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?
While Parkour and acrobatic tricks may seem difficult, all of the people doing it had to start somewhere. By starting out with simple tricks and advancing later on, you build up confidence, skill and acquire a decent amount of tricks up your sleeve.
In the video, you are able to see that wall climbups are not that difficult to perform, and while looking cool are actually also quite functional. Even if you do not want to show off your skills, you might find yourself facing a wall that you would need to climb, by learning how to do it, you will be able to.
While climbing up, try to keep your hands straight, because by bending them you lose all the power you had. While performing 180s you should be kick yourself in the opposite direction only when you’re high enough. It’s rather simple, just needs a little bit of practice. Fun thing about is, you can go outside and practice right now.
For more parkour skills like these check out this DVD or the online course.
Trampolining and tumbling go together hand in hand. Trampolining involves doing all sorts of acrobatic tricks on a trampoline which provides much more height. Tumbling involves doing the same or similar moves on the floor (and with gymnastic spring floors more height can be had).
I’ve mentioned this before. When I first started doing gymnastics I never really used the trampoline. My idea was that I should be able to do all the moves without artificial apparatus. Basically I wanted to be able to do every move outside.
The problem with this idea is that the trampoline is such a useful tool. Although it easily allows you to get tons of air without needed to generate it yourself (by jumping off the ground for instance) you need to control your body in the air. The same control and acrobatic ability in the air is applicable to being on a trampoline or not. It doesn’t really matter.
So even if you only want to do moves outside like I did, the trampoline is a useful tool for getting there.
Just ask Damien Walters. One of the best out there in free running and all manner of acrobatic stunts. One of his primary training methods and tools is the trampoline even competing in the trampoline world championships along with doing all manner of stunts in the gym and out.
For this reason you should use everything available to you. Set goals for tricks you can do on a trampoline. If you need ideas on getting started check out the Trampoline Handbook. In it you’ll find 48 different moves to work on. These range from basic to intermediate. From there the world of trampolining really opens up. Work on doing more complex tricks as well as stringing several more basic tricks together.
Here’s a video showing some amazing trampolining stunts from Adam Menzies along with some other moves at the end.
Want to do a twisting backflip? Do it on the trampoline first and nail it down, before moving onto the floor. Not to mention a trampoline can just be a lot of fun.
When it comes to tumbling on the floor you should follow the same progressions. Work on what you can and build from there. For a wide range of moves (248 to be exact) check out Tumbling Illustrated. And again, do more complex moves and focus on stringing moves together.
The truth is just about anyone can build up decent acrobatic skills if they work on it with persistence. You may not be trying out for Cirque du Soleil anytime soon but you’ll master moves few people can do.
Trampolining and tumbling skills are well worth going after. Working on one will help the other and vice versa. Use the combination and get better starting today.
A little while back I told you I was getting back into a regular practice of hand balancing. Well, its been a couple weeks and despite holiday craziness I’m happy to report great results.
I quickly did the lead-up stunts found in the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD before jumping right into the handstand (just like I recommend to anyone starting out). After I hit my goals there I moved on to another series of exercises.
And about that wrist pain I’ve been having? I’m doing something new that is blowing that out of the water. I’ve got a bit more experimentation and research to do before I report on that later.
One of my main goals this month was to hit a 60 second freestanding handstand again. Guess what? I did 63 seconds this morning. That puts me ahead of schedule.
I’ll be telling you a bit more about my training, my goals and how I’m going after them soon.
It looks like this whole email is about what’s coming soon, so I’ll end it by saying there’s two new videos coming later this week.
One is on the biggest tip I can give you for hand balancing success.
The other is on what to do if you want to achieve a straight handstand.
And soon the best resource, short of a personal coach, will be available to anyone who wants to MASTER hand balancing.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
This morning I woke up and did some Yoga. After about fifteen minutes I started my hand balancing practice as I’ve done every morning this week.
But I have to be honest with you, besides this week I haven’t done all that much hand balancing recently.
Life craziness plus an ongoing wrist injury have got in the way. This isn’t to say I’ve neglected all my training. Far from it. But hand balancing has taken a back seat.
Where I wanted to be at the end of 2009 is now actually further off then where I was at when this year just began.
However, that’s going to change. I’m now recommitted to regularly practicing hand balancing and taking my skills further.
In order to do this I have to go back. Back to the basics. In fact, at this point I’m not even working on a regular handstand. I’ve gone back to the various lead-up stunts found in the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.
Right now even the frogstand is difficult. Any pressure on my right wrist is tough but its slowly getting better. Getting to that recommended minute mark is proving a trial but sometimes you have to go back in order to move forward.
