Tag Archives | Train

How to Learn Parkour

By admin on December 23, 2009 in Parkour, Tumbling

Merry Christmas!

Regardless of whether you celebrate this holiday or any other this time of year, I’m in the spirit of giving.

I mentioned this before and now its ready. Grab my new interview with Mark Toorock of American Parkour

In just over an hour we covered tons of information from the beginnings of parkour on to how to learn parkour. Here’s a few of the things you’ll discover when you listen:

The difference between doing Parkour and training Parkour.
What your fitness level should be before you get started in Parkour. The answer may surprise you…
Tips on keeping the knees, ankles and other joints healthy so you can train a long time while avoiding crippling injuries.
What a typical Parkour training session should look like.
How to find other Parkour practitioners (aka Traceurs) that you can train with.
Tips on finding places to train (including the legal aspects of doing so).
The fundamentals you MUST focus on and why neglecting to do so will mean slower progress.
And much more…

We do talk about the Parkour Tutorial DVD, available here, but besides that its all great content on how to get started learning and training in parkour.

Good Luck and Good Free Running,
Logan Christopher

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Give Me Your HSPU Questions?

By admin on July 28, 2009 in Uncategorized

I’m nearing completion of the second draft of The Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups. And I could use your help.

You see, Chapter 11 addresses all the common problems people may have when doing handstand pushups. I have a bunch of questions already from a survey I did awhile back, but I want to make sure I cover all the bases.

Read the questions I have so far below then comment below with any others you have.

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How do you combine handstand training with other exercises?

How can I train HSPU’s with an injury?

How often should I workout?

How long should I rest in between sets?

How should I warm-up before HSPU’s?

What do I do if I cannot lock out my arms?

I seem to be stuck at a plateau. How do I break through it?

I don’t have a good place to practice HSPU’s. What should I do?

I seem to have problems just kicking up to the handstand. What should I do?

Handstands seem to make my wrists hurt? What should I do?

How should I include HSPU’s into my training schedule?

My back seems to arch a lot when I try HSPU’s and I fall out of the handstand? What should I do?

When I try a harder variation of the HSPU I find it difficult to maintain my form?

I don’t think I’m working on HSPU’s enough to really get better at them? What is the minimum amount I need to do?

The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing

I have problems with my feet sliding up and down the wall. What can I do?

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There is much else covered within the other chapters of the book, but I want to make sure I get everything you need to really make this the ultimate guide.

And something equally important.

I’m closing down the pre-publication sale in 48 hours. Consider this your last warning to save almost $20 off the retail price of this book.

Oh yeah, and stupid me, on the page I forgot to mention my guarantee. Everything I offer includes a 3 month money-back guarantee. That includes this guide and the three months won’t start until the day you receive it.

So send in your questions and if you haven’t already, join the many others who’ve taken advantage of this special off before its too late.

The Ultimate Guide to Handstand Pushups

Good Luck and Good Handstand Pushups,
Logan Christopher

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How to Kick-up into a Wall Handstand

By admin on May 8, 2009 in Handstands

It’s important to have a strong handstand against the wall before you ever try balancing yourself in the open.

And in order to train that you have to be able to get into the handstand. This video shows you the easiest way to kick-up against the wall.

How to Kick Up into a Handstand Against the Wall

The most important point is to keep your arms locked the entire time. That makes them strongest and you’ll be least likely to collapse to the ground.If you don’t quite get it on your first attempt keep at it. If you’re worried about injuring yourself put a pillow or something soft beneath your head to build your confidence.

Also, you can have a partner assist you. After you kick they can guide your feet to the wall.

As for how much kick to give, you need enough to get your hips above your body but not so much you plow into the wall. With practice you’ll be able to touch lightly on the wall every time.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. This is just the first step of many in the Secrets of the Handstand Quick Start DVD. If you want to work up to balancing on you own this is the DVD to get.

How to do the One Hand Handstand by Professor Orlick

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Will Wall Handstands Help Balance? How Often to Train HSPU's?

By admin on April 6, 2009 in Uncategorized

I have some cool things in the work for this month. One of them is nearing completion. More on that subject later.

In the meantime let’s tackle a few more questions that have been sent in.

First off from Carol.

