on a smaller base of support. You just can’t apply the hand pressure you can in a normal handstand when you’re on your fists. A small amount of wrist pressure can be used but you must learn to keep your body stable and balance from the shoulders.

Mixed with other lead-up stunts and the proper progression this will help you eventually reach the one arm handstand. For much more check out the Hand Balancing Mastery Course.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Which Course To Get?

By admin on January 14, 2010 in Uncategorized

Regular Handstand

All I can say is WOW!

The demand for the Hand Balancing Mastery Course is overwhelming.

That’s entirely understandable when you see the systematic approach Prof. Orlick takes in his books and all the added bonuses you can get like the interviews and DVD’s.

For all of you who ordered your courses will be shipping out very soon. In fact some of the first orders have already gone out. For those that haven’t ordered yours yet, what are you waiting for?

I’ve received a few questions asking about the new course in relation to the others I have available. How does the Hand Balancing Mastery Course compare to The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing?

First off, what’s the same? They both talk about hand balancing from beginning skills up to very advanced. But that’s about it!

The Hand Balancing Mastery Course is much more systematic in its approach. In most cases you’ll work on one move right before the next and you can honestly come close to following the book in order as its laid out.

While there is some crossover in skills there’s also a lot of difference. The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing is almost devoid of walking on the hands. The Mastery Course has a whole book on it. The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing covers the planche in some depth which the Mastery Course doesn‘t have in the books, but its covered in both the CD’s and DVD’s.

I will give The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing extra points for having real photographs to display the skills. The Mastery Course has drawings for most of the skills which do the job well, especially since I had every single one re-drawn. And yes the drawings you see here and on that page is what you’ll find in the books.

The biggest difference is the amount of content. The Hand Balancing Mastery Course has so much more. In the books alone you’ll find at least twice as much. And that doesn’t even include the several hours of audio and video.

There’s even less crossover between other products.

The Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD was born out of the ideas I learned from the Hand Balancing Mastery Course in using the lead-up stunts as Professor Orlick describes. That DVD covers just working up to the handstand and nothing beyond it. If you were just starting out I would recommend starting there and once you have some proficiency then getting the Mastery Course.

The Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups is more about building strength then balancing. Sure it has a chapter on doing freestanding handstand pushups (which is covered in one of the DVD’s in the Mastery Course) but that’s the only real similarity.

That should give you an idea of the differences. To get more details take the time to read the product pages. Sure, they might be a little salesy but I do my best to actually show you what’s inside each book, DVD or course.

If you have any other specific questions let me know.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Hand Balancing Mastery Course is Live

By admin on January 14, 2010 in Uncategorized

Not much to say today except…

The Hand Balancing Mastery Course is Live!

Check it out now and see ALL that you can get.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. For a limited time its available at discount pricing so grab it now while you can.

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Biggest Hand Balancing Tip

By admin on January 7, 2010 in Handstands

I was hand balancing for a long time before I realized this tip. And when I did I immediately improved my abilities.

We’re talking about almost doubling the amount of time I could hold a handstand. Being able to do multiple complete pirouette turns versus falling after just turning 180 degrees.

Biggest Tip for Handstands

By paying attention to the furthest point from where you are balancing (i.e. your toes) you’ll be able to correct any shift in your balance before its too late.

To really drive this home do a little experiment with me. Go ahead and try a handstand while putting all your attention on your hands.

Now try it while paying attention to your feet.

After you’ve done that report your results by commenting below.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Hand Balancing on Twitter

By admin on December 2, 2009 in Uncategorized

This is last notice but I wanted to give you a chance to join the fun.

If you’re on Twitter I’m the guest on a special twitterchat tonight. The topic…hand balancing of course.

You’ll have your chance to ask any questions you want.

All the details can be found at Straight to the Bar.

And make sure you’re following me- StrongmanLogan.

It costs nothing to signup and come ask your questions. If you’re available then be sure to stop by.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

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Block Building Handstand

By admin on October 30, 2009 in Handstands, One Hand

Rafael Guerrero's Block Building Handstand

One very impressive handstand stunt is to raise yourself off the ground by block building.

Start in a handstand with a stack of bricks or similar objects nearby. Shift over to one hand and grab a block with the other. Set that block down, shift your weight onto that arm then repeat on the other side. You build yourself up one block at a time.

This is an advanced skill as you’ll have to be in a one arm handstand much of the time even in just momentarily.

But its sure to impress anyone watching. And once you reach the top you can go down the same way or maybe jump off your blocks.

The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. The Halloween Sale is going strong. Check out how you can save on all hand balancing and acrobatic programs here.

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