But you know what, I’m excited about it. Assuming my wrist cooperates I know I’ll gain my skills back and quickly surpass them.
Have you been neglecting to practice like I was? Sometimes the fire that got us started down one road begins to flicker and die away. This can be because other more important things come around.
Or there are a wide variety of other reasons. Out of laziness you can let it go. Just drop your training like so many people do after that initial burst of practice (and this applies to so much outside of doing handstands). Years down the road you’re likely to regret that wasted time.
As the great Jim Rohn, who recently passed away, said “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
The thing is at any moment you do have the opportunity to rededicate yourself. Sometimes you just need a little outside motivation to do so. I got mine from an unlikely source. My hope is that reading this will spur you on.
In order to keep that motivation high you need to continually surround yourself with what it is you wish to accomplish. If you wish to excel at hand balancing visit this site over and over again.
Get with people who share the same passion. Read books and watch videos on the topic (and if you don’t have any what are you waiting for?)
For the reasons listed above and others I’ve haven’t added as much content to the site recently as I should have. But that’s going to change. There are some great things in store there especially when the new year rolls around.
But for now there is one thing I’d like to ask. There are a number of great hand balancers and acrobats out there reading this. If you’re one of them how would you like to share your tips, training and techniques?
If so, send in your articles and/or videos and we’ll grow the site to help more people together.
You can reply to this email or just send them to [email protected]. If you have any questions as far as what to talk about send those in too.
As always, thanks for your time.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Here is a great question on the value of walking on hands versus standing on them.
“Hey Logan I just now started to do the frogstand and I can do it for a long time. I’ve been learning the handstand and couldn’t find my balance and I can walk all the way down my hall on my hands but I cant hold a handstand and Its frustrating so I stuck to walking on my hands. I’m gonna start practicing my frogstands right now. Is there any other things I could do to work on my balance for a handstand?”
Marcus
I recommend that anyone getting started with the handstand attempts to not walk around but instead finds the balance and holds the position on the hands.
You see, how you balance while walking on your hands can be entirely different then how you balance while standing on your hands. The first when you come out of balance you step to get back in balance. So your balance is maintained by moving around your body.
When standing on your hands you maintain your balance by keeping the body in a certain range that can be balanced by the hands and arms. If you start to fall out of balance you shift the pressure to keep your body up.
Doing this is tough. That’s why I recommend using lead-up stunts to teach you how to balance. The frogstand is great for teaching you hand balancing while in an easier position with your body low to the ground.
Other moves that help you build balance, different from the frog stand, include the headstand and forearm stand. If you can’t do these easier stunts well then you definitely should not be attempting the handstand yet.
Full details on these and other helpful stunts can be found in the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.
Learning how to balance your body will in the end make walking around that much easier.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
Here is a basic handstand tutorial. This will cover first practicing against a wall. If you are trying to go out into the open check out this article on how to do a hand stand.
Holding a handstand is not an easy skill. It requires much practice especially if you want to do it out in the open. The tips in the article will help you get started. Before we begin just know that practice is the biggest determinant of whether you’ll be successful or not with the handstand. The more you can practice the faster you’ll get results.
What you learn here will go a long way to helping you out. Also, these tips will ensure you get started with good habits which will set you up to learn even more advanced stunts later on. If you attempt the handstand without any instruction you may setup yourself for failure. Sure, you may figure out how to do the handstand but you may build bad habits which will make other hand balancing skills harder to do in the future.
The easiest way to learn the handstand is to first practice it against a wall. You’ll be able to learn proper body position first.
The first step is to kick-up into the handstand. In order to become successful you’ll need to build a good kick-up. So practice this skill by itself as much a you need to.
Kick-up to Handstand
Get in a sprinter’s stance. Place both hands on the floor about shoulder width apart approximately 6-10 inches from the wall. One foot should be close to your body while the other is farther back. With the back leg you kick up and then bring the other leg to meet up with it against the wall. Kick enough to get yourself up into the handstand but not too much so that you slam into the wall.
Now lets focus on your form in the handstand. Spread the fingers wide apart and grip the ground. This will help especially with balancing later on.
Make sure your elbow are locked. If you bend your arms you’ll have to rely on your strength versus your body’s structure to hold you up. Also push your arms into the ground from the shoulder girdle. Think of trying to reach your shoulders to your ears. This will give you a better locked out position.
The rest of your body should remain tight as well from your back to the legs all the way to your toes. Point the toes and keep the legs together to help with this. By keeping tight you make holding the position, and balancing later on, much easier.
For most people some arch in the back is normal. There are different ways to go about it depending on the style of handstand you are going after. Just do whatever is comfortable for you as long as its not an excessive arch. But if you try to stretch your body upwards you’ll straighten a bit and get tighter.
