Tag Archives | Handbalancing

1 Min Tip: Acrobatic Attributes – Kickup Coordination and Strength

By Jon Magno on February 29, 2016 in Acrobatics, Gymnastics, Hand Balancing, Handstands, Mobility, Other Skills, Uncategorized

For today’s post, I’ll be showing you a nice way to build up the strength of your kick up into the handstand! Whats great about this move is that its a nice diversion from the usual lead up stunts. It also helps you with your hip-hinging, driving power from the floor, as well as your mindful body feel! The move we’ll be working on is called the Frogger to Banzai Hop from the Gold Medal Bodies Elements Program.

The first thing you want to do is start in a deep squat position and make sure your arms are on the inside of your legs.

Up next, get your arms in a locked position and load them onto the floor. Once you’ve put the load on your hands, drive your hips up and let them fall naturally forward.

Once your legs land, get into an overhead squat position and complete a small hop.

Continue with this combo for about a minute, being mindful about whats happening with your body!

You can catch the action in the video below!

This combo came from the Gold Medal Bodies Elements Program. If you’re interested in delving more into developing your acrobatic foundation go here!

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

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Some Inspiration from 47 year old Freerunner

By Jon Magno on February 27, 2016 in Acrobatics, Flexibility & Contortion, Gymnastics, Hand Balancing, Handstands, Mobility, Other Skills, Parkour, Tumbling, Uncategorized, Walking & Jumping

Hey guys! If you don’t know much about me, know that I started in on movement training at a later age. I’ve always done the martial arts and have trained in combat sports, but working on tying it together into a cohesive art of self expression didn’t happen till later. I’ve still got a long way to go, but its great to see what others have accomplished even later in life!

P.S. No highlights in this one. Just watch the video as it is, you won’t regret it!

Only a couple of days left to pick up the Advanced Bridging Course. You’ve heard us talking about over the past month and you can get it by clicking here!

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

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1 Min Tip: Acrobatic Attributes – Shoulder Opener

By Jon Magno on February 8, 2016 in Acrobatics, Flexibility & Contortion, Hand Balancing, Mobility, Uncategorized

Hey Guys! Here’s the next update to our Acrobatic Attributes series of videos to help give you a better foundation! One of the keys to that foundation is to have loose muscles that can react and move in 3d. The Shoulder Opener Stretch is a great way to open up your shoulders and increase mobility to your posterior side while up in an inverted position!

The Shoulder Opener is a great way to open up your rhomboids, traps, scapula, and lats.

One of the key factors to doing the move correctly is to make sure the shoulders stay in a neutral position. You can easily accomplish this by placing your shoulder blades on a wall and using that as a focus point.

Pull one arm across the mid-line of your chest and use the opposing arm to pull it in place. Rather than pressing the arm towards your body, think about pulling your arm to the opposite side.(For my martial arts folks, think sticky hands!)

You can watch the 1 min tip here!

Don’t forget a lot of these great tips were inspired by our friends from Gold Medal Bodies. So if you are looking to really develop your foundational range of motion and flexibility for acrobatics, check out the GMB Focused Flexibility program here: https://lostartofhandbalancing.com/go/focusedflexibility/

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AcroYoga Beginner Tutorial – Straddle Bat

By Jon Magno on February 3, 2016 in Acrobatics, Hand Balancing, Hand-to-Hand, Yoga

Ok guys! In today’s post, we’ll be jumping once again into the AcroYoga series with Noga. Today Noga will be working with the Straddle Bat or Back to Bat Position.

She starts out by placing having her flyer rest their glutes on her feet. The flyer leans back and clasps the hands of the base.

Next the flyer releases the hands of the base and stabilizes on the feet.

The flyer slowly leans back and the base creates a new post on the flyers shoulders.

Finally the Flyer becomes inverted into the straddle position. (Note the change in foot placement.)

To get the full tutorial with tips, watch the video below!

Allright guys! As you can see flexibility on the part of the flyer is important for this position. If you want to build a strong back with mobility and stability check out our Advanced Bridging Course here!