“If I keep practicing kicking up to a handstand against the wall, and holding it as long as I can with a tight body, will I eventually be able to do the handstand without the wall?”

The handstand against the wall is an important lead-up stunt I advise beginners to do when starting out with the handstand. It is great to work up to holding for at least one minute while maintaining a good position.

However, although you can learn how to keep your body tight and up in space you will not learn how to balance from this position. This requires a few other moves as well as practicing at the freestanding handstand itself.

And next from Ashley.

“Hi there. I consider myself to be a quite a physical culturist. I have made handstands a staple exercise in my upperbody workouts. I am currently working towards handstand push ups with my hands elevated to get full range of motion. How often would you recommend to train handstands to get to the desired standard?”

First off congratulations. Handstand pushups are often no more then a dream to most people, especially when you start going after the full range of motion.

I just happened to be working on a few myself today. In all honesty, depending on how you train with them you could do them everyday or just twice a week. And either way you can make progress.

If you just do a few sets each day and none of them are an all-out effort, you could do them every day.

But in most cases I would advise two or three times a week. Train them hard and eventually you’ll be able to do many full range reps. The important thing to look at is if you are moving forward. If your are then your training is good and you should continue.

If you’ve been training handstand pushups whether just starting out or doing them with ease I’d love to hear about your training. Send in questions, concerns, workouts or specific exercises you’ve come up with. Just hit the reply button up above.

That’ll wrap it up for today.

Good Luck and Good Hand Balancing,
Logan Christopher

P.S. About that first thing I mentioned. If you’re following me on facebook or twitter there was a big hint just put up there in the form of a question. If you aren’t already become my friend on facebook or follow me on twitter by clicking the links.

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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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Advanced Bridging

By admin on October 8, 2008 in Bridging, Flexibility & Contortion

Last summer I was traveling through Europe with a group of friends. We were in San Sebastian waiting to go to Pamplona for the running of the bulls.

There were several hours to kill before the train would arrive and take us off.

So we decided to play some football in a nearby park. (Finding an American football in Europe wasn’t easy but that’s a story for another time.)

Since the only place we could find was a field of half grass and half granite, we played two-hand touch rather then tackling each other. Still, being men it was bound to get rough. And of course highly competitive.

A little three on three action. The whole game was a tight battle for the lead.

And it was going smoothly until a certain kickoff.

The kick was high and short. As we scrambled forward to catch it, the other guys were rushing towards us. The ball hit the ground and bounced high up into the air.

I leaped upwards. I don’t know how exactly it happened, or who hit me, but my feet were taken out from under me sending me spinning.

Six feet up in the air I turned over and came crashing down onto the packed ground, the back of my head being the first point of contact. THUMP!!

I’m not gonna lie and say it didn’t affect me. It did. I was stunned and had to take some time out of the game. But within an hour I was fine.

Meanwhile one of my friends pulled a neck muscle by looking over his shoulder for a pass. Seriously.

But how did I avoid what certainly would should have been a concussion? How was I fine in just an hour but my friend had a nagging injury for months.

Its how I train. The neck and spine are often neglected by most people even if they do otherwise train their body.

All my neck training is done from the wrestler’s bridge. But I don’t just hold the position for time. I’ve developed a series of exercises that will give you one of the strongest necks in the world.

But that’s only part of the equation. There’s also the gymnastic bridge. Few exercises work the body from fingers to toes like this one. Especially when you consider the flexibility and agility to move into and out of position with ease.

Considering how I started so inflexible and weak many years back, its amazing some of the things I can do now. And now you can do it to.

Go to Advanced Bridging to find out more.

Be sure to watch the video to really see what is possible with a few bridging movements.

This is a special offer and your only notice. Come Friday morning the page is coming down. So go check it out while you have a chance.

Good Luck and Good Bridging,
Logan Christopher

P.S. On first appearance to many people the bridge in its many forms can appear injurious and dangerous. But if you go about it the right way not only will you build strength and flexibility, you can become concussion-proof. You’ll find out more at Advanced Bridging.

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Tumbling Tip to Train Relaxation + A Deadline

By admin on May 13, 2008 in Tumbling

Today is the last day you’ll be able to get your hands on the Tumbling Course for the launch price of $49. After midnight tonight (PST), it goes up to $79.