You can keep your head neutral or tilt it back to look at the ground.
Handstand against Wall
All the points for a good and stable handstand position are here. The goal is to create this same position every time you do a handstand whether against the wall or freestanding. Practice these steps enough until they are a habit every time you go into the handstand.
After you can hold this handstand for about a minute you can get started with a freestanding handstand, although there are a few other important lead-up stunts, like the headstand and frogstand, to work on to build up your abilities.
Remember to keep practicing and you will succeed.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
P.S. For more on how to do the handstand check out the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.
An important part of handstands is having hand strength and flexibility so here are some wrist strengthening exercises.
I’ve always had some wrist troubles when it came to handstands due to an old injury. And recently my right wrist has been acting up making even a regular handstand hard to hold.
How have I been able to make progress towards overcoming this?
By doing more handstands!
Because a handstand puts you near or at complete extension of your wrist it’s a position most people never really use or have need for strength in. But for those of us handbalancing that’s different.
Very few other exercises can even get close to this position. So using the handstand itself is the way we want to use to build wrist strength and flexibility.
Of course, if you are just starting out putting your full weight on your hands may be too hard. In this case going from pushups, to elevated pushups and finally to the handstand is the progression to follow. I had to go back to the starting point in order to build up.
It may be uncomfortable. The idea is to push your boundaries a little at a time. Keep doing a bit more each time to expand your wrist flexibility. Of course, you don’t want to push too hard you injure yourself even more. The idea is to make progress slowly and over time.
If its no strain to hold the position, when you are in the handstand (ideally against the wall) you can dig in and press down into the ground doing isometrics to further build your strength, and therefore control when balancing.
Regular practice with these kind of wrist strengthening exercises will result in strong, flexible and healthy hands and wrists.
Good Luck and Good Balancing,
Logan Christopher
P.S. There’s also some nifty stunts by Bob Jones in Chapter 6 of The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing. Be sure to check those out to further build strength and flexibility in those hand balancing hands.
After most people, myself included, have some success with the handstand they want to move on to a variety of stunts, most of which are much harder.
My advice, nowadays, is to stick with the handstand itself for a bit longer.
Yes, you can always just work on adding more time in a hold while improving your balance. But to spice it up a little bit try changing up your position.
There are a huge amount of different ways you can do this with different areas of your body. For today let’s focus on the legs.
Again, any possible way you can move your legs can be done in the handstand but let’s narrow it down to just one. The Scissors Handstand.
From The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing:
“Do a hand stand in nice form, then separate the legs, one backward and the other forward. Start the legs backward and forward in scissor fashion. Go slowly at first, and increase the speed, and come to a sudden stop with the feet and legs in nice form. While in the motion, the legs should be kept straight, with the toes pointed. This trick is very effective and is not hard to learn. Variations of the above are, scissors while walking on the hands, also scissors with the head forward through the arms.”
Check out the hand balancing book for many other moves just like this one.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
“Hey Logan, just a short question on the handstand, how do you get control when you go towards under balancing ( I think…I’m new to all this, hehe)? Because when I over balance I just push the floor with my fingers, but when I under balance I just have no idea what to do.”
Thanks,
Sebastien V-G
“Hey Logan, I felt like trying a handstand today, and I tried it. I think I did pretty good, but before I can even hold it for more than a few seconds, I lose my balance and fall forwards. I have read most of the articles on this website, and I have tried the handstand again, but I still keep falling forward. Any Help?”
-Andrew
Thanks for the questions Sebastien and Andrew. They are common ones and are really all about what it takes to stay in the handstand.
To begin with if you are overbalancing you will press your fingertips into the floor. If you are underbalancing you can’t really press your palm into the floor, but you’ll want to raise your fingers up.
This old article has more details on the science of balancing.
There are also other methods of saving your balance whether its over or under. Read this article on shoulder weaving. As Bob Jones recommends this is not for beginners.
Learning this control whether by action of the hands or shoulders takes lots of practice. It’s a fine skill and will take time to develop or else everyone would be able to hold a handstand with ease.
That’s why I developed my Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD. Using lead-up stunts will better help you to develop that balancing skill. And this review from Julia shows you why.
“Hi Logan, I appreciate your interest and support. You probably have the best support system I’ve seen for people using your products.
“The DVD is great, and I think it’s a valuable tool for anybody who wants to have a strong and stable handstand. I can really see the value of the lead-up stunts, and why a freestanding handstand is a bad idea until I get my frogstand under control.”
Thanks a lot!
-Julia
If you can’t control you handstand for more than a few seconds check out the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD.
Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher
© 2024 Lost Art of Hand Balancing. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by WordPress. Designed by 