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

P.S. Stay tuned for Friday as we’ll be unveiling our new set of 1 min tips that will help you build a strong foundational base for your acrobatic skills!

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AcroYoga Beginner Tutorial – Throne

By Jon Magno on February 1, 2016 in Hand Balancing, Hand-to-Hand, Yoga

In today’s post. We’ll be revisiting Beginner AcroYoga with the The Throne Tutorial. Noga runs you through four different variations as well as spotting tips.

1) The first position is the Basic Mount.

2) Next Noga runs you through the Straddle Throne position.

3) Followed by it’s opposite, the Reverse Throne.

4) Finally, she takes you through your first transition with the Bird to Throne position.

Take a look at the full video below!

If you want to get better at hand balancing with a systematic approach, check out our Handstand Mastery Course!

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

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AcroYoga Beginner Tutorial – Front Bird

By Jon Magno on January 22, 2016 in Acrobatics, Hand Balancing, Hand-to-Hand, Yoga

For today’s post, we’ll be looking at the Front Bird Tutorial. Noga goes over quite a few tips involve safety and balance. Be sure that you are ready we the base, the flyer, and the spotter. Watch the video below to learn your first move!

Increase your flexibility and stabilization with the Tiger Bend.

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

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Happy Hump day and what would you like!?

By Jon Magno on January 20, 2016 in Acrobatics, Gymnastics, Hand Balancing, Handstands, Uncategorized

Happy Hump Day everybody! As you all know we have been working hard making Lost Art of Hand Balancing bigger and better! A part of that process is in seeing what you guys are interested in. Which tips you found the most benefits in and also what you would like to see in the future. So, with that said, we’d appreciate it if you send us a shout and let us know what YOU WANT!

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

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Hand Positioning For the Handstand Part 2

By Jon Magno on January 18, 2016 in Hand Balancing, Handstands

Allright! Here is part 2 of the Hand Positioning for the Handstand Post. Here is some great insight on small tweaks you can make to increase your hold time and balance. The basic beginner position if you have good range of motion in the wrists is to try and keep the middle fingers parallel to eachother.

If that becomes difficult and you are even having trouble kicking up, try turning your hands out.

The hand position can cause stress on the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and base of the neck if your range of motion is compromised.

A simple turn of the hand can reduce the restriction in the upper extremities and make hand balancing a whole lot easier!

Check the video below for more detailed info!

Make sure to get the Handstand Mastery Course!

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Advancing the Basics: Frogstand Variation – Using Your Head 1 Min Tip

By Jon Magno on January 8, 2016 in Acrobatics, Hand Balancing, Handstands, Uncategorized

Here is the first official tip post of 2016 for LAOHB! Today we are going over the Frogstand. Specifically, we are going to take a look at a nice regression you can use to help build the stabilizers necessary to keep you balanced, while you are in this position!

First you want to Begin in the Frogstand Position. Make sure that you are gripping the floor tightly with your fingers and that you have as much surface space that you can rest you legs on!

Second, carefully let the crown of your head rest on the floor as you drive your hips up. Reposition your legs if necessary to gain a stronger position.

Finally attempt to hold the position for at least one minute while you keep your back aligned with a posterior tilt.

An added benefit of this modified position is that you can use it to drive up into your headstand!

Look below to see the entire tip!

If you want to delve deeper into your hand balance training, go to Handstand Mastery!

Stay Inverted!
-Coach Jon

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Great Tricks To Try

By admin on December 21, 2015 in Flexibility & Contortion, Hand-to-Hand, Handstands, Head Balancing, Tumbling, Walking & Jumping

Skills like hand balancing, hand spins, tumbling, flexibility tricks are serious tricks that can only be achieved through continuous training and practice. Hand spins and flexibility tricks are good way to keep your body in shape even when doing a solo act. While advanced hand balancing and flexibility skills are nicer when done in pair or with a group.

Dan had been practicing some of these skills for the past 2 years, at least. Do you think you can do better in a shorter training time?

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