I know I’ve been mentioning a lot. But I don’t want someone to come after me in an angry manner because they failed to see it coming. This is your last chance!

Now on to a great comment from a reader. About why you NEED to have the most basic tumbling skills.

Also a great tip for training yourself to relax through tumbling moves and not tense up. Something I’ll be practicing myself. I wish I had thought of it.

Hey Logan

This looks like a great course I will be ordering it soon.

I learned many tumbling moves from my Ju Jitsu and Judo training, I think people need to learn this valuable tool.

I remember my instructor telling me a woman who use to take her son to his Ju Jitsu class use to watch them tumble and do break falls.

Well one day she fell down a flight of stairs and was able to walk away from that fall with a few bumps and scrapes, due to her learning how to tumble in her sons class and without ever practicing them.

She told him that if it wasn’t for her being able to tumble she would have broken her neck or back.

So tumbling is not just for exercising only but it can be good for your health and well being, also for self defense purposes as I teach my students to tumble as opposed to break falling, this way they can pop up off the ground and fight standing up instead of staying on the ground and fighting from there if they are knocked down.

That’s not a good place to be in a street fight.

Here is a tip I learned that helped me in tumbling; when rolling in any direction always hum as you do it, as you roll if you catch yourself not humming you tightened up your muscles in that area.

Which means you have to either loosen the muscles in the area or relax more, then when you can hum all the way through the movement you have mastered the roll.

Well take care Logan

Daniel
www.SuperHeroSystems.com

Thanks Daniel. Its true that you need to know how to roll should you ever need it.

For some reason I always picture having to roll out of a car going high speeds on the freeway, but falling down stairs is a better example, and much more common.

If you don’t know how to roll safely and effectively, take the time to learn it. If you never move beyond those rolls that’s alright. Just learn those necessary skills.

But if you want to move beyond the basics than you know where to start. (Although this course does teach the most basic moves, as well as everything progressing up to the most advanced.)

Get the Tumbling Course here.

Once again, last chance to get it at this price. Don’t put it off any longer.

Good Luck and Good Tumbling,
Logan Christopher

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You Need Strong Abs for Hand Balancing

By admin on January 15, 2008 in Uncategorized

Let’s face it, you will NEVER become an excellent hand balancer or acrobat without having incredibly strong abs. Powerful statement but true.

Have you neglected training this area with the same kind of force you train the rest of your body? I know I did for a long time but that has changed.

One of the presenters at a seminar I attended last year led us through a long series of abdominal exercises. Many of which I had never done or heard of before.

These exercises were for the abs but they used the whole body. And after doing a few of them I could feel it everywhere.

You will be teaching your body how to act as one unit. Does this sound familiar? It should because that’s exactly what you need do pull off any hand balancing stunt.

It turns out the guy teaching us, Ed Baran, had started gymnastics at the age of 35. In order to get better at hand balancing and tumbling he was told he needed to strengthen his abs. These are the exercises he used and some he developed along the way.

And now he can do incredible things like hold an awesome v-sit. That’s a long way from not being able to hold a regular handstand against a wall.

If you want to build gymnastic abs like this then you need to check out the following – Gymnastic Abs

I only wish my gymnastics class had taught me these moves. During the conditioning I was often left wondering why are they doing crunches?

I’m sorry but no matter how many crunches you do you will not build the strength, flexibility and coordination you need for hand balancing or real gymnast strength.

What we learned at the seminar was just a sneak peak of what he was planning on releasing. He has an entire course available now. Unfortunately it took me seeing the course to remember what I had learned and put everything back into action.

No matter what your abilities are now there are progressions to take you from the beginning to advanced levels in moves like hollow position rocks, l-sits, leg raises, compressions and more.

In just a couple weeks of following these exercises the way he laid out I have seen phenomenal benefits. I highly recommend it. Go find out more details – Gymnastic Abs.

Good Luck and Good Ab Training,
Logan Christopher

P.S. That picture of Ed holding a v-sit was enough incentive for me to interview him for the Hand Balancing Mastery Course. Follow his step-by-step progressions and you too can be pulling this one off – Gymnastic Abs

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